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974371 tn?1424653129

Antibiotics and probiotics

Saw my GI doc who still wants me to try taking the antibiotic, Xifaxan, again. Nobody answered my other post so maybe nobody has heard of it.  Supposed to be well tolerated but I tried 2 pills a week ago but not sure if I was sicker from that or just sick.
Someone suggested I try a probiotic. I had gotten a CVS brand, tried that 3 times and felt horrible, again, not sure that was the cause.
Read some use Culturel (?) or Align.  Talked to the pharmacist and got Align.
Looked that it up and it says probiotics can have an adverse effect with antibiotics!  I thought you are supposed to take them in conjunction.  It is all so confusing.
I have bacterial overgrowth in the small intestine and have to try something as I am sick and nauseated every day.

Would appreciate some feedback on taking antibiotics and probiotics for IBS
19 Responses
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974371 tn?1424653129
That is what I am trying to do but have little appetite anyway and have lost about 12 lbs.  honestly, not much you can eat on those diets and some of the stuff tastes terrible.  Made some gluten free pasts tonight and my husband took one bite and hated it.
I tried Align for a couple of days ago and I was horribly sick.
What enzymes and probiotics are you using?
Thanks
Helpful - 0
4682981 tn?1357944029
Instead of taking medication to help your IBS, try curing it by cutting out foods. IBS is a symptom of food intolerances... best thing to do is try cutting out certain foods(common culprits are dairy and gluten) I cut out those foods and am now taking digestive enzymes and probiotics to help heal my gut and replenish healthy bacteria in my system. If you cut out these foods and it doesn't help try something like the paleo way of eating. It's more of an elimination diet and you slowly add foods back in to find out what bothers you. Hope this helps..
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Thank you for your reply.  I don't know if I want to try another probiotic.
Been really sick again the past e days. Called the on call doc yesterday who told me to try Pepto Bismol.
Woke up again this morning very sick. Of course, it is New Year's Eve. My doctor is in surgery and only one other doctor there half a day. I may need to go ER again. Don't know if this is still the bacteria issue or not. Very dry mouth and throat and phlygm.
Thanks
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was on the same boat. I had diarrhea for 7 weeks non stop and Xifaxan was the ONLY thing that got me better after just the first dose. I too have bacterial overgrowth and also slow digestion which is whats causing it. It makes you feel sick but only temporarily and is well worth it in the end.

I was told to take Florastor right after the Xifaxan was done and i have been but it makes me really gassy etc. I also bought probiotics from REnewLife called critical colon that is supposed to work wonders. Align and all these store brands are not even worth it. They have too little strains of bacteria and most die off before getting to the intestines. Critical colon has 50 billions live active cultures and numerous different strains of bacteria. You should look into it.

Im now dealing with constipation for about a week followed by diarrhea for a day then back to contipation. Its a battle im not sure how to fight. I hope yo u feel better!!!!
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Actually, knock wood, not so miserable today.  Hope I can get through this.
A friend sent me some interesting information. Her dentist's wife has been having all kinds of problems similar.  Some doctor figured out she has a malabsorption problem that can affect a number of vitamins and minerals, she was having major dry mouth and dental issues as I am.  Her blood volume was decreasing with no sign of bleeding. Her body was not absorbing iron. Iron pills did nothing for her and they put her on liquid iron and she is gradually starting to feel better.  She had the dry mouth, was tired and nauseated all the time.  
I would "assume", with all the tests I have had done, that would have been discovered but many doctors she saw missed it.  I will definitely mention it to my doctor.  
Helpful - 0
1194973 tn?1385503904
And it could be. Antibiotics destroy all bacteria in your body and can make you feel sicker. It shouldn't last long, especially if you just stay with it.
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
I mentioned that to the doctor also that maybe it was a combination causing the problems.
Oh, I was on the Dicyclominethen the Levsin longer than a week and they did seem to help some so was disappointed when I had the arrythemia issue to stop them.  Actually, I asked my PCP and my GI dic if I should try them again and they both said No.
It was my PCP who ordered the 24 hr halter monitor to be done ASAP, what a fiasco that was. It was finally done almost 2 weeks ago and he still does not have the results.
Tried taking a Tums a while ago and just took the second antibiotic so will see how it goes tomorrow but I have been waking up sweating and sick to my stomach on the mornings for some time.  It is just worse on this med.
Helpful - 0
1194973 tn?1385503904
You get used to it eventually, I've dealt with it for a little over 2 years now. Heating pads and my husbands help make it easier. That and drugging myself with the medicines I have dull it some. I just don't have the option to do anything otherwise.

And yes, those are what I refer to. Many of these are the most effective medications there are for it. I mean, you're put on medications for what seems to be a max of a week and then immediately taken off. It seems like your doctor is expecting instant results and medications don't work that way, and when you start taking new ones... They cause side effects, many of which cause GI upsets. I know personally when I started the Zofran and Levsin SL for the first time that month I felt like DEATH. Severe nausea to where I wasn't able to move with dry heaving, stomach pain that had me curled up in the fetal position, unable to eat.. And it really affected my work performance. But I stuck with them and it started to balance out after about 4-5 weeks.

Your anxiety could play a large role in some of it as well. I understand being worried and nervous, but for example your hospitalization you mentioned was 40 years ago. Medication and knowledge have advanced 10 fold since then.

There really isn't much anyone could really advise on.. I mean, you have reactions or problems with most there is. Anti-depressants and anti-spasmatics are the the most reached for drugs. For nausea, have you tried Promethazine? For natural things you can also use tea to settle your stomach, and see if there are other medications you can use for your reflux. Maybe you just need better combinations.
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
As the day went on, I got a little better.  A couple of hours ago, I started getting that knowing pain in my stomach just above my navel, moving up under my ribs.
I take it you mean by the anti spastics you mean the Dicycomine and Kevsin.  They seemed to help some but was told to stop them when I had the irregular heartbeat.  I used to take Prozac years ago but was pulled off that when I was agitated and developed tremors but I was also on Reglan at the time and think it was that. Din't know why or if the Nortriptyline made me sicker, hard to tell when I get that bad, but doctor told me to stop that. I hesitate taking anti-depressants because I take Alprazolam, which I had just about weaned myself off of, but now was told to take the original prescribed dose of 0.5 mg 3times a day.  I have been on that for over 4 years.  
By the nausea drug, you mean the Zofran?  I don't use it often as it makes the chronic dry mouth and throat worse, that is part of the problem because he now has me on the 40 mg of Omeprazole twice a day and almost all these meds aggravate all that.  This Xifaxan dries me out also. Now, I have this continuous phlygm problem.  My ENT did a scope and saw some mucus in the nasal area but he and the GI doc now recommend I see a Pulmonoligist!  
It's a vicious cycle and I am fighting to stay on this antibiotic hoping it will clear up the bacterial overgrowth issue.  I have not had diarrhea, if anything, a bit constipated.
Gosh, how do you deal with the daily nausea and abdominal pain?  
It is so upsetting because Christmas is closing in and my family comes home and I have to help my 90-year old mother who still insists on living alone and I have no back up.  Just a fact of life and I need to be able to function not spend my days laying drown in pain.
I am just one of those people that have problems with meds.
In the 70's, I was in the hospital for 3 days on IV for hives so bad I had them inside.  We were never able to determine the cause.  So, yes, taking drugs make me nervous.
Thanks
Helpful - 0
1194973 tn?1385503904
In response to your other question though, I know personally I deal with nausea daily. Different people will have different problems. My symptoms with IBS are diarrhea, severe nausea and abdominal pain, gas, shaking and chills.
Helpful - 0
1194973 tn?1385503904
It's strange that you're having reactions to every medication given. I mean, you're going to have side effects, it happens. You can't expect them to not occur or for relief to be instant. Nortriptyline is an anti-depressant (I used to be on it for 8 months before it caused SVT) and takes 4-6 weeks to start working. Side effects can last for 1-3 weeks. You've tried anti spastics that apparently do nothing, you have the best anti-nausea medication on the markets....
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Saw my GI doc on Thursday. He said I have to take 2 of the Xifaxan a day.started again yesterday. Woke up at 4:00 am sweating and stomach getting upset. Took an Oprazolam then my Xanax. Nothing helps.  Back to being bloated, cramps and nausea.  I am afraid to take another pill this morning,
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
I was so sick yesterday had to call the on call doc who told me to stop the antibiotic. This was my second try taking this and it is supposed to be tolerated well.
I am so mad at my GI doctor. Sent him an e-mail this morning asking him for a larger prescription for the liquid med. he tells me it is for kids and doesn't work for adults but offers no alternative. That is all I have here. He then tells me he can't prescribe any other meds until I get the dry mouth issues resolved. What!!!!  I have seen a number if ENT doc's, had tests and biopsies with no diagnosis.  If I could resolve this, I sure would.
With no other options, decided to try the Xifaxan again. Good thing I only took one pill cause I started to have bloating, now have some stomach discomfort and,mfir some reason, worse problems with phlygm again. Mow can that be?
I just think something is going on besides IBS, but what?
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
An ER doc gave me liquid Simethicone with Mylanta for my stomach.
I am not well. Very dry mouth and throat, phlegm, stomach upset, bloated, globus.
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Was on that for stomach cramps. Omeprazole for reflux.
I had a bad night last night, sweating and very bloated and now upset stomach. Is this normal? I only took two Xifaxan.
Tried me on Nortryptline, made me sick
Mouth and throat very dry and phlgm
Helpful - 0
1194973 tn?1385503904
The problem with Levsin is that it has a well known side effect for dry mouth. I don't understand why he has you on Omeprazole for IBS, it's a PPI and helps with problems related to stomach acid. Did he say what it's supposed to be doing? You could also see about doing low doses of anti-depressants if anti-spastics don't work for you.
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Oh, I am now up to about 12 meds I can't take.
Helpful - 0
974371 tn?1424653129
Thanks for the response.
I had Dicyclomine and Levsin then got arrythemia which had me at the ER again. They told me to stop the meds. I do have Zofran.  He gives mope Omeprazole, which does nothing.  Now have a liquid Simethicone/Mylanta mixture.
Problem is, I now am always hacking up some mucus.  I have chronic dry mouth and throat (neg for Sjorgens) and most of these meds make it worse, I start hacking more then see blood in my sputum. I am now being referred to a pulmonary doctor.
This Xifaxan is supposed to be tolerated well but I think it dried me out worse when I tried it and ended up at ER. He says this is the best one and try it again.  I just took the first pill again a little while ago and am nervous.
Yes, I use every product for dry mouth and drink fluids constantly and nothing helps. I sure want instant results or have something help!  
Helpful - 0
1194973 tn?1385503904
I've used both (I'm on daily probiotics and just recently was on antibiotics for pneumonia) and didn't really have many issues. The antibiotics gave me worse diarrhea but it clears up after time - nothing in regards to adverse effects being used together. In reality anything can have an adverse affect with any medication. Even just taking OTC pain meds. All things are given on a risk/benefits scale, and he seems to think this one will work best for you. Has he given anything to calm the spasms or help the nausea? If not, try asking for something.

The problem with IBS is you won't have instant results from anything, and if you're worried you're going to have a negative reaction it could actually cause one.
Helpful - 0
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