Metronidazole Lasting Side Effects (Page 61)

I have been taking this medication for 7 days and off of it since a week and still have severe side effects, abdominal cramps, severe headaches, dizziness, unsteadiness... How long is it expected to last? It was prescribed with Ciprofloxacin to me and I take Entrophen on a regular basis...

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Re: BAH (# 1200)

I really hope this helps! A lot of us with metronidazole toxicity, myself included, are giving this a try:

A couple of things: You need high doses of thiamine for this to be effective. It's okay to work your way up, but the standard 50 mg's to 100 mg's a day on the bottle--it ain't gonna cut it in the long run. I didn't even feel any difference until I doubled to 200 mg's a day; now I'm up to 450 mg's daily (300 at lunch, 150 at dinner) and plan to go up to 550 mg's this weekend.

Thiamine is non-toxic and it's hard to overdose on because it's a water-soluble vitamin. However, prolonged use at high doses might imbalance the other B-vitamins, so eventually--not now--get a B-complex vitamin. I say "not now" because, if you're thiamine deficient, then taking a B-complex will further imbalance your B-vitamins because of the deficiency (a lot of MT toxicity victims end up on B12 and it seems to make them worse--maybe this is why?).

Second, you need magnesium. Avoid magnesium stearate--it's cheap stuff. There are better versions available--I like magnesium powder like Natural Calm (the Vitamin Shoppe has this). You can overdose on magnesium, so don't go overboard on it.

This won't be a quick fix--it might be weeks before you notice a difference (if I'm correct, of course. That's the question!).

Good luck! Keep me posted!

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Re: Erin (# 1199)

Oh Erin, I’m almost in tears because of your research! It makes perfect sense to me! I’ve been suffering a bit of a relapse the last couple of days and panicking over the thought that maybe the diverticulitis was coming back. However, the symptoms feel more like the side effects I was experiencing before, after taking metronidazole...but I’ve been doing so well lately and thought I must be completely healed. The last couple of days I’ve been experiencing the lack of ambition feelings, or brain fog, the fear feelings, the headache and skipping heart, the numb face....most of which was prevalent with the side effects rather than the diverticulitis. But I kept thinking of how well I’ve been doing and couldn’t think it was a repeat of the side effects. Your post was SO timely, and made me realize how stressed I’ve been although feeling “myself” again. My dad died in September and my mother-in-law died in November, and my husband and I have had the weight of helping my mother through her loss, and cleaning her home, and helping with all the legal details, and then we had to clean out his moms house and finalize her estate. It has been a STRESSFUL couple of months, and we don’t always “feel” stress as we percolate through it. I have always been a little deficient in B vitamins, but didn’t know about thiamine....the symptoms you listed describe me a lot! Once again you have come through with a well reasoned comment and research that seems to be right on. Thank you! I will do like BAH suggests and go get some. I always take a B complex every day, so I’m not sure if I should forego that while taking the thiamine, or if I should also take B1. I have heard over the years that folks who are deficient in B1 are very attractive to mosquitos, and I’ve always been a mosquito smorgasbord! LOL! Again, thank you thank you thank you!

Also, I take magnesium but I heard from a nutritionist year’s ago that I should take magnesium sulfate....epsom salts. I cap it up and take it for a normal heart arrhythmia, and I have done that for years. The interesting thing is how my heart raced and jumped after the metronidazole, even taking lots of magnesium. The drawback of taking it that way is it does cause some laxitive effect, so you need to not overdo it.

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Re: Kherbear (# 2)

go to the ER. NOW or maybe yesterday! If your throat is swollen and you have sores then this is really the time to go see a doctor.. ER is fine.

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Re: BJH (# 759)

hi im on flagyl as we speak and im experiencing low blood pressure and facial numbness as well as my hands i would like to know if you experienced these issues and whether or not you feel better know.

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Re: ppw (# 1204)

I took this med in Sept 2016 and experienced all kinds of symptoms, however, not as bad as many people have had. Main symptoms were dizziness, lack of concentration, lack of focus, difficulty walking, polyneurapthy, forgetfulness, etc. I was lucky in that my eye doctor noticed the change in me and called my doctor and told her to get me in the office and see what was wrong!! I was given PT and did some tai chi and yoga stuff which helped a great deal. One lady in this group did some research and found that it could be an issue with Thiamine. I'd suggest you search down through these posts and find that info and see if you can get better faster using that information. One thing for certain - never take that stuff again!!
I don't know if this is helpful or not.??

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Re: ppw (# 1204)

Hi, PPW. Yes, BAH is right--these are all symptoms of metronidazole toxicity.
Specifically, it's autonomic dysfunction (the low BP) and polyneuropathy (numbness in face and hands is common for this). First, stop taking the drug now and get on something else. The only other drugs to avoid are Cipro, Levaquin and Avelox--they are fluoroquinolone antibiotics and can be worse than metronidazole, so I always caution people away from those.

Next, it is my belief that metronidazole toxicity causes thiamine deficiency--the symptoms are identical. You can see my previous posts further down this page for details, but if you agree, then start supplementing thiamine NOW. Don't wait!

1) Thiamine HCL is available at local health food stores; it's water soluble (hard to overdose on) and non-toxic. Start slow, allow your body to adjust--100 mg's the first few days, then move up to 200 mg's. As long as you're tolerating it well, keep moving up every 3 to 5 days until you get to 600 mg's a day. There are versions of thiamine HCL that are 300 mg's, so you can take one in the morning and one at dinner. ALWAYS TAKE WITH FOOD. Thiamine is pretty easy on the body, but it makes me burp if I don't take with food, so lunch and dinner would be good times.

2) Take magnesium as well. You must supplement magnesium with thiamine--they go together. Without magnesium, don't bother with the thiamine (it's that important). Oral magnesium comes in pill or powder form--I prefer powder as I can better control the dosage. It dissolves in hot water and you can't even taste it.

3) After a couple of weeks, switch to Allithiamine. It's available online and it's a fat soluble version of thiamine (starting with the thiamine HCL will give time for the Allithiamine to arrive). Start slow--50 mg's (as it's stronger than regular thiamine) and work up. After a few days, go to 100 mg's, then 4 to 7 days later, up again to 150. You can go up to 250 mg's (maybe even more if needed). Since you're having neuropathy issues, this would be your thiamine of choice--because it's fat soluble, it helps repair nerves far better than regular thiamine.

If you are severely deficient in thiamine, then you could have what's called a "paradoxical" reaction to it when you start. It's temporary, but that's why you start slow. Your body has adjusted to not having what it needs; therefore, when you overwhelm it, it can reject it at first. Think about a starving man--you don't give him a large pizza when he hasn't eaten in weeks. He'll throw it up! But it's not because his body doesn't need food--it's adjusted to not having it. If you do have a paradoxical reaction, this just further confirms that thiamine deficiency is the problem. But little steps, allow your body to adjust. Work your way up.

Feel better!

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Re: Erin (# 1206)

Thank you erin for your very insightful comments and suggestion. I will head out today to purchase some thiamine. Surprisingly yesterday I felt better even though I am still taking flagyl, my doc says I just need to deal with the symptoms because if I dont I will probably regret it which is his way of telling me that I will end up in the emergency room and then hospitalised. He told me I have a bad c diff infection (medical history crohn's disease, fistula, surgery, horseshoe abscess, possible pots, arthritis, Rx humira, lorazepam) so I'm still on it. The thing that made me feel better yesterday was a combination of acupuncture and barley tea believe it or not the numbness was very faint. And my bp was better too. I had some shakiness last night but that slowly went away following my regular dose of lorazepam. Thank you so much for your reply. I will also continue to take my magnesium.

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Re: ppw (# 1207)

Hate to say this, but doctors are clueless when it comes to adverse drug reactions. BAH has a doctor who believes her--that's the exception, not the rule. You are gambling with your health if you're having symptoms like this.

Ask for vancomycin--it can take care of c diff just as well as metronidazole. The choice is yours, of course, but doctors don't believe in adverse drug reactions.

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Re: ppw (# 1207)

I hate to say this, but doctors don't believe in adverse drug reactions. Of the dozens of people I've spoken to who have metronidazole toxicity, I only know 3 who have doctors who believe then about the drug.

You can take vancomycin instead of metronidazole for c diff. It's powerful but it doesn't enter the blood stream.

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Re: ppw (# 1204)

hi bjw its sucks right i was doing better yesterday after having acupuncture and barley tea (cold) but right now i feel numbness and some pins the other thing that helped me was 4 shakes of salt in water followed by another glass of water with 3 shakes of salt do u have any other med issues like my self

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ppw (# 1209) --

I don't know about salts, but what you're describing sounds like peripheral neuropathy. That's due to nerve damage and metronidazole has a warning on its FDA label for this exact problem. Nerve damage heals very slowly and can sometimes even be permanent. Please get on another antibiotic now.

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Re: Erin (# 1208)

You are right about doctors not wanting to admit the side effects, but strangely, ask a veterinarian! They say the adverse effects in dogs is rare, but they readily admit that it has neurological side effects in humans!

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Re: Erin (# 1208)

Hi Erin, I was poisoned 2 half years ago. The 1st year was hell and after that it's been up and down - currently down. Was hoping to see how others and yourself have been? Thanks.

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Re: Erin (# 1211)

Hi Erin, I do not know if u are the same person as the author of the article on hormones matter but was wondering if u get flares that are like pots dysautonomia symptoms? I currently have this with a recent viral / bacterial bronchitis and my oxygen super low (76 at times) and heart rate super high doing anything. I looked through my journal and I had this a lot since poisoned but not the infection I have now on top of it. I am wondering if the thiamine helped and if u had these symptoms how bad was the shortness of breath and tightness. I feel many times was brought on by hear in past. I also wonder if u think underlying viruses had anything to do with our reaction to being poisoned? I am prescribed Zithromax and predisone, I have been takin very low dose of amoxicillin n aleve prior. When I don't take them I feel like I'm getting refloxed symptoms u have any suggestions? We're u able to tolerate any of those drugs above or had to take anything since u got sick have any adverse reactions? Any advice would be helpful sorry soo lengthy, thanks for all ur research and trying help rest of us suffering here.

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I am going to look into purchasing Thiamine but I read that nutritional yeast has high amounts of thiamine (B1) in it. I might go that route first. I was prescribed Pylera for an Hpylori infection back in October of 2016. I have learned to tolerate the dizzy, brain fog, incoordination, top heavy, muscle weakness. The occasional panic attack and emotional outbursts are new for me. I have had blood tests, MRI, neurology appointments, ear nose and throat, lyme disease test. I am DONE seeing doctors. I don't know what else to do. You are right about contacting veterinarians though. They might have more answers because all of the studies on toxicity seem to be geared towards dogs and every doctor I have talked to looks at me like I have 3 heads. Thank god my family believes me and are sensitive to it.

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Re: Gabriella (# 1215)

Ask your doctor how many times he or she has taken this med and if none then they can't know what you are going through. My eye doctor insisted my pcp call me in and look at me....because she could tell the difference in how I walked, carried myself, etc.. most doctors these days never see you walk, just see you sitting on that stupid table.

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Re: BAH (# 1216)

I agree with you BAH. They look at us like we are crazy. Go speak to the veterinarians and the dentists. Some older neurologists also know this drug is toxic pesticide s***.

Good luck in your quest to health and happiness!

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Only being a vegan helps me with this crap. Is there anyone here who is allergic to protein in meat?
My body can only tolerate a little bit of nuts. I try to work out in the gym to help as well. What diet do you think helps?

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Re: cyrill (# 1218)

Read further down this page. I have a long posting about thiamine and magnesium treatment that should help over time, but it may take awhile to see results.

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Hi mel. How are you? As you remember I posted here as being floxed and its my 3 years already first one is really tough one really struggling but after about 2 years its getting better by yea vitamins. How long yours since now? Is there any hope or any progress you think that really can help? I have my magnesium intake by foods that are high in it. And lots of good fats for my vitamin e..And sweating. Bla bla. Actually im really allergic to bad fats since in floxed. If anyone has a problem in their gut, I bet they had the same issue. I need to fix the gut flora to be well. It starts at the flora then the blood and some muscle then nerves. Actually this is really poisonous to the body right. So its a lifestyle changing to take care of what you eat and possible things that you take including medicine and other vitamins. Take care guys.

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