# Sibo and xifaxan...my experience and question



## nrep (Jun 19, 2007)

I was diagnosed with IBS roughly 10 years ago. I'm a 30 year old woman and I hate this. I've got the diarrhea predominant IBS with bloating and gas, and awful cramping. I never know when its going to happen, as we all know. And because of this, I get nervous if I have to be in a situation where I can't close or have easy access to a toilet. (I would never want to go to a big house party in an apartment with only 1 bathroom!) Mornings are really bad for me. I wake up and can't eat anything for about 4 hours. IF I eat something right away, or anywhere from when I first get up until about 2 or 3 hours after, I will for certain be headed for a difficult and painful experience (or rather experiences) in the bathroom, and my day just might be shot completely.I've been to lots and lots of GI's and have tried lots of different meds, supplements, diets, etc. My latest GI doc suggested I be tested for SIBO. Low and behold it tested positive for SIBO and he put me on Xifaxan 1200mg/day for 14 days. I just finished my medication this morning. The first 5 days on the med, I was feeling great. My stomach wasn't hurting, no more painful gas, bloating or cramping. Still, throughout the 14 days I had diarrhea every day. Starting on day 8 or 9 I had an episode (my usual cramping/diarrhea, sour stomach and repeat this several times during the day). I cried as soon as it started as I had been hoping, and actually praying to god that with this med, all, or at least some would be solved and resolved.Day 9 and 10 and 11 also showed episodes and I've just bee so unhappy about it.My question for those of you who were diagnosed with SIBO and then put on the antibiotics (perhaps Xifaxan like me) is how soon did you see improvement. Did the improvement happen after you finished the treatment, or during? I know some people do 2 treatments of antibiotics. How do you know if you need more than one treatment? For those of you who did Xifaxan. Did you have diarrhea while you were on it? I'm curious to hear about other's experience with the medication, and then for those of you who for whom it was successful, I want to know when you started to see improvements and what the improvements were.Thanks!


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## Flowby Jonas (Aug 14, 2006)

When I was first diagnosed with IBS and then SIBO I was put on CIPRO for 10 days and I felt great during the time and 6 days later I was back where I started. Then FLAYGL for 5 days as I could not tolerate it. Then 5 days later I had another episode. I was put back on one more 10 day course of CIPRO and same results. I am currently seeing an acupucnturist and she has me on these herbs and of course a pucnture treatment once a week and the smoothie I have described in my posts. She insits it's most important to cook the food so the gut has less trouble digesting it. Its working for me. I have gone 63 day I think now and only a few minor issues. The expense is unreal though. I am thinking by just using the smoothie and eating the way she said may do it on its own !!!


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## IanRamsay (Nov 23, 2008)

hi,where you advised to take a strong probiotic at the same time as teh course of xif?cheersIan


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