While treating diarrhoea, diphenoxylate is used with additional therapies such fluid and electrolyte replacement. Children under the age of two should not get diphenoxylate. Diphenoxylate belongs to the group of drugs known as antidiarrheal agents. It functions by reducing bowel activity.

Diphenoxylate is available as a liquid solution and tablet for oral use. It is often taken up to four times a day, as needed. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any instructions on your prescription label that you are unsure about following. Administer diphenoxylate as prescribed. Never take it in larger or more frequent doses than recommended by your doctor.

The oral solution is packaged in a jar with a unique dropper for dosing. If you have any concerns about how to measure a dose, see your pharmacist.

Within 48 hours of receiving diphenoxylate medication, your diarrheal symptoms should get better. If your symptoms become better, your doctor might advise you to reduce the dose. Call your doctor and discontinue taking diphenoxylate if your symptoms do not get better or worsen within 10 days of treatment.

Diphenoxylate may lead to addiction. Never exceed the recommended dosage, frequency, or duration. Always follow your doctor’s instructions. Diphenoxylate tablets include atropine, which will have unpleasant side effects if this medication is taken in higher dosages than advised.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details if you’re interested in using this drug for any other conditions.

Before taking diphenoxylate,

• If you have an allergy to atropine, diphenoxylate, any other drugs, or any of the other substances in diphenoxylate tablets or solution, inform your doctor right away. Get a list of the components from your pharmacist.
• Inform your doctor and pharmacist about any additional prescription and over-the-counter drugs, herbal products, vitamins, and nutritional supplements you are now taking or intend to take. Any of the following should be mentioned: alcohol-containing drugs (e.g., Nyquil, elixirs); antihistamines; benzodiazepines like clonazepam (Klonopin), diazepam (Diastat, Valium), estazolam, flurazepam, lorazepam (Ativan), oxazepam, temazepam (Restoril), and triazolam (Halcion); buspirone; barbiturates like pentobarbital (Nembutal), phenobarbital (Nembutal); drugs for treating mental disorders, muscle relaxants, other drugs with opioids such meperidine (Demerol), sedatives, sleeping pills, or tranquillizers. Additionally, let your physician or pharmacist know if you are currently taking any of the following drugs or have recently stopped taking them: monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors like tranylcypromine (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), isocarboxazid (Marplan), linezolid (Zyvox), phenelzine (Nardil), and methylene blue (Parnate). Your physician might need to adjust the dosage of your drugs or keep a close eye on you for side effects. Be important to inform your doctor about all of the medications you are taking, even ones that do not appear on this list, as many other drugs may also interact with diphenoxylate.
• Inform your physician if you experience any of the following symptoms: bloody diarrhoea, mucus in your stool, abdominal cramps, pain, or swelling; jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes brought on by liver issues); or diarrhoea that occurs during or just after taking antibiotics. Most likely, your doctor will advise against taking diphenoxylate.
• Inform your physician if you have Down syndrome (an hereditary disorder that causes a variety of physical and developmental issues), ulcerative colitis (a condition that causes swelling and ulcers in the lining of the colon (large intestine) and rectum), liver, or kidney disease.
• Inform your doctor if you are nursing a baby, intend to get pregnant, or are already pregnant. Call your doctor right away if you get pregnant while taking diphenoxylate.
• Inform the surgeon, including the dentist, that you are taking this medication before any operation, including dental surgery.
• It’s important for you to be aware that this medication could cause you to feel lightheaded and sleepy. Before you know how this prescription affects you, do not operate machinery or drive a car.
• Inquire with your doctor about whether drinking alcohol is safe while taking diphenoxylate. Diphenoxylate side effects can be made worse by alcohol.

Don’t forget to abide by your doctor’s dietary advice. Replace the fluids lost during diarrhoea by consuming lots of clear drinks.

Take the missing dose of diphenoxylate as soon as you remember it if you take it on a regular schedule. If the next dose is soon due, skip the missed one and carry on with your regular dosing plan. To make up for a missing dose, do not take a second one.

Diphenoxylate could have negative effects. If any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away, consult your doctor:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Reduced appetite
• Headache
• Restlessness
• Tiredness
• Confusion
• Variations in mood
• Digestive discomfort

Some adverse effects may be severe. Call your doctor right away or seek emergency medical care if you encounter any of these signs:

• Arms and legs are numb.
• Ongoing stomach ache that occasionally radiates to the back
• Abdominal bloating
• Breathing difficulty
• Hives
• Rash
• Itching
• Swelling of the hands, feet, ankles, mouth, eyes, face, tongue, lips, lips, gums, or lower legs
• Breathing or swallowing challenges
• Hoarseness
• Hearing voices or perceiving nonexistent objects

Further negative effects of phenoxylate are possible. If you experience any strange issues while taking this medicine, contact your doctor right away.

You or your doctor can submit a report to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting programme online or by phone if you have a serious side event (1-800-332-1088).

Keep this medication tightly closed in the original container and out of the reach of children. Keep it at room temperature, away from sources of extreme heat, moisture, and light (not in the bathroom). 90 days after opening the bottle, throw away any leftover solution.

Although many containers (such as weekly pill minders and those for eye drops, creams, patches, and inhalers) are not child-resistant and are simple for young children to open, it is crucial to keep all medications out of sight and out of reach of children. Always lock safety caps and promptly stash medication up and away from young children where it is out of their sight and reach to prevent poisoning. http://www.upandaway.org

Unused prescriptions must be disposed of carefully to prevent pets, kids, and other people from ingesting them. You should not, however, dispose of this medication in the toilet. Instead, utilising a medicine take-back programme is the easiest approach to get rid of your medication. To find out about take-back programmes in your area, speak with your pharmacist or the garbage/recycling department in your city. If you do not have access to a take-back programme, see the FDA’s Safe Disposal of Medications website at http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p for additional information.

Call the poison control hotline at 1-800-222-1222 in the event of an overdose. Moreover, information can be found online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. Call 911 right once if the person has collapsed, experienced a seizure, is having difficulty breathing, or cannot be roused.

Overdose signs could include the following:

• Fever, an accelerated heartbeat, reduced urine, flushing, and a dry mouth, nose, or skin
• Drying of the lips, nose, or skin
• Alterations in pupil size (black circles in the middle of the eyes)
• Irregular eye motions
• Restlessness
• Flushing
• Fever
• Rapid heart rate
• Slowed reflexes
• Extreme fatigue
• Having trouble breathing
• Consciousness is lost
• Seizures
• Having trouble speaking
• Seeing or hearing things or voices that are not there

Keep all of your doctor’s appointments.

Inform your doctor and the lab staff that you are taking diphenoxylate prior to any laboratory test (particularly one that uses methylene blue).

No one else should take your medication. Diphenoxylate is a drug under regulation. Only a limited amount of refills are permitted for prescriptions; if you have any doubts, speak with your pharmacist.

You should keep a written record of every medication you take, including any over-the-counter (OTC) items, prescription drugs, and dietary supplements like vitamins and minerals. This list should be brought with you whenever you see a doctor or are admitted to the hospital. You should always have this information with you in case of emergencies.