[22924]

I really need some advice about the prophylactic use of Lomotil. Has anyone been using it long term? How many can you take in a day? Does it continue to work long term or lose effectiveness? What dosing strategies produce good results? I have good days for stretches and then D for days. I am still trying to figure out how to manage this so I can go to work or have a life. Has anyone had good luck adding an anticholeiergic to their treatment. I am already on Lotronex, but results have not been that great. Immodium does not work as well as Lomotil for me, has anyone else had this experience? Many thanks for all your advice and help. Tom

 

[Kathleen M.]

I expect that since they are in the same class some of the dosing patterns that work best for Imodium could work for Lomotil.In some clinical trials dividing the daily dose and taking it two times a day works better than a larger dose in the morning.I don't know if there is any good reason for it to lose effectiveness, but a few people seem to have that happen, but a "drug holiday" often reverses that.The Lomotil has atropine, an anticholinergic in it (mostly to keep people from taking enough Lomotil to get high) so adding another anticholinergic to the mix might make it more likely to get the dry mouth, increased heartrate, decreased sweating (a problem because it leads to an increased risk of heat stroke) side effects that are typical of anticholinergics.The other thing some people do with Imodium that should work for Lomotil is that if you have known triggers (like when you are in the car, or after meals) taking it so you have it in place before the symptoms hit may work better than taking it after the fact. Partly because sometimes the bout of diarrhea is over by itself before the drug can take effect.http://www.rxlist.com/cgi/generic3/diphenoxylate_ids.htm has the maximum daily dose info. and the other pages from there have a lot of other info as well.K.

 

[kitkat17 Lady of the Loo]

HI Thaze, I too take Lomotil. Imodium stoped working for me years ago.My Dr said I can take up to 6 lomotil a day. I don;t like taking meds, so I only take 1 when I have to go out. If I am just runing to grocery store or to clean a house I take 1. But if I am going to a wedding, reunion all day thing I take 2 and maybe take 1 more 4 hours latter.I don;t tkae them if I am just staying at home.oh I usually take them about 1-2 hours before I go. If I already have D I take 2 to stop it. SOmetimes with 1 I will continue to go but it is not D.Hope this helpsTake careKat