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Lomotil Abuse and Withdrawal
Lomotil is a brand name for a medication known as diphenoxylate. This is an anti-diarrheal medication that is similar in nature to a narcotic drug known as Demerol or Meperidine. The way that Lomotil works is by slowing down how quickly your intestines move.
In many cases Lomotil is combined along with Atropine, which is capable of reducing spasms experienced by the stomach, the bladder and the intestines.
Although this is not a harmful medication, when it is used improperly it can cause harm. For example, Lomotil has been linked to a number of overdose situations where serious side effects were experienced.
Lomotil Abuse
When someone decides to abuse Lomotil, what this normally entails is using the prescription medication in a manner that goes against how it was recommended to be taken. For example, someone who is abusing Lomotil may decide to take it in a dosage that is higher than what was recommended by the physician, or they may decide to take more frequent dosages than what was recommended by the physician. Abuse of Lomotil can cause a number of different types of side effects including constipation, dry mouth, headache, blurred vision, dizziness and drowsiness. Because of the different effects that this drug is capable of creating, you should not use Lomotil if you plan on driving or operating heavy machinery.
Overdose of Lomotil is quite common among people that are abusing drugs. The primary reason for why overdose is so common is the fact that it has a relatively mild initial effect, and some people may take more of the medication than they actually need to in order to achieve the effects that are desired. Unfortunately, Lomotil overdose is serious business because it can cause:
- Dilation of the Pupils
- Respiratory Depression
- Convulsions
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Tachycardia
- Coma
- Hallucinations
- Drowsiness
- Rapid Eye Movements
- Flushed Skin
- Constipation
For this reason it is essential to avoid becoming physically dependent on Lomotil, or to use it in dosages that are higher than what was recommended by the physician.
Lomotil Withdrawal Symptoms
Because Lomotil is a synthetic opioid, designed to be similar to an opiate drug, it is a powerful drug that is capable of creating a physical dependency in the way that opiate drugs can such as morphine and heroin. As such, as a physical dependency is created over time, the withdrawal symptoms associated with stopping the medication can become somewhat more severe with time. It is important to consider the withdrawal symptoms of a Lomotil withdrawal before you simply stop taking the drug cold turkey.
Some of the symptoms associated with opioid withdrawal or Lomotil withdrawal include agitation and anxiety, aches in the muscles, tearing up more frequently, insomnia, sweating, yawning and running nose. There are other withdrawal symptoms for you to consider when you stop taking Lomotil, and these including nausea and vomiting, goose bumps on the skin, dilated pupils, cramping in the abdomen and diarrhea. All of these symptoms can vary significantly in terms of intensity as well as when they begin and when they end, and all together they can make the detox process quite uncomfortable if you do not go about it in the right manner.
Lomotil Addiction Treatment Options
Any time you are trying to stop taking a powerful drug, including opioid drugs like Lomotil, you need to make sure that you are going about things in the right manner. The best course of action when you are attempting to overcome a physical dependency on the anti-diarrheal drug Lomotil is to check yourself in to a drug rehab center where they will be well staffed and well prepared to provide the specific type of care that you need. Just because you are addicted to a legal substance rather than an illicit one, that does not mean that you cannot get the right help that you need from a drug rehab center.
The right drug rehab center is going to help you tackle both aspects of your drug addiction, that is both the physical and the emotional. The physical means to detox the Lomotil out of your system with as few withdrawal symptoms as possible. The second part is the rehabilitation part, where you use cognitive behavioral therapy and behavioral modification to eliminate bad habits and move into a new, better lifestyle where the Lomotil is no longer required. Both of these parts of rehabilitation come together and allow a drug rehab center to help you move on with your life with as little discomfort as possible.
