Hello all!
I am new to this forum but evryone seems so nice and I believe that this is great help to everyone.

My doctor gave me samples of an antibiotic Rifaximin to take for 3 days 3x a day. I read up on this and it was originally for travelers diarreah. Well the three days are up and I still have a strong urgency to go to the bathroom 10-15 times a day, extremely fatigued and tired out and some what nasuses.

Has anyone take this antibiotic?? he also gave me samples for one a day asacol?? is it just me or is my doctor dillusional. I thought asacol was for people with colons.

Any advice would be helpful!!

Rifaximin was the first antibiotic they tried for my pouchitis (dx'd in March) It gave me flu-like symptoms. and I don't think it helped much. They started with that one because it does not go into the blood stream, stays in the gut, so in theory, less chance of side effects.
Keep in mind , I'm very chemically sensitive- next we tried cipro, pouch got better but I felt awful , next levaquin, same class as cipro,that one believe it or not made me somewhat manic. Fun, but not very functional. Now I'm on plain old keflex and doing well. But I do wonder how long does one take antibiotics? I've been on one kind or another since March.At this point they said keep taking it til I see GI in June. I don't know about the asacol.
LoriP

Thanks Lori,
Its just I hate to try so many because they make me so utterly sick to my stomach.
I will suggest to my doctor the last one you tried. I am pretty sure the asacol is for UC, I think this Gastro forgot I had the surgeries. Oh well.

Jeanine- They may not be thrilled with the keflex plan, its kind of a cousin to penicillin and not the usual first things they try -ie cipro, flagyl. Unfortunatly there is no way to know what will work for you til you try. I hate the trial an error plan. But I think medicine is not an exact science but has some art-form to it, each of us is unique. Hopefully your doc knows you well enough to try and work with you til you find the right treatment.Keep us posted.
LoriP

Hi Jeanine, just saw your post from one of my old ones on prednisone! I can totally relate to the frustration, I had bad pouchitis all year last year, I did really well on opium tincture for a few months but didn't want to do taht long term. So, I just dealt with horrible pouchitis all year. Now this year I was hospitalized in March with severe pouchitis, put on pred. and cipro and flagyl! Long story short, got off the pred and now just take a cipro and flagyl every few days and it works really well! I tried the Rifaxin last week since there is supposedly less side effects, but I went downhill very fast and felt so sick to my stomach. Ugh. Have you tried cipro or flagyl? I tried them pre-surgery and it did not do anything, but for the pouch, it has worked like a charm Good luck, hope this finds you feeling better girl hang in there