Imodium is a brand of Loperamide, a class of medications called antidiarrheal agents. It works by decreasing the flow of fluids and electrolytes into the bowel and by slowing down the movement of the bowel to decrease the number of bowel movements.
The medication is used to decrease the frequency of diarrhea. It is often used for this purpose in inflammatory bowel disease and short bowel syndrome. It is not recommended for those with blood in the stool, mucus in the stool, or fevers. Imodium typically starts to control diarrhea within 1 hour after you’ve taken the first dose.
With diarrhea, you have loose or watery stools that occur more often than normal. Imodium can be used to treat both:
- Acute (short-term) diarrhea. This type of diarrhea lasts up to a few days. And it’s most often caused by a stomach bug or food poisoning. Typically, Imodium is used for acute diarrhea.
- Chronic (ongoing) diarrhea. This type of diarrhea lasts for more than 4 weeks. And it’s usually related to long-term bowel conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or Crohn’s disease. For chronic diarrhea, Imodium should only be used if it’s recommended by your doctor.
Imodium is available in four different products, which all contain the drug loperamide. Loperamide is an antimotility drug. This means it slows down movements in your intestine and helps to control diarrhea.
Here’s a summary of the differences between available Imodium products:
| Active ingredients | Form | Uses | People it may be used in | |
| Imodium A-D oral solution | loperamide 1 mg/7.5 mL | liquid taken by mouth | diarrhea, including traveler’s diarrhea | • adults and children ages 6 years and older
• children ages 2 to 5 years, if recommended by a doctor |
| Imodium A-D caplets | loperamide 2 mg | capsule-shaped tablets taken by mouth | diarrhea, including traveler’s diarrhea | • adults and children ages 6 years and older
• children ages 2 to 5 years, if recommended by a doctor |
| Imodium A-D softgels | loperamide 2 mg | liquid-filled capsules taken by mouth | diarrhea, including traveler’s diarrhea | • adults and children ages 12 years and older |
| Imodium Multi-Symptom Relief caplets | loperamide 2 mg and simethicone* 125 mg | capsule-shaped tablets taken by mouth | diarrhea with cramps, bloating, and gas | • adults and children ages 6 years and older
• children ages 2 to 5 years, if recommended by a doctor |
How Long Does Imodium Take To Work?
Imodium can take less than 1 hour to relieve diarrhea, helping restore the rhythm of your digestive system. When you treat your diarrhea with Imodium, it works with your body by gently slowing down your digestion to alleviate your discomfort. Imodium Plus Comfort which contains the additional ingredient simethicone, which helps to alleviate other symptoms that can accompany diarrhea, including cramps, bloating and wind.
Side effects
Imodium is generally well-tolerated by many people. However, it can sometimes cause some side effects.
More common side effects
The more common side effects of Imodium can include:
- constipation
- dizziness
- tiredness
- headache
- nausea
- vomiting
- dry mouth
Serious side effects
Serious side effects of Imodium are rare. Call your doctor right away if you have any of the following:
- Severe allergic reaction, with symptoms such as:
- severe rash
- trouble breathing
- swelling of the face or arms
- Paralytic ileus (inability of the intestine to move waste out of the body. This typically occurs in cases of overdose or in children under the age of 2 years). Symptoms can include:
- swelling of the abdomen
- pain in the abdomen.
Drug interactions
Imodium interacts with certain drugs that break down in the body in the same way. The interactions can lead to increased levels of either medication in your body. ALSO READ: How long Does Aleve Take To Work
