Flagyl Side Effects

[mslee]

Hi everyone,

So I am about halfway through my 14 day flagyl treatment (500mg/3x a day) but I haven't really started feeling better. My stool is much firmer, but other than that I have horrible headaches, the nausea is almost unreal, and the cramping keeps me up at night. I know that some of these are normal affects and flagyl can be hard on your body, but when should I go to my doctor about a different treatment. It's almost become unbearable because all I want is to eat but when I sit down to I want to throw up.

Some helpful opinions or personal experience would be much appreciated. Thanks everyone!

[NanciT]

mslee,

Call the doctor, let them know the Flagyl is making you very sick. It is a very harsh drug to take. Maybe they would try Vancomycin instead. I was not able to take Flagyl after 4 days, it made me very sick.

I had alot of nausea throughout CDIFF. I bought Sea Bands at the pharmacy and wore on my wrist, they helped me a great deal.
Feel better soon
NanciT

[Lisa33]

Flagyl is very hard to tolerate. I somehow got through a 10 day course of it, but relapsed two weeks later. My GI put me back on the Flagyl, and for some reason, the second time around was a whole lot worse. It made me sicker than the c-diff. I had intense nausea, zero appetite, headaches, fogginess, extreme fatigue and a furry tongue. After 9 days of hell, I was switched to vanco. It was like night and day. I had no side effects from the vanco, and a 14 day course cured me. If you cannot tolerate the Flagyl anymore, I agree with Nanci and call your doctor and see if you can be switched to vanco. However, it sounds like the Flagyl is working since your stools firmed up, which is a great sign.

Make sure you drink a lot of water to stay hydrated. It also helps with the nasty taste in your mouth from the Flagyl.

Lisa

[georgina]

Hi mslee
I'm so sorry your are feeling unwell.Agree with Lisa and Nanci , if you can't tolerate Flagyl ask to be switched to Vanco , it has almost no side effects , kills less good flora and has a higher cure rate. Flagyl made me sick as well , I was vomiting non-stop , stomach pain , fatigue , racing heart , difficulty breathing etc.

[Dukiemom]

Flagyl caused nausea, tingling hands and feet, headaches and confusion every time I had to take it (which I did for infections prior to cdiff as well as cdiff). Vanco and Dificid caused none of this for me. I hope you get switched soon. Prayers.

[mslee]

So I went to see the doctor yesterday who was very rude to me and all he gave me was some medicine to help with my nausea which has helped a lot. I was able to eat yesterday.

But since he didn't switch me, I'm just curious what other people stories for relapsing on Flagyl has been? Have you noticed that it happened at home from spores or from being on antibiotics again?

Thank you everyone for the great support though! This page has really been a blessing.

[NikaNik]

Hi, mslee,

So sorry you're dealing with c diff and the side effects from Flagyl. For me, Flagyl was almost worse than c diff itself. I also had nausea with it and was prescribed zofran which helped a bit.

As far as relapses, for me (and I think a lot of folks here) relapses within 90 days of our initial infection were due to the initial infection not being eradicated in the gut (not from other antibiotics or from spores being re-ingested at home, since most folks practice good hygiene at home rather than, say, patients at a hospital where some folks can't/don't wash their hands and c diff is more easily ingested).

I relapsed a week after Flagyl, a week after Vanco and finally sought out a c diff specialist in NYC who put me on a 30-day taper of Dificid with a product called Enteragam which is supposed to disable c diff toxins, heal the gut and help with IBS. I'm just over a year out from my last Dificid and doing really well, thankfully! For about 5 months after treatment my gut was a bit sensitive with some minor IBS, but as more time went on I kept adding more and more foods and can now eat just about anything, even dairy, with no issues. In the throes of c diff I never imagined I'd be feeling so well or that I would go back to eating all the foods I loved so much. We are Italian so food is always around and I was depressed to not have an appetite for so long, or worrying I would never enjoy so much of what we eat - but I can, just like before! I'm very grateful. There is hope!

Hang in there and know that you've found a great place for support!

Blessings,
Nikki

[Acres]

Hi,
I had to stop taking Flagyl after a very short period of time. It also gave me the worst headaches ever and made my D more severe.
Dificid worked for me...
Scott

[Drm]

I have just called my doctor and let them know I want to be switched to vancomycin today. I have been calling consistently over the past week being almost unable to bear this nausea. This morning my tounge looks coated and feels furry. I have been sicker on the meds than I was off of them. I have been so frustrated that the doctor seems unconcerned and just keeps saying if symptoms persist, go to the ER. Going to the hospital is what helped get me here. I am doing my best to push fluids and hoping this nightmare ends soon. Thanks for everyone on this page, it has been help just to know I am not suffering alone. Hopefully this doctor will call in the new prescription today. I am also trying to get a referral to another doctor.

[Bobbie]

Keep calling and insisting on vanco.,As you can see, you are not alone. Many cannot tolerate flagyl.

[cdiffrun]

I don't see that anyone mentioned flagyl (metronidazole's) reactivity with alcohol. Do not drink and take flagyl, you're gonna have a bad time! Worst hangover effect of your life.

[Ril]

I doubt that anyone with active c diff alone would think of drinking alcohol, no less someone with c diff also sick from taking Flagyl!

[Drm]

Finally got the insurance company to approve my vanco yesterday and what a difference it has made! I haven't taken a nausea pill in 24 hours and though I surely don't feel great, my D is not so D anymore! If you are struggling with flagyl don't stop calling your doctor or your insurance company until you get what you need. I stopped the Flagyl 2 days before they finally approved my vancomycin and was afraid of the time period being unmedicated, but at this point it was definitely worth it. At least I feel like I can breathe without wanting to vomit. I encourage anyone who is struggling with this harsh drug to keep bugging your doctors until you get some help,

[Lisa33]

That is so great that you are feeling better. Vanco was a Godsend for me too. Flagyl made me sicker than the c-diff. I felt sooo much better within 24-48 hours of switching to vanco.

Wishing you continued improvement,
Lisa

[georgina]

Glad that Vanco is working for you. Flagyl is awful drug , lots of side effects , i had the worst nausea with it and was vomitting every sip of water or tea i was drinking. Couldn't do a full course of it and after 7 days i got switched to vanco and felt great while on it. Vanco has a higher cure rate then Flagyl and kills less good gut flora.Hope this does the trick for you!