That diarrhea cure may not be all it’s cracked up to be!
Digestive disorders are becoming more and more common. An increasing number of people are being diagnosed with gluten sensitivity, lactose intolerance, and other digestive health problems. Those who are suffering from an upset stomach or poor digestion will often turn to anti-diarrheal medications for relief, but did you know that the medication can actually do more harm than good?
Loperamide is one of the most popular anti-diarrhea medications around. Sold under the name Imodium, it’s designed to reduce the frequency of diarrhea, and can help in the treatment of IBS, short bowel syndrome, gastroenteritis, and other digestive disorders. However, according to the FDA, it could cause serious heart problems–so serious, in fact, that taking too much of the medication could prove fatal.
The FDA Safety Announcement, published on June 7th, warns against intentionally taking excessive amounts of Imodium. While the medication is commonly used as an anti-diarrheal, people have been taking it as a means to self-medicate the symptoms of opioid withdrawal. The medication has been known to cause feelings of euphoria similar to the “high” of narcotics, so people trying to get clean of opioids have resorted to using Imodium in place of their regular drugs. In fact, some have even gone as far as to mix Imodium with other drugs in order to simulate the “high” or increase the existing feelings of euphoria caused by other interacting medications.
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However, in the last 40 years, almost 50 cases of Imodium-related heart problems have been reported. Nearly 30 of them occurred since the year 2010, including 10 cases that led to death. However, it’s believed that the number of heart problems caused by excessive Imodium use is actually much higher. Not all of the cases are reported, meaning there is no way to know exactly how much of a problem Imodium overdosing could be.
The drug can cause dangerously rapid heartbeat, irregular heart beat, fainting, and may even cause the patients to become unresponsive to treatment. In two of the cases of fatal Imodium overdosing, the opioid ingredients in the medication did not cause the problems. It was the OTHER ingredients in the medication that proved ultimately fatal to those who took excessive amounts of the medication.
Let this be a warning! Medications are designed for a specific purpose, and should ONLY be used for that purpose, and in the recommended dosages. Off-label use of medications is far more common than it should be, and it has led to a wide range of health problems. Smart consumers will be wary of any medication, and any use not recommended by their doctor.
And that goes for OTC drugs as well! Prescription drugs may be tightly regulated, but OTC drugs are sold without the same restrictions. There are many OTC drugs that can cause health problems if consumed in excess, so it’s imperative that you only take the medications when you need them and as directed.
If you know of anyone who has a problem with consuming excessive amounts of medication for the purpose of “getting high”, it’s in your best interest to counsel them against that course of action. Recreational use of medications can have SERIOUS negative health consequences, and can be fatal in many cases. If you care for the person, you need to help them to stop. Counseling, therapy, and rehab are all viable options for those who suffer from problems with drug and substance abuse.
