How many hours should be between the evening and morning dose of Rifaximin?
Ideally, 10-12 daylight hours between the doses.
Why does Rifaximin failure happen?
/in /by Dr. NWe have a video discussing this in the NN Video Library. It’s listed in the problem-solving section.
Is there such a thing as rifaximin failure?
/in /by Dr. NUnfortunately, yes. Approximately 10-15% of the children under Dr. Nemechek’s care for autism do not respond to rifaximin in any manner. The numbers are roughly the same for adults under Dr. Nemechek’s supervision. nnDr. Nemechek believes the main reason is that in the case of this small percentage of children, the bacterial overgrowth IS NOT from colonic bacteria (fish), as portrayed in his book. Recent studies in adults have discovered that the bacteria in almost 20% of individuals with SIBO comes from the mouth and throat (oropharynx) and not the colon. This information came to light after the publication of the 2nd edition of Dr. Nemechek’s book.nnRifaximin has NO EFFECT on bacteria that originate from the oropharynx, and as such, children who are overgrown with oropharyngeal bacteria will not respond to rifaximin.nnDr. Nemechek is presently working through the best and safest approach to this problem with a group of children that did not improve with rifaximin. Despite some successes, Dr. Nemechek recommends that children seek the assistance of local gastroenterologists for help with the treatment of bacterial overgrowth.
How can I know if Rifaximin is working?
/in /by Dr. NAfter completing the 10-day course of rifaximin and starting the fish oil and olive oil, parents will ask how they determine whether the doses are correct for their child. There are two things I look for when assessing the effectiveness of treatment.nnFirst, the reversal of bacterial overgrowth with one course (10 days) of rifaximin will lead to a drop in propionic acid and often the awakening period. This is a period when the child becomes more aware, has more eye contact, more alertness, and more engagement, but may have more stimming or insomnia.nnSecondly, if the intestinal bacteria blend has been rebalanced and the proper amounts of fish oil and olive oil are given, there should be a noticeable increase in the rate of neurological development within the next few months. If there is no significant improvement after 2-3 months, I assume the intestinal bacteria are rapidly relapsing, and more frequent dosing of rifaximin is needed.
Can a child get too much Rifaximin? Are there toxic effects from using rifaximin over the long term?
/in /by Dr. NOne of the advantages of rifaximin is that little to no rifaximin enters the bloodstream, making it almost impossible for rifaximin to cause a side effect outside of the intestinal tract. Rifaximin has been used continuously in adults with severe liver disease for nearly 30 years, and no cumulative, long-term adverse effects of rifaximin have ever been noted.
What happens if my child gets higher dosage of rifaximin?
/in /by Dr. NWe show the doses of rifaximin that Dr. Nemechek uses for his patients. These dosages have proven to be safe and effective and higher doses are not used.
My child cannot swallow Rifaximin tablets. Can I crush them?
/in /by Dr. NRifaximin tablets can be crushed and mixed with other foods or drink. Because of its bitter taste, consider mixing it with something such as fruit juice.
What is the earliest age I can give Rifaximin?
/in /by Dr. NI have never prescribed rifaximin for children less than 3 years of age.
My doctor is unwilling to write a prescription for rifaximin for my child. How can I get them to understand the protocol and that Rifaximin is safe?
/in /by Dr. NDoctors are trained to be skeptical of treatments that are not yet mainstream. They are unaware of the research suggesting that autism is an inflammatory disorder and that bacterial overgrowth seems to be involved.nnYou can try to convince with something they understand, peer-reviewed research. Print these following papers out and give them to your physician. With a bit of luck, they will review them and might be willing to help you out.nnResources to give your doctor:nOverview of The Nemechek ProtocolnRifaximin is safe in childrennSIBO Review in ChildrennHigh Incidence of SIBO in Children with Autismn
Is it possible you can become resistant to Rifaximin? And if you or your child is on continuous should you take a break after a period of continuous use?
/in /by Dr. NThe development of long-term bacterial resistance to rifaximin is extremely rare even with continuous, daily dosing over a year or more. Although bacterial resistance to rifaximin occurs very rarely, the resistance quickly disappears after discontinuing rifaximin for only a few weeks. The rifaximin can then be restarted with the same positive effect.