Stopped opioids after 16 years & diarrhea continues!
 

I stopped taking opioids after 16 years due to the bad side effects after being on them for 16 years. It has been about 2 months now and I continue to have diarrhea and continue on the generic Lomotil to control this problem that never wants to go away. My primary physician told me not to even drink decaf in the morning and to stay away from all caffeine! I can live with decaf but I'm sick of having this diarrhea problem! Any helpful tips will be appreciated by anyone who has chose to get off opioids like me! Thanks so much!

I've never had your problem but recall a friend once talking about a bland diet to stop the diarrhea. As I recall bananas are recommended too. Glad you got off the opioids, my daughter sure deals with issues from opioid addiction. Recently she even weaned off ibuprofen and actually has less pain overall. Just heard today about how the pain drugs upregulate pain receptors and cause more pain. We've talked about that here.

I wonder if you are taking an SSRI or SNRI drug currently?
These cause diarrhea in some people.

Gabapentin also has caused fecal incontinence in some.
If you take drugs to lower stomach acid regularly for GERD
you can develop a chronic diarrhea. This is due to fermentation of undigested protein in the bowel, leading to diarrhea and gas.

Serotonin is one of the main neurotransmitters in the GI tract. There are foods that contain serotonin and will cause increased spasms or movement.

Foods that may increase spasms in the bowel:
coffee
black tea
caffeine
bananas (have serotonin)
nuts
fresh fruit
sugars and fructose

People with chronic diarrhea might want to try the FODMAPS diet. The diet removes irritating and overstimulating foods.

http://www.ibsdiets.org/fodmap-diet/fodmap-food-list/

One thing that can tone down an over active bowel is lemon balm. This is very good for colic. I use it myself. I use this 100% herb tea once a day.

http://www.traditionalmedicinals.com...ts/lemon-balm/

Some chronic diarrhea can be due to irritating bacteria in the gut. This may improve with daily psyllium seed use. This is called Metamucil (new name META) and works to absorb bacterial toxins in the bowel. A GI specialist gave this to me years ago, and it works quite well. You need to consume adequate water while using this, daily.

Other than these interventions you can try yourself, there are drugs to treat IBS-D (diarrhea)...which your doctor can prescribe.

Thanks so very much!
 

Thanks for all the information! I take 20 mg. of the generic Celexa daily. Since stopping the opioids, I take the .25 generic of Xanax to sleep at night to relax my muscles and control the pain. I really appreciate all the information you gave me! Thanks again!

If you decide to stop the Celexa and have your doctor taper you down carefully. If you have only been on it a month or two, you may not need a taper. But the longer you use it, the more important the taper becomes.

Alprazolam .5 mg. can't stop all the sudden!
 

I tried to stop the generic Xanax for 2 nights now and have had weird head ache today, so I ask my pharmacist and she said I cannot stop this medication suddenly. She told me to take 1/2 tablet of the Alprazolam .5 mg tonight and try to even cut it into 1/4 for one week!

Xanax is a benzodiazepine and also
Requires a taper when stopped.
If you have been on it for a long time
the taper has to be managed more
slowly. Some people find that this drug
Is very difficult to discontinue.

Of you search Google for " benzo taper" or
" benzo withdrawal" you will find more
Information.

A few years ago, I was hospitalized; followed by surgery a few days later. Somehow, the fact that I was on Vallium 5MG's twice a day (sometimes an extra cut in half ) was overlooked.

I don't know how much this caused the nausea and some other difficulties I was dealing with but it was not until a few days after the surgery my son remarked to the resident doctor that I appeared to be in some sort of withdrawal that it was noticed I had not been receiving any Vallium. (I am on Oxycontin/Percocet which they had been giving me on a regular schedule.)

Until then, I was not aware Vallium was a benzo or that withdrawal could be a problem. If I had realized this, I might have figured out some of my additional issues could be Vallium related.

Gerry

Slow release iron
 

Taking one 30-mg slow release iron tablet (Slo-FE or equivalent) twice a week will definitely halt your diarrhea. Ask me how I know :rolleyes:

30-mg slow release iron tablet
 

Thanks I will try what you suggest! I just wish I could have my decaf or regular coffee in the morning! Thanks! Jacquie