Aemcolo
Aemcolo (rifamycin) is an antibiotic that you take for 3 days to treat travelers’ diarrhea caused by E. coli. It's different from other antibiotics for travelers' diarrhea because it doesn't affect your whole body, only your gut where the infection is happening.
What is Aemcolo (rifamycin)?
What is Aemcolo (rifamycin) used for?
- Travelers’ diarrhea
How Aemcolo (rifamycin) works
Aemcolo (rifamycin) is an antibiotic that works by blocking a protein that E. coli needs to survive and reproduce (grow). This helps treat travelers’ diarrhea because it stops E. coli from growing.
Drug facts
Side effects of Aemcolo (rifamycin)
The following side effects may get better over time as your body gets used to the medication. Let your healthcare provider know immediately if you continue to experience these symptoms or if they worsen over time.
Common Side Effects
- Constipation (4%)
- Headache (3%)
- Indigestion or upset stomach (less than 2%)
Less Common Side Effects
- Stomach pain
- Fever
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Pros and cons of Aemcolo (rifamycin)
Pros
- Only need to take it for a short time (3 days)
- Not many side effects
- Works well to treat travelers' diarrhea caused by E. coli
- Not systemically absorbed (doesn't affect your whole body) like other medications for travelers' diarrhea
Cons
- Must take each dose with a full beverage (6 to 8 ounces)
- Not available as a generic, which may make it more expensive
- Not meant to treat travelers' diarrhea that comes with a fever and/or bloody stool
- Needs to be taken twice a day
Pharmacist tips for Aemcolo (rifamycin)
- Take Aemcolo (rifamycin) with a full glass of water, juice, or soda. Don't take it with alcohol, however, because this can affect how the medication is absorbed in your body.
- Make sure to take all of the Aemcolo (rifamycin) your provider prescribes to clear up your infection, even if you start to feel better before finishing the entire course.
- If your diarrhea lasts longer than 48 hours or gets worse while you're taking Aemcolo (rifamycin), contact your provider right away because something else could be making you sick.
- Let your provider know if you develop a fever or bloody stools because Aemcolo (rifamycin) might not work for you.
- If you're traveling with your Aemcolo (rifamycin) bottle, make sure to keep the medication within the closed container at room temperature. Keep it away from heat or moisture.
- You shouldn’t break, chew, or crush the tablets because doing so can cause the medication to be released too fast and put you at higher risk for side effects.
Common questions about Aemcolo (rifamycin)
Generally, you should only take Aemcolo (rifamycin) to treat travelers’ diarrhea, not to prevent it from happening. Taking Aemcolo (rifamycin) without an infection can wipe out the good, protective bacteria from your gut, which can invite bad, harmful bacteria that’s hard to treat.
Take Aemcolo (rifamycin) with something to drink like a full glass of water or juice, but not alcohol. It doesn’t matter if you take it with food.
Take Aemcolo (rifamycin) for the full amount of time your provider prescribed. Usually this medication is taken for 3 days. If you start to feel better and stop taking Aemcolo (rifamycin) too soon, your diarrhea could come back and be harder to treat.
Although they sound similar, Aemcolo (rifamycin) and rifampin (Rifadin) are two different medications. They're both antibacterial medications, but rifampin is used for different types of infections, including tuberculosis. Their names are similar because they're both a part of the same group of antibiotics called "rifamycins." Aemcolo (rifamycin) was developed first, then rifampin was developed later.
In a large clinical study, it took about 48 hours on average for people to have fewer soft stools.
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Risks and warnings for Aemcolo (rifamycin)
Aemcolo (rifamycin) can cause some serious health issues. This risk may be even higher for certain groups. If this worries you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist about other options.
Diarrhea with fever and/or bloody stools
- Risk factors: Travelers' diarrhea with fever and/or bloody stools
In clinical studies, Aemcolo (rifamycin) didn't work for people with diarrhea plus fever or bloody stools. In fact, it took longer for their diarrhea to go away. Aemcolo (rifamycin) also won't work for travelers' diarrhea caused by germs other than E. coli. Tell your provider if your diarrhea gets worse or lasts longer than 2 days after starting Aemcolo (rifamycin). They might want you to take another antibiotic instead.
C. difficile-associated diarrhea
Sometimes, taking antibiotics like Aemcolo (rifamycin) can wipe out the good bacteria in your gut, which can cause a bacteria called C. difficile to grow. C. difficile is a serious infection that can make you very sick and can happen even 2 months after taking Aemcolo (rifamycin). Make sure to call your provider if you develop diarrhea even after completing your Aemcolo (rifamycin) course.
Developing resistant bacteria
Don't take Aemcolo (rifamycin) if you don't have travelers' diarrhea or if you're just trying to prevent travelers' diarrhea. This can raise your risk of developing an infection that's harder to treat with typical antibiotics.
Aemcolo (rifamycin) dosage
Package| Dosage | Quantity | Price as low as | Price per unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 tablets of 194mg | 1 package | $190.45 | $190.45 |
Typical dosage for Aemcolo (rifamycin)
Each tablet contains 194 mg of Aemcolo (rifamycin). The typical dose of Aemcolo (rifamycin) is 388 mg (two tablets) by mouth twice a day for 3 days.
How much does Aemcolo (rifamycin) cost?
$190.45
What are alternatives to Aemcolo (rifamycin)?
Adults
Azithromycin (Zithromax) can treat certain types of:
Children
Azithromycin (Zithromax) can treat certain types of: