Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Gluten In Rifaximin/xifaxan?

sfc83

Recommended Posts

sfc83 Rookie
sfc83
Posted

I was recently diagnosed with small intestine bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) after a positive lactulose hydrogen breath test. My GI has prescribed me Rifaximin. I called the manufacturer, Salix Pharmaceuticals, and they could not confirm that Rifaximin is gluten free. Has anyone taken this antibiotic, and if so, do you know if it contains gluten? I would also be interested in knowing whether anyone had an adverse reaction to Rifaximin.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

What exactly did they say? Most manufacturers, in my experience, will say something to the effect of "we don't use any gluten containing ingredients but don't test our final product... blah blah blah" which is a CYA statement. No manufacturer (to the best of my knowledge) guarantees that their drugs are gluten free because it creates a liability issue, but most will state whether or not they use any gluten containing ingredients in a particular product.

 

If this manufacturer doesn't know, contact other pharmacies to see what generic manufacturer they use and contact those manufacturers. You aren't tied to a particular pharmacy.

sfc83 Rookie
sfc83
Posted
  • Author

What exactly did they say? Most manufacturers, in my experience, will say something to the effect of "we don't use any gluten containing ingredients but don't test our final product... blah blah blah" which is a CYA statement. No manufacturer (to the best of my knowledge) guarantees that their drugs are gluten free because it creates a liability issue, but most will state whether or not they use any gluten containing ingredients in a particular product.

 

If this manufacturer doesn't know, contact other pharmacies to see what generic manufacturer they use and contact those manufacturers. You aren't tied to a particular pharmacy.

Thank you for your reply. They just said that they could not guarantee that the medication was gluten free, and they pointed me to an ingredients list, listed below. I did look on www.glutenfreedrugs.com , and Rifaximin was listed as gluten free. I am always a bit paranoid however, since manufacturers change ingredients/suppliers from time to time, which is why I was curious if anyone on this site had reacted to the medication. Regarding generics, I do not believe that they currently exist for this antibiotic.

 

Each 200 mg tablet contains colloidal silicon dioxide, disodium edetate, glycerol

palmitostearate, hypromellose, microcrystalline cellulose, propylene glycol, red iron oxide,

sodium starch glycolate, talc, and titanium dioxide.

 

Each 550 mg tablet contains colloidal silicon dioxide, glycerol palmitostearate,

microcrystalline cellulose, polyethylene glycol/macrogol, polyvinyl alcohol, red iron oxide,

sodium starch glycolate, talc, and titanium dioxide.

Adalaide Mentor
Adalaide
Posted

I would just call them back and ask if any of the ingredients are sourced from wheat. You aren't asking for a guarantee, no such thing exists in the pharmaceutical business. Even Apotex, which is a gluten free manufacturer, will not make such a guarantee because of legal reasons. You just want to know if the ingredients come from wheat which you can't know by reading what the ingredients are on a list. I honestly don't know a thing about the ingredients in drugs, I always just call the manufacturer and talk to them. For anything I take regularly I call them every 3-6 months for a "checkup" to make sure they're still safe. I just ask if the it is gluten free, point out I'm not looking for a legal disclaimer, I just need to know if anything is sourced from wheat. They are always more than happy to help.

GF Lover Rising Star
GF Lover
Posted

Hi SFC, and Welcome to the Forum  :)

 

The ingredients as you listed look fine.  As Addy said, they have a typical CYA statement.  For me personally I would be satisfied and take the drug as prescribed.  If you have an adverse reaction to the drug it will not be caused by gluten.

 

Hope you feel better soon.

 

Colleen

sfc83 Rookie
sfc83
Posted
  • Author

I would just call them back and ask if any of the ingredients are sourced from wheat. You aren't asking for a guarantee, no such thing exists in the pharmaceutical business. Even Apotex, which is a gluten free manufacturer, will not make such a guarantee because of legal reasons. You just want to know if the ingredients come from wheat which you can't know by reading what the ingredients are on a list. I honestly don't know a thing about the ingredients in drugs, I always just call the manufacturer and talk to them. For anything I take regularly I call them every 3-6 months for a "checkup" to make sure they're still safe. I just ask if the it is gluten free, point out I'm not looking for a legal disclaimer, I just need to know if anything is sourced from wheat. They are always more than happy to help.

Thank you for your reply, Adalaide. This helps a lot.

sfc83 Rookie
sfc83
Posted
  • Author

Hi SFC, and Welcome to the Forum  :)

 

The ingredients as you listed look fine.  As Addy said, they have a typical CYA statement.  For me personally I would be satisfied and take the drug as prescribed.  If you have an adverse reaction to the drug it will not be caused by gluten.

 

Hope you feel better soon.

 

Colleen

Thanks Colleen, I am planning to give it a go with the drug. Hopefully all goes well.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,893
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    RyanDunn
    Newest Member
    RyanDunn
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • JulieRe
      Oral thrush question

      By JulieRe · Posted

      Hi Everyone,  I do appreciate your replies to my original post.   Here is where I am now in this journey.  I am currently seeing a Naturopath.  One thing I did not post before is that I take Esomeprazole for GERD.  My Naturopath believes that the decrease in the gastric acid has allowed the yeast to grow.    She has put me on some digestive enzymes.  She also put me on Zinc, Selenium, B 12, as she felt that I was not absorbing my vitamins. I am about 5 weeks into this treatment, and I am feeling better. I did not have any trouble taking the Fluconazole.  
    • Ceekay
      Gluten free beer ?

      By Ceekay · Posted

      I'm sure it's chemically perfect. Most of them taste lousy!        
    • Rejoicephd
      Oral thrush question

      By Rejoicephd · Posted

      Hi @JulieRe.  I just found your post.  It seems that I am also experiencing thrush, and my doctor believes that I have fungal overgrowth in my gut, which is most likely candida.  I'm seeing my GI doctor next week, so I'm hoping she can diagnose and confirm this and then give me an antifungal treatment.  In the meantime, I have been working with a functional medicine doctor, doing a candida cleanse and taking vitamins. It's already helping to make me feel better (with some ups and downs, of course), so I do think the yeast is definitely a problem for me on top of my celiac disease and I'm hoping my GI doctor can look into this a bit further.  So, how about you?  Did the candida come back, or is it still gone following your fluconazole treatment?  Also, was it awful to take fluconazole?  I understand that taking an antifungal can cause a reaction that sometimes makes people feel sick while they're taking it.  I hope you're doing better still !
    • Scott Adams
      Advice while waiting for testing

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I'm so sorry you're going through this—the "gluten challenge" is notoriously brutal, and it's awful to deliberately make yourself sick when you've already found the answer. For the joint pain, many people find that over-the-counter anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen can help take the edge off, and using heating pads or warm baths can provide some direct relief for the aches. For the digestive misery, stick to simple, easy-to-digest foods (like plain rice, bananas, and bone broth) and drink plenty of water and electrolytes to stay hydrated. It feels like the longest month ever, but you are doing the right thing to get a clear diagnosis, which can be crucial for your long-term health and getting the proper care. Hang in there; you can get through this! This article, and the comments below it, may be helpful:    
    • Scott Adams
      Gluten free beer ?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      Daura Damm (a sponsor here) uses AN-PEP enzymes and filtering in their brewing process to reduce/remove gluten, and it actually tests below 10ppm (I've see a document where they claim 5ppm). 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.