Xifaxan

Good info. Thanks

FYI it is available under a different name in Mexico—much less expensive.

@kanaazpereira @drpepper I took xifaxan for hepatic encephalopathy (HE). I had cirrhosis and that can cause HE episodes. I was first on lactulose but it really bothered my stomach so when I saw the hepatologist she prescribed xifaxan. I took just that, no lactulose, for almost a year and had no problems, no HE episodes. It was like an answer to a prayer. Then I had another episode. It may have been due to a couple of things occurring that can contribute to bringing on an HE episode but it also could have meant that my cirrhosis had progressed so I had to resume taking lactulose along with the xifaxan. About 6 months after that I had a liver transplant so thankfully no need for either any more.
When I was taking xifaxan the doctor prescribed two a day, I believe they were 550 mg each. The retail on that was around $2400 at the time, I have heard it is a bit less now. With my insurance, I paid between $700 and $800 a month for it.
It is an antibiotic of sorts so I would think it could help with SIBO but I am not a medical person or a pharmacist so I really can't comment on that. I did google SIBO and xifaxan and some of the links said that was the was the first way to treat SIBO but one article said it was not. It's worth looking it up yourself.
JK

luky06.How your doctor not understan that you were İBS and diarrhea?i would like to tell some good think naw.
1- For diarrhea drink one time an imodium.That's enougne.And then i advice: ginger+cinnamon+cernation in it a glass boiled water.you may drink every day.
This mixture is very helpfull all your bady.So you are going to be better.

Apparently, Xifaxan is good for SIBO because the medicine stays mostly in your intestine and is not absorbed into the bloodstream like other antibiotics. It was prescribed to me for SIBO but I could not afford the price tag so I took Flagyl instead. So your GI doctor may be a bit behind the times, which is not a good sign. I think many antibiotics can help kill the bad bacteria overgrowth but what is key is how to keep yourself from relapsing. That is where I believe diet comes in, which is something else rarely discussed by most GI doctors. I hate to be so down on docs, but all that was offered to me by them were pills and expensive procedures. I had to read up and find about following the proper diet for SIBO on my own.

@drpepper l was put on xifaxan for liver disease and it's really for constipation to help you excrete toxins out of your body especially when you can't do it naturally. The first time l was placed on it l vomited the whole next day. Then l didn't want to take it anymore. I was already on the disgusting lactulose but the doctor told me they work better together. So l gave it another try and l tolerated it fine. I take it twice a day.

Good RX is an app for your phone that my doctor told me about. It is free and finds the lowest price for drugs in your area. It brought Xifaxin down from $2300 (twenty three hundred dollars) along with my insurance and another coupon to $50 (fifty dollars). Yes, you read that correctly.

WOW! Thanks

That’s amazing! I have checke GoodRx a couple of times, but nothing in my area.

@cindychesler That's phenomenal. With your insurance how much would it have been? Xifaxan was about that price, retail, when I was taking it but my insurance brought it down to $700 - $800 a month. Still a lot but my husband felt it was worth it to not have to deal with HE episodes.
JK