Xifaxan. Antibiotic Or Not?
Xifaxan.
Learn how to deal with Travelers diarrhea. What to do in case of acute colitis?
This medication works locally in the intestines and doesn’t get absorbed into the bloodstream (oral absorption is less than 0.4%). This usually means that the drug will have less or no systemic side effects.
The generic name for this drug is rifaximin. But a generic equivalent is not available on the market yet. Just like any antibiotic it is used to treat bacterial infection. Rifaximin works for Travelers diarrhea caused by E-coli.
Rifaximin is considered pregnancy category C. That means that this drug should only be given if potential benefits justify the potential risk to the fetus.
Xifaxan is considered to be a different type of antibiotic.
Side effects of this medication are relatively low because of local absorption and include headache, abnormal dreams, fatigue, flushing, etc.
There are no known drug interactions at this time which is convenient to the patients with multiple medications.
Rifaximin is a treatment for diarrhea that may be taken with or without food.
Don't confuse Rifaximin with Rifampin which is the medication for TB.
Safety and efficacy have not been established in children less than 12 years of age.
What to do for acute colitis?
The causes for fast onset acute colitis can be numerous. And one of them is E-coli infection. Other causes may be jaundice, diverticulitis, intestinal abscess and many other potentially life threatening conditions.
If you experience acute abdominal pain or acute colitis, you need to seek health care professional immediately. This is not a joke.
There many things you can do to prevent or treat
Travelers diarrhea. Travelers diarrhea can present itself as bloody diarrhea. Some of the things to consider for Travelers diarrhea:
- Avoid drinking water from the sink. Just use spring, bottled water. Even for brushing teeth.
- Do not take medications to prevent Travelers diarrhea unless your doctor told you so. Taking antibiotics for preventative measures can cause candida overgrowth.
- Get enough sleep to improve your immune system.
Just like with most antibiotics, prolonged use of rifaximin can result in bacterial or fungal overgrowth.
Take this mediaction exactly as prescribed. Immediately call your doctor if you notice an allergic reaction from this drug.
And don't forget to take
probiotics right after the antibiotic treatment to re-colonize the flora with good bacteria.
Xifaxan is for Travelers diarrhea. Why is it sometimes prescribed for Crohns as treatment for diarrhea?
Xifaxan works differently from other antibiotics. It works for Crohns and Travelers diarrhea. Is it a popular choice?
It’s sometimes prescribed for Crohn's disease patients when nothing else works for diarrhea. It worked for me and the side effects are minimal.
I always try to start with more natural choices of treatment. But when all else fails, this drug works for Travelers diarrhea and sometimes for Crohn's diarrhea.
Why is this medication not prescribed for Crohn's diarrhea right away? Why is this drug not indicated for Crohn's diarrhea if it works? Because, we still do not know the exact cause for Crohns disease. Xifaxan works by killing the bacteria called E-coli. But we still do not know if that is the problem in Crohns disease.
I wish you all to stay healthy!
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