(WSTM) – The Food and Drug Administration is taking new steps to curb the abuse anti-diarrhea medication by asking manufacturers to change the way it’s packaged.
Loperamide is an over-the-counter medication taken to ease the symptoms of diarrhea. The recommended dose is just four tablets per day, but Dr. Jeanna Marraffa at the Upstate New York Poison Center says some people are taking much more than that.
“30, 40, even hundreds of pills…to get a high, or to treat some of their withdrawal symptoms from narcotics,” Dr. Marraffa said.
When taken in these high doses it can cause a high similar to opioids. It can also relieve withdrawals from drugs like heroin.
However, taking more than the recommended dose has lead to fatal heart complications.
Despite the potential danger, there are no restrictions on who can buy it.
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