Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide
About Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide
Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide is a combination medicine used to help manage short-term, sudden episodes of diarrhoea. It contains loperamide, which helps reduce frequent and loose bowel movements, and lactic acid bacillus, a probiotic that helps support the balance of beneficial bacteria in the digestive system.
You should take Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide exactly as directed by your doctor. Depending on the prescribed regimen, it may be taken after loose bowel movements or at specific times during the day. It can generally be taken with or without food. Staying well hydrated by drinking plenty of water or oral rehydration solution is important because diarrhoea can cause loss of water and electrolytes.
Common side effects may include constipation, mild stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, dizziness, or headache. Consult your doctor right away if you develop severe abdominal pain, marked swelling of the abdomen, blood or mucus in your stool, or other serious symptoms.
Talk to your doctor before starting Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide if you have liver disease, severe colitis, or a high fever. This medicine should not be used for diarrhoea associated with blood in the stool and fever unless specifically advised by your doctor. It should also be avoided during an acute flare-up of ulcerative colitis because slowing bowel movements can increase the risk of serious bowel complications.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, elderly, or taking other medicines, particularly medicines that affect heart rhythm or cause drowsiness. Your doctor can assess whether this combination is appropriate for you and advise you on the safest dose.
Uses of Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide
Medicinal Benefits
Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide provides two complementary actions to help manage acute diarrhoea:
- Helps reduce frequent bowel movements: Loperamide slows excessive movement of the intestines, allowing more time for water and electrolytes to be absorbed.
- Helps make stools firmer: By slowing intestinal movement, loperamide can reduce the looseness and frequency of stools.
- Supports the gut microbiome: Lactic acid bacillus is a probiotic that helps support the balance of beneficial microorganisms in the intestines.
- Supports recovery after gut disturbances: The probiotic component may help support the normal intestinal environment after illness or disruption of the gut microbiome.
Directions for Use
- Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide can be taken on an empty stomach, or as advised by your doctor.
- Follow your doctor's instructions on the dosage and timing of this medication.
- Swallow Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide as a whole with a glass of water.
- Do not break, crush, or chew it.
Storage
Side Effects of Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide
Common Side Effects (Usually mild):
- Constipation
- Mild stomach cramps or bloating
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Headache
Serious Side Effects (Consult your doctor right away):
- Severe stomach pain
- Marked swelling or bloating of the abdomen
- Blood or mucus in the stool
- Severe constipation
- Signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as a widespread skin rash, severe itching, or swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Severe dizziness, fainting, or a fast or irregular heartbeat
Medicines Containing this Salt
View AllDrug Warnings
- Keep yourself hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids or oral rehydration solution while you have diarrhoea to replace water and electrolytes lost from your body.
- Know when to stop self-treatment: If your diarrhoea does not improve within 48 hours, stop taking the medicine and consult your doctor rather than continuing it on your own.
- Do not use it for bloody diarrhoea with fever: Blood or mucus in the stool, particularly when accompanied by fever, may indicate an infection or another condition that needs medical assessment.
- Watch for severe constipation or abdominal swelling: Stop taking the medicine and consult your doctor if you develop severe constipation, significant abdominal swelling, or severe stomach pain.
- Take care with heart rhythm problems: Tell your doctor if you have a history of an abnormal heart rhythm. Taking excessive amounts of loperamide can cause serious heart rhythm problems.
- Be careful when driving: Dizziness or drowsiness can occur in some people. Avoid driving or operating machinery if you feel affected.
- Tell your doctor about your medicines: Share your complete list of prescription medicines, over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, supplements, and herbal products with your doctor or pharmacist.
- Do not self-treat children: Diarrhoea can cause dehydration quickly in children. Do not give Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide to an infant or young child unless a doctor has specifically advised you to do so.
Drug Interactions
- Medicines that affect heart rhythm (e.g., quinidine, amiodarone): Taking loperamide with certain medicines that affect heart rhythm may increase the risk of abnormal heartbeats, particularly if loperamide is taken in excessive amounts.
- Medicines that cause drowsiness (e.g., antihistamines, sleeping medicines, opioid pain medicines): Taking these medicines with Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide may increase dizziness, drowsiness, or reduced alertness.
- Certain antibiotics (e.g., some antibiotics used to treat bacterial infections): Antibiotics may affect the beneficial bacteria supplied by the probiotic component. Your doctor or pharmacist can advise whether any adjustment is needed.
- Medicines that affect loperamide levels (e.g., some medicines that affect liver enzymes or drug transporters): Some medicines may increase the amount of loperamide in the blood and increase the risk of side effects. Tell your doctor about all medicines you take before using this combination.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeAvoid consuming alcohol while taking Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide, as it may cause increased dizziness and drowsiness.
Pregnancy
cautionLactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide should be used during pregnancy only if the benefits outweigh the risks. Please consult your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant before taking Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide.
Breast Feeding
cautionSmall amounts of Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide may appear in breast milk, but it is unlikely to harm the baby. Please consult your doctor if you are breastfeeding before taking Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide.
Driving
unsafeLactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide may cause dizziness, tiredness, and drowsiness. Therefore, avoid driving or operating machinery until you are mentally alert.
Liver
consult your doctorPlease consult your doctor if you have liver problems before taking Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide or any concerns regarding this.
Kidney
consult your doctorPlease consult your doctor if you have kidney problems before taking Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide or any concerns regarding this.
Children
unsafeLactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide should not be given to children under 12 years of age.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Replace lost fluids: Drink plenty of clear fluids, such as water, broth, or oral rehydration solution, to replace water and electrolytes lost through diarrhoea.
- Choose easy-to-digest foods: As your appetite returns, choose simple foods that you tolerate well, such as rice, bananas, toast, potatoes, or other light meals.
- Avoid foods that worsen symptoms: Avoid very spicy, greasy, or high-fat foods if they make your diarrhoea or stomach discomfort worse.
- Limit alcohol: Avoid alcohol while you have diarrhoea because it can contribute to dehydration and may increase dizziness when taking this medicine.
- Limit caffeine: Coffee, strong tea, energy drinks, and other highly caffeinated drinks may worsen bowel symptoms in some people.
- Be cautious with dairy products: Some people temporarily have difficulty digesting lactose after an episode of diarrhoea. If dairy products worsen your symptoms, reduce them until your digestion improves.
- Focus on hydration: If diarrhoea is frequent or severe, oral rehydration solution is generally more appropriate than relying only on plain water because it replaces both fluids and electrolytes.
Special Advise
- Do not misuse or overuse Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide, as it may lead to addiction or cause serious heart problems.
- Drink plenty of fluids/water to replace lost fluids due to diarrhoea.
- If you do not notice any improvement in your symptoms within 2 days of taking Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide, please consult your doctor.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Diarrhoea: It occurs when there is a frequent need to empty the bowels, characterized by loose and watery stools. Diarrhoea could be acute or chronic. Acute diarrhoea occurs suddenly and lasts for a short while, generally less than 14 days, and is often caused by gastroenteritis. On the other hand, chronic diarrhoea lasts for at least four weeks and may be caused by intestinal diseases such as Crohn's disease or celiac disease. The symptoms of diarrhoea include nausea, abdominal pain, cramps, dehydration, bloating, a frequent urge to empty the bowels, and a large volume of watery stools.
FAQs
Do not take more than the recommended dose of Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide. If you accidentally take more than recommended, contact your doctor or seek medical advice promptly, even if you feel well. Taking excessive amounts of loperamide can cause serious heart rhythm problems. Seek emergency medical attention if you develop fainting, severe drowsiness, difficulty breathing, or a fast or irregular heartbeat.
Do not take Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide on your own if you have blood or mucus in your stool, particularly if you also have a fever. These symptoms may indicate an infection or another condition requiring medical assessment. Consult your doctor for appropriate treatment.
Some antibiotics may affect the beneficial bacteria supplied by the probiotic component. Do not change the timing or dose of either medicine on your own. Tell your doctor or pharmacist that you are taking Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide so they can advise you on the appropriate schedule.
If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, consult your doctor before taking Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide. Your doctor can assess whether the combination is appropriate for you based on your individual circumstances.
Some people may experience dizziness or drowsiness while taking Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide. If you feel sleepy or less alert, avoid driving or operating machinery until you know how the medicine affects you.
Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide is generally intended for short-term management of acute diarrhoea. Do not use it for long-term diarrhoea without medical supervision because persistent diarrhoea may have an underlying cause that needs treatment. Consult your doctor if diarrhoea continues or keeps returning.
Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide can generally be taken with or without food. If it causes mild stomach discomfort, taking it with food may make it easier to tolerate. Follow your doctor's instructions or the product label if they specify otherwise.
Do not give Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide to an infant or young child without consulting a paediatrician. Children can become dehydrated quickly during diarrhoea, so prompt assessment and appropriate fluid replacement are important.
If your diarrhoea does not improve within 48 hours, stop self-treatment with Lactic Acid Bacillus+loperamide and consult your doctor. Seek medical attention sooner if you have blood or mucus in your stool, high fever, severe abdominal pain, marked abdominal swelling, repeated vomiting, or signs of dehydration.
Seek immediate medical attention if you have taken more than the recommended amount, even if you feel well. Excessive loperamide can cause serious heart rhythm problems. If you develop severe drowsiness, difficulty breathing, fainting, or a fast or irregular heartbeat, seek emergency medical care immediately.
