Drugs & Supplements

flagyl and alcohol

Can we take Flagyl and alcohol together? Not only Flagyl, can we take any antibiotics and alcohol together? You must have come here to know the answer to this question. Metronidazole that comes under Flagyl shall not be taken together with alcohol. The Flagyl side effects, when taken together with alcohol, is explained below. The metronidazole alcohol relationship is present as follows:

It may cause side effects like alcohol diarrhoea. You may have heard some metronidazole and alcohol myths. In the article below, we have also discussed the occurrence of metronidazole gel over the country. Similarly, the relationship between metronidazole and pregnancy is also discussed.

Metronidazole, merchandise under the brand name Flagyl. Metronidazole is a common antibiotic which is prescribed as an oral tablet, and it also comes as a vaginal suppository and a topical cream. It is used either alone or with other antibiotics to treat pelvic inflammatory disease, endocarditis, and bacterial vaginosis.

It’s also no myth that you should not combine Flagyl along with alcohol

Key points: Flagyl and alcohol

Serious interactions can occur from talking Flagyl and alcohol. Because of this reason, avoid drinking during taking Flagyl. Important points to remember about Flagyl and alcohol include:

  • It is not recommended to drink alcohol while taking antibiotics like Flagyl
  • Even a small amount of alcohol can react badly with Flagyl. This is a major reason to avoid flagyl intake in addition of alcohol.
  • Likewise the combination of Flagyl and alcohol/ metronidazole and alcohol can cause serious side effects including hot flashes, blood pressures changes and many more.
  • If you need to take antibiotics and plan on drinking alcohol, be sure to tell your doctor about taking things along.
  • If you are finishing up a course of Flagyl, wait a few days before drinking alcohol.

Flagyl and alcohol side effects

It has long been thought of that consuming alcohol while taking Flagyl causes adverse reactions in the body. However, the popular notion of Flagyl and alcohol interaction] is being debunked by recent researchers.

On its own, metronidazole can cause the following side effects:

  • Diarrhoea
  • Discoloured urine
  • Tingling hands and feet
  • Dry mouth

These can be unpleasant, but drinking alcohol within three days of taking metronidazole can cause additional unwanted effects, too. The most common is face flushing, but other possible effects include:

Further mixing Flagyl with alcohol or metronidazole with alcohol can cause severe side effects. These includes:

  • A sudden drop in blood pressure
  • Rapid heart rate
  • Liver damage.
  • Stomach pain
  • Hot flashes

Also Read: Is it safe to Mix Metformin and alcohol?

Medical uses of metronidazole

Metronidazole can treat certain infections caused by bacteria. This includes bacterial infections which are as follows:

  • Bacterial vaginosis
  • Pelvic inflammatory disease
  • Pseudomembranous colitis
  • Aspiration pneumonia
  • Rosacea (tropical)
  • Fungating wounds
  • Intra-abdominal infections
  • Lung abscess
  • Periodontitis
  • Amoebiasis
  • Oral infections
  • Giardiasis
  • Trichomoniasis

It is also used to treat the infections caused by susceptible anaerobic organisms such as Bacteroides, fusobacterium, Clostridium, Peptostreptococcus, and Prevotella species. It is also often used to eradicate Helicobacter pylori along with other drugs and to counteract infection in people recovering from aciurgy.

Safety consideration of metronidazole and alcohol

Whether to take antibiotics and alcohol together or not is something that you know now from this article. Now it’s time to know more safety consideration while using metronidazole or such antibiotics.

Not only alcohol with metronidazole, there are some other factors as well that you need to take care of while using metronidazole.

Liver or kidney disease

Metronidazole is among those antibiotics that can act hard on your liver and kidneys. The disease can become even worse by taking metronidazole. This is one of those things that needs to be taken care of besides using metronidazole with alcohol. If you have liver or kidney disease, your doctor may have to limit the dose or even provide a different drug.

Exposure to sun

Metronidazole is one of those antibiotics that make your skin more sensitive to sun. In the case that you are using metronidazole, you should limit your exposure to sun. You can also use sunscreen, hats, long-sleeved clothes to avoid exposure to sun when you go outside.

Using blood thinners

One of the properties of metronidazole is that it increases the effectiveness of blood thinners. This may result in abnormal bleeding if you use metronidazole along with blood thinners like warfarin. In the case that you are using blood thinners, your doctor will either decrease the

Crohn’s disease

If a person with existing Crohn’s disease takes metronidazole, the disease can be more complicated. In the case of such persons, doctors either adjust the dose of the antibiotics or change the drug.

Doctor’s voice on antibiotics and alcohol

While taking metronidazole, it is best that you avoid the intake of alcohol. Using this antibiotics and alcohol together can cause complications besides the regular side effects of the drug. Sometimes this effect can even be severe. Normally while treatments, doctors prescribe to use metronidazole for as long as 10 days. However, you should wait more 3 days before you go for a drink.

Summary

It is best to avoid Flagyl and alcohol or any antibiotics and alcohol. Alcohol can cause reactions in accretion to the regular side effects of this drug. Some of these counterpoises can be severe. The typical length of treatment with this drug is only 10 days, and it’s better to wait at least three more days after your last dose before reaching a drink. In the scheme of things, this treatment is short. Waiting it out before drinking could save you a good deal of trouble.

General FAQs

When can I drink alcohol after taking Flagyl?

Manufactures of metronidazole advise that you should avoid drinking alcohol while taking the antibiotics and for finishing the course. This is because it takes roughly 48 hours for metronidazole to be cleared from the body of an average adult.

Does alcohol make metronidazole less effective?

Combining antibiotics and alcohol can increase these side effects. A few antibiotics- such as metronidazole (Flagyl), tinidazole (Tindamax), and sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim- should not be mixed with alcohol because this may result in a more severe reaction.

Does Flagyl makes you tired?

Falgyl in my experience is one of the crappy drugs. Thanks for the acknowledgement. No, previous flares didn’t make me this exhausted. Tired yes.

Can I take 3 metronidazole a day?

Adults- the tablet can be given 3 different ways: as a single dose of 2 grams, as 1 gram 2 times a day, or as 250 milligrams 3 times a day for 7 days. The capsule dosage is 375 mg 2 times a day for 7 days. Children-use and dosage must be dogged by your doctor.
Source
wikipediaHealthline

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