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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

How safe is loperamide?

Artificial Emotion

Artificial Emotion

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Joined
Jan 19, 2009
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I want to try a experiment today - missing my dose of methadone and taking loads of loperamide to see if it really does eliminate any of my withdrawal symptoms. I just am apprehensive about taking way over the recommended dose. Is it really safe to take the sort of doses people recommend (50-100mg for example)? Can it not cause harmful stomach cramps or dangerous constipation, even though I am already opiate dependent?

Also, what is a sensible dose to take for withdrawal, bearing in mind I want to take enough for it to actually work? Is 50mg sufficient?

I know this post might seem a bit pointless but I just need to be reassured I'm not going to do something that will harm myself, that's all.
 
Well this paper reports 400mcg/kg/day as causing it, but for infants without opioid tolerance: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1651-2227.1986.tb10338.x/abstract

This case reports 12mg/day: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF00265854?LI=true

Although this site claims 60mg resulted in no serious adverse effects in healthy subjects: http://www.rxlist.com/imodium-drug/overdosage-contraindications.htm

I'm guessing you'll probably be alright, but you can detect paralytic ileus coming on quite easily by listening to your GI tract with a stethoscope. If it goes silent, you need to be cutting back on the dosing!

<insert joke about your intestines getting high here>
 
tweex said:
You can definitely get paralytic ileus from taking retardedly large amounts.
Click to expand...

Can you cite some resource for that info? I'm curious.... I don't need lope often but I have used it in my dependency before and would again if I had to... and could you define retardedly large amounts or give am estimate? I was only dependent on kratom and then 20 mg methadone daily which I worked down to 10. And I'd have to take a LOT of lope to get relief. 50-60mg at least.

I've heard using proton pump inhibitors helps it get across the blood brain barrier. Well, technically it does cross it but is booted right back across the BBB I read. Also read you can take so much lope that it 'overflows' and some stays across the BBB. I've tried it myself and it seemed true. Caught, well, not a buzz or euphoria of any kind. But a body load feel and got really itchy. 200mg of DPH or so didn't stop the itch either.

I'm just concerned what you know a potentially harmful large dose would be. Not as much a citation of the info.

Edit. Oh wow I totally didn't see any of those links till after writing all of this. Cool/thanks. I've used lope in high doses once and not notice a difference. I was typically backed up most the time and occasionally used magnesium a few times a week to get things going. Also have heard from other users that "it won't make your any more constipated than you already are.' I could see regular/Daily use causing trouble.
 
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I actually take a proton pump inhibitor, Lansoprazole so I guess I neee to be careful. It's a good thing you mentioned that.

So I take if that because I already take 64mg Methadone per day, I probably won't be at risk of serious gastrointestinal problems like I would if i were opiate-naive? I wonder if this is too risky to be worth it or not. Do most people taking lope for WD on here not have issues from the posts you've read?
 
Re already taking a PPI

When you eventually do try it, would probably be ideal to start low with dose and work your way up. I'd imagine you would be cautious and be safe if you're looking into the risks this much. Just figured i'd mention it.
 
Thanks, I probably will titrate the dose to see how I tolerate it. Still, I would be surprised that so many people here on BL recommend taking it for WDs in high doses, often actually based on personal experience if it were that dangerous. Surely we would be hearing more reports of serious side effects if taking large doses were that much of an issue for opiate-dependent individuals like myself, so I think it will probably be fine.
 
Some guy on one of the other Bluelight forums had a 244mg Daily habit of Loperamide! Now that's a lot! 8o
 
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