You can self-medicate for short-lived bouts of diarrhoea that are not accompanied by fever, blood or mucus. You can relieve the symptoms of diarrhoea by using IMODIUM^®, IMODIUM^® Instants or IMODIUM^® Plus, which can provide relief often in just one dose. You have a choice of products in the IMODIUM^®, range:

IMODIUM^® 6 capsules - available in most leading health store outlets and supermarkets
IMODIUM^® 8, 12, 18 capsules - available over the counter at pharmacies
IMODIUM^® Instants 6 instant melt tablets - available in most pharmacies and supermarkets
IMODIUM^® Instant Melts 12 instant melt tablets - available over the counter at pharmacies
IMODIUM^® Plus Caplets 6 and 12 - available over the counter at pharmacies

For more information visit our 'IMODIUM^® Range' section.

No. IMODIUM^® 8, 12, 18 capsules; IMODIUM^® Instant Melts 12, IMODIUM^® Plus 6 and 12 caplets are available over the counter. Capsules and IMODIUM^® Instants 6 instant melt tablets are more widely available in retail outlets.

When diarrhoea occurs, some people believe that diarrhoea is the body's natural process used to 'flush out' the poison in the body and that anti-diarrhoeals bung up the body and keep pathogens locked in. In reality this not the case.

The poison that people speak of actually refers to the bacteria which cause some, but not all, cases of diarrhoea. For many people the cause is simply stress or anxiety or just a change in climate and there is no poison in the body.

If bacteria are present, the body will usually clear itself in a day or so. In the meantime, IMODIUM^® and IMODIUM^® Plus can help you feel better and carry on as normal.

When the condition is treated with IMODIUM^® or IMODIUM^® Plus, you can also help prevent the loss of watery stools that drain fluids and nutrients from the body, so you can help to restore your normal rhythm. If symptoms persist you should seek the advice of your doctor or pharmacist.

Only people aged above 12 years can use IMODIUM^® or IMODIUM^® Plus with medical advice. Children below 12 years can use oral rehydration solutions to prevent dehydration during diarrhoea.

Oral rehydration solutions are designed to replace lost fluids and electrolytes from the body and prevent dehydration only. They do not control the symptoms of diarrhoea.

For more information visit our 'Understanding and Treating Diarrhoea' section.

It is not advisable to use IMODIUM^® or IMODIUM^® Plus during pregnancy or breast-feeding. You may wish to consult your GP for advice.

Constipation has been very rarely observed. As long as you follow the recommended dosage, IMODIUM^® and IMODIUM^® Plus can provide you with fast, effective relief of diarrhoea often with just one dose.

Your doctor should confirm if you are suffering from IBS. Once it is diagnosed by your doctor, IMODIUM^® (8,12,18) or IMODIUM^® Instant Melts (12), available from a pharmacy, can be used to treat short-lived episodes of diarrhoea associated with IBS.

To find out more visit our 'IBS - Do You Suffer' section.

Poor hygiene, contaminated food or water and general change in climate, all combine to make holiday diarrhoea an extremely common complaint. It can even be triggered simply by a change in diet. When you've spent so much money on that all important holiday, the last thing you want is to waste time suffering from diarrhoea. Investing in a really good remedy before travel makes the best sense.

IMODIUM^® Instants 6 and IMODIUM^® Instant Melts 12 are specifically formulated for fast and effective relief with a convenient instant melt tablet. It melts instantly on the tongue with no need for water, with a pleasant mint taste.

To find out more visit our 'Tips for Health Travel' section.

Few of us are born with the proverbial cast iron stomach. Which is why we can have an adverse reaction to eating and drinking - it tends to make our system work too quickly so can cause diarrhoea.

You should always try to eat sensibly and avoid excess eating and drinking, however if diarrhoea does occur, one dose of IMODIUM^® can quickly stop the problem and help you get back to normal again.

Performing in public is all it takes with some people to bring on a bout of diarrhoea. In fact, it is such a well recognized problem that it even has its own name - PAD, or performance anxiety diarrhoea. If you know when the problem is likely to arise, having a pack of IMODIUM^® Instants or IMODIUM^® Plus tablets to hand and taking it at the first signs of diarrhoea, can give you all the confidence to perform at your best.

To find out more visit our 'Nerves Related Diarrhoea' section.

Many people find that diarrhoea brings with it other unpleasant symptoms such as stomach cramps, wind and bloating. These are caused by excess gas in the gut. IMODIUM^® Plus has an added ingredient to tackle this as well as treating the diarrhoea, so it provides more complete relief than just IMODIUM^®. So, one dose of IMODIUM^® Plus can bring rapid, gentle relief and quickly bring your system back into balance. IMODIUM^® Plus is available in easy to swallow caplet format.

Our stomachs are delicate things and we can never be quite sure how they will behave. You can eat the same meal two days running and react quite differently - especially if the food is a bit spicy.

If something you have eaten puts your system out of balance and causes diarrhoea and abdominal discomfort then one dose of IMODIUM^® Plus can quickly smooth away the problem.

Period pains can be uncomfortable enough, but suffering with diarrhoea as well makes matters worse. Changes in your hormonal balance during menstruation can cause diarrhoea.

If you are unlucky enough to suffer with additional menstrual symptoms such as diarrhoea - and many women do - then the problem of diarrhoea can be remedied with one dose of IMODIUM^® Plus, which should bring effective relief and help you get through the problem.

To find out more visit our 'Is It A Menstrual Issue' section.

Diarrhoea can make you feel uncomfortable in more ways than one - especially if you are at the chemist counter with several people queuing behind you.

You have to remember that diarrhoea is one of the most common complaints your pharmacist deals with. Your pharmacist is trained to provide advice and understanding, and can present you with the right IMODIUM^® remedy for your diarrhoea. You can always ask to speak to the pharmacist in private if you feel embarrassed.

Children are less able to cope with losing body fluid through diarrhoea than adults; so the most important step is to replace fluids quickly.

Your pharmacist can provide oral rehydration treatments to help with this, but if the problem continues, or the child is under 5 years old, it is advisable to see your doctor.

Children over the age of 12 can be treated quickly with the most appropriate type of IMODIUM^®.

Let's face it. Try as we might, some people just can't swallow capsules or tablets. Luckily for you that doesn't stop you from getting rapid relief when diarrhoea strikes. IMODIUM^® Instants and IMODIUM^® Instant Melts dissolve on your tongue in seconds without the need for water.

If you have diarrhoea symptoms which are persistent, recurrent or accompanied by the passage of blood or other symptoms you should visit your doctor, particularly if you have been abroad recently to a less well developed country.

If there is no apparent reason for your diarrhoea and you don't seem to have any of the causes described on this site, it could be food intolerance, or possibly just stress.

IMODIUM^® can help in some of these cases, but it is important to get your pharmacist's and doctor's advice first to be sure.