Generic Name: Opium for Diarrhea (opium)
Paregoric (opium) "I am a 35-year-old woman who has tried hundreds of medications to help my chronic diarrhea. I have had multiple diagnoses depending on the doctor I saw. They ranged from Crohn's, ulcerative colitis, to inflammatory bowel disease, to severe irritable bowel syndrome, etc. I have been tested for everything. The only medication that has given me any relief and allows me to work and keep going on with my daily activities is Paregoric. If this medication at some point goes off the market, my only alternative will be to file for medical disability and be a shut-in. It is very scary and sad for me that this may happen. This medication has given me the quality of life I need to keep going every day."
Paregoric (opium) "Growing up, I always had a bottle of Paregoric on hand for painful intestinal cramping, 1 teaspoon provided instant relief. Didn’t use it often, 1 bottle lasted years, so there was no “addiction” or “abuse” going on. My dad held a prescription almost his entire life until he couldn’t get it anymore (the manufacturer was forced to cease distribution by new FDA approval requirements in 2010). In 2018, I had to undergo radiation for uterine cancer and knew it could cause intestinal damage. The radiologist gave me a prescription, but it cost $250, way too much. Why it’s so difficult/expensive to get is perplexing. It’s no more addictive than other “substances” (codeine, oxy, alcohol, food, sex, gambling), so why target Paregoric for market restriction? It’s effective medicine that should be available and affordable to those who need it. Loperamide pales in comparison for the true sufferer."
Paregoric (opium) "I have been taking Paregoric for more than half my life. I have seen many doctors and tried many different medicines, and this is the only medicine that relieves my diarrhea problem. My mother had the same problem and almost never went out and became a shut-in. If she had to go out, she stopped eating for several days before so there would be nothing to come out, and sometimes she still had accidents of large amounts of brown liquid coming out without time to get to a bathroom. This has happened to me twice, and now I don't go anywhere without my small bottle of Paregoric because it works so fast."
Paregoric (opium) "Paregoric is the only medicine that will have any effect on my diarrhea caused by surgically induced Short Bowel Syndrome. To stop being housebound, I have to have it. Without it, I can have no normal life."
Paregoric (opium) "I have been to many doctors and had many tests to find out nothing. I tried many types of medicines, the only thing that works for me is Paregoric. I don't need much, only two spoons a day, and it lets me work. Without it, I can be in the bathroom up to 16 times a day. Before my doctor put me on this, I had lost 30 lbs. I am not looking forward to the day when I run out."
Paregoric (opium) "After having gastric bypass in 2001, I found out I had colorectal cancer in 06/2016. The surgery took most of my rectum and a good section of colon. I started with an ileostomy bag for the bowels to empty into. The doctors had to reverse it because I kept getting infections where it glued to my belly. After having the reversal, it left me with chronic diarrhea. I take 8 Lomotil, 8 Imodium, 4 fiber-containing tablets, 4 doses of opium tincture, and 2 Questran packets every day. I still have 'accidents' from time to time, but without this, I would be confined to my house at 53 years old."
Paregoric (opium) "Best medicine. Take as directed and it works without making you loopy. Only problem is manufacturer has supply chain disruptions. There should be another company making this so patients could get their medication."
Opium Tincture, Deodorized (opium) "Diarrhea is a symptom of disease, not a disease by itself. It is important to treat the underlying cause (e.g., Crohn's, IBS, cancer, etc.) not just the symptoms. Opium tincture should be used only as a last resort and for a short period of time (1-2 weeks max). I have taken this medication off-and-on over the past decade, but only when everything else fails and I have to travel. It is very effective at stopping diarrhea."
Paregoric (opium) "the only manufacturer of this is not currently shipping the drug although their customer service says they will at some unspecified date. All customers should contact them, and ask them to prioritize putting this prescription back in the supply chain so those of us who rely on it can leave the house without fear of an "accident"."
Paregoric (opium) "I have been like this all my life with tummy problems, nervous stomach, IBS, crohn's and many more , it wasn’t until about 10 years ago that my doctor prescribed Paregoric, it works great to stop the severe pain I feel in my abdomen, all with the discomfort from lose bowels. They have taken this off the market and now I have to put up with all the severe pain that goes along with this disease. Please put it back on the market!!!! I have severe drug allergies, this medication had not side effects for me."
Paregoric (opium) "Paregoric is a wonderful medication. Not sure if I have Crohn's disease or IBS but when having a flare it is the best thing I have found. As a child I was given a medication with paregoric in it and it always worked and made me feel better. I hate the fact that medications are so abused that the government feels the need to take it off the shelf. I have not been able to get a prescription for more than 5 years."
Opium Tincture, Deodorized (opium) "Opium Tincture is the only medication that works for controlling Diarrhea and the pain and fatigue that comes with 20 or more bathroom trips a day. The current "war on drugs" is making it more difficult to get any Doctor to prescribe. All other drugs either do not work for me or have serious life altering side effects. Tincture gave me my life back. I am able to eat healthy again, go out of the house without fear of accidents, and it has the added bonus of relieving pain and fatigue."
Opium Tincture, Deodorized (opium) "From 10 gut surgeries, never had such serious "output". Opium Tincture "Deodorized" (WARNING: IT'S NOT PARAGORIC!!) is a critical part of medicinal therapies keeping me from life threatening dehydration. I expect to heal eventually, but for now, the Opium Tincture is a blessing. It is the MOST AWFUL tasting medicine ever! When I extract the Opium Tincture liquid with the tiny syringe made for this medicine, I ALWAYS slowly squirt the tiny amount into a small glass of Orange Juice which is the ONLY thing that effectively neutralizes that nasty taste. After stirring and drinking the mixture, I then swish a tiny bit of water in the glass and drink it so I'm sure to get all the med if it clings to the glass plus cleans the glass for next use."
Opium Deodorized (opium) "This is a life altering treatment also know as Opium 1% Tincture. After several surgeries (bowel resections on the area of the ileum) I suffered year of ironic diarrhea 20 plus time a day I had no life quality, lost my job, lost my insurance. Tried every OTC medication and numerous RX with awful side effects or no relief at all. Developed Crohns and finally found a Dr to prescribe Opium Tin for me. With very little daily .5 to .7 cc twice daily the big D stays in check and I can resume a "normal" life with BM only 4 or 5 daily and no accidents. Life is great. With the current trend 2017 war on opioid abuse Dr are becoming reluctant to prescribe the medication."
"I have had Crohn's for the last 55 years and have tried many meds that didn't work on me until November. I started taking Opium Tincture and now only poop 1-2 times a day. The opium really slowed things down, but it took a month to figure what dosage controls my intestines. I take it 2X's a day, 8 hours apart. I am on medicare and a supplemental Rx plan and my opium only cost $43 for a month. Now I can finally lead a pretty normal life thanks to tincture of opium!!"
"Colon Cancer forced removal of entire colon except 7.5 cm at rectum. J-Pouch constructed from Small Intestine to work as colon but small storage means frequent diarrhea. Drs. prescribed 1.0 ml Tincture 3 times a day to slow this. Four years later taking 0.5 ml 3 times daily. This treatment very successful. Side effects now beginning to show on legs and ankles in form of circulatory (vein) collapses. So short term, awesome medicine. Long term...we shall see."
"After 4 ileostomy surgeries and had constant non-stop high amount of output for years, I saw a new Dr. who suggested I try tincture on Opium. I was concerned about taking a daily narcotic because I feared potential addiction as well as the government crackdown on prescribing narcotics long term. I really fear that the Goverment and Medicare will prevent the Dr/patient relationship and not allow this necessary med long term. It gave me my life back!!! I cut down emptying my pouch from 30 times a day - and that was eating very little - and constant dehydration to now being able to participate in life. I’m prescribed 1ml 4x a day. I don’t always take it because it is SO EXPENSIVE, but a blessing at the same time. I’m in my mid 50’s and have been able to do things I haven’t been able to do in decades. I still can’t eat much, and very little variety, but it has really helped with dehydration. Instead of IV’s Every day, I can go a week before needing extra IV fluids"
Paregoric (opium) "IBD- IBS A combination. This medicine works well without too many side effects for severe IBD and IBS flare ups in in IBS sufferers with alternating type. Has very little intoxicating effect and allows me to leave my house and go to work on the bad days. It is leagues more effective than Lomotil. I don't like how it is so expensive now, as it should be one of the cheapest medications made, consisting of nothing but a SMALL amount of opium, alcohol, camphor, and flavoring. It's much less intoxicating and addicting than FDA approved hydrocodone and oxycodone. My theory is that these old drugs did not get FDA approval as they are TOO CHEAP and cannot be patented anymore, thus steering the patient to less effective and much more expensive synthetics. It's enough to make DIY types want to make it themselves."
Opium Deodorized (opium) "I was put on opium tincture after trying every prescription diarrhea medication that was on the market.It was to the point that I felt like I was a human test subject. I was moving mu bowels to times a day. I could not leave my house. I lose my job. I was losing weight rapidly because nothing was staying in my system. When my doctor suggested opium I was very nervous about going on it after being told I would be on it for the rest of my life. I didn't make the decision right away I had to really think about it. I had no quaIity of life. Once I made the decision to try it I was some what relieved because the diarrhea was slowing down. It took a few adjustments on the dosage right after month and month and months finally had something that helped and gave me back some of my life. It tastes awful, but a very small price to pay for all it has done for me. Great medicine!! "
"This medicine is the ONLY thing that is keeping me from being on TPN again. I have had 3 surgeries, tried different anti diarrheal medications, from over the counter to powdered, to lomodil. I was taking the last one named 6 at a time 3x a day and still dumping. Now I take Opium Tincture 3x day 0.6mL and lomodil between doses. This allowed me to only dump 4to6 X' s first thing when I wake up. The tincture is saving my life, and is a last resort before TPN which I was previously forced to have to live. Surgery to reverse the roux n y that a surgeon needlessly did to prevent serious gerd 2 yrs ago causing the dumping has not helped, but I am hopeful since the reversal was only 5 mo ago. I am tired all of the time, but alive!"
"I used Tincture of Opium for about 7 years for chronic diarrhea. This was the only medicine that could allow down the diarrhea. Unfortunately since it is a class 2 narcotic I was forced to retire my nurse license and go on disability. Took a remarkable 7cc's 6 Times a day and still had diarrhea flare ups several times a week. The pharmacists always questioned the dosage when I was hospitalized for any reason. I was forced to stop using it when the price went up. "
Paregoric (opium) "I have short bowel syndrome resulting from surgery to release a small intestine volvulus, resulting in the loss of 3 and1/2 feet of small intestine plus the terminal ileum. A very small amount of Paregoric mixed in water prevents multiple diarrhea episodes. Other medications do not work. The Paregoric works almost immediately. Naturally thin and now in my 70's, I cannot afford to lose weight. The last time I got a "script" filled was at a CVS/Target pharmacy in June 2020. Compounding pharmacies no longer offer it either."
"I had 4 surgeries. Massive tumor removal that removed some small intestine. They removed colon and formed j-pouch and ileostomy and then reversal... I lost so much weight from diarrhea I had to go onto tpn. Surgeon finally had me start opium tincture after several other things didn't work at all. I had to beg to get it because I didn't "try hard enough" to stick with his regimen of meds. My problem this whole time is that Im intolerant to sulfites. Sulfites are in so many things. research. It is processed into cornstarch which has been in the lomotil and ibuprofen. Sulfites is in many fiber supliments, modified food starches, artificial sugars and colorings and many others. Do a food diary to be sure. Diarrhea hit me 2hrs after exposure"
"I have a J-pouch. For the past 30yrs + since my surgery, I have been using either Tincture of Opium 10% or Morphine Sulfate to control my almost constant diarrhea. To date nothing else has worked. I am now taking a powder cholestyramine which does help but in order to actually stop my running to the bathroom all day, I still have to take the Opium. It keeps me awake so I cannot take it at night. I can honestly state I am not addicted to it. I am now down from 10ml 2 times a day to 2.5mls 1 time per day. If I can find something to replace it I will. The cost even for the smaller quantity is still almost prohibitive for me to continue with it."
"Beware. Opium helped alleviate my chronic diarrhea - I have a j-pouch. Then I turned 65, went on Medicare, and was promptly informed by Medicare that the FDA does not consider opium to be an effective treatment for chronic diarrhea, and thus will not cover it in its Rx plan. That of course is nonsense; the decision by the FDA was simply politics. At any rate, I had to drop my opium Rx because of the cost. Now I'm on morphine. It doesn't work as well, but I have no choice."
Paregoric
