Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Thursday, July 7, 2016
(INDIANAPOLIS) - Doctors are warning people who have found a new way to get high.
Doctors at Fairbanks Treatment Center in Indianapolis and the Indiana Poison Center told 24-Hour News 8 they're seeing a spike in Imodium abuse.
As doctors cut back on prescription pain medicines and law enforcement cracks down on heroin, doctors say some addicts are discovering drugs are too expensive or hard to find. People are now turning to the common over-the-counter medicine, Imodium.
Imodium is cheap and easily available.
Poison Centers nationwide report more cases involving Imodium. According to statistics from the Indiana Poison Center at IU Health, poison centers across the United States saw more Imodium cases in the first six months of 2016 than in all of 2015. Indiana is no exception.
Doctors say users take 20 to 25 pills at a time to get high. The normal dose for diarrhea is 1-2 tablets every six hours
The large dose carry a high risk of overdose or cardiac arrest. At least two Americans have already died and several Hoosiers have come close.
So far, doctors said they haven't seen teenagers abusing Imodium. They report it's primarily addicts who have been using for a long time and are desperate to find a fix.
If you think someone has taken too much Imodium, you can call the Indiana Poison Center at 1-800-222-1222. If they are showing symptoms, you should call 911. If you know someone who is abusing Imodium and needs help, you can contact the Fairbanks Treatment Center here.
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