People will try just about anything if they think it will make them high, (smoking banana peels, anyone?) no matter how crazy it sounds. When you consider the many substances that might get you high, anti-diarrhea medicine probably doesn’t even make the list. Believe it or not, it’s abused frequently enough that the United States Food and Drug Administration sent a request to the manufacturers of one of the most common brands to change their packaging, in an effort to prevent misuse.
Imodium A-D, which is a brand name for the drug loperamide, is one of the most well-known antidiarrheal medications. It works by limiting the flow of fluids and electrolytes into the bowel, and at the same time it slows down the movement of the bowel, in order to decrease the number of bowel movements. Loperamide is also found in Pepto Bismol, Maalox, and Kaopectate.
Why in the world would anyone want to take larger than recommended amounts of an antidiarrheal? It sounds like you’d mostly end up constipated and miserable, but some people take very high doses in order to counteract opioid withdrawal symptoms. It can also cause feelings of euphoria. Loperamide has been referred to as “the poor man’s methadone,” because in large enough quantities, it causes a cheap, mild high and relieves withdrawal symptoms for drugs like hydrocodone, morphine, and heroin.
The FDA requested that the manufacturers of Imodium redesign the packages, making it so they contain only enough medication for short-term use. They also suggest that the pills come in blister packets, where each pill is contained in a little pocket and has to be popped out. Presumably, the idea is that making it a little less convenient to purchase and consume the drugs will curb misuse.
Unfortunately, these high doses can cause heart problems and even death. In 2016, the FDA requested that warning information be added to the medication labels, pointing out the risk of ventricular arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythm), cardiac arrest, and a condition called Torsades de Pointes, which is a life-threatening heart rhythm disturbance where the heart’s lower chambers beat out of sync with the upper ones.
There are a couple of problems with relying on packaging to cut down drug abuse. For one thing, unless we start policing the purchase of Imodium like was done with Sudafed, there’s nothing stopping people from buying more than one container at once. Also, considering some of the other things people go through to get high (risking blowing themselves up to make meth, or mixing heroin with liquid and heating it before it can be injected), it’s not really that big of an ordeal to have to peel individual pills out of their package.
If you or a loved one need help with quitting drugs or alcohol, consider Asana Recovery. We offer medical detox, along with both residential and outpatient programs, and you’ll be supervised by a highly trained staff of medical professionals, counselors, and therapists. Call us any time at (949) 438-4504 to get started.
