timing immodium/lomotil

I'm wondering how others use immodium or lomotil, and whether the timing is consistent for you. When I had active IBD, I would take immodium sometimes if I was traveling etc, but I felt like my disease changed too much to get a handle on it -- sometimes 2 immodium would keep me plugged up for two days and sometimes 4 wouldn't do anything.

My surgeon said that lomotil is more consistent, and I was using that a bit to prevent dehydration when the output was liquid after surgery. Now it seems that taking 4 or 5 of those is not enough for much..... she says I can take up to 16, but it scares me a bit, as I have to show and ID to get the drug, etc as if it's oxycontin or something....

So I tried immodium again .... .just was hoping to sleep though the night and not wake others up.... 2 of them at 7 pm did not help at all, although I think they made me very gassy in the a.m.

I was thinking that things are more stable now, and it would be nice to figure out what works. My surgeon said that I would eventually learn to fine tune for what I needed .... just getting started with that.

I haven't taken these drugs much as I've gotten better, but I am going on a big trip next month, and I'd just like to figure out what to use and how so I have that option. I know I need to experiment, but just curious about others' experiences -- did you make a decision lomotil vs immodium and how? How many do you take and when? Do they work more or less the same every time for you?

Thanks.

Wow those prices are amazing! These are both over the counter drugs in the US (had to look up simethicone, but it's gas-x). I think I paid $10 for a big bottle of immodium last time I bought it.

I hadn't thought of taking it regularly but maybe I'll try for a few days and see how it goes. Thanks.

I have also barely used either. What I'm trying to accomplish is a) to have the option of sleeping through the night, not because it matters that much to me, but I wake up my partner when I get up (often twice in the night), which means I end up sleeping alone a lot...... and b) to be able to slow output if I'm going on a plane or a long car ride etc at a high output time of the day.

I don't care much about the output consistency either.....

Don't want to speak for anyone else, but I know that stripey has had active Crohn's, and I'd imagine that if I flared w/the ileo I'd want to slow it down ..... because otherwise that could be emptying 20 times a day or something .....

Personally, I haven't had much luck with Imodium. Once the drug wears off the dumping is almost worse than what I was trying to slow down.

For me, I have found that fiber supplements do a much better job at making my output very predictable (the thickening is a bonus, too). I use chia powder/seeds now (thanks suebear!) but before that I was using psyllium caplets with good success. I don't eat much in processed foods and find that without those foods I sleep fine through the night and don't have to empty.

Thanks for the replies. Eq mom how does the fiber supplement make the output more predictable? Is it just because it thickens it or is there another reason? I have been really drawn to fresh peaches and mangoes this week, and I find that when I eat them I get really thick but very frequent output.... was emptying every 45 minutes for several hours last evening (it was worth it, they were good). I'm not sure whether fiber supplements would help in this mix, although i certainly like the idea in theory.

Betsaronie, I'll definitely try the timing you suggest .... I think I always took it closer to food than that....

Stripey, glad you've found a way that the immodium works for you. Are there any downsides to taking it all the time? Any long term risks? (Of course, most of us have taken or take drugs w/all kinds of long term risks....). I haven't been counting but I think I empty more than most people.... I've also been eating too much, trying to get a handle on that, it's just been so exciting to be able to eat again.

I wish. Unfortunately, having had so much bowel removed I am on edge of malabsorption and so stuff can go through me in 10 minutes flat. Problem with that is get hardly any nutrition/calories etc from it so at least with immodium/codeine/tramadol it slows it down enough. The codeine/tramadol is also for pain relief from 6 knackered discs in neck and at moment chronic arthritis and sciatica.