EXALGO vs LOPERAMIDE HYDROCHLORIDE

Independent side-by-side comparison.

Rated against independent regulatory sources·Last updated August 19, 2026·How we rate

Possible drug interaction. EXALGO and LOPERAMIDE HYDROCHLORIDE are different prescription medicines. Combining or switching between them can cause interactions — talk to a pharmacist or prescriber before making changes. This page is not medical advice.

Attribute	EXALGO	LOPERAMIDE HYDROCHLORIDE
Rating	70/100	70/100
Pharmacy pays	$0.57 /mL	$0.05 /mL
Type	RX	RX
Active ingredient	HYDROMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE	LOPERAMIDE HYDROCHLORIDE
Manufacturer	Specgx LLC	Jubilant Cadista
Dosage forms	Tablet, extended release	Capsule
Drug class	Opioid Agonist	Opioid Agonist
Boxed warning	None	Boxed warning
Half-life	about 2.3 hours (terminal elimination half-life after an intravenous dose); after an oral dose the label reports a mean T½ of about 2.6 hours for the 8 mg tablet and 2.8 hours for the oral liquid	about 10.8 hours (range 9.1 to 14.4 hours)
Treats	Cough, Postoperative Pain	Functional Colonic Diseases, Diarrhea, Bacillary Dysentery

exalgo loperamide hydrochloride

Rating

70/100

Pharmacy pays

$0.57 /mL

$0.05 /mL

Type

Active ingredient

HYDROMORPHONE HYDROCHLORIDE

LOPERAMIDE HYDROCHLORIDE

Manufacturer

Specgx LLC

Jubilant Cadista

Dosage forms

Tablet, extended release

Capsule

Drug class

Opioid Agonist

Boxed warning

None

Boxed warning

Half-life

about 2.3 hours (terminal elimination half-life after an intravenous dose); after an oral dose the label reports a mean T½ of about 2.6 hours for the 8 mg tablet and 2.8 hours for the oral liquid

about 10.8 hours (range 9.1 to 14.4 hours)

Treats

Cough, Postoperative Pain

Functional Colonic Diseases, Diarrhea, Bacillary Dysentery

Frequently asked questions

Which is better-rated, Exalgo or Loperamide Hydrochloride?

Exalgo and Loperamide Hydrochloride are tied at 3.5 out of 5 by our independent rating.

Which is cheaper, Exalgo or Loperamide Hydrochloride?

Loperamide Hydrochloride costs pharmacies less to acquire — about $0.05 vs $0.57 per ml, per the CMS NADAC survey. That gap is in the pharmacy's cost of goods, not necessarily in what you pay: your price is set afterwards by your insurer and the pharmacy.

What is the difference between Exalgo and Loperamide Hydrochloride?

Exalgo contains Hydromorphone Hydrochloride, while Loperamide Hydrochloride contains Loperamide Hydrochloride — they have different active ingredients.

Ratings are based on FDA regulatory (recall-safety) data. This comparison is for general reference only — not medical advice. Always consult a licensed professional before choosing or switching a medication.