# Diarrhea warning?!



## Nycgirl516 (Sep 2, 2016)

Just prescribed xifaxin and I'm concerned about the "may cause diarrhea warning" and that it may become severe or may occur weeks to months after taking the drug
What?!
I'm trying to fix diarrhea and not cause more 
And I have read reviews good and bad on the drug. I hate prescription drugs more than anything


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## Mes3 (Apr 9, 2016)

I was concerned about that as well, but it did not cause it with me. It did help the D, eventually.,I think it didn't start showing the full effects until I was almost done with the Rx.


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## Nycgirl516 (Sep 2, 2016)

So far it's making me very drowsy and sleepy. Didn't move from the couch all day. Also seems to make me hungry. I have been wanting to eat all day! Ate more today than I have all week
Can't tell D effects yet. I had taken immodium yesterday before I started xifaxin and feel more C today


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## mellosphere (Sep 22, 2015)

Rifaximin made a definite improvement to my daily defecation habits BUT (!!!) I certainly did not notice the effects while taking it. In fact my diarrhea in some ways seemed worse while on it but I stuck it out for the whole course and you should try to do that as well. I didn't start to feel better until about 2 WEEKS after the course of antibiotics was over. I think it just takes time to get everything out and then let it all settle. I hope you have a better experience but that's how it was for me. However once that time passed, I did experience fewer bowel movements and more cohesive poops that didnt dissolve in the water. Good luck


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## Nycgirl516 (Sep 2, 2016)

I'm not noticing any good effects yet 
Been to bathroom about 5x this morning 
Everything comes out as mush. Smells weirder than normal

I'm also taking florastor at night


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## Hatemybowels! (Apr 3, 2016)

Were you tested for SIBO? Is that the reason for the antibiotic? My GI wanted to test me for SIBO but I didn't want to take the antibiotic so I didn't bother testing. I have a history of C Diff and was scared to take it.


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## Nycgirl516 (Sep 2, 2016)

Nope I wasn't tested for SIBO 

Woke up this morning and went to bathroom 6x. All mush. Smells weirder than normal

I don't know if I should be taking these meds are not


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## mellosphere (Sep 22, 2015)

I would try to stick it out. It is gonna suck but I truly believe that is the only thing that has made my IBS improve in any real way. I warned you it will suck for the duration of the time you're taking it but what's the alternative?? Just keeping living like you were before? That's what I asked myself, anyway. I didn't want to keep living like that so I decided to take the plunge with rifaximin. I am happy I stuck it out for the whole course.


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## mellosphere (Sep 22, 2015)

I would also drop the florastor and replace it with water kefir. I have tried soooo many pill probiotics and none of them have helped. In fact they have all made me worse. Maybe that is causing your bowels more issues than the antibiotic. However, for whatever reason, maybe it's because water kefir is fermented in water, not milk, the only probiotic I've seen improvement with is water kefir. I'd just lay off any probiotics for a few weeks though because I like to try one thing at a time so I can see if it is going to help or not. Otherwise it's hard to see if there is a good effect from that one thing or not.


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## Nycgirl516 (Sep 2, 2016)

I had been taking florastor and it was working to the point of almost C 
Then I got a new box and stools went to mush 
A week later and now trying the xifaxin
I feel pretty awful so far and yes I was warned
I can't even function being this tired and my GI system being such a mess
I have lost over 20lbs since June 
I can try not doing the florastor
I thought probiotics was needed so u do not get c diff


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## Nycgirl516 (Sep 2, 2016)

And u just had ibs? No SIBO? 
My doctor thinks I have post infectious ibs but idk


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## Hatemybowels! (Apr 3, 2016)

When did you start the Xifaxin? Florastor is supposed to be the only probiotic that isn't destroyed by antibiotics. Kefir is a probiotic and you can drink it a couple of hours before or a couple of hours after you take the antibiotic so it doesn't lose effectiveness. I took two Florastor twice a day when I had my first bout of C Diff. I couldn't take it the second and third times because I was going thru chemo for breast cancer at the time. C Diff can cause a weird smell. It's like a combo of sweet smell and barnyard smell. I think Xifaxin is a low C Diff offender but any antibiotic can cause it, except for Vancomycin and Dificid which are the two used to treat C Diff.


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## Nycgirl516 (Sep 2, 2016)

Tuesday I went in the morning mush stools. Took immodium so I could make it to the doctor
Tuesday night was first dose of xifaxin
Have been taking florastor once at night 
Wednesday I didn't go to the bathroom at all
Today (Thursday) was 6x at least and all mushy. A little yellowish with some formed pieces in it. Never did it look like this before
I haven't taken antibiotics in years. I was tested for c diff in June when I got really sick


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## mellosphere (Sep 22, 2015)

Keep going!!


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## Nycgirl516 (Sep 2, 2016)

Did it make you tired/fatigued where u can't move?
I couldn't even take a shower yesterday because it's making me feel so awful. 
All I want to do is sleep 
My daughter was talking to me and I couldn't even pay attention to her. The words do not stick in my brain


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## mellosphere (Sep 22, 2015)

Yes except IBS gives me extreme insomnia so I am used to running on 2-3 hours of sleep. My wife can attest to the truth of this.

It's your call in the end but I hate IBS so if the docs give me a drug to try, I'm gonna try it. Maybe it will help. I'd drop the florastor and stick to the xifaxan. Then after the xifaxan try some water kefir. I really think you might be pleasantly surprised.


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## Nycgirl516 (Sep 2, 2016)

Oh wow  I had period where I would wake up in the middle of the night or couldn't fall asleep. My legs would be aching
Since xifaxan I only want to sleep. I can't keep both eyes open. My body feels like it can't move.
I did stop florastor last night 
I'm a single mom and it's tough not being able to function. Can't even move to go to grocery store


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## terrykeithsmom (Aug 29, 2016)

How are you doing NYCgirl? My doc is wanting to put me on Xiafaxan and I'm very unsure of it so I'll do the SIBO test first.


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## terrykeithsmom (Aug 29, 2016)

This here book gives a regime to go on for SIBO: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0977435601/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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## mellosphere (Sep 22, 2015)

Yeah how are you doing? I'm back on xifaxan and going through the fun on it. Feels better than my normal days honestly.


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## Nycgirl516 (Sep 2, 2016)

It was tough at first with the fatigue and not feeling well. Also it seemed to make me wake up at 5am every morning and I had to pee. I never wake up in the middle of the night like that!
Seemed to be better right at the end of taking the meds. Now I'm done with them. Woke up this morning and had well formed poop! I was shocked!!! Then tonight cramping and mush again  so frustrating!


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## mellosphere (Sep 22, 2015)

Yep I'm back to mush and cramping again too. Wish it were easier for us both but IBS is the worst thing. Hope you can find some relief. Let me know if something works for you. I will probably try another probiotic and hope it doesn't backfire like the last one.


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