Imodium take the withdrawl away??!!

[oxy22]

FW;;   I find myself in a VERY knowledgeable position on the chemical nightmare we know as Imodium (after assisting a woman to withdraw from a 20+ year addiction).

Addiction, you say? An over-the-counter drug? Oh yes, and it's insidious.

The active ingredient in Imodium is Loperamide. Loperamide is a synthetic OPIATE (originally a Class V drug).


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loperamide


The synthetic opiate Loperamide does NOT cross the blood-brain barrier, hence (supposedly) it was declassified since it could not be abused (because you can't feel 'opiate euphoria' or 'get high' from it).

Do a search on "imodium withdrawal" and you'll see that virtually every heroin/opiate addict knows that taking Imodium while withdrawing from heroin/opiates WILL lessen or eliminate the physical symptoms of opiate withdrawal. That's how strong it is...and it does strongly & negatively effect one's body (not to mention, stopping one from having the bowel activity vital to your life/health)...and it's extremely dehydrating as well.

[neveragainplease]

Well, geez, I must be easily open to the power of suggestion... uh I gotta run to the bathroom LOL

[LeaAnn807]

There are people who will tell you that they are addicted to Tylenol too!  Yes, Imodium is opiate like but doesn't cross the BBB unless you go to great lengths.  Taken for a few days will not  make you dependent.  No way.  It can be a great help in those first few days as long as you don't overdo it.  Just about 4-5 days should do it, and I wouldn't recommend a whole bottle of it at a time.  It DOES help WDs, but you can't stay on it long bc of the obvious........constipation.  It works in the intestinal tract.  We have opiate receptors everywhere.  Just take some until you feel better, but take it a little at a time.  Like the bottle says.  Opiate addicts have to sometimes take more than regular people to obtain the same results!  So, 1-2 Imodium might not even stop our diarrhea during Wd.  Just take what you're comfortable with.  Don't read every thing that every crazy person on the web says.  Because like I said, you'll find people who swear that eating bark from a tree will get you high if you look at the right forum!  

Just stick with what your OWN mind tells you! : )

[EvolverU]

Wow, Weaver that's odd that you're 'slower' now! My metabolism has definitely sped up. I never felt any opiate high w/ Imodium coming off H but it did help w/ the runs.

[weaver71]

Evolver, backed up in methadone withdrawals, impossible, cork maybe. Oh how the immodium helped me go in public for a few hours. Like you said, it's just in the acute withdrawal. I've never heard of anyone trying to kick immodium. Man, I was gettin off H and started the Immodium, damn it, now I get over this crap. I'm all constipated. All things in their season. I would never encourage long term, high dose use of Immodium, sounds like a nightmare.

[EvolverU]

Also, people get addicted to stool softners and Senna w/o any opiates in them as well.

[Back2Me]

I wonderd about this today. Wondered if it drug out my WD. BUT from past experience it has not. And it didn't really help my WD. just stopped my runs. But I guess anything can be abused.

[EvolverU]

All true, my friend. All true. And that goes for Lomotil as well but you know what's even more dehydrating? Constant diarrhea. Also, I'd ask if you've ever tried kicking Methadone w/o it? Maybe..just maybe it will make you feel some type of 'opiate' high when sick off a low dose of Oxy's or Vic's but it certainly did nothing for me! It didn't even come close to 'backing me up'. Besides, you only take it during acute w/d's or slightly longer. This is just my experience and the experience of other addicts I've talked to. The fact is you've got to balance the greater of two evils, here.