Has anyone ever had to take flagyl (metronidazole) ?

[jennyr]

I took it last year for an infected animal bite. It gave me some stomach problems but nothing unmanageable. I did feel 'spaced out' though and at times almost passed out, especially when looking at the computer screen. I have had good results with it for treating cats, though I don't know if they ever felt dizzy!

 

[going nova]

I took it, and it gave me the vomits.

 

[kristykitty]

aww, that doesn't sound like much fun.

I think it's good you're always asking questions about medications and making sure about any possible interactions by doing research. Though, sometimes just reading some of the side effects--you can talk yourself into having them and make yourself unnecessarily anxious.

I take some meds too and I've read about some of the freaky rare side effects. Of course I never had them, but it's still scary reading about them! They probably only happened to like 4 or 5 people out of 10,000 or something

Anyway I hope you get better soon! I mean, side effects suck, but I'm sure it's better than getting an infection.

Oh and I would definitely call your dentist/doctor if you are at all concerned.

 

[strange_wings]

I took it yesterday, luckily I did not have the weird hand numbness again. I think it might have just been affecting my blood pressure oddly and I have poor circulation anyways. I did feel very "out of it" and it gives me a really bad headache - but then I always have some sort of headache so that's nothing new either.

I'm having problems with the dosage though - how do people take something 4 times a day that they have to eat with? I can't eat that many times a day, I'm lucky if I can handle twice a day.

 

[fuzzles]

I took it for an infection down there one time. I don't think I ever want to take it again though. I had blood in my urine and I was always, and I mean always having to pee. Like every 5 minutes it seemed. So now I just tell the doctor I had an allergic reaction to the stuff so they won't put me on it! I think I also remember feeling a little bit light headed when I was taking it.

 

[strange_wings]

^Blood?! Did you mention this to your doctor? If you had blood in your urine and were peeing that much it could mean kidney problems. That's something you should have mentioned to your doctor so they could check kidney function.

 

[fuzzles]

Oh yeah, I mentioned it haha. I think I was only on the stuff for a day or two before they switched me to something else. I was fine as soon as they took me off of it. Now they just have it down not to give it to me.

 

[strange_wings]

Just an update - The stuff triggered a migraine for me this morning. Something for people to watch out for if they have any issues (or past issues) with migraines and get prescribed flagyl. I refuse to take anymore of it.

I wasn't able to contact my dentist today - I think the office might have been closed for some reason. Should I just go ahead and take the leftover prescription to the pharmacy tomorrow for them to dispose of?


After how it's made me feel, I don't know if I could honestly give it to my cats unless there was no alternative. Could anyone imagine if it gave your kitties headaches?

 

[icklemiss21]

Originally Posted by strange_wings

Just an update - The stuff triggered a migraine for me this morning. Something for people to watch out for if they have any issues (or past issues) with migraines and get prescribed flagyl. I refuse to take anymore of it.

I wasn't able to contact my dentist today - I think the office might have been closed for some reason. Should I just go ahead and take the leftover prescription to the pharmacy tomorrow for them to dispose of?


After how it's made me feel, I don't know if I could honestly give it to my cats unless there was no alternative. Could anyone imagine if it gave your kitties headaches?

Many drugs have complete opposite effects with animals. It is a very common drug to help with diarrhea in cats where it can have the opposite effect in humans.

I would say we probably have two cats in the shelter prescribed it on a weekly basis when coming in from vets etc off the streets.

 

[strange_wings]

Originally Posted by icklemiss21

Many drugs have complete opposite effects with animals. It is a very common drug to help with diarrhea in cats where it can have the opposite effect in humans.

Animals are more sensitive in some ways, but modern medicine wouldn't exist if they all reacted differently to us - there would be no viable models to study. Cats, for example, have very similar circulatory systems and responses in that area to what humans have.
It's also not uncommon for antibiotics to give cats diarrhea and loss of appetite - you can't make an antibiotic stop indiscriminately killing bacteria in it's path. One would think if the side effects were so different from ours that this wouldn't happen, yet it is a common complaint in health in nutrition section on here.
But I might also add why, after my experience, I wouldn't foist it off on one of my cats without a thought - Sho is sensitive to meds, if there was a bad side effect to be had then by his luck he would have it.

As for it helping diarrhea, that's because it's killing the cause of it - a protozoa or bad bacteria. One of it's exact same uses in humans.