Loperimide

I take Imodium daily and I really wonder if it does any good at all. But I have so much trouble with diahorrea that I think to myself what would things be like if I wasn’t taking it. It’s bad enough now and I couldn’t cope with any worse problems.

hi Osboz, I've always found Loperamide really effective. I take 2 tablets four times a day. Half an hour before breakfast, lunch and dinner and just before I go to bed. Strangely the loperamide tablets in the orange and white boxes work better than the one's in the blue box. I don't take the capsules as these don't work for me.

Not sure there is 'normal' for emptying the bag. I was told I just had to judge how much I was losing and replace with fluids  Saying this I also have CKD - chronic kidney disease so have to keep hydrated.

Hi I empty about the same as you daily

I have found that I have managed the output by the food I eat. Certain foods thicken and loosen. Dry crackers, wotsits and similar thicken it. I’ve also found that if I’m really loose two dry crackers late evening helps me too have a good night as mine gets overactive if I starve it.
I’m two -three hours emptying during the day and I can have six hours midnight to six.
Which is amazing. 
Our stoma’s are all different and mine sometimes changes and I have a wobble  

I did try tablets but they didn’t seem to change my output.marshmallows  and jelly slow it too. 

Hi cant comment on loperamide as luckily never needed it,even when on chemo.I tend to empty my bag 5 or 6 times a day and once during the night (2.00 am ish).I check it when I visit the loo and empty when about one third full.hope thats of help,although probably not when I think about it.

Kath

I had very lose output due to chemo honestly couldn't keep up took the imodem prescribed by oncologist Hugh dose but it just didn't help so they put my on codene phosphate which helped thicken it up znd slow it down.

It made me very dehydrated ended up in hospital on fluid drips 

Xx

Thanks all for your replies. It sounds like 'horses for courses' with loperimide/immodium!

I'm a week into my experimental stoppage and still don't see any difference and it's great not having to remember - I was never as disciplined as you seem to be kathH2!!

I have an o/p appt with gastro team in Feb just to check fat absorption and stuff, but maybe I've now reached what will be my normal rate/consistency. So helpful to hear others' experiences to be able to come to that conclusion.

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply.

Take care everyone.

Osboz X

hi Osboz - it so is very much a case of horses for courses re: Loperamide and other issues around stomas. My Stoma also reacts to stress - if I'm anxious or stressed my Stoma over reacts despite taking Loperamide. I used to have adhesion flareups for years on and off and took cocodimal that took care of the pain and thickened my output. Sometimes I can't get to the  bottom (no pun intended) of why my Stoma plays up or behaves itself.