The gold standard diarrhea medicine in the pharmacy is loperamide, also sold under the brand name Imodium. It is used to treat conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease or colitis that can cause diarrhea as well as more temporary problems resulting from travel to far-flung locales with unfamiliar microbes.
High Doses of Loperamide Can Be Dangerous:
The FDA has just issued a warning that exceeding the recommended dose of loperamide could cause serious heart problems. The FDA notes that irregular heart rhythms or arrhythmias due to overdose or abuse could lead to fainting or, in extreme conditions, cardiac arrest.
Trouble with Interactions:
This life-threatening reaction can also result when loperamide is combined with other medications. The FDA lists a few examples of medications that may be incompatible with this diarrhea medicine, including the heartburn drugs Tagamet HB and Zantac and antibiotics such as clarithromycin (Biaxin) and erythromycin. Quinine and quinidine may also interact with loperamide to trigger heart rhythm disturbances.
Caution with Over-the-Counter Diarrhea Medicine:
When loperamide is being used to treat inflammatory bowel disease or Crohn’s, it may be used as a prescription medication. The drug is also available OTC. People using loperamide for traveler’s diarrhea should be especially careful not to exceed the dose listed on the label.
Consider Coconut Instead of Diarrhea Medicine:
In some cases, it might be prudent to consider using the coconut remedy instead. We first heard about the power of coconut macaroon cookies to counteract diarrhea from Donald Agar of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. As a long-time Crohn’s disease patient, Mr. Agar was excited to discover this remedy. We were glad to share it with others, as he requested. Many other people have confirmed that coconut can be helpful in curbing diarrhea.
