About Loperamide 2 mg Capsule
Loperamide 2 mg Capsule contains Loperamide 2 mg. This medicine is used for short-term relief of sudden diarrhoea and for some long-term bowel conditions as advised by a doctor. It slows down the gut so that stools become firmer and less frequent. It does not treat the cause of diarrhoea, and replacing lost fluids is still important.
Uses of Loperamide 2 mg Capsule
- Short-term relief of sudden (acute) diarrhoea in adults
- Long-term diarrhoea in some bowel conditions (as advised by a doctor)
Benefits
In diarrhoea
It reduces how often you need to go and makes stools firmer, helping you get on with your day. Drinking fluids or oral rehydration solution is still needed to prevent dehydration.
Side effects
Most side effects are mild and settle as your body gets used to the medicine. Talk to your doctor if any of them bother you or do not go away.
Common
- Constipation
- Wind (gas) or bloating
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Headache
Get medical help if you notice
- Swollen or painful tummy, or no bowel movement — stop and contact your doctor
- Fainting, a fast or irregular heartbeat (especially if more than the advised dose was taken) — get medical help straight away
- Allergic reaction: rash, itching, swelling of the face, lips or throat, or difficulty breathing — seek emergency care
How to use
Take it exactly as your doctor prescribed or as the label advises. Swallow the capsule with water. Do not take more than the maximum daily amount. Stop if your stools become normal or you become constipated.
How it works
It acts on opioid receptors in the wall of the gut, slowing down the movement of the bowel. This lets more water be absorbed, so stools become firmer.
Safety advice
Alcohol Caution
Avoid alcohol. It can worsen diarrhoea and add to dizziness.
Pregnancy Consult your doctor
Use only if your doctor advises it, especially in the first 3 months.
Breastfeeding Consult your doctor
Small amounts pass into breast milk. Ask your doctor before using it while breastfeeding.
Driving Caution
It may cause dizziness or tiredness. Do not drive if you feel affected.
Kidney Consult your doctor
Limited information is available. Tell your doctor if you have kidney disease.
Liver Caution
Use with caution in liver disease, as the medicine may build up in the body.
If you miss a dose
It is usually taken after each loose stool, as directed. Do not take extra to make up for a missed dose.
Quick tips
- Do not use it if you have blood in your stools, a high fever or severe tummy pain — see a doctor.
- Drink plenty of fluids or oral rehydration solution to replace lost water.
- See a doctor if diarrhoea lasts more than 48 hours.
- Do not give it to children unless a doctor prescribes it.
Substitutes
Same salts in the same strength from other makers. Only switch brands on your doctor's or pharmacist's advice; our pharmacist checks every order against the prescription.
Fact box
- Chemical class
- Piperidine derivative
- Therapeutic class
- Gastrointestinal
- Action class
- Peripheral opioid receptor agonist (antidiarrhoeal)
- Habit forming
- No
- Prescription
- Required
Interactions with other medicines
Tell your doctor and pharmacist about every medicine, vitamin and herbal product you take.
| Medicine | What can happen |
|---|---|
| Ritonavir, itraconazole, ketoconazole, gemfibrozil, quinidine | Can raise loperamide levels and increase side effects |
| Medicines that slow the gut (such as some antispasmodics) | Higher risk of constipation |
| Medicines that affect heart rhythm | Higher risk of heart problems at high doses |
This page is general information to help you understand your medicine. It is not a substitute for advice from your doctor or pharmacist. Do not start, stop or change a medicine on your own.
Written by the Asthra Health Care team from the approved prescribing information (Loperamide prescribing information (CDSCO-approved labelling); US FDA safety communication on high doses of loperamide, 2016). Pharmacist review pending.