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Has anyone had success with Rifaximin (Xifaxan)?

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Crohn's Disease
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Posted 4/7/2012 8:19 PM (GMT 0)
A 10-day persistent D and abdominal pain made my GI put me on two antibacterials and Rifaximin (Xifaxan). I tried it before and failed it. However, my GI told me this time that this is my last resort since I failed azathioprine, Imuran and Methotrexate im injections. I'm on Entocort 6 mg (for 5 months now) and it has controlled my intestinal pain but nothing controls my colon pain. Has anyone experienced taking Rifaximin to induce remission? I read it will take 4 months until it kicks in.
How was your experience with Rifaximin? I have been taking it for a week now and still have D. Would it control D?
Your replies are highly appreciated.
Posted 4/9/2012 3:09 AM (GMT 0)
I took it 3 years ago, and it made my CD much worse, and I got a bad lupus flare, too. I had a big increase in joint pain, fever, rash etc. and the amount of blood loss in my GI tract increased as well. I stuck with it for 5 or 6 weeks before I said 'no more', and things improved soon after I stopped. I do remember my doctor telling me I needed to give it a few weeks to really see results, so maybe you need to give it time.

I know people who have had success with it, I just do not do well on antibiotics, so it might just be me. I think one of the suckiest things about CD is the way there seems to be no definitive treatment that works for everyone...you have to just try stuff and see if it works.

Good luck!
Posted 4/10/2012 9:12 PM (GMT 0)
WittyKitty, thank you very much. D became worse and I had bloating as well. So, I decided to see my GI before I stopped Rifaximin for the second time. He told me that Rifaximin was not the cause of my pains and that I was stressed out coz I had C followed by D. He suggested that I take it along with a probiotic. I did and things haven't started to become better but I read that there is a phase where the battle between the antibiotic and the bad bacteria becomes so intense so a lot of patients quit it. I decided to withstand any pain in hope that it might one day induce remission.
Posted 4/26/2012 9:27 PM (GMT 0)
My daughter has started using Rifaximin 3 months ago (600mg/day),

but it is combined with Methotrexate Inj.

She has great blood tests results with CRP of 0.2, and is feeling well.

Methotrexate alone didn't get this improvement.

She doesn't have any side effects caused by Rifaximin, but she does have nausea using Methotrexate.

It is important to mention that also at the beginning of the treatment she didn't have any side effects.

Post Edited (pitzpitz) : 4/26/2012 3:37:33 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 4/27/2012 2:58 AM (GMT 0)
my daughter was on rifaximin for a few months for UC. It pretty much stopped her bleeding immediately but didn't do much for stool consistency or frequency, so a partial response I guess in our case.
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