Loperamide slows the gut down and reduces how often you need the toilet. For ordinary short-lived diarrhoea in an adult it is genuinely useful. In a few situations it is the wrong thing entirely, and at high doses it is dangerous — both worth knowing before reaching for it.
Short-term diarrhoea in an adult with no fever, no blood in the stool and no severe abdominal pain — the classic upset stomach, or travellers’ diarrhoea where you need to get through a journey.
It treats the symptom, not the cause. Rehydration is the treatment that always matters: plenty of fluid in small frequent sips, and oral rehydration sachets if symptoms are heavy or the person is very young, elderly or frail.
Also avoid or check first if you:
The usual adult approach is two capsules first, then one after each loose stool, up to a maximum of six in 24 hours for over-the-counter use. Follow the specific product label.
Do not use it for more than 48 hours without medical advice. If diarrhoea persists beyond that, it needs assessing.
Constipation, wind, headache, nausea and dizziness are the common ones. Constipation after a bout of diarrhoea is normal and usually short-lived.
Get medical help for severe stomach pain or a swollen abdomen, no bowel movement combined with ongoing pain, or any fainting, palpitations or irregular heartbeat.
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