# Using Rifaximin - No Relief from bloating yet



## zickzack (Jun 10, 2007)

Hi,I don't know if I have SIBO, but it seems like it's not really possible to diagnose it now. My glucose breath test was negative, but the main problem is, that in Germany the physicians only have equipment to measure H2 but not methane or CO2. So maybe my small intestine flora produces methane and nobody can diagnose it. However, I've decided to try the rifaximin treatment recommended in Pimentels studies.I'm using rifaximin for a total of 10 days (1200mg/day). Now I'm on day 9. On some days I used saccharomyces boulardii as well to prevent C. difficile. Normally the first part of my stool has a hard consistency and the end of it is more fluid/diarrhea-like. The first point hasn't changed yet, but the thin fluid stool is gone now. Unfortunately this is the only effect I recognize until now. I'm still as constipated and bloated as before (and those are my major symptoms!). I'm also using Movicol sometimes (active ingredient: Macrogol) to prevent constipation and to wash out possibly occuring toxines from dead bacteria that were killed by rifaximin.I still hope that my major symptoms will improve after the 10 days. I guess noone can say if 10 days are enough... After that I will be using probiotics (VSL#3). Please tell me when you felt improvements while/after taking rifaximin. Actually the treatment with rifaximin was what I believed in... I guess noone can say if 10 days are enough...


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## 17908 (Oct 18, 2006)

I started feeling significant improvements after 14 days or so (1200 mg/day for 20 days). If constipation is a major symptom, you definitely need a motility drug after the Xifaxan.


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## zickzack (Jun 10, 2007)

Hi npearce,thanks for the answer. What were/are your major IBS symptoms?Unfortunately I don't have any more Rifaximin at home to enlarge the treatment. I would have to order it from Spain again... concerning the possible motility problem: I read that Tegaserod (Zelmac) is available in Germany now for people who do not have any kind of heart problems (physician has to write a report to Novartis to get it). Do you think I should convince my doc to give it a try right now?


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