Crohns and Imodium

[Stugots]

I have moderate Crohns Disease and have had Pentasa prescribed to me for years. I find that taking 16 pills a day is a hard regiment to follow and doesn't always have the desired results. I have lately decided to pay more attention to what I eat and take imodium about every 2 or three days and find that I get much better results. For me it seems a no-brainer....taking 2 tabs of imodium every two to three days or take 16 pills of Pentasa every day. What I want to know is there any reason I should not be doing this.

 

[Lubner]

I wouldn't stop the Pentasa, but taking Immodium in addition is fine. I use a half a pill most mornings to slow things down enough to get through work. I take larger doses if I'm traveling or can't eat correctly. Pay really close attention to the foods that trigger you. They are different for everyone, but common foods are dairy, wheat, eggs, and soy.

 

[Sojourn]

A couple of years ago I quit taking Pentasa, and all medications, and just started taking probiotics and other supplements. I also took Imodium every 2-3 days. I gradually got worse to the point where I was taking Imodium every day. It continued to help stop the diarrhea but I began having pain when I took it and the pain gradually got worse.

Eventually, it would stop me up but I wasn't having solid stools in addition to the pain. Also whenever I took it I could feel a hard mass in my LRQ. The mass was there without the Imodium, but when I took it, it hardened up. I finally went to the doctor and found out I had an abscess and fistula which had to be removed surgically.

My GI said that Imodium was not the cause of it getting worse but it seemed to me that it contributed by putting pressure on narrowed bowel causing it to abscess and seek an outlet by forming a fistula. But that's just my own thought. In any case, you might get your doctor's opinion about taking it. After my surgery, I have been instructed to take it.

Taking 16 Pentasa a day is a real hassle, especially, considering it usually doesn't help a whole lot. But it could help you from getting worse. Maybe ask and see if there are any other medications you could take that don't require you to carry a pillbox around everyday.

 

[Stugots]

Thanks

Thanks for the insight. It's very helpful. I have an appointment with my GI here in the next week or so. I will definitely bring it up with him. After reading these messages on this site I am very greatful that my condition is not as bad as it could be. I am inspired by the courage that it takes for most of you guys, especially the ones with a severe condition, to live with this disease. All the sudden taking Pentasa in the quantities required doesn't seem like such a big deal.

"The world is full of suffering. It is also full of overcoming it." Helen Keller

 

[Cog]

If your issue is just frequency please search the site about Habba Syndrome - no harm in discussing with GI and getting an opinion

 

[ruthymg]

Hi, I used to take meds as and when at the beginning of moving into remission 12 months ago.

 

[ruthymg]

Hi, I used to take meds as and when at the beginning of moving into remission 12 months ago. I am now med free woohoo!!!!! and have been for 4 months. Anyway, I mentioned that I just took meds when I felt I needed them (Pentasa and Imuran) and my Gastroenterologist said that they wouldn't have worked effectively taken that way. It was probably just coincidence I felt better. When you think about it, why would we have to take Imuran for 6 weeks before it started to take affect if you could just take it every other day and it work just as well, it doesn't make sense. Just be careful, you may, long term be doing more harm than good.



Ruth

 

[TheLazy1]

Sorry to bump this thread but...
Taking immodium was a really, really bad idea for me.

It was a week ago and still my gut has not returned to "normal", often the urgency is there but absolutely nothing happens.
I can sit there doing nothing for like 15 minutes, if nothing does happen and I give up I will continue to feel gut heavy and sore until I finally can.

 

[Pricey]

Immodium badly increased the blood in my movements and also caused me a great deal of abdominal pain this happen to anybody else?

 

[BWS1982]

Through my research into Crohns and all, my dr. has advised that depending on the severity of your flare, you shouldn't take Imodium (Loperimide) as it slows the contractions in the parastalsys in the intestines, and when you're bleeding and inflammed, you don't want the waste to be slowing down and irritating the tissue more than it already inevitably will. He said it's best to let things shoot on through as is when you're bleeding as you don't want the waste "hanging around" to irratate the walls of the intestines.

I take Loperamide regularly about 3 times a day (2 pills each time) with my Dicyclamine (Bentyl), and it seems to help some, though I'm not as severe as I was a couple months ago.

@ theLazy1: I know what you mean, it's like constipation meets Diarrhea, it sucks, I'll go running for the pot, sit down and a little something will come out, but then I'm stuck up. It's got the worst of both demons, the urgency of diarrhea, then followed by the pain and clogging of constipation, sometimes sit there 20 minutes waiting and nothing comes out, I know there's something there, I'm bloated and sore as hell....and when things finally get moving again (usually after I left the bathroom and am in the middle of something else) it's still runny and loose....you'd think that if it was that loose it'd have come out the first time when I sat there forever waiting. So frustrating...

 

[Kev]

Yeah, I'd heard that there were bona fide reasons not to take Imodium. I assumed it was due to the dehydrating effect. False assumption aside, thanks for the 'official' version. a person in our situation might even become dependant on an OTC remedy like this, and (speaking of false assumptions) feel that it coud do no harm. Just goes to show one shouldn't assume things, esp with ones health.

 

[TheLazy1]

Still not back to normal, I feel like I'm carrying a 10 pound bowling ball in my gut.
I'll never take that stuff again.