Loperamide

Loperamide may cause serious or life-threatening changes in your heart rhythm, especially in people who have taken more than the recommended amount. Tell your doctor if have or have ever had a prolonged QT interval (a rare heart problem that may cause irregular heartbeat, fainting, or sudden death), a slow or irregular heartbeat, or a low level of potassium in your blood. Also tell your doctor if you are taking or plan to take any of the following medications: amiodarone (Nexterone, Pacerone), chlorpromazine, haloperidol (Haldol), methadone (Dolophine, Methadose), moxifloxacin (Avelox), pentamidine (Nebupent, Pentam), procainamide, quinidine (in Nuedexta), sotalol (Betapace, Betapace AF), thioridazine, and ziprasidone (Geodon). Your doctor will probably tell you not to take loperamide if you are taking any of these medications or if you have any of these conditions. If you experience any of the following symptoms while taking loperamide, call your doctor immediately or instruct a friend or caregiver to call local emergency services at 911: fast, irregular, or pounding heartbeat; dizziness; lightheadedness; unresponsiveness; or fainting.

Taking more than the recommended amount of loperamide can cause heart problems that may be serious or cause death. Do not take a larger dose, take it more often, or take it for a longer period of time than prescribed by your doctor or as stated on the package.

Loperamide should not be given to a child younger than 2 years of age because of the risk of serious breathing and heart problems.

🔔 Why is this medication prescribed?

Nonprescription (over-the-counter) loperamide is used to control acute diarrhea (loose stools that come on suddenly and usually lasts less than 2 weeks), including travelers’ diarrhea. Prescription loperamide is also used to control acute diarrhea and also ongoing diarrhea associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD; condition in which the lining of all or part of the intestine is swollen, irritated, or has sores). Prescription loperamide is also used to reduce the amount of fluid in people with ileostomies (surgery to create an opening for waste to leave the body through the abdomen). Loperamide is in a class of medications called antidiarrheal agents. It works by decreasing the flow of fluids and electrolytes into the bowel and by slowing down the movement of the bowel to decrease the number of bowel movements.

🔔 How should this medicine be used?

Loperamide comes as a tablet, capsule, and as a suspension or solution (liquid) to take by mouth. Nonprescription (over-the-counter) loperamide usually is taken immediately after each loose bowel movement but not more than the 24-hour maximum amount described on the label. Prescription loperamide is sometimes taken on a schedule (one or more times a day). Follow the directions on the package or on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take loperamide exactly as directed.

If you are giving loperamide to your child, read the package label carefully to make sure that it is the right product for the age of the child. Loperamide should not be given to a child younger than 2 years of age. Check the package label to find out how much medication the child needs. If you know how much your child weighs, give the dose that matches that weight on the chart. If you don’t know your child’s weight, give the dose that matches your child’s age. Ask your child’s doctor if you don’t know how much medication to give your child.

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If you are taking loperamide liquid, do not use a household spoon to measure your dose. Use the measuring cup that came with the medication or use a spoon made especially for measuring liquid medication.

If you are taking loperamide for acute diarrhea and your symptoms get worse or if your diarrhea lasts longer than 48 hours, stop taking this medication and call your doctor.