xifaxan therapy for Crohns

[barneypenny]

has anyone been using Xifaxn for treatment of Crohns?

[Hank0303]

My dr gave me xifaxin as well.  I've had diarrhea for almost two years that they say has nothing to do with my Crohn's.  They say I am not having a flare, so the dr gave me this.  I took one pill and was in so much pain and discomfort, i could not continue.  They have yet to do a stool sample to actually find out what is going on.  I recently found out I am pregnant, and they THINK it is safe for me to try the xifaxin.  They say it is not absorbed by the bloodstream, but goes straight to the stomach.  I'm going to wait until the second trimester.  In the meantime, I am having to take lomotil.  I've been on it for a year and a half, so they think it is still safe for me to take a low dose during pregnancy.  Why did your dr originally prescribe xifaxin and how long are you supposed to take it?  I was only supposed to take it for a week.

[barneypenny]

thanks for the prompt response.  recent studies have shown a connection between e-coli bacteria  and Crohn's.  i can get you the info if needed.  this was prescribed by a gastro and i have found other studies with mixed results,  just wanted to see if anyone else had experience with it

[lizziecee]

Welcome to our Crohn's Community Barneypenny.

As far as I am aware, Xifaxan is an antibiotic prescribed to treat "traveller's diarrhea", a bacterial infection in the intestines caused by E.coli, and the result of eating contaminated food or drinking untreated water, and is not prescribed with a fever or bloody stools, or when the diarrhea is not due to E.coli.

It can cause, as with all antibiotics, a severe inflammation of the colon, known as pseudomembranous colitis, which results from bacterial overgrowth in the colon and ranges in severity from mild to life-threatening.

In the 38 yrs of my having Crohn's, I have never heard of this drug being prescribed for Crohn's, although it is not outside the realms of possibility that someone with Crohn's may have used it.

As the drug manufacturers stipulate that Xifaxan is only useful in cases of diarrhea that are caused by E.coli, and no mention of its efficacy in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, I would be very wary of taking this drug without the approval of a gastroenterologist.

Liz (Community Leader).