Is Paregoric still available for purchase? Where do you get it?

When I was, a young woman paregoric was used for severe diarrhea. It was the best med for this purpose back then you needed a prescription not many dr's would write one. I hope that there is a way of getting this great med again. Can anyone help?

Try marijuana. It works for me but I don't like the way it makes my head feel. But I love the relief from the diarrhea. Another thing that worked for a while is a supplement called bromelain. It worked for a good while but now I am having cramps and diarrhea again so I am looking for something.

I am 77-y-o and kept paregoric in my medicine cabinet until the 1960s. We could sign for it at the drug store. I used it for my children at 10 drops if there was diarrhea or 5 drops for stomach cramps. Kids are now in their 50s and neither of them have any drug problems whatsoever. I used it for my own diarrhea and took 1 teaspoon. It worked like a miracle. I read the comments and have a very good doctor who has tried everything he can research for my gut with no success. I will ask him about tincture of opium. I am very very tired of gut trouble and am pretty much willing to try anything.

My surgeon wasn’t sure if Paregoric was still available in this country but it is. I live in Florida and the only pharmacies that can even order it are CVS and Walgreens. It has to be specially made for each person according to their weight.

Detroit 1945,
I am 75 and have had IBS since 10. Have u ever had lomotil? Atropine and diphenoxylate. If the main problem is diarrhea it might turn the trick. Should be no problem with docs afraid for their own asses. Don't u love it when a doc says "I'm not comfortable with that." Well, what do you think we are? We r the patients. We r here BECAUSE WE R NOT COMFORTABLE!!
Good Luck
If lomotil hasn't been tried before suggest it.

This post/question is many years old, but I hope that someone will find the answer helpful nonetheless. Paragoric is still available in the US(prob compounding or hospital type pharmacies,or small family owned). I have used it for IBS symptoms for years. Nothing else has been helpful to me. When I was a child , my mom used it for stomach & headache type issues (the 60’s). It’s likely very difficult to find an open minded Dr to prescribe paragoric , due to general paranoia about opioids. My gastro doc was willing to let me try it, & contributed to prescribe it, since I use it so sparingly. I feel quite lucky to have it as an emergency rescue whenever I’m faced with an upset tummy , & other drugs simply don’t work nearly as well. Also to note: it’s quite expensive unless you have insurance to cover prescriptions. My copay is 10$ , but the retail price is 133.00$ (for 8 Oz.). Unbelievable , right?!
Hope this is helpful.

Mike, you sound just like me. I had IBS-D most of my life 40+ yrs and only Loperamide worked to some degree. I avoided alot of foods and not much helped. I have used paregoric many yrs ago and it worked instantly. But it's not here anymore. I retired in 2014 and its changed to IBS_C. I don't know which one is worse. What I have tried that helped me is great lakes hydroslated gelatin daily 2 TBSP. Thats it. I think Loperamide is harmful long term but I had to take something, right. If you have had some antibiotics in your life(we all have) then thats against you. Bone broth is great for leaky gut. Also check out Heathers Tummy Tamers capsules from her web site Heathers IBS. They have peppermint, fennel and a third ingredient. They work great. too. My gut has settled way down since retiring but still flares up when I have to get up and travel. Sorry for the long rant but I just wanted to reach out to you and let you know there are others like yourself. If I can help anytime, contact me. Dennis

Paragoric is available in the US with a prescription. I've used it for years when my IBS gets out of control. I can usually maintain with 2 Imodium per day, but sometimes that doesn't do the job and then I take a spoonful of Paragoric. I probably only do this once or twice a month. I believe it is extremely addicting and could not be used daily for any length of time.

Have you ever tried Colestid? My husband was given Colestid to treat his high cholesterol, but couldn't take it because it's so constipating. So when the Dr wanted me to take cholesterol medication we decided it would be a good choice for me since it is also prescribed for IBS. I could probably do without the Imodium if I took even just one Colestid per day. Now that I think about it I don't know why I don't do it ;) I guess because the Imodium is working, it's cheap, and it's over-the-counter, and that, in my mind, makes it the easier solution.

I suffered for years with bouts of diarrhea and nothing worked. I had spent 2 years in Afghanistan with the Peace corps and had a number of bouts of amebic dysentery. I was given paregoric there but they don't allow it here for some reason. I tried straight opium and that helped some. I finally saw a doctor who told me to take Pepto Bismol 4 tmes a day and that has worked better than anything. She said that with my history of amebic dysentery and amebic hepatitis I will always need to take Pepto. Good luck.

I'm a veteran and have IBS for 30 years now. I tried almost everything. I would like to try perigoric for some relief from the terrible spasms I get, but what's the best way to approach my Dr about it? It seems I gulp kaopectate by the gallon and I know I can't keep that up long term. dicyclomine helped very little if at all, I take pain meds for my back and hip where I took an AK 47 round in it in Vietnam. So I don't know if my pain meds help any or inflame the IBS.

While Paregoric is no longer available in the United States, by prescription or otherwise, I can still provide you with the standard dosage... in case you order it from outside the country.

1 to 2 teaspoonsful every 6 hours. Should not be taken more than four times in any 24-hour period. DO NOT take with other opioid medications or with alcohol. Operation of motor vehicles or machinery should be avoided while using this medication. Can cause drowsiness.

Also known as camphorated tincture of opium, and tinctura opii camphorata. Not to be confused with plain tincture of opium which is known as laudanum,

Have you ever tried Librax?

1st of all I understand what you are going through. I have the same thing but mine is caused by ulcer colitis. I have try every drug out there, nothing worked for me until my doctor prescribed opium tincture. It's like paregoric but it's 25 times stronger and a C-2. I live in the state of Florida, I was getting the medicine with no problems for 3 years, then 2 months ago the DEA decided I didn't need it anymore.
My doctor put me on opium tincture paregoric and it does work. I can get at Walgreens. Just so you know it's a C-3.
You can get it but you have to have a documented Medical reason for the medication. Sorry for the long answer but I wanted you to know there's hope.

Hello! First off it is still available in the U.S. I am currently prescribed it by my doctor I get mine filled at CVS. Secondly, most drs wont prescribe it I was trying to get it for years and finally after gall bladder removal, and several tests they finally allowed me back on it. And, it tastes horrible! So good luck. (Alot of places do not carry anymore and tell you it is not available-it is. I just filled my script earlier today infact!)