Imodium®

 
 
 




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Avoiding triggers, finding relief
Are you reluctant to go too far from home because of the discomfort and embarrassment of diarrhea? Tired of planning your life around finding the nearest bathroom? Here are a few ways to help avoid diarrhea:

To avoid getting diarrhea from food poisoning, follow these food-handling safety tips:
  • Rinse fruits and vegetables before eating (or cooking).

  • Do not drink unpasteurized milk or juice.

  • Clean counters, cutting boards, dishes, and utensils before preparing food.

  • Keep raw meats and chicken separate from the other food you are preparing. Be sure to use a separate cutting board for raw chicken or meat.

  • Cook food until it is done, and serve it immediately after cooking.

  • Put your leftovers in the fridge or freezer within 2 hours of cooking. Keep your fridge at
    4°C (40°F) and your freezer at -18°C (0°F).

  • Reheat leftovers completely before serving.

  • Wash your hands thoroughly before and after preparing food.1,2

  • Wash your hands thoroughly before preparing or eating food, before touching your mouth or eyes, and after going to the bathroom. This can help prevent diarrhea due to an infection.1

Many medications can cause diarrhea. Some of the most common culprits are:
  • antibiotics
  • antacids containing magnesium
  • laxatives
  • certain medications for depression
  • cardiovascular drugs
  • cancer medications
  • HIV medications1
You should speak to your doctor if you think your medication is causing your diarrhea.
Some cases of diarrhea are caused by food intolerances such as lactose intolerance or gluten intolerance. Lactose intolerance is a deficiency of the lactase enzyme. Lactase helps us digest lactose, a protein found in milk products. Symptoms include diarrhea, gas, bloating, and abdominal cramps. It can be treated by taking lactase enzyme pills before consuming milk products.3  Gluten intolerance, also called celiac disease, is a genetic condition that causes sensitivity to gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and oats). Common symptoms include diarrhea, bloating, and weight loss. Treatment involves avoiding gluten and may also involve taking vitamin and mineral supplements.4  If you suspect that you may be lactose or gluten intolerant, speak to your doctor. They will determine whether you are intolerant, and if so, provide suggestions on how to avoid the problem food.1
Stress and anxiety1,5 can cause diarrhea. Look for ways to reduce or manage the stress in your life. Humour, relaxation techniques, prioritizing, and finding time to get away can all help relieve stress.6
Diarrhea can make you dehydrated. Be sure to drink clear fluids such as water or soup. If you would like to drink soda, leave the can open for at least 10 minutes before you drink it so that it will go flat. Drink fluids often and in small amounts. You may find it easier to sip them slowly. Avoid milk and very hot or cold drinks.7,8
BRAT stands for “bananas, rice, applesauce, and toast”. These foods are good to include in your diet if you have diarrhea. Once you are able to eat these foods well, then you can add low-fibre, bland foods such as chicken (white meat, no skin), pasta without sauce, crackers, and canned or cooked foods without skins. Avoid fatty, greasy, or high-fibre foods.9
Even when you do your best to avoid it, diarrhea can still strike. Fortunately, relief is close at hand. IMODIUM® (loperamide hydrochloride) can help set you free from diarrhea because it helps the bowels work normally again. IMODIUM® is available as caplets and convenient quick-dissolve tablets. The quick dissolve tablets are specially formulated to melt rapidly on your tongue. They are convenient when you’re away from home because they can be swallowed without water.10

If you’re suffering from gas or bloating as well as diarrhea, IMODIUM® ADVANCED can help. IMODIUM® ADVANCED contains two active ingredients: loperamide to treat the diarrhea, and simethicone to reduce bloating and gas.11

If you have bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, black stools, or a fever, do not take IMODIUM® products. Instead, consult your doctor.1,10  You should also speak to your doctor if you suddenly become constipated, if you notice signs of dehydration (such as decreased urination, weakness, thirst, dizziness, or dry mouth), if you can’t keep fluids down because of vomiting, if your diarrhea lasts longer than 48 hours1, or if you notice any other symptoms that worry you. Keep IMODIUM® products out of the reach of children.10

1. Forrester A. Chapter 22: Diarrhea. In: Patient Self-Care. Ottawa: Canadian Pharmacists Association; 2002. p. 238-251.
2. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. Helping consumers fight BAC! Available at:
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/corpaffr/publications/fsydas/page5e.shtml. Accessed March 8, 2006.
3. Chapter 30. Malabsorption syndromes: Carbohydrate intolerance. In: Merck Manual. 17th ed. Available at:
http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/CVMHighLight?file=/mrkshared/mmanual/section3/chapter30/30b.jsp
%3Fregion%3Dmerckcom&word=lactose&word=intolerance&domain=www.merck.com#hl_anchor.
Accessed March 21, 2006.
4. Chapter 30. Malabsorption syndromes: Celiac disease. In: Merck Manual. 17th ed. Available at:
http://www.merck.com/mrkshared/CVMHighLight?file=/mrkshared/mmanual/section3/chapter30/30c.jsp
%3Fregion%3Dmerckcom&word=gluten&word=intolerance&domain=www.merck.com#hl_anchor.
Accessed March 21, 2006.
5. Merck Manual Home Edition. Diarrhea. Available at:
http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec09/ch129/ch129c.html. Accessed March 7 , 2006.
6. Canadian Mental Health Association. Coping with stress. Available at:
http://www.cmha.ca/english/coping_with_stress/18_tips.htm. Accessed March 8, 2006.
7. American Cancer Society. Diarrhea. Available at:
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/MBC/content/MBC_6_2X_Diarrhea.asp?sitearea=MBC. Accessed March 21, 2006.
8. Wingate D, Phillips SF, Lewis SJ, Malagelada JR, Speelman P, Steffen R, et al. Guidelines for adults on self-medication for the treatment of acute diarrhoea. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2001; 15:773-82.
9. Central Connecticut State University. The BRAT diet. Available at:
http://www.ccsu.edu/healthservice/General%20Information/BratDiet.htm. Accessed March 21, 2006.
10. IMODIUM® CPS 2006.
11. IMODIUM® Advanced. CPS 2006.
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