Training & Nutrition - Immodium AD

I don't know if this is the best place to put this question, but i thought it might fit best here.

I have taken Immodium AD twice in the past month or so. The first time i did, my heart rate went through the roof. Where i normally might ride up a given hill at 145-150 that day my HR was 177. It stayed high and on a flat road, when i was riding at 12 mph (i was taking it really easy by this point) my HR was in the 130s -140s.

The next time i took it my HR seemed okay, but my legs had zero strength. Riding the bike at all was just misreable, and had i not been riding home from work and been 15 miles from home i'd have stopped. My arms seemed weak, too.

I'm not saying this was caused by Immodium, but i wonder if anyone else has experienced something similar. It could easily be the bad days were caused by the 'situation' that caused me to take the stuff. Or maybe it's something to avoid if i want to ride.

I'm just wondering.

Increased heart rate does not seem to be listed as a side effect of Imodium AD (http://www.drugs.com/cons/Imodium_A_D.html) but certainly whatever's causing the "D" could do it; fairly natural response to illness. Weakness as well. I wouldn't worry about the medication so much as what's causing you to need it, and think about taking a rest day if you're ill -- your body's trying to tell you something.

Thanks. It does make sense that it's the "D" that's causing the problem, but i just wondered if perhaps Immodium and physical exertion don't go together.

Tachycardia (rapid heartbeat) is an indicator of dehydration, for one thing. If you have chromic lower GI events like diarrhea, maybe you should have it checked out! Immodium only masks the symptoms of Chronic Diarrhea and can mask the attendant dehydration as well. Just a suggestion, here.