HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Imodium is it bad for me?

Support Forums
>
Crohn's Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 3/19/2010 9:57 PM (GMT 0)
I was wondering is anyone else using alot of imodium?

I don't have insurance and Take it alot with my Pentasa trying to stop the Extreme D I have Every day of my life.

I wonder some times why I take it, since It really doesn't stop the D....

What U do think fellow Chronies...
Posted 3/19/2010 10:42 PM (GMT 0)
I used to take alot of immodiums every day until this last flare, and I am also on pentasa.It was prescribed to me by the doctor, and he actually told me I could take up 32 a day, considering the max dose for a 'normal' person is 8 a day. But it didn't stop the D completely, and didn't make me constipated either. But I tried not to take more than 10 a day, as that did seem to help.
The questran light helped me more with the D though, so was taking that twice a day, once in the morning before food and then again at night before my main evening meal,I didn't take it at lunch time because I generally don't eat a big lunch, if anything.
I did notice that since being on the questran and having B12 injections that my D did slow down considerably, so maybe these are an option for you.But obviously everyone is different, so what works for one, may not work for another.
Also through diet as well, once you learn what you can and can't tolerate food wise, this helps too with D.
Hope you find some relief!
Posted 3/19/2010 11:31 PM (GMT 0)
wow 32? I wonder how the doc comes up with a number like that lol
Posted 3/19/2010 11:53 PM (GMT 0)
i also took more than rec dosage of immodium along with that b 12 and trying to really watch foods i was eating did help...
Posted 3/20/2010 12:44 AM (GMT 0)
My GI prescribed me Immodium. He told me I could take up to 16 a day.  6 usually does the trick.
Posted 3/20/2010 12:47 AM (GMT 0)
My gastro told me I can take it every day, all I want as needed. I only take 1/2 a pill a day, I seem to be doing "better" (yeah). But in the past I have gotten into some Sorbitol (in some ice cream) and I couldn't leave my sister's house until I took like 4.5 or 5 of them in a row. I was nervous about taking that many, but it worked.
Posted 3/21/2010 7:52 PM (GMT 0)
     Never take ingest anything ending in tol....gives you diarrhea big time.
Posted 3/21/2010 9:48 PM (GMT 0)
I think you should check with your doctor before taking Imodium. Whether it is safe for us to take it or not depends on where our Crohn's is, and how severe it is.
Posted 3/22/2010 12:11 AM (GMT 0)
I take Immodium when I am going out and have D symptoms - I also carry it with me just in case.  I use it for the convenience of occasionally wanting to be out and eating and drinking and not have to be tied to the bathroom.  Usually I use my medicine and diet to control my symptoms but as we all know that doesn't always work.  For example, yesterday I was out on a date and ate or drank something that didn't agree with me - thank goodness I had Immodium with me, I took 2 and drank a big glass of water and I was fine - if I was having more symptoms I would have had to go home.

I usually don't take more than 4 within a few hours; if I need more than that I go/stay home and rest.  It sucks but is part of what I go through with my Crohn's. 

Posted 3/22/2010 2:36 AM (GMT 0)
I have found it has a rebound effect on me. I use it (usually a half, sometimes a whole one) if I must but I end up with worse D and pain in a day or two. JMHO
Posted 3/22/2010 7:56 AM (GMT 0)
I agree that it's best to talk to your doctor about it. It can depend on your disease as to whether or not they think it's okay for you.


With that said I've taken it every day for over a decade. Before getting diagnosed I was at around 5-6 Immodium a day. It helped, but honestly really didn't touch the pain and D I had back then. Which amazed everyone I knew, because if they took that much they'd be plugged for weeks! Now I also take Questran, and that helps me SO much. My "magic bullet," as I call it, is my questran and 2 immodium daily. Without it I wouldn't have a quality of life!

Of course it doesn't do much if I'm in a full out flare. I lost my gallbladder several years back, so I'm also dealing with having diarrhea from too much bile in my system.

Posted 3/22/2010 1:51 PM (GMT 0)
Why 32 immodium at most? I don't know about immodium, but overdosage, for many meds, is more than 4 times the maximum. Then 8 immodium a day... 4 times 8... do the math.

Immodium helped me in the past. Now, I'm ok just with questran for the D. My doc says immodium is a safe med, so I woudn't worry in going that path again.
Posted 3/22/2010 1:56 PM (GMT 0)
If you have any kind of strictures or narrowing you should use the Immodium with caution. I am like Funguy I only use it once in awhile, but when I do I get the rebound effect too,
Posted 3/22/2010 2:41 PM (GMT 0)
If you know for sure your problem is crohn's, and not caused by a bacterial or viral infection, then it's probably ok to take immodium every once in a while to help get through a difficult situation. My husband has had problems with recurring c-diff infections, and one of the worst things you can do is take immodium and counter the body's reaction to purge the system of the bacteria, therefore allowing the bacteria to replicate and make the infection worse. For my husband, if he starts having D, the first thing we have to go is test his stool for possible pathogens, before taking any course of action.

So, my advice would be to make sure that you have no infectious causes for the D, before starting immodium.

PV
Posted 3/22/2010 4:34 PM (GMT 0)
Honestly, I'm scared to try immodium. My doc was telling me that it actually stops the system and some people don't start back up again causing trouble. Then I read all of these posts and it seems like most everyone takes it. I guess that I get some slowing with the pain meds, which is a nice side effect.
Posted 3/22/2010 7:00 PM (GMT 0)
After having a right hemicolectomy (part of the colon resected) years ago I was told that I would have to live with the D years down the line i was given Lomotil which starts working when it hit the large bowel, it was excellent! could take up to 8 tabs aday but only needed to take 2 in the morning and would get through a whole day eating and drinking normal amounts. Immodium in melt form or tab does nothing for me. Bev x
Posted 3/22/2010 9:20 PM (GMT 0)
I have Cd illieum and colon. 2 surgeries. My Gi said I could take 4 imodium at a time every six hours. But I only take it when I going somewhere or I just can,t stand another bath room visit becaue like the others I hate the rebound too.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply