Loperamide

Reviewed on Jul 05, 2023. by Dr Daniel Atkinson GP Clinical Lead Registered with GMC (No. 4624794) Next review due on July 24, 2029.

Last updated on Jul 24, 2026.

Product info

Loperamide is a fast treatment for short-term diarrhoea.
It works by slowing down your bowels and making stools firmer.
It starts working within an hour.

Loperamide: essential info
Loperamide: instructions
Important stuff you need to know
FAQ

FAQ: Loperamide

Have something specific you want to know? Search our info below, or ask our experts a question if you can’t find what you’re looking for.

How is Loperamide different from other treatments for diarrhoea?

Answer:

You’ve got a few options when it comes to treating diarrhoea. Rehydration sachets are often used to treat short-term bouts. They replace your body’s natural salt and minerals that are lost when you have diarrhoea. These are available as both generic sachets that you can get in supermarkets and pharmacies, or branded versions like Dioralyte.

Loperamide treats diarrhoea in a different way. Antimotility medicines control the frequency of your bowel movements, which gives your stools a chance to become firmer. Other antimotility treatments for diarrhoea include Kaolin and Morphine Mixture, Lomotil (which contains diphenoxylate and atropine), and Imodium, which is a branded version of Loperamide.

Will Loperamide cause any side effects?

Answer:

Some of the most common side effects people get when using Loperamide are:

Headaches

Constipation

Nausea

Wind

Less common ones include:

Drowsiness

Dry mouth

Indigestion

Like all medications, the side effects people get vary person-to-person, and not everybody gets them.

If you develop symptoms like sudden facial swelling, an unusual rash, or skin blisters, you might need urgent medical attention as these are all signs of an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions need immediate medical attention, so you should head to your nearest hospital. Bringing your medication and its box with you will help staff get you the right treatment in a hurry.

The patient information leaflet (PIL) included with your medication contains a list of all the possible side effects you might develop, including allergic reactions.

How long does Loperamide take to work?

Answer:

Loperamide should start to work right away, usually within an hour of taking a capsule. For short-term bouts of diarrhoea, it’s recommended you take Loperamide for a maximum of 5 days. Generally, this should be enough time to treat your diarrhoea symptoms and allow your stools to become firm again.

If your symptoms don’t improve after 2 days, speak to a clinician. There might be an underlying cause of your loose stools that might need investigating further. Loperamide is sometimes prescribed for long-term management of diarrhoea — a clinician can advise you about taking the capsules to treat diarrhoea that doesn’t improve after a week.

How effective is Loperamide?

Answer:

Loperamide has been used medically since 1976,^[1] and is included in the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) ‘Essential Medicines List’. In a study that compared it to bismuth subsalicylate, the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol, loperamide was found to maintain control of diarrhoea for longer.^[2] It also treated diarrhoea faster, and more effectively.

Another study that measured its efficacy (how well it works) compared it again to bismuth subsalicylate, and a third antidiarrheal agent called diphenoxylate. Loperamide proved more effective at managing diarrhoea than both of the other antidiarrheals in the study.^[3]

Loperamide is generally prescribed for 1-2 days, which should be long enough to improve your symptoms. If your diarrhoea is caused by another condition, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or Crohn’s disease, you might need to take Loperamide for longer.

Do I need a prescription for Loperamide?

Answer:

Loperamide is a prescription-only medication. Before our clinicians write a prescription for you, they'll make sure Loperamide is safe and suitable for you to use.

Loperamide hydrochloride is sometimes classified differently when it’s included in branded medicines that are available over the counter. If you’re using a non-prescription medicine to manage your diarrhoea, you should make sure you know exactly what’s in it.

Treated trusted sources:

Sahi, Nidhi, et al. “Loperamide.” PubMed, StatPearls Publishing, 2023,
Dupont, Herberg L., et al. “Comparative Efficacy of Loperamide Hydrochloride and Bismuth Subsalicylate in the Management of Acute Diarrhoea.” The American Journal of Medicine, vol. 88, no. 6, June 1990, pp. S15–S19, https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9343(90)90270-n.
Ericsson, Charles D., and Philip C. Johnson. “Safety and Efficacy of Loperamide.” The American Journal of Medicine, vol. 88, no. 6, 20 June 1990, pp. S10–S14.

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Registered with GMC (No. 4624794)

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Loperamide

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Best Ways to Treat Diarrhoea

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Loperamide

Product info

What is Loperamide?

How does Loperamide work?

What doses of Loperamide are there?

Treated trusted sources:

How to take Loperamide

Does Loperamide work right away?

What should I do if I make a mistake when using Loperamide?

Treated trusted sources:

FAQ: Loperamide

How is Loperamide different from other treatments for diarrhoea?

Will Loperamide cause any side effects?

How long does Loperamide take to work?

How effective is Loperamide?

Do I need a prescription for Loperamide?

Treated trusted sources:

How we reviewed this page:

This is healthcare on your terms.

100% online

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Express delivery

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Get to know our clinical team

Dr Daniel Atkinson

Ms Sanjeda Chowdhury

Mr Craig Marsh

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Read more about Loperamide

Further reading

Best Ways to Treat Diarrhoea

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