# Has anyone tried rifaximin?



## Gmonkey (Dec 4, 2009)

Previously thought to help IBS D but recently prescribed to IBS C patients.Anyone out there tried it???


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

Have you looked at the Antibiotics forum? It is for these antibiotics like this commonly used to treat SIBO.It is about treating SIBO not diarrhea or constipation. Pimentel believes that depending on the type of bacteria (normal colon bacteria) living in the small intestine you can get contsipation. The methane producers are the ones most implicated in SIBO in combination with IBS-C


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## Guest (Jan 14, 2010)

I took 1200mg of Xifaxan for 10 days several months ago. I was not tested for SIBO first, and it did not seem to help my symptoms. In addition, I did not tolerate this drug well at all. I got horrible cramping and burning pain which peaked on day 8, much much worse than my "usual" IBS pains and cramping. Also, while my stools are generally pretty regular (mild IBS-A), this made me horribly constipated, and it took a full two months to resume normal function without the help of Miralax.I would not take this drug without a positive test for SIBO.


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## fizzixgal (Apr 6, 2007)

I was tried on it back in '06 when I was first diagnosed, I think for 2 weeks. I had no improvement from it, and actually no effect at all.


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## Gmonkey (Dec 4, 2009)

bluefish said:


> I took 1200mg of Xifaxan for 10 days several months ago. I was not tested for SIBO first, and it did not seem to help my symptoms. In addition, I did not tolerate this drug well at all. I got horrible cramping and burning pain which peaked on day 8, much much worse than my "usual" IBS pains and cramping. Also, while my stools are generally pretty regular (mild IBS-A), this made me horribly constipated, and it took a full two months to resume normal function without the help of Miralax.I would not take this drug without a positive test for SIBO.


In the UK they dont bother testing you for SIBO any more.They stopped doing the breath test.I responded to antibiotics but a question is that does IBS cause SIBO or SIBO cause IBS. My symptoms came back quickly when I stopped the antibiotics.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

I don't think they have unraveled who starts the process to where you get someone that has SIBO and IBS.


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## Moises (May 20, 2000)

My experience was identical to that of fizzixgal. It had no benefit and no negative side effects, other than the cost. But it has helped many people. You might want to try Neomycin before Rifaximin. I believe the former might have a greater chance of helping C.


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## Gmonkey (Dec 4, 2009)

Thanks for pointing me to the antibiotics forum Kathleen.It is very very interesting. In the UK they dont bother with SIBO breath tests now. Both NHS (our UK state doctors) and private ones I have paid for have advised against SIBO test and gone straight to colonoscopy.I had a temporary benefit from metronizole (flagyl) and amoxicilin combo two years back. It gave me two-three weeks of absolute normality. Im talking BMs like when I was 20!!! Massuve amounts of energy and no muscle cramps in my legs. However the IBS returned a week after the drugs wore off.Looking at the posts on rifaximin it seems that IBS returns after treatment too.Many think bacteria has a role to play but its a chicken and egg situation. I think im in the IBS causes the bacteria build up camp now rather than the bacteria causes the IBS. I dunno maybe IBS is a virus.Hard to think its an allergy because do people suddenly develop severe allergies at middle age??? Oh well we still wait.I will keep an eye on the antibiotics forum.


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## Kathleen M. (Nov 16, 1999)

IBS appears to, at least in many cases, to be damage to the GI tracts control system (nerves and some immune system cells) following a GI infection.The virus or bacteria may start it (stomach flu viruses or food poisoning bacteria) but the damage to the cells fighting it off doesn't heal correctly (or just takes a few years to normalize).There is no evidence an ongoing infection is what is causing IBS, and long-term inflammation from non-germ causes also can start up IBS (why some with Inflammatory Bowel diseases have functional bowel symptoms even when they are fully in remission. Same type of damage from inflammation).IBSers often respond to normal signals everyone has, not just one or two specific foods. So the post eating increase in activity sets things off because that activity level is the wrong one, or not coordinated properly.After a GI infection it is common for that damage to take several weeks to heal up, which is why they usually need to see several months of symptoms before calling it IBS.


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## StayingHopeful75 (Jan 15, 2010)

I tried Rifaximin for two weeks. It did nothing for me.


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## StayingHopeful75 (Jan 15, 2010)

I've tried it, and unfortunately it didn't help me. I have IBS-C. I tried Rifaximin for two weeks. I forget the dosage I took.


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