Metronidazole is an antibiotic and antiprotozoal medication used to treat bacterial infections. Drinking alcohol while taking metronidazole results in unpleasant side effects that may range from mild to severe. It is highly recommended not to mix alcohol and metronidazole together. After you consume alcohol, your body begins breaking it down. First, it turns the alcohol into acetaldehyde. Acetaldehyde is a toxic compound that causes the undesirable effects of alcohol.
Next, the body uses an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase to reduce acetaldehyde to acetate. Metronidazole stops this enzyme from working.
This means that someone taking Flagyl cannot metabolize alcohol properly. Acetaldehyde stays in their bloodstream, causing a toxic buildup. As a result, stomach and digestion-related side effects of metronidazole may be increased by alcohol consumption. Alcohol also can lower your seizure threshold.
Because seizures are a side effect of metronidazole, people with a history of seizures should be extra careful to avoid alcohol while taking the medication. This may be a cause of the disulfiram-like reaction that some scientists have observed. Disulfiram is a medication used to treat alcohol use disorder. It causes unwanted effects when someone drinks alcohol while taking the medication.
There have been reports of people having disulfiram-like reactions when mixing alcohol and metronidazole. This includes:. It should be mentioned that this disulfiram-like reaction has not been proven to be a scientific fact. Severe reactions may be a result of alcohol use, metronidazole use, the combination, or other unknown factors.
The effects of mixing Flagyl and alcohol seem to vary greatly from person to person. Since there is no way to know what sort of adverse effects will occur, it's best for everyone who takes metronidazole to avoid alcohol for the entire duration of the prescription.
Yes, alcohol makes metronidazole less effective at healing infections. Even if you do not experience any of the negative side effects associated with mixing the two, you are at risk for not eliminating the problems if you drink alcohol while taking metronidazole. Because of this risk, you should avoid alcohol while you're taking these medications.
You should continue to avoid alcohol for 48 hours after you stop taking metronidazole and 72 hours after you stop taking tinidazole. Things like mouthwash and other medicines sometimes contain alcohol, so you should also avoid using these while you're taking metronidazole or tinidazole. There are some antibiotics that can sometimes interact with alcohol, so you should be wary of drinking alcohol if you're taking:.
Some antibiotics have a variety of side effects, such as causing sickness and dizziness, which might be made worse by drinking alcohol. It's best to avoid drinking alcohol while feeling unwell anyway, as the alcohol itself can make you feel worse. At this time, you may also want to start looking into specialized addiction treatment programs. This, of course, is vital to your overall health, but there are other benefits.
Perhaps most importantly, getting your drinking habits under control ensures that, should you have to take a prescription medication like Flagyl again in the future, you can be confident that you will be able to do so safely. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.
Previous Next. View Larger Image. Table of Contents Understanding the Risks of Mixing Flagyl and Alcohol Recognizing a Potential Underlying Drinking Problem Safely Quitting Flagyl and Alcohol Use Though it can cause a myriad of problems, it is not uncommon for patients to ignore warnings to avoid alcohol while taking certain medications.
Understanding the Risks of Mixing Flagyl and Alcohol The primary risk that comes with mixing Flagyl and alcohol is not that the antibiotic would be ineffective; rather, the main danger is that the interaction between the two can have severe physical side effects. Recognizing a Potential Underlying Drinking Problem One of the most significant indicators of addiction is the inability to convince yourself to stop doing something even when you know the results could be hazardous, even fatal.
The form your doctor prescribes, the dose and how long you'll need to take the medicine for depends on the type of infection and how serious it is.
Some infections can be treated with a single dose, while others may need a 2 week course. Children's doses are lower and depend on the age or weight of your child. Follow the instructions from your doctor or pharmacist. Metronidazole tablets should be swallowed whole with a drink of water, after you've eaten some food.
Metronidazole liquid does not need to be taken after food. This medicine comes with a plastic syringe or spoon to help you measure out the right dose. If you do not have one, ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it will not give the right amount. Your doctor may prescribe metronidazole suppositories if you have difficulty swallowing medicines.
Metronidazole suppositories are usually used 3 times a day. Follow the instructions that come in the packaging with your medicine. If you need to take several doses of metronidazole a day, try to space them evenly. For example, if you take your medicine 3 times a day, this could be first thing in the morning, mid-afternoon, and at bedtime.
It's very important to keep taking metronidazole for as long as your doctor has prescribed it. Carry on taking this medicine until you have finished the course, even if you feel better.
If you stop your treatment early, the infection could come back. If you forget to take a dose, take it as soon as you remember, unless it's nearly time for your next dose. In this case, just leave out the missed dose and take your next dose as normal. Never take 2 doses at the same time. Never take an extra dose to make up for a forgotten one. If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to remember your medicines.
Accidentally taking an extra dose of metronidazole is unlikely to harm you or your child. Speak to your pharmacist or doctor if you're worried or you take more than 1 extra dose.
When metronidazole cream or gel is prescribed for rosacea, you'll normally use it twice a day for about 2 months. Treatment can sometimes last longer.
If you're using the cream or gel for a skin infection, or infected ulcers or wounds, it's usual to put it on once or twice a day. Follow your doctor or pharmacist's instructions, and continue treatment until your infection has healed. Put a thin layer of cream or gel onto the area you're treating and rub it in very gently. Try to avoid getting it into your eyes, as it can sting. If you do get some in your eye, wash it out immediately with cold water. It's very important to keep using metronidazole cream or gel for as long as your doctor has prescribed it.
Carry on using this medicine until you have finished the course, even if you feel better. If you forget to use metronidazole cream or gel, put it on as soon as you remember, unless it's nearly time for your next dose. Do not use it more than twice a day unless your doctor tells you to. Then continue to use the cream or gel at the usual time. If you put on too much cream or gel - or if you get some in your mouth - it's unlikely to harm you. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor if you're worried, or if you or your child accidentally swallow a lot of it.
For treating bacterial vaginosis, you'll use an applicator to put the metronidazole gel into your vagina.
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