Loperamide is an over-the-counter drug that relieves diarrhea and prevents dehydration and nutrient loss.
However, loperamide is an opioid that is cheap and easily accessible, which contributes to a potential for abuse. People suffering from opioid addiction sometimes turn to loperamide to get high because the drug is easier to get than painkillers such as Oxycontin or Vicodin. The cost of 400 capsules of generic loperamide can be as low as $10.
According to an article in ACEP Now, an official publication of the American College of Emergency Physicians, between 2010 and 2011 web-forum postings about oral loperamide abuse increased by ten times. Seventy percent of the posts discussed using loperamide to self-treat the side effects of opioid withdrawal, and 25 percent talked about using loperamide to get high.
Researchers also found a 71 percent rise in calls related to loperamide misuse to poison control centers across the United States between 2011 and 2014.
Using loperamide to get high is dangerous because misusing the drug can lead to cardiac dysrhythmia or even death.
What Does an Imodium High Feel Like?
Imodium, the brand name of loperamide, slows the amount of time it takes stool to pass through the gastrointestinal system. The drug is an opioid agonists, however, and therefore has the capacity to induce a high by activating opioid receptors in the brain.
Because Imodium can’t cross the blood-brain barrier in lower doses, it won’t produce a high unless taken in excessive amounts or with other drugs.
Taking more than the recommended amount will give a high similar to that of other opioids, such as heroin and oxycodone.
What Are the Side Effects of Taking Too Much Imodium?
Commons side effects of Imodium include dizziness, drowsiness, tiredness or constipation.
When users take more than the recommended amount, they increase their risk of overdosing.
- Severe constipation
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Stomach or abdominal pain
- Fast or irregular heartbeat
- Severe dizziness
- Trouble breathing
- Fainting
- Cardiac dysrhythmia or heart attack
Overdosing on Imodium can lead to death if you do not seek medical attention for these side effects. Call 9-1-1 if you believe you may have taken more than your prescribed amount of Imodium.
How Much Loperamide Should You Take?
The recommended dose of loperamide is 8 milligrams a day for over-the-counter use and 16 milligrams a day for prescription use. There is no limit to purchasing loperamide over-the-counter, which causes people to assume it is safe to take more often.
To achieve a high similar to that of other opioids, some people dependent on loperamide take anywhere from 50 to 400 2-mg capsules a day. This is dangerous and can lead to overdose.
If you are taking loperamide on a regular schedule and you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember. If it is near the time of your next dose, skip the missed dose and resume your regular dosing schedule. Never double the dose to catch up.
How Long Does it Take for Imodium to Leave Your System?
The half-life of a drug is the time it takes the full amount in your body to be reduced by half. Imodium’s half-life is between 9.1 and 14.4 hours. The average time it takes for the body to eliminate the drug is 10.8 hours.
Blood concentration levels of Imodium are highest around five hours after someone takes it in capsule form and 2.5 hours after taking it in liquid form. You can excrete Imodium from your system through passing stool.
Factors that Affect How Long Imodium Stays in Your System
There are several factors that determine the length of time that Imodium will stay in your system. These include:
- Having a chronic illness
- Age
- Metabolism
- Regular use of loperamide
Younger people with a high metabolism are usually able to get rid of drugs from their systems faster. Additionally, continuous use of loperamide may cause it to build up in your system.
How Do I Stop Using Loperamide to Get High?
Using loperamide to get high or relieve opioid withdrawal symptoms is a sign of opioid use disorder.
If you have been using loperamide to treat your opioid dependence, reach out to a medical professional for opioid addiction treatment. Medical professionals can help you through the process of detoxification by closely monitoring your symptoms and providing medication-assisted treatment for withdrawal symptoms if necessary.
Additionally, an addiction specialist can help you identify the cause of your substance use and offer guidance for continued treatment, including inpatient or outpatient options and support groups for you and your family.
View Sources
- Daneman, R., & Prat, A. (2015, January). The Blood–Brain Barrier. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4292164/
- Daniulaityte, R. et al. (2012, November 30). “I Just Wanted to Tell You That Loperamide WILL WORK”: A Web-Based Study of Extra-Medical Use of Loperamide. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3633632/
- LoVeccio, F. (2016, July 15). Loperamide Abuse Associated with Cardiac Dysrhythmia and Death. Retrieved from https://www.acepnow.com/article/loperamide-abuse-associated-cardiac-dysrhythmia-death/2/
- Eggleston, W., Clark, K. H., & Marraffa, J. M. (2017). Loperamide Abuse Associated With Cardiac Dysrhythmia and Death. Annals of Emergency Medicine,69(1), 83-86. doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2016.03.047
- Food and Drug Administration. (2016, July 6). FDA Drug Safety Communication: FDA warns about serious heart problems with high doses of the antidiarrheal medicine loperamide (Imodium), including from abuse and misuse. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm504617.htm
- Gussow, L. (2016, July). Toxicology Rounds: Opioid Abusers Using Loperamide to Get High or Alleviate Withdrawal, with Fatal Consequences. Retrieved from https://journals.lww.com/em-news/fulltext/2016/07000/Toxicology_Rounds__Opioid_Abusers_Using_Loperamide.9.aspx
- Mylan Institutional Inc. (2017, November). LOPERAMIDE HYDROCHLORIDE- loperamide hydrochloride capsule. Retrieved from https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/fda/fdaDrugXsl.cfm?setid=ad71d4ab-d293-47a2-8f3f-2c9f42d76e40&type=display
