It is said that everyone gets diarrhea at least once. Diarrhea is an uncomfortable feeling that no one wants to have. So, scientists did many kinds of research and successfully created a medicine called Imodium to help people to tackle this problem. Today, this post will answer all questions about Imodium: What is Imodium? How long does Imodium work ? Everything will be answered in this article!
What is Imodium?
Firstly, let’s find out what Imodium is. Imodium, also known as loperamide hydrochloride ((https://www.rxlist.com/imodium-drug.htm)), is a kind of medications which is produced to treat diarrhea ((https://medlineplus.gov/diarrhea.html)). The main function of Imodium is to help to slow down gut movement and bowel movements as well as make sure that the stool will be not or less watery.
How does it work?
As usual, fluids and food easily pass from your stomach to small intestine and colon. The cells lining up your small intestine can absorb these fluids and other nutrients to nourish your body. However, sometimes, in particular when you eat something unsanitary, the process will not work well like this. The cells will be exasperated and cannot take fluids and nutrients properly. At that time, fluids and food will quickly get through colon and result in diarrhea. Imodium helps to slow down the speed of digestion so that small intestine will have enough time to absorb all fluids and foods which the person ate.
Imodium is usually known with 2 forms:
– Over-the-counter (OTC): An over-the-counter drug is what you can come to drugstore and buy without having a doctor’s prescription.
– Generic form: A pharmaceutical drug that is comparable to a brand-name product in some features like dosage, strength, and more. However, it does not carry the brand name. Moreover, generic form has the same ingredients as the original, but it still differs in some things such as taste, packaging or formulation.
How long does Imodium work?
As the manufacturer said, Imodium just takes you less than 1 hour to stop diarrhea and return the rhythm of your digestive system back to its normal speed. Imodium can last 2 hours and more, and stay at least ½ day in your system if you take it 4 times a day for 2 days. If you are asking “How long does Imodium take to wear off?”, the answer is about 8 hours. Actually, the duration is not the same for everyone. There will be the difference between adults and children or men and women.
Dosage information
– For adults and kids who are 12 years old and above. If you has a chronic or severe diarrhea, the suggested dose is 4 mg, followed by 2 mg after every loose bowel movement.
– Kids from 6 to 12 years old (weighing 10 to 20 kg) suffering from chronic or acute diarrhea should be taken to see a doctor in advance, after that parents should let them use Imodium basing on the doctor’s prescription. On the other hands, for children between 6 to 8 years old who weight more than 30 kg are required to take 2 mg dose, 3 times per day for the first day. If their diarrhea still persist, just use Imodium after a loose bowel movement.
– Just make sure that you get the permission from doctor before you let children from the age of 2 to 10 (weighing 10 to 20 kg) use. The dosage is 1 mg 3 times a day. If the medicine is liquid, use a measuring spoon for accurate dosage.
So now, if you already knew “ How long does Imodium work ?”, let’s move on to things you should know!
Must-notice things
There are some things you should take note so that you will not get unwanted troubles in using Imodium
– Kids under 2 years old should not use Imodium. If they get diarrhea, please see a doctor.
– The quantity of dosage used for kids should base on their weight.
– Do not use Imodium to treat your children more than one day. If their symptoms are still bad although they took medicine, take them to a hospital right away. Moreover, you also should stop using Imodium and call the doctor if they have symptoms like:
+ a 39°C or higher fever
+ getting black or tarry stool with blood
– No matter who you are, an adult or a child, you should ask doctor’s advice first before using Imodium to be sure you take right dosage.
– It is unknown if pregnant women should use Imodium or not because we do not know whether unborn babies will be harmed by Imodium. Also, some studies showed that Loperamide can harm nursing babies because it can easily pass into the breast milk. Therefore, please ask doctor’s advice before you want to use Imodium when you are pregnant.
– Furthermore, remember that you should not use Imodium if your get one of the following reasons:
- You are allergic to loperamide ((https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-4789-4025/loperamide-oral/loperamide-oral/details))
- You suffer from a serious dysentery
- You has ulcer
- Your stools are tarry or bloody
- Your diarrhea results from an antibiotic ((https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibiotic))
Side Effects
At the moment, what we should learn is not “ How long does Imodium work ?” anymore, we should learn whether there is any extra reactions after using Imodium or not. Likewise a lot of medicines, Imodium also has some unwanted effects. Some common effects you may get such as constipation, worsening diarrhea or fever. Besides, there are some rare symptoms not many people suffer from, for example: indigestion, stomach cramps or skin allergies.
If you get one of those, please go to the hospital as soon as possible or call FDA ((https://www.fda.gov/)) at 1-800-FDA-1088 (FREE) for right instructions.
Imodium for dogs
It is quite surprising that we can use Imodium to treat dogs when they get diarrhea. However, to guarantee that your dog can use Imodium, just ask veterinarian in advance. Also, if you wonder “How long does Imodium work in dogs?” or something like that, check the following lines.
Now, I will give you some information about dosage and side effects that can happen to your furry friends.
Dosage
The quantity of dosage for dogs depends on the form of medication. With the liquid form, suggested dosage is 0.3 to 0.6 mL per pound of weight, using from 2 to 3 times per day. You can pour the medication over their foods. For Imodium A-D caplets or EZ Chews, dogs should be given one 2 mg caplet, or you can let them chew for ever 25 to 50 pounds of weight, using 2 or 3 times per day.
Side effects
Although you followed veterinarian’s instructions, somehow, your dogs will have some extra reactions. Here are some common effects that you may see from your dogs:
– Genetic mutation: It usually happens to herd breeds like Collies or German Shepherds. Genetic mutation make dogs’ bodies hard to take toxic substances from their brains.
– Other possible effects are vomiting, constipation, or bloody diarrhea. If using Imodium to treat these symptoms cannot improve the dogs’ condition within 2 days, call the veterinarian immediately. Do not let dogs use Imodium more than 5 consecutive days.
In short
Although we have Imodium to resolve diarrhea, we should not find out some ways to avoid this terrible problem. Remember to drink enough water and eat bland foods such as cooked cereal or banana or something rich-in vitamins. Finally, I think that this post can give you informative knowledge about diarrhea remedy: What is Imodium? How long does Imodium work? or information about dosage and side effects. Hope that all of you are always healthy. Thanks for reading.
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I am Thomas Taw, the CEO of CITIZENSNIPS. I have experience in hair product development and chemical research, as well as sustainable resource engineering. In 2009, I co-created Sunsilk, one of the world's leading haircare brands. More recently, I was the CEO of SMOKINGPANDA LTD. I am a professional with a strong track record in delivering tangible results. Full his bio.
