Hi, after I take 2 immodium I don't have a bm for 2-3 days and feel absolutely healthy, but in the weeks when I don't take any I don't feel as well in general. Whenever I have bm they are normal usually, but I feel kind of ucky just before and after for awhile.
I only take immodium if I have a reaction to some food or chemical(I have MCS)
I am wondering why my whole body seems to react to my body needing to evacuate.
Thanks for sharing your vast knowledge.
Tex-why do I feel great after taking Immodium but...
Moderators: Rosie, Stanz, Jean, CAMary, moremuscle, JFR, Dee, xet, Peggy, Matthew, Gabes-Apg, grannyh, Gloria, Mars, starfire, Polly, Joefnh
Tex-why do I feel great after taking Immodium but...
MC diagnosed 2007
Imodium can affect your body because Loperamide is an opioid-receptor agonist that acts on the μ-opioid receptors in the myenteric plexus of the large intestine. By itself, it typically doesn't affect the central nervous system. It works similarly to morphine, by decreasing the activity of the myenteric plexus, which in turn decreases the tone of the longitudinal and circular smooth muscles of the intestinal wall. This reduces motility in the intestines
It's somewhat of a misconception that loperamide does not cross the blood–brain barrier. Actually it does cross the BB barrier, although normally it's immediately pumped back out into non–central nervous system (CNS) circulation by P-glycoprotein. While this mechanism effectively shields the CNS from exposure to loperamide, and consequently shields it from a risk of CNS tolerance/dependence, many drugs are known to inhibit P-glycoprotein and those drugs are capable of rendering the CNS vulnerable to opiate agonism by loperamide. And since certain drugs can do it, probably there are natural substances that can have a similar effect, especially in certain sensitive individuals. For example, it's known that even black pepper can potentially allow loperamide to cross the BB barrier and stick long enough to have a limited opiate effect.
In lab tests, it has been demonstrated that when long-term therapy with loperamide has been abruptly discontinued, a mild physical dependence is displayed by mice, rats, and rhesus monkeys used in such studies. So that's probably why you feel better if you use Imodium (even if you don't need it for therapeutic purposes).
You're very welcome.
Tex
It's somewhat of a misconception that loperamide does not cross the blood–brain barrier. Actually it does cross the BB barrier, although normally it's immediately pumped back out into non–central nervous system (CNS) circulation by P-glycoprotein. While this mechanism effectively shields the CNS from exposure to loperamide, and consequently shields it from a risk of CNS tolerance/dependence, many drugs are known to inhibit P-glycoprotein and those drugs are capable of rendering the CNS vulnerable to opiate agonism by loperamide. And since certain drugs can do it, probably there are natural substances that can have a similar effect, especially in certain sensitive individuals. For example, it's known that even black pepper can potentially allow loperamide to cross the BB barrier and stick long enough to have a limited opiate effect.
In lab tests, it has been demonstrated that when long-term therapy with loperamide has been abruptly discontinued, a mild physical dependence is displayed by mice, rats, and rhesus monkeys used in such studies. So that's probably why you feel better if you use Imodium (even if you don't need it for therapeutic purposes).
You're very welcome.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
If you look at the effects of drug dependencies in general, a common theme is for the reward phase to be associated with the body system that is stimulated by the drug. IOW, loperamide downregulates gut motility, so any reward will occur as a result of BMs associated with use of the medication. Conversely, any deprivation/withdrawal effects will occur as a result of BMs that occur in the absence of the drug.
Tex
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.