Metronidazole Lasting Side Effects (Page 65)

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: Galina (# 1275)


Leading a wonderful life, I was given Flagyl® (Metronidazole) despite very strong protests to treat an acute but mild case of diverticulitis last year. (My first flare ever) However I have a lifetime of antibiotic toxic sensitivity and carry a MedAlert card to prove it. There are only some antibiotics I can safely tolerate but the ER doctor said it wasn't strong enough. My protests fell on deaf ears. Unfortunately I was also being simultaneously evaluated for a brain disorder that was basically asymptomatic but being looked at nonetheless. So I followed doctor's orders and took the Flagyl antibiotic and it nearly killed me. I immediately felt something was wrong, as if I was severely poisoned. Within 24 hours after taking Flagyl, I felt severely dizzy, lightheaded, high fever, balance failure, then out of nowhere I felt my left eye POP!... my vision went from 20/20 with glasses to a dark smear like melting ice cream... I was indeed going blind... :( I also suffered all new symptoms from severe ataxia, pounding nonstop migraines, severe tinnitus, nausea, vomiting, confusion and more. NEVER had them before! So I called my doctors immediately and most said "NOT to stop taking it, it may cause a super infection". After 4 days I finally spoke to my Gastroenterologist who screamed to STOP the drug immediately as its effects are sometimes "not reversible", he said there was "no antidote" and he feared it may have already caused severe damage. I started crying... Well that was 15 horrible months ago. Sadly, the drug did cause severe neurologic harm all over my body but mostly in my head, ears, eyes, and brain. (All seen on MRI.) I am nearly bedridden to this day, suffering from bizarre symptoms, massive migraines, crushing head pain, severe tinnitus, both eyes severely ruined (once 20/40 now 20/1200) unable to drive, play, exercise, play sports, work, even walk, with poor to no balance, vomiting and unable to eat properly etc. My life is HELL because of Metronidazole. This junk is DANGEROUS and needs to be reevaluated for safety by the FDA. (I'm typing this 5 inches from the screen on my iPad) The manufacturer has recently placed NEW Warnings on the Data-Sheet for doctors (but they never read up on new stuff) claiming that this antibiotic should NOT BE ADMINISTERED to those who have either a know Brain disorder or any other Neurologic issues as it will cause permanent irreversible harm to the CNS. Yes I plan to sue. My life has been completely destroyed. STAY AWAY and please file a MedWatch Alert with the FDA. Google the number.

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Re: Galina (# 1279)

Hi, Galina. Metronidazole causes a whirlwind of symptoms that appear very vast and random, but if you take one step back, they fall into 4 categories:

Cerebellar dysfunction, autonomic dysfunction, altered mental state, polyneuropathy

In medical literature, what it says as the cause of this is that metronidazole is chemically similar to one of the rings of the thiamine chemical chain. So when the drug comes into contact with thiamine, it binds to it, and turns the nutrient into a waste product called "thiaminase" (fancy word for anti-thiamine). This is called "thiaminase poisoning" and leads directly to thiamine deficiency.

The symptoms of thiamine deficiency are vast and appear random, but when you take one step back, they fall into 4 categories:

Cerebellar dysfunction, autonomic dysfunction, altered mental state, polyneuropathy

You can look these things yourself, metronidazole toxicity and thiamine, and read up. If you agree with this theory, then go to your local grocery store or pharmacy, purchase a bottle of thiamine HCL and some magnesium (you need magnesium to absorb thiamine), and slowly build up. I'd start with no more than 100 mg's of thiamine the first week, then move up to 200 the next and so forth. You will need to take high doses to correct the deficiency. Good luck.

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Re: Galina (# 1279)

This place is very restrictive in what can be said. Look up metronidazole and thiamine and you'll see for yourself.

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Erin (# 1280) --

Hi Erin! Yes, I will read about metronidazole and it’s effect on thiamine. I have been taking ionic magnesium for couple of weeks but I will get vitamin B 1 too and start taking it. Did it help you with your health?

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Galina (# 1281) --

It's still too early to be 100% certain...but as of right now, I'm about 99% better. I'm ten months into thiamine treatment.

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Re: Erin (# 1282)

Hi Erin, I am so glad that your doing so well. It gives me hope and motivation to fight hard. I saw two kind of thiamine: Alithiamine and thiamine. Which one is better and can you recommend a certain brand. Thank you so much for your support!!!!

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Re: Erin (# 1282)

Thanks Erin, this is encouraging. Wish I had paid more attention to what you wrote about cipro and refused to take it for a UTI... I did fire that doctor for sure.

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Galina (# 1283) --

It's actually 2 different types of thiamine; regular thiamine (thiamine HCL, etc), is the type you buy in the grocery store and it's pretty good. Allithiamine (derived from garlic) is a special type of thiamine that can penetrate the cell directly, whereas regular thiamine cannot. It's more potent, but since you want to start slow, I'd suggest regular thiamine first, then Allithiamine later. Both are good.

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Re: Erin (# 1288)

Hi Erin, Thank you so much for your advice. I will buy a thiamine and start taking it with magnesium. I hope it can help my nervous system to recover. I will post here over time to update on my recovery.

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Re: Dennis (# 1281)

Hi Dennis, I agree with you that metronidazole is a pure poison and should not be on a market. I feel your pain!!!! I am also struggling to get through this nightmare and regain my health back. I see that you have a bad migraines. I also had them right after I finished the course. The head and facial pain was very bad but I gradually got better over the last 2 months. Now I have a mild pain that travels through the head and face. I hope it will get less and less with time. Is your migraine getting a little bit less with time? You said it has been 15 months for you. I hope that you recover overtime and regain your quality of life. I miss a lot the time when I was healthy and care free. Now I know my limitations due to the damage from metronidazole, but I try to stay possible and have faith. I know I will recover, it just will take time. Please keep faith and believe that time will heal us!!!

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Re: Galina (# 1290)

and try the thiamine treatment suggested earlier. It could be exactly what you need and I don't believe there would be an side issues.

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Re: Betty (# 1280)

Hi Betty, Thank you for your response. I am glad that your polyneuropaty got better over time after taking metronidazole. I see that you also had H. Pylori like me. Were you treated with metronidazole and Cipro for H. Pylori? I also hope that you heal for Cipro. Are your symptoms from Cipro the same as from metronidazole? Please, don’t get discouraged and believe that you will heal. A lot of times I get so discouraged and just want to end this torture, but husband straighten my mind and keeps me positive. Nobody knows whether we heal or not, but we gotta keep hope and believe that we will heal. To help me mentally, I got recently a book called A Catastrophe Living. I just started reading it and I like it. It helps with anxiety and fear. This book teaches how to deal with pain, stress and more. Do you read books about meditation and dealing with difficult life situations. Betty, I wanted to ask you about other symptoms from metronidazole. I’ve been having difficulty breathing and heart palpitations since the medication. I also have a very bad joint pain in my ankles. Did you have these symptoms too? Also, did you have a neuropathy in your feet and legs? Thank you so much for your support!!!

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Re: Galina (# 1290)

Thanks Galina for the reply. Unfortunately I suffered permanent brain damage. Not many people know, not even the doctors who dispense it, especially my doctors at John's Hopkins that Metronidazole now comes with brand NEW WARNINGS that patients with known disorders or diseases of the CNS, Brain or Spinal Cord must NOT be given this drug. They didn't believe at first until I presented the data to them. They were not only red-faced but speechless. I could hear them thinking about all the patients they must have dismissed over the years after they had complained to them about the severity of Metronidazole's side effects. Clearly this antibiotic crosses the blood/brain barrier way too easily and thus destroys already compromised nervous systems in those with CNS disorders. Sadly my condition has progressed, its gotten much worse since it happened last July 2017, not better. There is no hope for me as my doctors have given up, guilty with their tails between their legs that they may have harmed many people without realizing it. My thanks for your caring.

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Re: Galina (# 1292)

Well, let me see how to answer. I was not given Cipro with the Metronidazole. I have to look up the other drug on my patient portal. Most of the symptoms caused by the metronidazole did seem to go away over about an 8-10 month time frame... Then in March this year I was rx'ed Cipro for a UTI which caused this current bout of issues. Thing is that it was prescribed BEFORE we got the results of the bacteria culture... and found that the problem was e-coli and I've since learned that there are 3 antibiotics that are NOT dangerous that should have been used first. So, when I complained to my doc that I felt worse she told me to set another appt in 30 days if I didn't feel better. I fired her!!

I had asked her first before I took the Cipro if, based on the last issue I had with metronidazole whether I might have an issue with it...she said, No, It'll be fine... NOT... within 24 hrs of starting it I started having breathing issues. It just got worse from there. After a bunch of diagnostics on my heart and lungs, etc.. we eliminated those as the problem. Over time I've noticed that I have the energy to stand in one spot and work like I did this a.m. shoveling woodchips into wheelbarrows that others moved and was fine. I didn't have to sit and rest for at least an hour. Had I been moving the wheelbarrows I'd have lasted about 10 min...

So I've done some research, thanks to Erin and do believe that the cipro damaged the mitochondria which is responsible for producing ATP which helps create ENERGY. So, now I'm just trying to figure out if there is anything that might help....other than waiting 2 yrs as a friend had to in order to get better. I am positive that the issue is NOT emotional, I am not having anxiety attacks, etc...and I'm working on moving as much as I can and moving on. I keep busy with my community, gardening, teaching watercolor painting and painting watercolors personally. Hope this helps explain where I am... also, please note that the CIPRO didn't kill the e-coli and I still had the UTI at the end of taking the last dose.

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Re: Dennis (# 1293)

Hi Dennis, although you have gotten worse since taking this medication, but we have to hope that brain can heal. We don’t know how long it will take for the brain and CNS to reverse the damage I know miracles can happen. For you it’s been about 14-15 months and there is still hope that brain can heal although you are not yet see improvements. Most people heal with time! Please keep Hope! I also have very bad days now where my feet and legs burn like hell. I did not have these symptoms right after or on metronidazole, but they developed gradually after 2 months of stopping the medication. Some of my symptoms like migraines got better but others got much worse. So I know how you feel!!! I agree with you that the medication easily crosses blood brain barrier and causes so much damage to the brain and CNS. I never had migraines and peripheral neuropathy until I took this medication. Also, my vision is not good at all, especially my left eye. The acuity in my left eye is getting worse and worse and my eye doctor doesnt know why. My neurologist doesn’t know either. She blames everything on mysterious virus and denies that metronidazole can cause these symptoms even after I told her about medical literature and FDA warning about the dangerous side effects of this medication. My new doctor believed me that metronidazole caused my neurological symptoms but like you said there is no medication oppose metronidazole take it out the system. So now, I just have to fight for my life and hope to recover. Please, Dennis don’t get discouraged and keep faith that you can and will recover!!!! Sincerely, Galina

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Re: Galina (# 1295)

Have you tried thiamine like Erin wrote about? I think we need to know how to take it and how much. I'm getting some today to start trying it.

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Re: Dennis (# 1293)

I do need a clarification as to what CNS disorders are.. what do the letters stand for please?

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Re: Dennis (# 1293)

Hi, Dennis. I see a new warning about Cockayne Syndrome on the FDA label, but the central nervous system effects and warnings have been on there since 2010, plenty of time for doctors to know about them.

That being said, there is a strong theory to back up that metronidazole toxicity is actually metronidazole-induced thiamine deficiency disease. The symptoms are identical; I was sick with MT toxicity for 2 and a half years, although--admittedly--usually not as bad as yours, but a flare up could lead me back to bed, unable to do much of anything except force myself to work and struggle through the day. Then I found out about this and started the thiamine/magnesium; I'm in the process of painting a house right now and have suffered no flare up's, just minor symptoms that don't even slow me down and I barely notice. I couldn't have done this even 6 months ago.

So...you might want to look into this. Doctors--even functional doctors--are unaware of this connection, but it's in medical literature. You can research it yourself.

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Re: Betty (# 1296)

Hi Betty, I think Erin replied to my post earlier and said to start low dose of thiamine at the beginning. I guess first 1-2 weeks to let the body adjust. I got 100 mg of thiamine and started taking it every day with ionic magnesium on full stomach. I take it once a day. I think Erin said that over time we can increase the dose to 200 mg and up. I am planning to take 100mg of thiamine for 2, 3 weeks and see how I feel. Betty, CNS stands for central nervous system. Have a great day!!!!!

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Re: Galina (# 1299)

Look (up) metronidazole toxicity and thiamine. You will see Treatment Flagyl, and that will give you more details about how to build up the B1 as you go. 100 mg's is a good start; 200 mg's is a good build up. You will have to go much higher to resolve this.

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