I'm currently trying to stop taking Loperamide so I read thru this entire thread. I'll share my experience.
- The Why: It started 10+ years ago when I had major surgery and the Dr. abruptly cut me off Dilaudid. I have Crohns and he removed some of my small intestine, it was actually the second time I had the surgery, 1st time was when I was 18 and diagnosed with Crohns. So after reading about Loperamide for withdrawals online I picked up a box and sure enough 2hrs later I started feeling good again. From then I just kept taking it, I felt good on it, motivated, talkative, it was a positive experience. Fast forward to now and I have to take it or else I feel like garbage. I get bottles of it and go thru around 600 tabs a week, usually taking 70 tabs upon waking then maybe a few more throughout the day. I wanted to get off but there always seemed to be a reason/excuse to stay taking large amounts. Around 2 weeks ago I got so depressed at where my life is and finally feel very motivated to stop. I dont have to leave my house to make money so i became a hermit, stopped seeing friends and family, basically dropped out of life. I think taking Loperamide made me content and not caring, makes me numb, but also embarrassed and not wanting to go out.
- Finally Trying to Stop: I was addicted to pain killers previously, like 20yrs ago after getting introduced to oxy 80s off the street, I went to inpatient detox twice and was also taking suboxone and tapered off successfully back then, so I had an idea what it will take to detox. I figured I will need Clonidine this time so i made a tele-health appointment with a Dr. 2 sundays ago. The dr. was good, she never heard of anyone taking large doses of Loperamide before so I explained my situation. I was totally honest with everything. I explained my wanting to stop CT and how I feel Clonidine would help with withdrawal and she agreed so called in a script.
- Withdrawal: I stopped taking loperamide last Moday and started the Clonidine, I have a home blood pressure monitor so used it to make sure my BP wasnt getting too low. I will say my BP has been around stage 2 for at least a year now, I never checked it before I got the monitor so could be longer. Im wondering if it is caused by the loperamide? Monday and Tuesday i was fine, then Wednesday started the tingling in my arms and no sleep, from then on it just got worse. It wasn't severe withdrawals, I wasn't on the bathroom floor wanting to die, but more like just felt like garbage, no sleep, no energy, no showering, no eating. I started reading thru this thread and got scared seeing just how long everyone says the withdrawals last. I couldnt function, afraid to drive to the store to get food. I happen to have a bottle of cabaser/Cabergoline so took a 1mg tab Thursday night thinking it may help with the tingling arms and sleep, it didnt and I think it just made me feel weirder. So I started taking loperamide again, 12 tabs every 2 hrs and felt zero relief. I also stopped the Clonidine since i felt it was making me so lazy, like walking thru mud. Moday morning I took 35 tabs of Loperamide and a few hours later i felt ok, I finally wanted to shower and eat. This morning i woke and took 35 tabs again and now i feel ok, I will even say I feel good.
- So I failed to completely stop but it feels like I have at least lowered the dose by half and for that I am very happy. I now know my limits and jumping off completely is not an option. I think the week of feeling like garbage was worth lowering the dose. Now my plan is to slowly taper, 1 tab every other day maybe? I write the question mark because im going to have to take it one day at a time, I just don't know.
I will say I think i lasted that long withdrawaling because I have bottles of Loperamide to take if i really needed to. In my head I was telling myself just wait 5 more minutes, 5 minutes at a time. If i didnt have any on hand I probably would have been worried about the withdrawals getting worse and gone to the store much earlier. If that makes sense?
I just had another telehealth call with the Dr. as a follow-up. I told her what happened and she recommended Gabapentin for the no sleep/RLS. She called me in a script for 300mg capsules X 90. She said start with 1 a day and see how I feel. I also still have plenty of Clonidine that i can take as needed, i figure take 1/2 a tab of it the days i lower the dose? I remember when I had tapered myself off Suboxone before the Dr. put me on Gabapentin and Wellbutrin and i was able to stop, but i seem to remember it making me very happy when first starting them.
I have also been researching what supplements will be good, my diet isnt the best. So far i bought some gummi multivitamins and gummi Magnesium to take. I hear vitamin C/ascorbic acid may help also?
I really hope my motivation to stop keeps up, I realized im where I am right now because of my own actions, i put myself in this position and need to change. Its hard to not dwell on the past, being angry at myself.
I will also add that even with having Crohns I never seemed to have any issues taking the large amounts of Loperamide, in fact i think it helped regulate me and I went to the bathroom once a day, instead of having diareah. I cant ever remember thinking my stomach was messed up and i couldnt go to the bathroom.
