Opioid as codeine, has similarly demonstrated little benefit in several recent studies.) Low dose morphine may help chronic cough but its use is limited by side effects. In cases of diarrhea-predominate irritable bowel syndrome, opioids may be used to suppress diarrhea. Loperamide is a peripherally selective opioid available without a prescription used to suppress diarrhea. The ability to suppress diarrhea also produces constipation when opioids are used beyond several weeks. Naloxegol, a peripherally-selective opioid antagonist is now available to treat opioid induced constipation. Opioids may help with shortness of breath particularly in advanced diseases such as cancer and COPD among others.
Loperamide with loperamide should be discontinued. The use of loperamide in children under 2 years is not recommended. Rare reports of fatal paralytic ileus associated with abdominal distention have been made. Most of these reports occurred in the setting of acute dysentery, overdose, and with very young children less than 2 years of age. A review of loperamide in children under 12 years old found that serious adverse events occurred only in children under 3 years old. The study reported that the use of loperamide should be contraindicated in children who are under 3, systemically ill, malnourished, moderately dehydrated, or have