Health Centres - Diocalm complete (discontinued in the UK)
How does it work?
Diocalm complete is a combination pack that contains capsules and sachets to treat diarrhoea. The capsules contain the active ingredient loperamide hydrochloride. The sachets contain rehydration salts consisting of sugars and salts (glucose monohydrate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, sodium citrate and anhydrous citric acid).
Loperamide is a type of medicine called an antimotility medicine. It is used to stop the diarrhoea.
Loperamide works by acting on opioid receptors that are found in the muscle lining the walls of the intestines. By acting on these receptors, loperamide reduces the muscular contractions of the intestine (called peristalsis) that move food and faecal matter through the gut. This reduces the speed at which the gut contents are pushed through the intestines, allowing more time for water and electrolytes to be reabsorbed from the gut contents back into the body. This results in firmer stools that are passed less frequently.
As diarrhoea makes you lose more fluids and salt than you usually would, it can make you dehydrated. The sachets of rehydration salts are used to replace body fluids lost as a result of the diarrhoea. This is particularly important in frail and elderly people and children.
The contents of each sachet should be dissolved in 200ml of fresh drinking water (or freshly boiled and cooled water if fresh water is not available). The solution should be made up immediately before use and used within one hour. If refrigerated the solution may be kept for up to 24 hours.
After the first loose stool you should take two capsules, followed by the contents of one or two sachets. After each subsequent loose stool you should take one capsule and a further one or two sachets. Do not take more than 6 capsules in 24 hours. Further doses of sachets can be taken after each loose stool, up to a maximum of 16 sachets in 24 hours if necessary.
What is it used for?
- Treatment of acute diarrhoea and replacement of associated fluid and salt loss.
Warning!
- DON'T take this medicine and consult a doctor instead if any of the following apply to you: if your diarrhoea started either during or after taking a course of antibiotics; if the diarrhoea contains yellow or greenish mucus or blood; if you also have a fever.
- Do not exceed the recommended dose.
- If symptoms persist for more than 24 hours, consult a doctor.
- If you get any swelling of your stomach after taking the capsules don't take any further doses and consult your doctor.
Use with caution in
The capsules should be used with caution in:
- Liver disease.
The sachets should be used with caution in:
- Severe and persistent diarrhoea and vomiting.
- People who cannot drink or keep down fluids taken by mouth.
People with any of these problems should seek medical advice.
Not to be used in
The capsules should not be used in:
- Children under 12 years of age
- Conditions where preventing gut movement should be avoided, such as constipation, obstruction of the intestines (ileus) or when abdominal swelling (distension) develops.
- Inflammatory bowel disease such as acute ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease.
- Diarrhoea cause by infection of the gut with bacteria such as Salmonella, Shigella or Campylobacter.
- People with diarrhoea containing yellow or greenish mucus or blood, or who also have a fever.
- Diarrhoea caused by inflammation of the gut as a result of antibiotic treatment (antibiotic-associated pseudomembranous colitis).
The sachets should not be used in:
- People with an inherited disorder of protein metabolism called phenylketonuria.
Pregnancy and Breastfeeding
Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.
- There is no information available about the safety of loperamide during pregnancy. It is not recommended for use by pregnant women. If you are pregnant you should seek medical advice from your doctor.
- Loperamide may pass into breast milk in small amounts. It should only be used during breastfeeding if the benefit to the mother outweighs any potential risk to the nursing infant. If you are breastfeeding you should seek medical advice from your doctor before using this medicine.
Side effects
Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.
The following side effects may occur with the capsules:
- Constipation
- Dizziness
- Drowsiness
- Abdominal cramps
- Abdominal swelling
- Flatulence
- Indigestion
- Nausea and vomiting
- Paralysis or inactivity of the intestine that stops the movement of material through the gut (paralytic ileus)
- Skin reactions such as rash and itch.
The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer.
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