Does Imodium expire? In this article, I will explain the shelf life of Imodium. Stay hooked!
What is Imodium?
What is Imodium? Imodium (loperamide) is a medication commonly used to reduce diarrhea, especially in people with inflammatory bowel disease. The drug works by slowing down gut movement. Reduced movement of the gut ensures that the stool does not get watery.
Imodium is also used important for patients who have undergone removal of intestines through surgery.
Does Imodium Expire?
Imodium expires after about 24 months. During the expiration, the active ingredient loperamide hydrochloride disintegrates making it less effective. Expired Imodium will not reduce diarrhea and could release toxic components after the end of its shelf life.
Can You Use Expired Imodium?
You should not take expired Imodium. It is possible that expired Imodium will release unwanted/dangerous chemical entities that will be harmful to your health.
Once the expiration date (month and year) on the package has passed, Imodium should not be used.
Those who decide to take Imodium after the expiration date risk harming themselves due to continued diarrhea because expired Imodium will not be effective anymore.
Loperamide, compared to other drugs is quite an inexpensive prescription, thus there is absolutely no need to decide not to replace this medication that has been deemed “out of code.”
IMODIUM should not be given to children under the age of twelve years.
How to Store Imodium
So, how do you store Imodium after it has been opened and in what form it is being stored?
- Patients should always refer to the Imodium AD guidelines on the container when determining how to store the drug in order to avoid complications.
- The majority of the time, Imodium pills should be kept in their blister packs until only one dose has been used. Tablets and gel caps containing medication fall within this category.
- Always ensure that you keep the blister packs their original packaging to ensure that the directions and cautions are readily available when needed.
- The boxes should be stored in a cool, dry location to ensure that both they and the medication do not decay prematurely.
- Imodium AD liquid should be stored at room temperature and away from sources of natural light, which could heat the liquid and cause it to become ineffective or even harmful.
- Do not store Imodium in the refrigerator.
- Imodium chewable tablets should be stored in the same manner as pills.