An emergency doctor has warned people against taking a specific medication if they are suffering from a circulating contagious illness, as it could do more harm than good. According to the expert, anyone with gastroenteritis should steer clear of this drug.
Gastroenteritis is a very common condition that typically results in vomiting and diarrhoea. It is often caused by norovirus or food poisoning.
Currently, the UK is witnessing a surge in norovirus cases with the NHS reporting the illness spreading “like wildfire”. In the first week of February, 961 patients a day were in hospital across England with norovirus.
Doctor Suraj Kukadia, who is best known online as Dr Sooj, issued a warning about this illness via social media platform TikTok. He captioned his post: “Too many people have this right now.”
Firstly he shared some of the symptoms of the illness to look out for. He said: “What are the symptoms of gastroenteritis? The most common things are diarrhoea, vomiting, you can also get tummy pain and fevers.
“You might even get shivers, shakes or chills, but it’s usually caused by a viral infection or a bacterial infection. Gastroenteritis is essentially the fancy medical way of saying food poisoning.
“When you have it it can cause really violent vomiting and it can even lead to really, really watery poop as if you’ve just turned a tap on from down below.”
Dr Sooj advised how to aid your recovery. “Gastro is generally really contagious,” he said. “So try and stay home if you’re able to. Make sure you’re staying really well hydrated. Things with electrolytes in are fantastic. Apple juice and water in a 50/50 split can also work really well. Anti-sickness medication can really help because it can make you feel a bit better and make you vomit less.”
However, he urged people to avoid loperamide, which is also known as the brand Imodium. Dr Sooj warned that this could delay your recovery. He said: “But please don’t use things like the loperamide, which just bung you up from down below.
“The whole reason that you’ve got gastro is that there is something inside you, which needs to get out. And by using something like loperamide – which bungs you up and stops your body from being able to expel the bug – you can become really unwell.”
Loperamide is a medicine used to treat diarrhoea. It works by slowing down food as it goes through your gut. Your body can then draw in more water from your intestines, so that your poo gets firmer and you poo less often.
The NHS explains that it should start to work within one hour of taking it. But the health body warns: “If you buy loperamide from a pharmacy or shop, do not take it for more than 48 hours without talking to a doctor.”
It also says that the medication is not suitable for everyone. The NHS advises you not to take loperamide if you:
- Have severe diarrhoea after taking antibiotics
- Are having a flare-up of an inflammatory bowel condition like ulcerative colitis
- Are constipated or your stomach looks swollen.
The NHS adds: “Only take the recommended amount. Too much loperamide can cause serious heart problems (including a fast or irregular heartbeat).”