The digestive system is one of the most important organ systems of the body. If any organ gets diseased, it becomes quite difficult for people to carry on with daily activities. Irritable Bowel Syndrome is one of the most common disorders many people face.
Xifaxan is a great medication used in the treatment of common diseases like traveler’s diarrhea, hepatic encephalopathy, and IBS. Before considering it, one should know the foods to avoid while taking xifaxan, and other important things. Read the full article to know more about it.
What Is Xifaxan?
Xifaxan is an antibacterial medicine that is used in the treatment of traveler’s diarrhea. It is also useful in curing hepatic encephalopathy, a condition in which the liver doesn’t work properly.
Nowadays, it is prescribed by doctors for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome(IBS). There are some conditions and foods to avoid while taking xifaxan to eliminate mishaps.
IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a common disorder that affects one of the most important digestive tracts, the large intestine.
People with IBS usually experience symptoms like abdominal pain, gas, bloating, cramping, constipation or diarrhea, or both.
The xifaxan helps in eliminating bacterial growth in the gastrointestinal tract. IBS most commonly affects women more than men.
Which Foods To Avoid While Taking Xifaxan?
There are certain foods that we should avoid while taking Xifaxan. It is quite important to know these foods to avoid any major adversities. Let’s have a look at different foods to avoid while taking xifaxan for the best experience:
Carbonated Beverages:
Carbonated beverages are one of the foods one should avoid while taking xifaxan. It’s because they are fizzy and have lactose in them which can cause gas or any other intestinal discomfort. It is advisable to not take any juice as mostly they are high in fructose levels.
Milk:
Foods that contain lactose like Milk, Cheese, and Ice-cream should be avoided by lactose-intolerant people. Eating these may result in gas, bloating, and other intestinal discomforts especially for IBS sufferers.
Yogurt is a wonderful exception to dairy products one can eat without having an adverse intestinal effect.
Sugar-Free Chewing Gums:
People do argue over the intake of sugar-free chewing gums as they are prepared from artificial sweeteners. But they are unaware of the fact that these artificial sweeteners include sorbitol and xylitol.
These can cause diarrhea and gastrointestinal issues. Therefore, they fall under the category of foods to avoid while taking xifaxan.
Processed Foods:
Nearly every processed food contains a key ingredient, corn syrup which is used as a sweetener in them. Foods like sweets, soft drinks, snacks, and others have high fructose levels.
Consuming these foods can aggravate IBS symptoms. For IBS sufferers, it is advisable to avoid all high-fructose foods including fruits like pears, apples, and dried foods.
Caffeine:
Caffeine is one of the food items that can worsen the situation of diarrhea or increase the major symptoms of diarrhea. Therefore, one should avoid food items like coffee, cola drinks, chocolate, and tea.
It is also observed that headache pain relievers do have some similar effects as caffeine on IBS sufferers.
Things To Consider Before Taking Xifaxan :
One should consider some situations before taking the medication. These help their healthcare professional to weigh the benefit they can provide you. The things which one should thoroughly discuss with their professional are:
Allergies:
You should be sincere in telling your healthcare professional about the allergies you have faced with prior medicinal intake. You should also mention your allergy to food items or others faced.
Pregnancy Or Breast-feeding:
To eliminate any risk to the infant or mother, discuss your situation with the professional. They can provide you with a list of foods to avoid while taking xifaxan in the situation.
Other Medications:
If you’re on some other medication too, don’t take xifaxan without consulting your doctor. Tell your doctor about it for the best experience.
Age Of Sufferer:
Though, there are no appropriate adverse remarks of this medicine on children. But, one should consult their healthcare professional before providing it to children.
FAQs:
Q. What does xifaxan do to your stomach?
Xifaxan is an antibiotic that helps ease gastrointestinal problems.
Q. Should I avoid certain foods while taking xifaxan?
Yes, there are some foods you should avoid while taking xifaxan. They are directed by the doctor or pedestrian, you can check them in the above-mentioned article.
Q. Is xifaxan well-tolerated?
If you want me to answer it in one word, it’s a ‘Yes’. Xifaxan is a well-tolerated medicine which means most people don’t experience any major side effects of it.
Q. When is the best time to take xifaxan?
You should follow the scheduled time as directed by your doctor. The medicine is taken two times a day in case of diarrhea. You can schedule it at regular intervals like every twelve hours for the best effect.
Q. Can I drink milk while taking xifaxan?
As mentioned earlier, milk belongs to the category of foods to avoid while taking xifaxan. Therefore, it is advisable not to take xifaxan with any dairy products to avoid casualties.
Related Posts:
