14 replies to this topic

[Ezzie]

Is the medication Immodium available Lakeside or something equivalent?

[Ajijic]

Readily available at any pharmacy and likely Soriana, WalMart etc. take it at first signs of stomach problems and a second one 4 hours later. If you think it is amoebas take Vermox Plus.

[JAC3]

The active ingredient in Immodium is Loperamida 2mg and it was available in Mexico in the 1970's long before Immodium under the brand name Lomotil. There is a product called Lop which is about 20 pesos for a 12 pack at Christina's. Also you can get Dipera in a bottle of 100 tabs for around 130 pesos at Farmacia Express next to Oxxo in San Antonio. My pricing may be off but in all cases they are much cheaper than Immodium. Good luck

[Floradude]

Lomotil is not Immodium. While both have been on the market for many years Immodium has largely replaced Lomotil.
Immodium is available in all pharmacies in Mexico.

[Viajero-Tiempo]

Lomotil is not Immodium. While both have been on the market for many years Immodium has largely replaced Lomotil.
Immodium is available in all pharmacies in Mexico.

Others have said that...
I think they're saying there are other medications with the same active ingredient that are also available.

Were you trying to say that the active ingredient is different and does not treat the symptoms that immo does?

[Rosa de Alba]

Imodium and Lomotil are not the same medicines however they both treat diarrhea.
Imodium is Loperimide
Lomotil is diphenoxylate hydrochloride and atropine sulphate
I am not offering an opinion as to which is better, just that they do not have the same active ingredient.

[JAC3]

Lomotil is not Immodium. While both have been on the market for many years Immodium has largely replaced Lomotil.
Immodium is available in all pharmacies in Mexico.

You are correct - Lomotil has different active ingredients.

[xz2y]

Readily available at any pharmacy and likely Soriana, WalMart etc. take it at first signs of stomach problems and a second one 4 hours later. If you think it is amoebas take Vermox Plus.

How would one know if it is amoebic diarrhea? Does that diagnosis require a doctor, or is it something obvious to the person suffering with it? Just asking, since anyone can ingest amoebas in any country from contaminated water and food, though they are more common in developing countries.

[Ferret]

You can take a stool sample to any lab lakeside and pick up the results yourself.
To do it properly, it should be three samples in a row i.e. one a day.
I would not take a medicine to remove parasites that I thought I had any more than I would take an antibiotic for an infection that I thought I had.
Take the results to a Doctor IF they show that you have a parasite/amoeba/worm...the Doctor will prescribe the correct medication for what ails you.

[Rosa de Alba]

You can take a stool sample to any lab lakeside and pick up the results yourself.
To do it properly, it should be three samples in a row i.e. one a day.
I would not take a medicine to remove parasites that I thought I had any more than I would take an antibiotic for an infection that I thought I had.
Take the results to a Doctor IF they show that you have a parasite/amoeba/worm...the Doctor will prescribe the correct medication for what ails you.

This is good advice. I don't want to give medical advice, but this is my 'rule of thumb'.
if the problem is not bad, try to let it run its course, there is a reason the body is trying to rid itself of the problem. It may run its course without treatment. But if "it" is happening with frequency or continues more than a day, or is accompanied with other symptoms like fever, headache and sever cramping, definitely see the doc and get proper advice. Often, certain symptoms will help the doc make a diagnosis that is not dependent on the three stool samples...but in the absence of obvious symptoms of infection, the stool sample will be necessary to diagnose parasites, and you do not want to treat parasites with antibiotics, and you do not want to treat an infection with anti parasitics....a good doc will know.

[El Toro Furioso]

This is good advice. I don't want to give medical advice, but this is my 'rule of thumb'.
if the problem is not bad, try to let it run its course, there is a reason the body is trying to rid itself of the problem. It may run its course without treatment. But if "it" is happening with frequency or continues more than a day, or is accompanied with other symptoms like fever, headache and sever cramping, definitely see the doc and get proper advice. Often, certain symptoms will help the doc make a diagnosis that is not dependent on the three stool samples...but in the absence of obvious symptoms of infection, the stool sample will be necessary to diagnose parasites, and you do not want to treat parasites with antibiotics, and you do not want to treat an infection with anti parasitics....a good doc will know.

Vermox Plus is indicated as a prophylactic drug to prevent and to treat parasitic disease. We take a dose every three months regardless of symptoms, as do many long-time residents of Mexico and as is recommended by many well-respected physicians. While your and the previous poster's philosophy is generally good advice, it just doesn't really apply to prophylactic medications. We're glad that we take Vermox Plus on a regular basis and feel that it has not only solved problems we have had in the past but has prevented their recurrence.

[merry]

How would one know if it is amoebic diarrhea? Does that diagnosis require a doctor, or is it something obvious to the person suffering with it?

It's NOT obvious, and you can easily have amoebas PLUS something else, which is really hard for a sick layperson to self-diagnose. I once had amoebas plus some kind of blood worm and they had to kill the blood worms first before the amoebas, or vice versa... in other words, I was one sick puppy. Go to the doc, it's cheap and easy.

Merry

[suz]

I agree with the poster about Vermox Plus; get it any pharmacy; I was advised to take one Vermox Plus and one more a month later; take one preventive measure, every six months while living here. Knock on wood, clears up symptoms immediately and no problems in two years.

[golden bead]

This is good advice. I don't want to give medical advice, but this is my 'rule of thumb'.
if the problem is not bad, try to let it run its course, there is a reason the body is trying to rid itself of the problem. It may run its course without treatment. But if "it" is happening with frequency or continues more than a day, or is accompanied with other symptoms like fever, headache and sever cramping, definitely see the doc and get proper advice. Often, certain symptoms will help the doc make a diagnosis that is not dependent on the three stool samples...but in the absence of obvious symptoms of infection, the stool sample will be necessary to diagnose parasites, and you do not want to treat parasites with antibiotics, and you do not want to treat an infection with anti parasitics....a good doc will know.

Another thing to consider..If you do have a parasitic infection such as amoebas, taking drugs such as immodium keeps the organism in your system. That is why if you have the above symptoms , get a stool specimen to your favorite lab and the results to a doctor.