rifaximin

What is the most important information I should know about rifaximin?

Follow all directions on your medicine label and package. Tell each of your healthcare providers about all your medical conditions, allergies, and all medicines you use.

What is rifaximin?

Rifaximin is used to treat travelers' diarrhea caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli) in adults and children who are at least 12 years old. Most people get this infection by eating food or drinking fluids that have been contaminated with the E. coli bacteria.

Rifaximin is also used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adults whose main symptom is diarrhea.

Rifaximin is also used to lower the risk of a decline in brain function in adults with liver failure. Brain function can be affected when the liver stops working and cannot remove toxic substances from the body.

Rifaximin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking rifaximin?

Tell your doctor if you have ever had:

• liver disease;
• diarrhea with a fever; or
• watery or bloody diarrhea.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.

How should I take rifaximin?

Follow all directions on your prescription label and read all medication guides or instruction sheets. Use the medicine exactly as directed.

You may take rifaximin with or without food.

For travelers' diarrhea, rifaximin is usually taken for only 3 days. For IBS, rifaximin is usually taken for 2 weeks at a time. Follow your doctor's dosing instructions very carefully.

Do not share this medicine with another person, even if they have the same symptoms you have.

Rifaximin does not treat all bacterial forms of travelers' diarrhea.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. Do not take two doses at one time.

What happens if I overdose?

What should I avoid while taking rifaximin?

Antibiotic medicines can cause diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or bloody, call your doctor before using anti-diarrhea medicine.

What are the possible side effects of rifaximin?

• severe stomach pain, diarrhea that is watery or bloody (even if it occurs months after your last dose);
• fever; or
• fluid build-up around the stomach --rapid weight gain, stomach pain and bloating, trouble breathing while lying down.

Common side effects may include:

• swelling in your hands or feet;
• nausea;
• headache, dizziness;
• tiredness; or
• abnormal liver function tests.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What other drugs will affect rifaximin?

Tell your doctor about all your other medicines, especially:

• cyclosporine;
• ketoconazole;
• warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven);
• an antibiotic --clarithromycin, erythromycin;
• antiviral medicine --ritonavir, saquinavir; or
• heart or blood pressure medicine --amiodarone, quinidine, verapamil.

This list is not complete. Other drugs may affect rifaximin, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible drug interactions are listed here.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist can provide more information about rifaximin.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medication only for the indication prescribed.

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

Copyright 1996-2023 Cerner Multum, Inc. Version: 6.01. Revision date: 3/26/2019.