Are loperamide/Imodium restrictions only in California?

[Guest]

I was in Costco the other day, and I have often gone there to get large bottles of Kirkland loperamide (generic Imodium), since I've had a problem with loose stools all of my life. I didn't see it on the shelf, so I asked the pharmacist where it was, and she said I'd have to get in line. When it was my turn, she said they only sold them in boxes of 24 now (only 98 cents, but I used to buy them in bottles of 200). I asked for 2 boxes, and she told me she could only sell me one box per day, due to new restrictions. 

I looked up the reason online, and saw that if one takes massive doses, one can get an opioid-like high. I would think that taking such doses would cause most people to be unable to poop for a few days, though. So anyway, I went on Amazon, and saw that I could buy a bottle of 200, no problem. Have any of you who live in other states tried to buy Imodium/loperamide lately? Is this just a California issue? Then I wonder why one can buy bottles of 200 online....

[+ LIguy]

Here in NY I was also buying bottles of 200 at BJ's and costco when they also disappeared of the shelves and I could only get individually wrapped pills in boxes of 24.  However Amazon sold me 4 boxes at once as they said they couldn't ship the big bottles to me.  I did some research and some sites claimed that imodium could cause heart irregularities.  I normally took 3 tablets every morning before work.

[Rudynate]

Good thing to know - fisters love em.

[Rudynate]

They must resemble that prescription drug they used to give for diarrhea - lomotil.  They got you slightly buzzed.

[rvwnsd]

I haven't seen the large bottles for several months in Arizona. The reason is back in 2019 the FDA put a limit on the package size due to Imodium abuse by people who are addicted to opioids. 

[Rudynate]

The article I just read called it "the poor man's methadone."

[MscleLovr]

49 minutes ago, Rudynate said:

"the poor man's methadone."

Astounding. I’m always surprised at how people can turn some useful but humdrum medicine into an addictive means to pleasure. 

[+ keroscenefire]

The package/dosage restrictions do appear to be a federal thing.  From what I heard, the issue is actually that people take high dosages of loperamide to counteract the effects of opioid withdrawal. One of the main symptoms of withdrawal is uncontrollable diarrhea and apparently taking high dosages of Imodium can kind of keep the opiates in your system longer as you try to get your next hit. Very popular with addicts but taking a very high dosage does bring in some risk of heart damage. However, it's completely safe to take loperamide at the suggested dosage levels. I do regularly because I have mild IBS.

[Rudynate]

I take it when I clean out.

[Guest]

Well, one can still get the large bottles on Amazon. At least for the time being.

[+ Lucky]

The joke here is that once you order the large bottle from Amazon, you find out that the very same bottle ordered directly from the manufacturer is half the cost!