Loperamide: Get Rid of Diarrhea Fast and Safely

No matter how hard you try to improve your wellbeing, sometimes viruses and bacteria can come uninvited. And one of the most common reactions is diarrhoea. This is especially true for stomach bugs.

Unfortunately, diarrhoea isn’t as innocent as it seems because it can cause the body to lose lots of water and salt. If you don’t replace this loss of water and salts in the body, you’ll become dehydrated and we all know that severe dehydration can end up bad. That’s why treating diarrhoea from the moment you get the problem is of vital importance. You can start by taking the suitable diarrhea medicine.

What Is the Best Medicine for Diarrhea?

One of the best and most popular medicines so far is loperamide. Although mainly used for short-term diarrhoea and for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), this medication can also be used for long-lasting diarrhoea caused by ulcerative colitis, short bowel syndrome and Crohn’s disease. As you can imagine, this medicine works by making your bowel movement thicker, and this is done by slowing down your food as it passes through your gut.

Being one of the most successful and helpful diarrhoea medications all loperamide medications can be found in pharmacies, online pharmacies, and even in supermarkets. Besides coming as OTC, loperamide is also available on prescription for treating some longer-term bowel conditions. Loperamide meds can come in the form of tablets, liquids, capsules and tablets that can melt under your tongue which makes them easier to consume.

This is great especially for children who don’t like or can’t swallow tablets. Except coming on its own, you can also find loperamide coming in a combination with simethicone which is a medicine used for treating excessive gas symptoms. This combination is great for those times when having diarrhoea and cramps or bloating at the same time.

Who Can Take Loperamide?

When using it without prescription, this medicine for diarrhea is allowed to be used by adults (above 18 years) who have IBS diarrhoea. However, if this diagnosis hasn’t been confirmed by your doctor, but only by doctor Google, you should consult with him before buying loperamide on your own. You can also buy OTC loperamide for children over 12 with short-term diarrhoea.

When prescribed, it can be used even by children younger than 11 years, by young people between 12 and 17 who have IBS or long-lasting diarrhoea and by adults with long-lasting diarrhoea. It isn’t recommended for people who have severe diarrhoea caused by antibiotics.

How and When to Take It?

There’re no restrictions when it comes to the usage of this anti diarrhea medication which means that you can use it with or without food. The recommended dose can mainly depend on the type of diarrhoea you have and on your age as well. However, the usual dosage for adults is taking two capsules or tablets immediately, and one pill/capsule after each runny poo.

In case of taking liquid loperamide, four 5ml spoonfuls should be taken immediately, and two spoonfuls after each runny poo. The recommended maximum dose in 24 hours is six tablets/capsules if you buy the medicine from a shop. In case you have a prescription, or you buy it directly from a pharmacy, you can have eight capsules/tablets or 16 spoonfuls of liquid. However, you shouldn’t take loperamide for more than 48 hours without consulting with your doctor. Once your symptoms settle down, you should immediately stop taking the diarrhoea medicine.

Side Effects

Fortunately, this medication causes no side effects in most people. However, in some people (1 in 100) it could lead to some side effects like dizziness, constipation, sickness, headaches and farting.

Other Things You Can Do to Stop Diarrhoea

Although you have started taking diarrhoea medications, drinking lots of fluids and resting is fundamental in order to speed up the recovery process. Drinking clear liquids like water, fruit juices and broth is essential during times like this as they won’t allow you to get dehydrated. You can drink them in small amounts throughout the day, so you could be hydrated all the time.

Drinking electrolytes is also recommended to replace the lost salt, potassium, and electrolytes in your body. Regarding the food, eating cleaner is better in these situations in order not to feel nauseous or bloated. Bananas, white rice, toast, applesauce, potatoes, skinless chicken, and yogurt are the ideal food choice when having diarrhoea or some other bowel conditions.

You should certainly avoid eating cabbage, beans, raw fruits and vegetables, spicy food, fatty or fried food and caffeinated drinks. These things can only worsen your diarrhoea and can cause gas and cramps which is the last thing you need. Nevertheless, whether talking about having short or long-term diarrhoea, this type of diet can help you a lot, along with taking the right dosage of loperamide.

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