[Friday]

I've just had a bad two days over Christmas, didn't eat badly or have any alcohol (!) but still had terrible diarrhoea for 2 days. Took my usual meds - 1 imodium in the morning plus 3mg of imipramine at night but it didn't seem to work.Am wondering if it's possible that after (approx) 2 years of taking imodium daily (2mg, 1 tablet) my system is now getting used to the medicine and it won't work any more? Have looked on the internet but can't seem to find out much about how long people with chronic diarrhoea have taken imodium for and whether it still works. I just hope it does or am panicking that I may be housebound again! Or perhaps I'll just have to start taking more of it each day.

 

[crstar]

i took it for about 7yrs, along with other things.......always looking for the "cure".........it would only help with the D & as soon as it wore off, it was always back with a vengeance.......what i found out was that my body seemed to get use to it & i had to take more as the yrs went on...........also, the help i got from it, just lasted a shorter amount of time, as time passed........it sucked..........the thing is, after i found out exactly how things like it work, i didn't take it anymore..........it stops the contractions that enable u to absorb the nutrients from ur food........so u have D & then the nutrients go thru or u take imodium & the intestines can't absorb those same nutrients..........so it wasn't the answer...........besides, as i said i wanted the cure, not a band aid..........what happens is ur body is trying to tell u things rn't right.............if u just suppress the symptoms, then ur body has to find a stronger way to get ur attention.........most people just keep suppressing till they end up with something permanent, then it can only b maintained........

 

[Kathleen M.]

Lots of people take it for decades.Even for drugs where the stop working (as opposed to your IBS is just worse for awhile so the same dose isn't effective anymore) a short "drug holiday" should reset everything.It isn't like once your symptoms over-run a drug once in your life that thing will never ever work again and you are doomed forever, even if that is what everyone's anxiety/worry likes to believe.It could be you had a bit of a GI bug and that will make the diarrhea much worse for a few days in everyone no matter what medications they are on, or even if they are perfectly healthy.

 

[Macaroni]

Kathleen,Your avatar picture matches your personality perfectly...a ray of sunshine. Yes, most of us with IBS also are anxiety-prone (part of the syndrome). Great to hear counter-balancing words of optimism.Happy Holidays to all!

 

[petra]

all I can say on this is that my GP said "yes" and my GI specialist said "absolutely not"!

 

[Friday]

Thanks Kathleen. I think you're right, I had a bit of a 'bug' for a couple of days as it's settled down again now.Am pleased to hear that you know that people take it for decades - puts my mind at rest. I guess painkillers don't stop working, so why should imodium?!