At least one pharmacy in Rochester is pulling this anti-diarrhea medicine off the shelf after learning of people who abuse this drug.
According to a report from the Annals of Emergency Medicine, at least two people have overdosed on the over the counter anti-diarrhea drug Imodium.
The Upstate New York Poison Control says they've seen a seven-fold increase in the amount of calls from people who are abusing Imodium. One of the main ingredients in Imodium is an opiate called Loperamide.
Opiate addicts are taking 100 to 200 tablets a day to get high. An abnormal dosage of Imodium causes irregular heart rhythms, and may be lethal.
Our sister station WHAM is reporting that at least one pharmacy out in the Rochester area is taking the drug off their shelf. However, they'll keep it behind the counter, out of reach from opiate abusers.
