Opioid epidemic literally hurting people who need them

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kokopelli
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22 Feb 2018, 1:39 pm

It might surprise you to know, but certain opiates are available over the counter in the US.



auntblabby
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22 Feb 2018, 9:46 pm

kokopelli wrote:
It might surprise you to know, but certain opiates are available over the counter in the US.

which ones?



kokopelli
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23 Feb 2018, 4:47 am

auntblabby wrote:
kokopelli wrote:
It might surprise you to know, but certain opiates are available over the counter in the US.

which ones?


Opiates are useful for dealing with diarrhea. For anti-diarrhea medications, they use opiates that don't cross the blood brain barrier very readily. However, enough can cross that they can be abused -- some addicts take multiple boxes of anti-diarrhea medication, often as something to try to help them kick the habit.

Immodium AD is an example.

There have been reports of people dying from taking too much of these medications.



auntblabby
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24 Feb 2018, 1:39 am

^^^Imodium [AD] contains the active ingredient loperamide hydrochloride, which is an antimotility medicine that works by slowing down the muscular contractions of the intestine. Loperamide reduces the speed at which the gut contents are pushed through the intestines, allowing more time for water and electrolytes to be reabsorbed back into the body. Is Loperamide a narcotic?



kokopelli
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26 Feb 2018, 4:29 pm

auntblabby wrote:
^^^Imodium [AD] contains the active ingredient loperamide hydrochloride, which is an antimotility medicine that works by slowing down the muscular contractions of the intestine. Loperamide reduces the speed at which the gut contents are pushed through the intestines, allowing more time for water and electrolytes to be reabsorbed back into the body. Is Loperamide a narcotic?


Loperamide is a synthetic opioid that does not readily cross the blood brain barrier.



auntblabby
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27 Feb 2018, 1:46 am

kokopelli wrote:
auntblabby wrote:
^^^Imodium [AD] contains the active ingredient loperamide hydrochloride, which is an antimotility medicine that works by slowing down the muscular contractions of the intestine. Loperamide reduces the speed at which the gut contents are pushed through the intestines, allowing more time for water and electrolytes to be reabsorbed back into the body. Is Loperamide a narcotic?


Loperamide is a synthetic opioid that does not readily cross the blood brain barrier.

does it numb pain or reduce pain?



kokopelli
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27 Feb 2018, 3:36 pm

auntblabby wrote:
kokopelli wrote:
auntblabby wrote:
^^^Imodium [AD] contains the active ingredient loperamide hydrochloride, which is an antimotility medicine that works by slowing down the muscular contractions of the intestine. Loperamide reduces the speed at which the gut contents are pushed through the intestines, allowing more time for water and electrolytes to be reabsorbed back into the body. Is Loperamide a narcotic?


Loperamide is a synthetic opioid that does not readily cross the blood brain barrier.

does it numb pain or reduce pain?


Not that I know of. An opioid is any substance that acts on opioid receptors.

I believe it would have to cross the blood brain barrier to operate on opioid receptors in the brain. It's effects on the opioid receptors in the intestines are what makes it work against diarrhea.



ASPartOfMe
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27 Feb 2018, 4:08 pm

auntblabby wrote:
kokopelli wrote:
auntblabby wrote:
^^^Imodium [AD] contains the active ingredient loperamide hydrochloride, which is an antimotility medicine that works by slowing down the muscular contractions of the intestine. Loperamide reduces the speed at which the gut contents are pushed through the intestines, allowing more time for water and electrolytes to be reabsorbed back into the body. Is Loperamide a narcotic?


Loperamide is a synthetic opioid that does not readily cross the blood brain barrier.

does it numb pain or reduce pain?


Yes, dairrhea cramps.


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auntblabby
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27 Feb 2018, 4:10 pm

kokopelli wrote:
auntblabby wrote:
kokopelli wrote:
auntblabby wrote:
^^^Imodium [AD] contains the active ingredient loperamide hydrochloride, which is an antimotility medicine that works by slowing down the muscular contractions of the intestine. Loperamide reduces the speed at which the gut contents are pushed through the intestines, allowing more time for water and electrolytes to be reabsorbed back into the body. Is Loperamide a narcotic?


Loperamide is a synthetic opioid that does not readily cross the blood brain barrier.

does it numb pain or reduce pain?


Not that I know of. An opioid is any substance that acts on opioid receptors.

I believe it would have to cross the blood brain barrier to operate on opioid receptors in the brain. It's effects on the opioid receptors in the intestines are what makes it work against diarrhea.

isn't it interesting that the opioids specifically against pain are restricted? sounds very much a puritanical "suffering is good for the soul" thing to me. :|