Affordable Loperamide Source for High Dosage Needs

For any folks who use a lot of loperamide to control your output…

I've been buying from Life Sciences Pharmacy and get 600 tabs for $35 (I have to take 16 tabs/day) so this is a good deal. Free shipping. They have a site in the US and in England.

Do you need a prescription? My healthcare plan will not cover it

Hi T,

 No.  Loperamide is over the counter.  It's basically generic Imodium.  

Hi Kas,

  That sounds like a good price.......but I'll check.  I buy mine once a year in bulk, and as you know the prices vary widely from place to place.  

Here's one at an even better price......works out to $29 per 600 with free shipping.  

https://www.ebay.com/itm/355868904484?chn=ps&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&amdata=enc%3A1cjhTRIyQTpCwsOQ3vbbTfQ1&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&mkscid=101&itemid=355868904484&targetid=2320093655185&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9007687&poi=&campaignid=21222258394&mkgroupid=164713660992&rlsatarget=pla-2320093655185&abcId=9408285&merchantid=5351164917&gad_source=4&gclid=CjwKCAiAzPy8BhBoEiwAbnM9O0LREHMIxzUJenQ63-8guCTTVkuOj4UA2Sm5qOn1oMdwaEdxSqIzeRoCLcsQAvD_BwE

;o)

I'm using this now. It seems I take it, then create a solid dump, but then go liquid again. So the question begs: is it a continual taking of the tablet to solidify your output after each dump?

The doctor never gave me any instructions. I'm going by solid production and output versus liquid output.

If I go 6 times a day, I have to take at least one tablet 6 times daily after each dump, correct?

Yes, it's a fast-acting med, so it wears off quickly. When I had a high-output jejunostomy, I used to take a lot more than 6 a day and other meds on top to try and control output, and a weekly injection... It depends if you have loose or high output. With high output, the liquid/oral version works better at controlling output than tablets do.

Getting Support in the Ostomy Community with LeeAnne Hayden | Hollister

Very informative. I've used it off and on to try to solidify my colostomy output but it's seemed not work. Perhaps I'm having timing issues... colostomies are hard to time. 

Costco: Go to the pharmacy pick-up area, ask for three (3) boxes of Imodium (that is all they will sell). Not sure, but I think there are 48 pills per box, $3.00 for all three boxes. My wife and I each purchase 3 boxes every trip. Terry

Good Lord 😳. I've never taken more than maybe 10 Imodiums in my lifetime. Okay, carry on...

No this is over the counter.  No prescription needed.

I have short bowel syndrome, so all liquid all the time.  They (Mayo) have me taking 4 tabs crushed in applesauce 4 times a day.  This and octreotide & morphine keep me from dehydration and having IV fluids daily.  No,  it never totally firms up for me but with all of this it’s at least not pure liquid

I find having short bowel syndrome an utter pain in the you-know-what! I am on a high dose of opioid medication for my pain, and my output is still like water. Loperamide never worked for me. And while I was on Octreotide for quite a few years to slow down my gut (my specialist calls my gut a "down-pipe"), the side effect of this medication was that it stopped my pancreas from working properly. I was started on insulin as it caused me to become diabetic, and even after the Somatostatin, my blood glucose remained too high, so I am permanently now on insulin.
And as I can no longer eat solid food, there is nothing I can do to thicken up my output. However, I have had my ileostomy for so long that it's become my normal.

I have found the best and only food that ever helps when my ostomy turns to water is a banana!!!  Yup. I bring up a banana every night and in the middle of the night I eat it!  Only thing that works. 

Hey Gracie!

You’re the only other person I’ve “met” with short bowel syndrome.  Yes,  it is a pain in the ass!  So far,  my pancreas is doing well on the Octreotide,  but I’ve not been on it for a year yet.  I’m sorry that happened to you and I sure hope it doesn’t happen to me!  I have a colostomy currently and I’ve had it for 18 months.  It’s most of my small intestine that’s gone.  Supposed to be having a proctocolectomy (Barbie butt) due to ongoing radiation damage this Spring sometime - so I have no idea where they’ll put the stoma then.  I meet the new surgeon on Feb 14th and will find out then I suppose.

I’ve not tried this med but agree with you about colostomy timing. Very difficult to gauge.

You know, Kas, there are probably a lot of people on here with SBS who just don't know it yet. I know W30bob is one, and some of these folks complaining about how quickly food passes through them aren't aware why this happens, that they try to understand they can slow it down. You are mechanically missing the little valve—as I understand it—that slows down or controls the speed of things coming out of your small intestine. This has been discussed in other threads, Bob especially went into it in great detail. I am sure you know why you pass so quickly and liquidly. Others do not. Ileo valve? I think it's called? It's between the small intestine and large. They remove that, it's like a leaky faucet. I am sorry you and others have to deal with this important valve that was removed and having some type of quality life to manage. Will answer email later tonight. Hugs.

Hi Kas,

After being short-gutted, I started out on the 4 Loperamide and 4 Diphen-Atropine tablets 4 times a day thing, but over time have weaned myself down to just 2 and 2 in the morning. Long-term side effects of those meds aren't pretty, and I could probably stop taking them completely now, but it's become a force of habit at this point. So, something I'll be working on going forward.

I think you've been on here long enough to have seen my recommendations that every short-gutter read Carol Rees Parrish's book on the subject, as she's pretty spot on with a lot of helpful info. You can get a free copy of her book if you sign up on the SBS website, which I'll link below, or you can simply download it from UVa's site, also linked by part below. Among other things, it explains how to properly eat and drink to reduce your output, and really pertains to all ostomates to some extent. The third part is all about hydration, so also a good read for any ostomate. If you've already seen this stuff, please disregard. If not, it may help you get better control of your output and frequency, as it did for me.

;O)

https://www.shortbowelsyndrome.com/sign-up

Part 1: https://med.virginia.edu/ginutrition/wp-content/uploads/sites/199/2014/06/Parrish-August-14.pdf

Part 2: https://med.virginia.edu/ginutrition/wp-content/uploads/sites/199/2014/06/Parrish-October-14.pdf

Part 3: https://med.virginia.edu/ginutrition/wp-content/uploads/sites/199/2014/06/Parrish_Feb_15.pdf

Part 4a: https://med.virginia.edu/ginutrition/wp-content/uploads/sites/199/2014/06/Parrish-March-15.pdf

Part 4b: https://med.virginia.edu/ginutrition/wp-content/uploads/sites/199/2014/06/Parrish-April-15.pdf

Yep, I'm only 1.5 years into this new life, but was fortunate enough to see one of your posts and recommendations early on and have the book - know it almost by heart now.

Every once in a great while, I'll eat something that I know I'm gonna pay for, but it's a rare thing. I really love red grapes… 7 grapes is okay, 10 grapes is not. So there's still a little bit of a learning curve.

Thank you for posting the info again.

Hi K,

That's funny..........I just re-learned the grape thing the other day. I haven't had grapes for years, since they went right through me..........but last week they had some monstrous green seedless grapes at Walmart and I figured I'd try them again. As you said, a couple was no issue. But I had to push it and paid the penalty. Just glad to know I can have a couple every now and then. The one thing Carol didn't get quite right is the part about bowel adaptation. She says it's pretty much done adapting in 3 years......but it continues to adapt long after that. She probably just didn't have enough data to reach that conclusion. Need to go grab some grapes now. 😜

;O)

Hi there. While loperamide is an over-the-counter medication, you can get a prescription for it. My meds are covered, but loperamide by prescription is incredibly cheap—about 1/4 the price you pay over the counter. Ask your doctor for a prescription :)

Hey - that's great to hear. I've been buying from local drugstores, and it's expensive and a PITA to open the damn pill/safety measures.

I've been told to use Loperamide to help my ileostomy output be less liquid, but since I'm new, like others, no one has said do I use it all the time (is it safe?) or just when needed. Of course, I'm struggling with leakage due to my liquid output - so I am now doing it at least in the morning and at night before bed. I also started to take it during the day as I notice my output is more liquid than solid.

Oh, I'll have to ask next time I see the doctor - that would be even better. Of course, in the US, it may not work if it's OTC....