Loperamide is a medicine to treat diarrhoea (runny poo). It can help with short-term diarrhoea or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
Loperamide is also used for recurring or longer lasting diarrhoea from bowel conditions such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis and short bowel syndrome.
Diarrhoea that starts suddenly usually gets better on its own within 5 to 7 days. If you need immediate short-term relief, taking loperamide can reduce the number of times you go to the toilet and it makes your poo less watery.
Loperamide works by slowing down food as it goes through your gut. Your body can then draw in more water from your intestines, so that your poos get firmer and you poo less often.
If you have a colostomy (where part of your bowel is brought through an opening made in your tummy, called a stoma) you may be prescribed loperamide. If you have a lot of poo and fluids coming through it, your stoma team may advise you to take high doses of loperamide to make your poo thicker and reduce the flow.
You can buy loperamide from pharmacies and shops. It's also available on prescription for treating some bowel conditions.
It comes as tablets, including tablets that dissolve on your tongue, and capsules. The tablets that dissolve are called Imodium Instants or Imodium Instant Melts.
Loperamide is also available combined with simeticone. Simeticone is used to treat farting (flatulence or wind). Taking these medicines together helps if you have diarrhoea with painful stomach cramps and bloating.
Loperamide mixed with simeticone is known by several brand names including Imodium Plus Caplets and Imodium Plus Comfort Tablets.
Key facts
- Loperamide usually starts to make your diarrhoea better within 1 hour.
- If you buy loperamide from a pharmacy or shop, do not take it for more than 48 hours without talking to a doctor.
- Only take the recommended amount. Too much loperamide can cause serious heart problems (including a fast or irregular heartbeat).
- Do not drive, cycle or use machinery or tools if loperamide makes you feel dizzy, tired or sleepy.
- It's best not to drink alcohol while you're taking loperamide. Alcohol makes you more likely to have side effects.
- Pharmacies and shops may sell their own brands of loperamide, usually called anti-diarrhoea or diarrhoea relief capsules or tablets.
- Some products have IBS in the name. However, they're no different from others. If you have IBS you can also use brands without IBS in the name.