# levaquin and xifaxan



## pi-ibs-d (Jul 26, 2009)

one 7-day, 1200mg/day, course of xifaxan completed this AM. had 1 slightly formed bm (improvement) and some reduction in gas/bloating.my doctor is going on vacation as of today and is pretty sure that SIBO is a large part of my problems (positive test for malabsorption, negative for most every other test, celiac, etc.). i mentioned that i thought extending the course of xifaxan might be useful. due to high cost and the possibility that insurance won't cover it, he wrote me 2 prescriptions -- 5 more days of xifaxan, 11 days of levaquin. i ended up coming home with both.my question is, should i take both at the same time (is this dangerous?) and really try to "flush" my system, or should i take them separately? xifaxan didn't seem too helpful the first time on its own, and i have seen some posts in this category where drugs are combined, but i don't remember coming across this specific combination.also, i don't think food sits in my small intestines very long. i have seen some people say take xifaxan with food, esp carbs, because it does a better job when the bacteria are active, but the drug label says take without regard to meals. if eating speeds food through my small intestines, is there a chance that the xifaxan is moving with it -- making it less effective? would it be better to take it without food if this is the case?one last thing... probiotics or no probiotics afterward? i know this is a big controversy here, but i want to do this right if the antibiotics end up taking care of the problem. my doctor obviously told me to stop them while i was on rx, but he said i COULD (as opposed to should) resume them afterward. any thoughts?thanks for your help.


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## Hester (Jul 5, 2009)

Drugs are most effective and safe when taken exactly according to their FDA or European APPROVED labeled use. Doctors do not often know what is on the drug label. This I know for certain. I would follow the manufacture's label especially if you think food is speeding things up. I am the same. Certain foods seem to make my transit time faster and liquids can shoot riight through the small bowel very quickly. My ND is having me take the Glutimine powder with aloe juice only because she says any food will interfer with its effectiveness to heal my small bowel lining.


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