It could have been something I ate while trying to use up the food in my refrigerator before leaving or just a 24-hour stomach bug. Whatever triggered it, diarrhea struck me down the first day of my long-awaited vacation, even before I arrived at SEA-TAC International Airport.
I used several doses of the anti-diarrhea medicine I keep in my carry-on bag before finally checking in at SEA-TAC. Facing 23 hours of travel between Seattle and my final destination of Rome, I replenished my stash at an airport kiosk. Luckily, by the time I arrived in Rome, my stomach had finally settled down, and I spent my vacation admiring Italian art instead of sprinting to Italian restrooms.
Which remedy saved my trip to Rome? Imodium-AD®, which is called by its generic name, loperamide. First introduced as prescription medicine in 1976, loperamide has been available over the counter (OTC) for many years and has proven to be VERY effective for acute diarrhea.
During digestion, your food turns into a liquid mass of nutrients just waiting to be absorbed into your body. The muscles lining the inside of your intestines are designed to work together. They squeeze your digesting food in a coordinated rhythm called peristalsis.
Peristalsis moves masses of food through your small intestine, large intestine, and colon. Along the way, your body is busy absorbing nutrients and water. Anything left over is eliminated as feces.
The longer food takes to move through your intestines, the more water you absorb, and the firmer your feces or stool becomes. If your food mass moves too slowly, you’ll absorb too much water. Without water, your stool will become hard, causing constipation. If your food moves too quickly, your body won’t have time to absorb much of the nutrients or liquid, causing diarrhea.
I experienced constipation for the first time when given cough syrup containing the narcotic codeine to treat my severe cough from getting whooping cough. Constipation and intestinal blockages are common side effects of narcotics like codeine, hydrocodone, or oxycodone. They can cause the movement of the muscles that line your intestine to slow way down. Loperamide is closely related to these powerful painkillers. It slows down your intestinal muscles, which eases abdominal cramping and diarrhea.
Although it doesn’t relieve pain like its narcotic cousins, if you take enough loperamide, you can get “high” or stave off the misery of opiate withdrawal. The Food and Drug Administration has reported cases of loperamide abuse and overdose. People taking 4 times the maximum dose of loperamide experienced euphoria, confusion, and heart palpitations.
Pepto-Bismol®(bismuth subsalicylate) is another medicine that I always take with me when I travel. It reduces abdominal cramping, nausea, and diarrhea, although it’s not as useful for diarrhea as loperamide. Available as wintergreen-flavored chewable tablets, liquid as well as regular tablets, Pepto-Bismol® will turn your stools a charcoal black.
Some people recommend probiotics for diarrhea. I have found them somewhat helpful for treating diarrhea in my dogs. Still, for myself, I find Imodium-AD® (loperamide) to be more reliable.
Here Are 4 Tips on Treating Acute Diarrhea:
- Always be prepared.
I never travel without taking Imodium-AD (loperamide) tablets with me, along with some Pepto-Bismol® chewable tablets. I want to meet new people and see new sights, not spend my vacation seeking out or sprinting to the nearest bathroom.
- You can take more than one remedy at a time.
Pepto-Bismol® (bismuth subsalicylate) can be taken in addition to doses of loperamide, even at the same time. I always pack the chewable tablets, but if you hate the taste of wintergreen, buy the non-chewable pills that you swallow, instead. But beware: bismuth subsalicylate will turn your stool a most dramatic charcoal-black color.
- Don’t overdose on loperamide.
The maximum dose of Imodium-AD® (loperamide) is 8 tablets in 24 hours, This should be plenty to do the job. Take 2 tablets to start after your first loose stool and one tablet after each loose stool after that. For faster relief, you can try taking both loperamide and Pepto-Bismol® (bismuth subsalicylate) at the same time. Loperamide is very effective. If the maximum amount of loperamide plus bismuth subsalicylate doesn’t help, you should seek medical attention.
- Seek medical attention if needed.
Some types of diarrhea need immediate medical attention instead of anti-diarrhea medicine. If you experience bloody diarrhea, vomiting with diarrhea for more than 24 hours, or severe abdominal pain with diarrhea, don’t wait; seek medical attention right away.
