Norimode (loperamide hydrochloride) tablets: Generic Imodium diarrhoea treatments

Manufactured and marketed by the pharmaceutical company Tillomed, Norimode tablets are used to alleviate diarrhoea symptoms, decrease the frequency and speed of bowel movements while simultaneously increasing the absorption of fluids within the gastrointestinal tract. As a result, Norimode treatment will decrease the chances of dehydration and facilitate harder stools with less urgency.

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When should diarrhoea be treated with medicines?

As a relatively common condition, diarrhoea affects a majority of people at least once in their lives. The tell-tale symptoms include frequent defecation with strong urgency, loose and watery stools, stomach discomfort and loss of appetite. While not a dangerous condition in itself, more severe cases of diarrhoea can lead to dehydration, causing the need for immediate medical attention in order to prevent further harm.

So, while diarrhoea will in most cases simply go away by itself with enough rest and plenty of water to make up for the fluids lost. Further health complications due to diarrhoea are very uncommon, although it can sometimes be a sign of an underlying health problem such as:

• Gastroenteritis
• Viral infection
• Bacteria
• Gastrointestinal parasites

In addition, it can also be caused by anxiety or intense stress, consumption of large amounts of alcohol or food allergy or poisoning. If any of these is the root cause of your condition, treating it will also treat the symptoms at the same time.

However, the real danger of diarrhoea, the one that will create need for using medicines, comes from the possibility of dehydration. The symptoms can lead to a significant loss of fluids, salts and sugars – if these are not replaced, the bodily functions will get compromised. The early signs of dehydration include feeling drowsy or lightheaded, with rare urination. As the time goes by and the fluids are not replenished one may feel sluggish, constantly thirsty, have strong-smelling or darker-coloured urine. With prolonged dehydration, the symptoms can become even more severe and potentially fatal – from seizures, to brain damage with lethal outcome. Medical treatment of diarrhoea is recommended in order to prevent exactly this.

How can Norimode tablets help?

Norimode pills are highly efficient and often-prescribed diarrhoea medicine. As another generic version of the branded Imodium, Norimode tablets are based on the same active ingredient (loperamide hydrochloride 2mg) and rely on the same mechanism of action as the branded version. As such, Norimode belongs to a class of pharmaceutical compounds called antimobility treatments. They work by slowing down the bowel movements – on a bio-chemical level they prevent opioid receptors in the bowel from receiving and reacting to stimuli. Without usual stimuli to these receptors, the bowels won’t contract and push food through intestinal tract. This is how the transportation of food through the gut is slowed down, giving the body more time to absorb water and also reducing the sense of urgency.

How to use Norimode

Norimode tablets are very easy to use. Most importantly, the patient should precisely follow the instructions provided by the doctor and found in the official patient information leaflet which is issued within every pack of the medicine. For any additional questions you might have which are not covered in the leaflet, you should consult with your doctor.

The most general instructions can be described as follows:

• Take Norimode tablets with water
• In the case of actue diarrhoea, take two tablets at the beginning of the treatment, and then one tablet after every diarrhoeic episode
• The maximum duration of the treatment is five days
• For chronic diarrhoea, take two tablets daily and ask the doctor to adjust the dose once you start having one to two solid stools per day
• Do not exceed the recommended dosage
• If you forget to take a dose, do not take double one to make up for it
• As diarrhoea can lead to dehydration, it is advisable to take additional measures to replenish lost fluids, salts and sugars

What are Norimode side effects?

As is the case with a majority of medicines available today, certain side effects are possible during Norimode treatment. Naturally, not everybody will experience them. The most dangerous complication one should be aware of is an allergic reaction. The usual symptoms include swelling of the face, tongue, lips or eyelids, difficulties breathing, rash and blisters on skin, mouth, eyes or genitals, stomach pains or swelling and presence of blood in the stool. If you notice any of those, it is vital that you consult with your doctor immediately.

Bellow, we will discuss some of the reported side effects according to the frequency of occurrence.

It is also very important to note that severe adverse reactions related to the cardiac function have been reported in patients who took significantly higher dose of loperamide than prescribed. Never exceed the maximum recommended dose and if you do, contact the emergency service immediately.

Norimode interactions with other medicines

It is important to disclose all information regarding other treatments you might be using to your doctor prior to starting Norimode treatment. Some of the medicines that have been known to adversely interact with loperamide-based drugs include:

• Cotrimoxazole
• Quinidine
• Ritonavir
• Desmopressin
• Itraconazole
• Ketoconazole
• Gemfibrozil

Norimode contraindications

There are also some cases when doctor might decide not to recommend you Norimode (loperamide hydrochloride) treatment. This usually happens when the patient is diagnosed with some other conditions, including:

• Liver disease
• Inflammation of the bowels
• Acute ulcerative colitis
• Bacterial infection of the small intestine and colon
• IBS
• Dysentery
• AIDS

It is also important to note that this medicine contains lactose, so you should not be using it if you are lactose-intolerant. Similarly, this medicine isn’t completely safe for women who are pregnant or are trying to conceive, while use during breastfeeding might be approved by the doctor in certain cases.

It is also advisable to get familiar with the way you react to Norimode prior to driving or operating heavy machinery – this medicine is known to cause dizziness and drowsiness in some patients and this might compromise your driving skills.