Whipple's disease is a rare bacterial infection that most often affect the stomach and intestines. It impairs the abiity to break down fats and carbohydrates and make your body unable to absorb these nutritients. Symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramping and pain, and uninteded weight loss. Treatment includes long term antibiotics which generally lasts for one or two years. Initially two to four weeks of intravenous (IV) ceftriaxone (Rocephin) or penicillin are given. Then you take sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim/SMX-TMP (Bactrim, Septra) for one to two years. Your symptoms shold go away completely within about one month.
How is Whipple's disease treated in practice?