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Treatment Update
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It is my understanding that a round of Xifaxan is about $800.00. Check with your insurance co. Hi Wayne!!
Sorry to hear that once again you are in between a rock and a hard place..
I'm really surprised that the GI's nurse had no clue as far as the Xifaxan and the Librax.
She's not much help at all for his patients with questions.
I know Tex will be along to help you out soon.
I am sending positive (((((((((vibes))))))) your way to help you get this figured out..
Sorry to hear that once again you are in between a rock and a hard place..
I'm really surprised that the GI's nurse had no clue as far as the Xifaxan and the Librax.
She's not much help at all for his patients with questions.
I know Tex will be along to help you out soon.
I am sending positive (((((((((vibes))))))) your way to help you get this figured out..
"What the heart gives away is never gone ... It is kept in the hearts of others."
Wayne,
This came directly off RXList.
"XIFAXAN® Tablets can be administered orally with or without food. For travelers' diarrhea, the recommended dose is one 200 mg tablet taken three times a day for 3 days.
XIFAXAN® Tablets are indicated for the treatment of patients ( ≥ 12 years of age) with travelers' diarrhea caused by noninvasive strains of Escherichia coli (see WARNINGS, Microbiology, and Clinical Studies)."
"Librax: Based on a review of this drug by the National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council and/or other information, FDA has classified the indications as follows:
"Possibly" effective: as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of peptic ulcer and in the treatment of the irritable bowel syndrome (irritable colon, spastic colon, mucous colitis) and acute enterocolitis.
Final classification of the less-than-effective indications requires further investigation.
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
Because of the varied individual responses to tranquilizers and anticholinergics, the optimum dosage of Librax varies with the diagnosis and response of the individual patient. The dosage, therefore, should be individualized for maximum beneficial effects. The usual maintenance dose is 1 or 2 capsules, 3 or 4 times a day administered before meals and at bedtime."
Hope this helps. It blew me away when I looked these up that one appears to be an antibiotic and the other an anti-anxiety med.
I can sure understand your frustration with your GI and his nurse. Althought my GI is okay (I usually see his PA) if I have to deal with the staff I get a run around. The PA gave me her direct number after I had problems with the triage nurse one time. I don't abuse it, but if I need help right away I call that number.
Good luck.
Jan
This came directly off RXList.
"XIFAXAN® Tablets can be administered orally with or without food. For travelers' diarrhea, the recommended dose is one 200 mg tablet taken three times a day for 3 days.
XIFAXAN® Tablets are indicated for the treatment of patients ( ≥ 12 years of age) with travelers' diarrhea caused by noninvasive strains of Escherichia coli (see WARNINGS, Microbiology, and Clinical Studies)."
"Librax: Based on a review of this drug by the National Academy of Sciences - National Research Council and/or other information, FDA has classified the indications as follows:
"Possibly" effective: as adjunctive therapy in the treatment of peptic ulcer and in the treatment of the irritable bowel syndrome (irritable colon, spastic colon, mucous colitis) and acute enterocolitis.
Final classification of the less-than-effective indications requires further investigation.
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION
Because of the varied individual responses to tranquilizers and anticholinergics, the optimum dosage of Librax varies with the diagnosis and response of the individual patient. The dosage, therefore, should be individualized for maximum beneficial effects. The usual maintenance dose is 1 or 2 capsules, 3 or 4 times a day administered before meals and at bedtime."
Hope this helps. It blew me away when I looked these up that one appears to be an antibiotic and the other an anti-anxiety med.
I can sure understand your frustration with your GI and his nurse. Althought my GI is okay (I usually see his PA) if I have to deal with the staff I get a run around. The PA gave me her direct number after I had problems with the triage nurse one time. I don't abuse it, but if I need help right away I call that number.
Good luck.
Jan
Wayne,
That's strictly an off-label treatment, so I can see why the insurance company has a problem with it. 6 pills a day is a pretty potent treatment, compared with the basic E. coli treatment that Jan has listed above. The only data that I can find on a 400mg treatment, are for a single treatment, (not 3 per day, for two weeks). I would hope that your doctor has some expanded data available to him, before recommending that dosage rate. Since this appears to be an off-label use, maybe your doc would have some clout with the insurance company, because you would be using almost 10 times the usually-prescribed amount, all together
If you decide to do it, though, you will definitely be better off if you follow it with a good probiotic program, because C. diff is a definite risk, after a treatment regimen such as that.
Your doctor and his nurse seem to be rather unreliable, so be sure to do your homework before undertaking such a project. As Jan pointed out, jumping from recommending an antibiotic, to recommending an anxiety med, is a rather "erratic" leap.
Tex
That's strictly an off-label treatment, so I can see why the insurance company has a problem with it. 6 pills a day is a pretty potent treatment, compared with the basic E. coli treatment that Jan has listed above. The only data that I can find on a 400mg treatment, are for a single treatment, (not 3 per day, for two weeks). I would hope that your doctor has some expanded data available to him, before recommending that dosage rate. Since this appears to be an off-label use, maybe your doc would have some clout with the insurance company, because you would be using almost 10 times the usually-prescribed amount, all together
If you decide to do it, though, you will definitely be better off if you follow it with a good probiotic program, because C. diff is a definite risk, after a treatment regimen such as that.
Your doctor and his nurse seem to be rather unreliable, so be sure to do your homework before undertaking such a project. As Jan pointed out, jumping from recommending an antibiotic, to recommending an anxiety med, is a rather "erratic" leap.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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MaggieRedwings
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I suggest that this nurse finds another profession or goes back to school! You course with this GI and his office staff ranks right up there with the worst of the worse. So sorry you are going through this and I don't think I would be taking that drug. Good luck and hope things get better.
Love, Maggie
Love, Maggie
Maggie Scarpone
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Resident Birder - I live to bird and enjoy life!
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Resident Birder - I live to bird and enjoy life!
Wayne,
We probably need to do a poll to see how many people discovered that their hair turned gray within a year or two following the onset of their MC symptoms.
I know that mine did.
This seems to be turning into kind of a complicated project. Good luck with it.
Tex
We probably need to do a poll to see how many people discovered that their hair turned gray within a year or two following the onset of their MC symptoms.
I know that mine did.This seems to be turning into kind of a complicated project. Good luck with it.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Joan,
Mine seems to be following that trend too, but I suspect that inadequate hypothyroidism treatment plays a big part in that issue, also. I don't believe that the medical profession is anywhere close to being able to do an optimal job of treating thyroid issues at this stage of the game. The treatment certainly helps, but it doesn't seem to be able to totally address all the issues.
Tex
Mine seems to be following that trend too, but I suspect that inadequate hypothyroidism treatment plays a big part in that issue, also. I don't believe that the medical profession is anywhere close to being able to do an optimal job of treating thyroid issues at this stage of the game. The treatment certainly helps, but it doesn't seem to be able to totally address all the issues.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
My endocrinologist will be difficult to mess with, I'm afraid. When I took her the Consumer Reports article for bad drug choices for seniors, she said what she prescribed was better than what CR recommended. She has done the same thing for Dr. Sidney Wolfe's Worst Pills, too!
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor and don't play one on TV.
LDN July 18, 2014
Joan
LDN July 18, 2014
Joan