WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP!! (OTC Medicines in general)

Member Name: binnie

Product:	OTC Medicines in general
Date:	02/01/02 (451 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: none

Disadvantages: taste disgusting, weren't at all effective, too big

Sorry about the title, but I have just spent the last six days out of mind with worry.
It first started on Friday night when I started feeling light headed and swayed when I walked up the stairs. Then my legs started aching.
I thought that it must be flu, so I started taking the usual Hot Lemons just in case.
The day after I went to work and still felt strange, this time all my body was aching.
By Saturday tea time I had to get myself into bed with another hot lemon.
Then Sunday all hell let loose, I couldn't keep off the toilet all day, I started shivering, even though it was warm in the house.
Then I would feel hot and clammy, so I put myself to bed again with a hot water bottle, and my husband on guard.

I never buy medications always on the first day as I try and sweat it out, so by Monday when I still had the violent Diarrhoea, and hadn't eaten anything since Saturday, I asked my husband if he would go to the chemist.
I wanted to get right for the night, New Years Eve wouldn't be the same with a stomach bug.
He brought back Diocalm. I've heard of this being recommended before so I thought I might as well try them.
They come in tablet form and you chew two of them with water. They are quite a large tablet, probably 2/5 the size of a paracetamol. They don't taste too pleasant either. They taste of aniseed but chalkie at the same time. I couldn't wait to get rid of them.
Straight after the first two tablets, I went straight to the loo. Oh well, they must be given a little more time to work.
Then an hour later, I went again, and so on. I found myself taking 10 tablets in 24 hours. The maximum dose is 12 tablets.
They still didn't work, in fact I'm sure I was worse than ever.

These tablets are meant to be dual action where they relieve the symptoms of acute diarrhoea and diarrhoeal pain. I'd swear the pain was getting worse. I tried to drink plenty of water and other
liquids, but I struggle drinking when I'm not thirsty.
All in all it was a viscious circle. I couldn't tell if I had hunger pains or stomach/diarrhoea pains.

On New Years Day after having a miserable night in the night before, poor hubbie also,he rang the doctor emergency number. This led to another number then another number. He got through eventually who took my details, then a doctor would phone me back. Five minutes later a doctor rang, guess what it was my doctor who normally I can't get to talk to for months on end. Boy was I glad it was her.
She told me to stop taking the Diocalm and take something with Loperamide in it, along with Diarlyte sachets for replenishing lost body fluids.
Luckily for me there was a chemist open locally for an hour that day.
I must admit after taking these new tablets they have helped a lot, but I'm still not eating. Can anybody offer any help.
Apparently I've to stay off dairy products, even Milk.
I can't even eat toast without chucking half of it in the bin.

So in general the Diocalm weren't effective for me, maybe I'd got it so bad that they just weren't strong enough tablets.
Anybody wishing to try them, make sure you are over 6 years old. Only take one dose(two tablets) every 2-4 hours, and don't exceed 6 doses in 24 hours.

Ingredients include, Morphine Hydrochloride, Activated Attapugite, Sucrose carbohydrate.

They came in a pack of 20 tablets and cost me £3.45.
They are made by a company called Seton Healthcare Group, Oldham.

An op about Loperamide might follow.

Sorry if you are eating your dinner whilst reading this, I just think lucky you, I wish I could eat, lol.

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