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"   What is it used for?  Relieving acute diarrhoea that is accompanied by symptoms of trapped wind, eg bloating, stomach cramps and flatulence, in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over.    How does it work? Imodium plus caplets and Imodium plus comfort tablets both contain two active ingredients, loperamide hydrochloride and simeticone. Loperamide works by slowing the muscular contractions of the intestine and so is called an &amp;#039;antimotility&amp;#039; medicine. It is used to control diarrhoea. Simeticone is a type of medicine called an &amp;#039;anti-foaming agent&amp;#039;. Loperamide works by acting on opioid receptors that are found in the muscle lining the walls of the intestines. By acting on these receptors, loperamide reduces the muscular contractions of the intestine (called peristalsis) that move food and faecal matter through the gut. This reduces the speed at which the gut contents are pushed through the intestines, allowing more time for water and electrolytes to be reabsorbed from the gut contents back into the body. This results in firmer stools that are passed less frequently.   Simeticone reduces trapped wind in the gut by bringing together all the small bubbles of gas that are trapped among the contents of the gut. This forms large bubbles that are more easily expelled by burping or passing wind. Simeticone is used to relieve pain and bloating caused by trapped wind that may be associated with the diarrhoea. Imodium plus can be bought without a prescription to treat acute (sudden and short-lived) episodes of watery diarrhoea in adults and adolescents aged 12 years and over.   How do I take it?  Imodium plus caplets and Imodium plus comfort tablets should be taken with plenty of liquid. Adults aged over 18 years should take 2 tablets initially, followed by 1 tablet after each loose stool.  Adolescents aged 12-18 years should take 1 tablet initially, followed by 1 tablet after each loose stool.  No more than four caplets should be taken in 24 hours. If your diarrhoea lasts for more than two days you should stop taking this medicine and consult your doctor.     Warning!  DON&amp;#039;T take this medicine and consult a doctor instead if any of the following apply to you: if your diarrhoea started either during or after taking a course of antibiotics; if the diarrhoea contains yellow or greenish mucus or blood; if you also have a fever. Do not exceed the recommended dose of this medicine. If you get any swelling of your stomach after taking this medicine, don&amp;#039;t take any further doses and consult your doctor. Acute diarrhoea makes you lose more fluids and salt than you usually would and can make you dehydrated. This medicine only treats the diarrhoea symptoms and so will not rehydrate you. You should make sure that you drink plenty of fluids, and you may want to take an oral rehydration therapy, which is a soluble powder containing sugars and salts, to help rehydrate you. This is particularly important for frail and elderly people. Rehydration salts can be bought from pharmacies.    Use with caution in  Decreased liver function.    Not to be used in  Children under 12 years of age. Conditions where preventing gut movement should be avoided, such as constipation, obstruction of the intestines (ileus) or when abdominal swelling (distension) develops. Inflammatory bowel disease such as acute ulcerative colitis or Crohn&amp;#039;s disease. Diarrhoea caused by inflammation of the gut as a result of antibiotic treatment (antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis). Diarrhoea cause by infection of the gut with bacteria such as Salmonella, Shigella or Campylobacter. People with diarrhoea containing yellow or greenish mucus or blood, or who also have a fever.  This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.   Pregnancy and breastfeeding Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.  There is no information available about the safety of this medicine during pregnancy. It is not recommended for use by pregnant women. If you are pregnant you should seek medical advice from your doctor. This medicine may pass into breast milk in small amounts. It should only be used during breastfeeding if the benefit to the mother outweighs any potential risk to the nursing infant. If you are breastfeeding you should seek medical advice from your doctor before using this medicine.    Side effects Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Just because a side effect is stated here does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.   Common (affect between 1 in 10 and 1 in 100 people)   Feeling sick. Change in taste.     Uncommon (affect between 1 in 100 and 1 in 1000 people)  Sleepiness.  Constipation. Rash.     Unknown frequency  Abdominal swelling. Abdominal cramps. Vomiting.  Flatulence. Indigestion. Paralysis or inactivity of the intestine that stops the movement of material through the gut (paralytic ileus). Dizziness. Loss of consciousness.  Skin reactions such as rash and itch. Retention of urine.   The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the medicine&amp;#039;s manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.   How can this medicine affect other medicines? This medicine is not known to affect other medicines. However, as with all medicines, if you are already taking any other medicines, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, it is important to check with your pharmacist before taking this one as well, to make sure that the combination is safe.    Other medicines containing the same active ingredients There are currently no other medicines available in the UK that contain both loperamide hydrochloride and simeticone as the active ingredients.  Imodium contains just loperamide. Loperamide capsules are also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine. Last updated 23.01.2013 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/infections/a6902/imodium-plus-loperamide-simeticone/>