Is he addicted to imodium (loperamide) NOW??
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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Is he addicted to imodium (loperamide) NOW??
My husband has been addicted to opiates, Tylenol #3 #4 w codeine and tramadol for over 2 years. Of course as an addict he claims he stopped in April 2013. By himself. Without NA without a program. I call ********. Ive checked prescription history and haven't seen any for months, so Im confused because he is still displaying some signs of use (drowsiness, insomnia, anger, coming late from work, no money etc). If it looks like a duck...I know...but what I just noticed on his last 2 bank statements was very alarming. He goes to Walgreens ALOT. Like $1300 in 2 months a lot. Claims he's buying snacks and food for work...yet theres a ton of actual food places he can eat around his work. He always has redbull on his desk at work, and he dips so I can see these adding up, but $1300? (I could eat filet mignon every day for that). So Imodium came up bc he informed me that he bought 2 200 ct bottles and lost them a few weeks ago when I asked what he paid 50$ for at CVS. I found one Imodium pill in his coat pocket recently but didnt think much about it. Then I got smart and asked for his bank account statement (we obviously have separate finances now bc of his history of addicition, money wasting etc, I closed out joint acct last year!) Well I googled Imodium addiction and was shocked to see people writing about taking tons (100) of pills to get a sort of high, as it contains a opioid. SO I matched up the amounts of the transactions and they were a perfect fit, too many times. 18.99, (96 ct) 21.99 (200 ct), 43.98 (2 200 ct bottles). I went to walgreens and checked the prices to confirm. The other thing is that he has never had a single receipt from walgreens in sight. NOT ONE in 3 MONTHS. but shows me walmart receipts all the time. Our 3 toilets are mysteriously always getting clogged in the past few months after living here for 4 years. I saw his stool once and it was hard and pale and clay like. Im so tired of the lies and games. Im tired of feeling crazy. Im tired of everytime I figure it out IM WRONG according to him.
Has anyone else dealt with addiction to Imodium? He is telling me Im crazy, as always, just like I was crazy accusing him of popping pain pills and found out from pharmacy printouts he had been lying for an entire year getting from 3 different doctors and paying cash...So tired of this. Its exhausting.
Has anyone else dealt with addiction to Imodium? He is telling me Im crazy, as always, just like I was crazy accusing him of popping pain pills and found out from pharmacy printouts he had been lying for an entire year getting from 3 different doctors and paying cash...So tired of this. Its exhausting.
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Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Indiana, IL
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Could he be buying the cold medicines that people use to make crystal meth? I have never heard of a Immodium addiction. Although addicts can abuse lots of different over the counter drugs so who knows. 
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Join Date: Jan 2013
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I am stunned to see your post today. My husband is an opiate addict who says he has been clean. Today I found a container full of this medication. I had to look it up on a pill finder to see what it was. Loperamide. I have never seen it loose but in blister packs. I asked why he had it and he said for his trips (travels internationally) but still it seemed odd so much and not in its original container.
My husband was also admitted to the hospital twice between Thanksgiving and Christmas with perforated diverticulitis that had never been diagnosed before. I have a feeling tonight I know what his new high is......
My husband was also admitted to the hospital twice between Thanksgiving and Christmas with perforated diverticulitis that had never been diagnosed before. I have a feeling tonight I know what his new high is......
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This thread sparked my curiosity and off to research land I went.
There appears to be some anecdotal evidence of a small number of people using loperamide to achieve a high. Interestingly, it is a very potent opioid agonist, however it cannot cross the blood-brain barrier so its activity is generally limited to the digestive tract. Taken normally or even in high doses it alone will not make someone high. However, when combined with a P-glycoprotein inhibitor such as quinidine, some of the drug may be able to enter the brain and affect the central nervous system.
Is it possible this is what your husband is up to? Sure - but it could be something far less sinister as well. The most prevalent off-label use of this drug appears to be for easing the withdrawal from other opiates. Opiate addicts with tolerance seem to report that loperamide is incapable of making them high but does help them through withdrawal.
I'm also confused as to why he would pay those prices at Walgreens when Target sells its 48ct generic brand for $3.98.
The symptoms you listed could be a result of withdrawal as well. It's equally possible that your husband relapsed on his DOC and is back in the cycle of use/withdrawal. I think your best bet is to have an honest and supportive discussion with your husband about your concerns.
There appears to be some anecdotal evidence of a small number of people using loperamide to achieve a high. Interestingly, it is a very potent opioid agonist, however it cannot cross the blood-brain barrier so its activity is generally limited to the digestive tract. Taken normally or even in high doses it alone will not make someone high. However, when combined with a P-glycoprotein inhibitor such as quinidine, some of the drug may be able to enter the brain and affect the central nervous system.
Is it possible this is what your husband is up to? Sure - but it could be something far less sinister as well. The most prevalent off-label use of this drug appears to be for easing the withdrawal from other opiates. Opiate addicts with tolerance seem to report that loperamide is incapable of making them high but does help them through withdrawal.
I'm also confused as to why he would pay those prices at Walgreens when Target sells its 48ct generic brand for $3.98.
The symptoms you listed could be a result of withdrawal as well. It's equally possible that your husband relapsed on his DOC and is back in the cycle of use/withdrawal. I think your best bet is to have an honest and supportive discussion with your husband about your concerns.
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Could he have irritable bowel syndrome and not know it? I had a gf who was going through tons of imodiums and had diarrhea nonstop and finally when she went to the doctor, they diagnosed her with that and put her on some prescription meds.
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Join Date: Mar 2005
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My AH has used Loperamide many times...when he is trying to withdrawal from Opiates. I cannot speak to your situation, but I can share mine. My AH's recent battle began with pain pills for a bad back, when he began seeing different doctors and abusing the pills (he was already a cocaine addict) I called BS as well. Turns out when the pills weren't enough so he went to the street and bought heroin. Every time he tries to quit the heroin he stocks up on Immodium AD. From all that I have read Loperamide helps the body with the physical withdrawal symptoms, but does not effect the brain, so they do not experience the high. He will take 10-12 at a time to stop the withdrawal symptoms. He usually tapers his way off of them....until he needs to quit heroin again.
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The money tracking is something I'm way too familiar with. I did the same thing..wracking my brain about how in th e hell so much money was being spent at normal places...the grocery store, walmart..and then one day it dawned on me about cash back. The amts were always $51.99 or 41.87 consistently. .so buying something for 1 $ & then taking cash back was his trick. Beware!
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My AH decided to quit suboxone cold turkey this summer and I actually did a research and found that in LARGE doses (like 10,20,40, etc) this medicine can completely take the symptoms of withdrawal away. AH did not have a doctor and was buying subs on the street, so that's why he decided to quit. He took 20,40 at the time and it REALLY did help. You can google immodium for opiate withdrawal and find all kinds of things. I read on the forums that people can get addicted to it as well. So either your husband is taking it for abuse or to come off of some opiate. Either way, not good. I am sorry you are going through this 
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Originally Posted by anxiouswife 
The money tracking is something I'm way too familiar with. I did the same thing..wracking my brain about how in th e hell so much money was being spent at normal places...the grocery store, walmart..and then one day it dawned on me about cash back. The amts were always $51.99 or 41.87 consistently. .so buying something for 1 $ & then taking cash back was his trick. Beware!
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Join Date: Dec 2013
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When my husband was sober for about a month in november, the way he got through withdrawals was by taking Immodium. He said he researched it and it does help with symptoms because it has a very small amount of opiates. I don't know why your husband would buy so much though. :/
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Thanks I almost forget about the cash back aspect, so much to keep up with!! just doesn't make sense...and no we cant afford to spend $1300 in 2 months. Of course he comes with the "I ****** up and went overboard with snacks" apology and "I'm trying to change." Whether pain pills, Imodium, snacks, etc, its too much to weed through. So tired of the lies and manipulation.
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Oh withoa straight face. And then goes and buys a bunch of junk to show me hes not lying, but it doesnt add up to the same anounts on the statement. Repeat purchases foe 18.99 (96ct) 21.99 (200ct) and 43.98 (2 x 200 ct)is a little too coincidental for me. When thats exaclty what walgreens brand loperamide costs. And he admitted to buying TWO 200ct bottles for $50+ "one for work and one for home" in his words, yet i have yet to see a single bottle in our house!!) early in dec from cvs right after we fought about something but "lost them". ********. He says its ridiculous he would be taking that much and how stupid am I to think he would be addicted to it. Oh and why domt I ever believe him bc hes not lying...blah blah blah. And he always comes home from work LATE like after midnite (car business closes at 8! But really every nite hes working late, gimme a break) but has time to run to walgreens every day or so and buy snacks "for work"...never a single receipt, and claims he thought he was doing a good thing not going to 7-11 and spendimg money on snacks (which is where he wasted thousands of dollars on **** before!). He has a reason or excuse for everything. He turns it on me amd says im a horrible person and he doesnt like the way I talk to him and the horrible things I say (calling him an idiot, when clearly he is). He is always on edge, violent slams things screams and grabs me sometimes. Just like when I knew he was actively using pain pills. 
Hes no where near what I consider his normal old self, not in his right mind, always tired, always defensive, and SWEARS he hasnt touched pain pills since april 2013 will buy **** tests from store to prove it, and they were clean but pain pills clear ur system in 2-3 days and tramadol doesnt show up as I imagine Imodium opioid wouldnt either. Im thinking possible tramadol use (bought w cash from leople) then Imodium for withdrawal, repeat. I find it extremely hard to believe thqt someone with an addiction to opiates for 2 years can just wake up one day and stop cold turkey with the little self control he has to spend that much on "snacks". Unless he traded his pain pills addiction for his junk food addiction. My head hurts. Gotta focus on me but keep getting sucked in and trying to figure it out. Going in circles 
Hes no where near what I consider his normal old self, not in his right mind, always tired, always defensive, and SWEARS he hasnt touched pain pills since april 2013 will buy **** tests from store to prove it, and they were clean but pain pills clear ur system in 2-3 days and tramadol doesnt show up as I imagine Imodium opioid wouldnt either. Im thinking possible tramadol use (bought w cash from leople) then Imodium for withdrawal, repeat. I find it extremely hard to believe thqt someone with an addiction to opiates for 2 years can just wake up one day and stop cold turkey with the little
self control he has to spend that much on "snacks". Unless he traded his pain pills addiction for his junk food addiction. My head hurts. Gotta focus on me but keep getting sucked in and trying to figure it out. Going in circles Member
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Join Date: Jan 2014
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Originally Posted by Upsetnneedhelp
Wow, I can't believe he can say the $1300 in 2 months was on "snacks" with a straight face. Another possibility is that some Walgreens sell booze again. Not sure if he is a drinker or not.
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Tramadol would have to be prescribed to him because it's not a over the counter drug. I use to take it for my severe back pain. When it first came out doctors thought it was non addicting. However, they soon found out that addicts could get high on it. I know I would have to hide them from my son who would eat them like candy.
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