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Wednesday, June 08, 2016

FDA: People Are Overdosing on Anti-Diarrhea Drugs

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials are investigating sometimes-deadly overdoses with common anti-diarrhea drugs, a bizarre manifestation of the nation’s drug abuse problem.

The primary ingredient in prescription Imodium and similar over-the-counter drugs is intended to control diarrhea. But abusers sometimes try to achieve heroin-like highs by taking massive doses, up to 300 milligrams at once, according to cases in the medical literature. Recommended doses range between 8 milligrams and 16 milligrams per day.


The Food and Drug Administration warned doctors and patients Tuesday that the drugs can cause potentially deadly heart problems when taken at higher-than-recommended levels. The agency has received 31 reports of people hospitalized due to the heart problems, including 10 deaths over the last 39 years. The agency’s database is not comprehensive and many drug overdoses are not reported to the government.
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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Dave T: Part of the problem I see is that thanks to our worthless legislators, the FDA has become a toothless dog. They do very little in my opinion today compared to how things were years ago. Regulation of food and drug safety today seems more like a political game than a genuine effort to control those things that can hurt people.

Rebel Without a Clue said...

It just goes to show you that that $#!+ will kill you!!

Anonymous said...

And among the thousands who read this in various publications,do you suppose anyone (other than me of course)will actually "get it"? Doubtful,which makes it even more hilarious for a select few.A VERY select few.

Anonymous said...

A lot of pill/heroin users "mega dose" on immodium when they are trying to come off the drugs to quell withdrawal symptoms. Trying to get prescription drugs to help ween off opiates is a joke so they turn to immodium. I'm sure some of those deaths are from desperate people wanting to get clean. Such a shame. I was hooked on percoset for a couple years and when my doctor got busted for over prescribing I used large amounts of immodium during the day and benandryl to sleep at night. Took about 2 weeks but it worked and I've been clean for over 2 years now.

Anonymous said...

10 deaths over the last 39 years. I am not impressed. More people died by choking on buttons.

Anonymous said...

Bet there easy to find ...