Metronidazole and Alcohol - how much can you have?

So antibiotics eey? The long standing tradition of not drinking while on antibiotics has come a reality this week.
In my quest to resume tradition of another booze fuelled weekend, I did a little research on this, as I originally thought that alcohol would inhibit the antibiotics, rendering them useless and therefore the course of medication is irrelevant. And the infection comes back and eats not only your healthy cells, but also your cat, TV, laptop AND drinking suit.

It appears that drinking does indeed change the effectivity of antibiotics, but not to such an extent where they stop working - the main worry is nausea, extreme vomiting and other fun effects - but it really does depends on what antibiotics you are on.

The first, err what's it called - Amoxicillin, is a penicillin based antibiotic - and is not really affected by the intake of alcohol. Drinking just after taking it isn't advised, but this is only because it can adversely affect the absorption into the stomach and digestive system - as with anything. So no actual reaction between the two.

Metronidazole however is a different kettle of fish. This can cause nausea, massive vomiting and tachycardia. So I wonder why?
It's something to do with limiting the body's ability to break down and metabolise the alcohol - by blocking the breakdown of propylene glycol in the liver. This increases the amount of propylene glycol in the blood, and can harm the liver and other fun items in the body that allow life to happen.

So it makes propylene glycol stay in my body for ages, so what does this do? Well it looks like it's used in loads of household goods, from deoderant sticks to being a moisturiser in cosmetics. It's even a safe food additive in the US (not checked other countries..) - However this method of ingestion (oral) is minimally effective, and is therefore deemed quite safe - but when propylene glycol is allowed into the bloodstream, intravenously as it were, it becomes quite dangerous.

To make use of this and try to find out how much booze I can actually consume before the propylene glycol becomes fatally toxic, I need to find out the fatal dose... for which there is no data.

Absorption rates in rats after ingestion is 90-100%, usually not building up in the body. But when breakdown is inhibited this could build up quickly.

Ingestion of a sufficient quantity can definitely cause death. 1g per KG of body weight, so say 90g of this stuff can affect the central nervous system, causing numbness, visual distortions etc.... Increase this to 3g/kg, and you get massively drunk, slurred speech and stupor/agitation mental state shifts.
Over that, you get coma, loss of reflexes and probably death.

So it's quite inconclusive unless data on how much of this stuff is held back by the body.

All of the above sounds like getting pissed anyway, but I don't think I will booze on during the course of these antibiotics. I will find out tomorrow.

Comments

Anonymous said…
500mg, 2 x a day for 14 days. I've been on it for 3 days so far. I took my last pill at 12PM yesterday just so I could drink tonight. It's been roughly 30 hours. I took a half a shot of crown royal ten minutes ago to see if anything happens. No nausea, but I feel like I've taken about 5 shots. I'm quite an alcoholic so I know I never feel anything after 1 shot, let alone half. I feel tipsy already.
Anonymous said…
So last night I was Reading this page while sitting in a bar watching my friends drink. While I sipped on water cuz I'm on this damn medication. My boyfriend is on the metro too and couldn't resist temptation. He started off just sipping on a beer. We all sat and watched to see if he was going to turn green and start vomiting. He made it through 2 beers and then had a shot of tequila! He was fine... SO.... I decided to take one... I felt fine. I was a little more buzzed than normal, but I didn't feel sick at all. Keep in mind that we both drink a lot normally so that might have something to do with it?? Also, we waited about 6 hours from when we took the last dose of the day to start drinking, and we ate a big dinner before boozing. (I'm on day 5 of taking the meds and he's on day 1). Don't know if that had anything to do with us not getting sick.
Anyways, we ended up drinking. Not as much as we normally do, but we paced ourselves. He ended up having 4 beers and 5 shots of tequila. I had 1 beer and 2 shots of tequila. We made it home fine and went to bed.
Woke up this morning with a terrible hangover. I feel like I had 15 drinks last night. My boyfriend has a bad hangover too. We both are very nauseous and dizzy with a Bad headache. So.... Good luck my fellow alcoholics!!
Unknown said…
I read every single post I could find about this topic. I decided to test it myself and here are the results;

1. I was on a 500 MG 2x a day prescription. Was down to my last 4 pills. I took my pill in the morning at 8 am.

2. I ate lunch like normal (burger and fries. (I'm 5'9" 180 lbs 33 years old)

3. I had one light beer at 5:30 pm. I drank this slowly to see effects if any. The only thing I felt was a little more air in my stomach.

4.Finished the first beer in twenty minutes and cracked number two. Feeling confident I drank a second light beer in ten minutes. Felt no different than normal at this point.

5. I then felt secure and started to drink at a normal pace (normal for me is a light beer every ten minutes or so) drank for a couple of hours even throwing a few shots of Crown Royal on it at different points.

Evaluation: I drank as I normally would and took my pills as normal and felt nothing different from any other time I drank. This is my experience, it's up to you to decide what to do.
Anonymous said…
I must say most of these comments had me running scared for my life. I just started MET two days ago at 500 MG twice a day. My first night on I had drinks and no side effects. I guess the only thing I'd say is I did notice that I was slightly more sensitive to alcohol and it's made me burp! The only other thing that makes me burp like this are apples!!
But honestly... No real problems! And onto day three! CHEERS!!! ;)
Anonymous said…
Day one:

I took both pills in one day that I was suppose to. I took the second one around 6:30pm and began drinking slowly-ish at first around 10pm. Beer since it's my favorite and I felt fine through the first 2 beers so I kept drinking because I have a bad indulgence in beer. It may be because beer is part of my regular diet but I felt completely fine and everytime I started to think about how I felt I told myself to not stress about it. Anyways moral of the story I started to drink as fast as I usually do and got down five beers fast and did not get any side effects. It could be because it was only the first day out of seven or that beer (atleast 9 every other day) is something I drink regulary. If you find yourself in a position where you seriously want a beer just be slow at first to see how you feel and proceed how you want or feel. I honestly didn't get more buzzed than usual either, it was exactly the same effect I always encounter when I drink beer. All normal for me.
Anonymous said…
HAVE HAD A PACK SITTING HERE FOR 2 WEEKS PETRIFIED TO TAKE IT. Bloody teeth....GLAD I FOUND THIS BLOG. THE GENERAL CONSENSUS IS DON'T DRINK FROM WHAT I CAN GATHER. FUNNILY ENOUGH A FRIEND TOLD ME THE VET GAVE IT TO HER DOG WHO HAD SEVERE MENANGITIS AND TOLD HER THEY GIVE IT TO ALCOHOLICS TO MAKE THEM STOP. ANYWAY NO ONE TOLD ME ABOUT THE FEW DAYS AFTER. WILL LET YOU KNOW....BOO HOO HOO....
Anonymous said…
I was really wanting to have a drink tonight and i just took my first dose of this medication. Do you think it has had enough time in my system to have any of the side affects from the alcohol?
Anonymous said…
I'm sure glad I found this thread, some funny stuff in here along with the best information and advice.
I'm 2 days into my 7 day Metro ride for Diverculitis. I should have said I was allergic to Metro. lol.

What happens if one is allergic to Metro? ... forget the no alcohol warnings for a moment. I mean don't they have some sort of other kick ass antibiotics that will do the job, or is this "devil drug" the only thing that works?
Anonymous said…
5 days down 2 days to go ... no alcohol but a weird drug none the less. weird dreams weirder nightmares. I dunno it's just a weird drug period. I shall reward myself with some ice cold Coronas and lime this weekend once I'm off the metro bus. Yeah I'll wait a day or so to have my first drink. I can't help but to wonder if there's no other kickass antibiotic that will do the same job without the side effects when mixed with alcohol.

Cheers ... be well and stay well
Anonymous said…
so i completed my pills wednesday night at around 9 or so and waited a full 24 hours to drink... I consumed alot of vodka some other cheap 30 cent drink liquor i was bombed... usually no matter how drunk i get i dont throw up at all...
this morning was a different story i cant stop throwing up.... when i finally threw up all the stuff in my stomach i started puking this yellow gunk... should i be worried?
Anonymous said…
Well I've been on Metro for 4dys and I wanted to Google info about drinking on this meds even tho the phamactist said avoid alcohol and the bottle said it too...Glad I checked it out online and to see what others had to say about it...I'm good and will not consume any alcohol while on this...It's not worth the risk and or side effects. Also going to wait 48hrs after taking this before drinking again..Thanks for the comments to the ppl who took this same drug while drinking THX for sharing...
Anonymous said…
Drank 24hrs after finishing Flagyl 500gx5days. Was tired after a half of cider but went to have bottle of wine and was hammered. Fell asleep in restaurant but no other effects. Am female, 5'4 9 and half stone.
Anonymous said…
This antibiotic isn't the devil drug...for certain types of infections it is all that will actually kill the bacteria...for those skipping doses you are likely just making the bacteria resistant. Keep on doing that and one of the next infections you get may not be curable. You really may be an alcoholic if you can't stay away from alcohol for 10 days...
Anonymous said…
I've taken 4 days of 400mg had a glass of vino with dinner to test the waters, was fine so am now polishing off a third glass of wine, admitidly I didn't hav my evr tablet, will get back on them tomo (am on a weeks course) and I also hav to add I do normally drink 4 or 5 times a week so my tolerance is pretty high... But last time on these tabs I went a whole week it nearly killed me lol, this time, after Reading the reviews I decided to take my risks.... And am fine so ithink it's more down to the individual than the drug.... But itsnt that pretty normal???... Xx hav fun n b safe peeps ;)
Anonymous said…
Ha ha this site is full of alcoholics... I'm on it so not dissing it but still makes me laugh we can't go 7/14 days without a drink
buttmetal said…
I LOVE this site! It is pretty bad that it exists but hey, this is the longest I've been dry for about 5 years! I'm actually really proud I made it through so easily.

I usually drink rum five days a week but I've made it through my five day course of 400Mg metro. I hate vomming (who doesn't) so took the docs advice and stayed off the booze.

Had my last dose at 9 last night and will probably attempt a drink tonight. Gonna drink plenty of water all day as i've noticed my pee is really dark no matter how much fluid I drink. Hopefully I can get it clear!

I'm 6'4" 12St 5, will report back later or tomorrow.
buttmetal said…
*update

Well, I made it till 5pm for my first drink, a full 20 hours after my last tablet. Drank a Sol quite slowly and....I felt fine. After that I switched to Bacardi and Pepsi max fir the rest of the night, probably had around 12 shots in the end and feel fine this morning to.

I did drink plenty of water and coffee during the day which may have helped. Everyone's different at the end id the day but thought I'd share story.

Good luck.
Anonymous said…
I have been on metronidazole for 5 days now and it happens to be my 20th birthday tomorrow, completely scared shitless to have a few beers tomorrow after reading horror stories on the web this site has gave me a little confidence to have a couple but go easy maybe also skip tomorrows doses and start the next day will this be safe I'm about 10 stone and a regular weekend drinker ?
/darling said…
oh no. i was so hoping it's not true... i even googled "flagyl and alcohol myth". no wonder i felt so weird last night...

well, just threw up my flagyl. that stuff's bad for you! that and i have a day off today and fully intended to house clean with wine so here we go ;)thanks for the fun read xo
Anonymous said…
I was on 500mg twice per day for a gum infection. After about 5 days on the stuff I pretty much haddd to have a few drinks as I was attending the rugby world cup final (kind of a massive sporting deal here in new zealand). I had 2 beers and was feeling a little bit funny and stopped drinking. A few hours later I had 2 more beer but that was it, i felt queasy and knew i was in a bad shape. We went home and i was sick. The next day i had a hangover as if id really drunk a lot. Just to put things in context- im a 24 y/o female of average size who drinks most weekends.
In summary, drinking on Metro was a gross experience for me- made me feel queasy and ended up vomiting. My advice would be not to drink on it, but obviously everybody is different bla bla bla. oh ps my boyfriend cheated on me that night too- it was a pretty sh!t night all round.
Anonymous said…
I am taking a cocktail of drugs that includes metronidazole since the h pylori infection was resistant to the clarithromycin antibiotic. I HATE the flagyl!!! I have a disgusting metallic taste in my mouth and i felt some nausea in the morning after taking it (only day 2 out of 14). My friends are already inviting me out with all these great plans that involve drinking. I will not risk making myself feel sick, even though I feel like crap already. Well, only 12 more days to go with this disgusting pill :(
Anonymous said…
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12022894

Probably nothing to worry about says actual science.
Anonymous said…
OK, so I've been on this medication for a few days now. The pharmacist said no alcohol and I didn't think much of it. But last night I had planned to go out with a friend I haven't seen in years, and decided to look up WHY you can't drink with it. The results seemed scary but inconclusive, and being a lush with little self control, I decided to try it out for myself.

I got a beer and decided to pace myself, and if I started feeling weird at all I'd stop. A beer or two at night is also normal for me, its not like my system isn't used to alcohol. Anyway. I'm not exaggerating when I say I had probably 4 or 5 oz of this beer in an hour's timespan, WHILE drinking food and water.

I felt ok... and then BAM. It hit me all at once and it was overwhelming. I didn't feel nauseous, but I felt like I was going to pass out and my heart started racing. I had to sit there with my head on the table for a good few minutes before we were able to get up and leave. For about an hour after that I did not feel right. I would start to feel ok, then it would hit me again. After maybe 2 hours I felt normal again. Went home.

When I got home I took another pill as it was time for one. Then i started feeling messed up again! My heart was racing and I kept feeling out of breath. I was extremely tired, but that could have been because it was 2 am and I'd been up since 6 am the night before. I seriously thought I was going to have to go to the hospital.

This morning I woke up feeling drugged and groggy, but otherwise ok. But yeah, in short, I got extremely fucked up- all from about 7 sips of beer! I'm sure it partially comes down to differences in biology and metabolism among individuals. i'm fairly petite- 5"3' and about 117 lbs so that could have played a part too.
Anonymous said…
so I been on a metro 500mg for 7 days Thursday was my last dose was very very nervous but I drank a few beers last night I was FINE!!! I did get buzzed way faster took me 3 beers to get tipsy when normally I can drink a 12 pack I am 120lbs 5'1 but know how to hold my own. I think this pill makes you drunker then you should be because your body isn't breaking it down like normal.
Anonymous said…
oh just to comment the hangover I have today is like I was mixing everything together and drinking it. I only had like 3 or 4 beers no way I should feel this blahhhh!! lol
Carla B said…
just finished a course of 500mg, 2x daily. On day 3 of treatment I went to an Italian dinner and drank the accompanying wines and spirits. What I drank would normally have given me a nice happy state of drunk but I ended up trashed. Several hours after dinner I was vomiting heavily. A week has gone by and I am still feeling the effects. I would definitely heed the warning not to drink while on these meds.
Anonymous said…
I've been on it for 7 days then waited 48 hours as I read on most sites suggested. The only symptoms I see so far with alcohol after 48 hours is a rash on my neck and it's a bit itchy but not much.
bryanadoree said…
Bacterial vaginosis is frequently adequate with Flagyl, a doctor assigned anesthetic in the United States.

Sildenafil Citrate
Anonymous said…
I started on 400mg 3 times a day, am in my 3rd day and after reading most of the posts have decided to have a beer. I drink a lot and regularly. I took my pill 4 hours a go. I am not planning on having more than 2 beers. If that turns them in to 10 then i'm happy.

Though it sounds like i may not be too happy tomorrow.

I want to also add, i had a lot to drink the night before i took my first dose in the morning maybe 8 hours later and everything was fine.

Here goes.
Anonymous said…
Still here. 3 beers in. Nothing out of normal at all besides maybe feeling more tired. (sort of a cold feeling in the eyes)

I must also add i had 400mg Ibuprofen and 25mg Codeine maybe 2 hours before i started having a drink.

I seem to burping a lot more is about the only other thing i can tell.

I also haven't eaten for 10 hours.

I am a regular drinker of beer for 15 odd years. A male of 90 odd kg.
Anonymous said…
I had 4 and a 1/2 light beers after taking metronidazole. At first it didn't seem to make a difference but I did have to go to the bathroom more than usual. I also had no effects of drinking, didn't feel the alcohol at all. I'm a small girl, a couple of beers gets me tipsy. By the end of my 4th I had to go to the bathroom for the 3rd time. So ultimately, drinking on metronidazole dehydrated me and didn't take the alcohol. I also felt very full, and was immediately tired.
Anonymous said…
Come one people it's only 1 week!!! Do you need alcohol that badly that you'll risk your health and possible DEATH??? I thought the week of no alcohol was kind of refreshing, it did make me tired so I got A LOT of sleep and my sense of smell was on overdrive!!! Which is not so good when you work with people that don't believe in gum after coffee or onions!
julieann1991 said…
i have been taking metronidazole (400mg) for 6 days ...i took my last tablet at 11am this morning i want to go out tonight so i want to start drinking about 7 (ill be drinking alot throughout the night) will i be okay ? am i been silly ?
Anonymous said…
Everyone is asking me to come out drinking. Or am I seeking it out? I'm not sure. I'm on day 4 of 7 days. I'm craving the sauce. I thought while having to take this drug I might be inspired to go out and socialize without drinking, but I can't do it.

I think I better stay home and watch movies. I'm prone to migraine headaches so I can't risk it. Good luck everyone. Stay strong.
Anonymous said…
I believe the "no alcohol" restriction with metronidazole (flagyl) has been scientifically disproven. You can drink on this med, but IN MODERATION. I drank gin and tonics (2.5 shots) while taking 500 milligrams 2x daily. Absolutely no side effects. I drank the same amount of alcohol on 500 3x daily and felt like I had a little more to drink than normal. Tired in the morning, but fine. Go for it. Your quality of life will not be hindered by this med unless you have some kind of allergic reaction to it.
Anonymous said…
Wow. Guess I am not the only one that can't stand the wait. Finished my last pill at noon today for dental issues. I have really been obsessing but I hate the side effects of alcohol I have been reading. Even a 1% chance of them seems bad and it's looks like a 95% chance of vomit, rash headache. I hope I can make it the 48 hrs but will try at least 24-30 hrs. My old man moved in with another girl and these days alcohol is my best friend. I love when bloggers say they tested just one drink, then another, then 6 more. Sounds like I have a lot in common with you guys.Just tired to feeling nauseous even without drinking on this metro. Help. I want a drink now!!!!!
Anonymous said…
I was on 500mg 2x a day for seven days and had a party to attend the fifth day. After reading the information on this site, I decided I would slowly sip on a beer and feel it out. After a third of the bottle, I got light headed and very hot. My vision became distorted and my hearing was impaired. My heart felt like it was beating much faster than normal and I didn't feel like myself. I put the bottle down and got some water immediately. After a little while, I felt okay. It probably didn't take much alcohol for me to feel effects because I'm 4'11" and weigh 95 pounds. God forbid I ever have to take this pill again, but if I do, I definitely will not be drinking. The regular side-effects from the pill alone were atrocious.
Anonymous said…
Thanks for the post.Today 24 hrs off 7days 4x day 250 mg I still felt nauseous , head ache body ache, woozy with no alcohol. Making me thinks it is still a bad idea to drink. (5pm)30 hrs after I am having a measured shot rum and coke usually pour in as much as I want, but want to be cautious. I am on my second an hr and a half later. My wrist is getting itchy so I may watch it. So far okay but I don't what to have to go to the hospital and I hate that Oh shit I knew I shouldnt have done that feeling. Thanks for the blog. I must be a total alcoholic timing everything to the second. It is just lonely where I am, even the hospital is an hour away. Great to talk. Love that song Cheers to the freakin weekend Rihanna. Doesnt help having all this painful dental work!
Anonymous said…
You're all right! This is funny shit! But if you read the actual Metronidazole pamphlet found online created by the drugs makers, it says not to drink for 24 hours after completing the medication :) This 3 day stuff is pretty bogus.
Anonymous said…
Okay. Not to be a total judgy bitch, but you are seriously an alcoholic if you can't go one week without drinking. Seriously. Seriously! Especially if the consequences of drinking could *potentially* be becoming violently ill. If you would chance getting violently ill based on even all of this profound anecdotal evidence, than wow. Please google AA. Because you need it.

That being said, I am a total moron. Like, total moron. I almost never drink. I'm not against drinking, I just don't do it often. I'm 5 days deep into Metro, which I have to take as a preventative measure for a biopsy I'm having done next week. Had a horrendous day at work today and decided I deserved a few drinks to help me relax. After CHUGGING two beers (remember, I almost never drink so have EXTREMELY low tolerance for booze), I walked by my kitchen table and saw the bottle of antibiotics. HOLY F. I am the biggest idiot on the face of the planet to forget that I was taking that stuff. I freaked out, because my doctor had insisted I wait until after New Year's Eve to start this medication, even though I told her I don't drink. I found this page and was seriously freaking out. I tried to MAKE myself puke, because I figured getting the alcohol out would be better than what most of you have described. Also, come on, it's me, if there is a side effect I will get it. In fact, I took this antibiotic a few years ago and it made me deathly ill just on its own. ANYwho.. had taken a dose about 17 hours before drinking. Couldn't make myself puke, so I chugged a bottle of sports drink and ate dinner. Stayed awake as long as I could, felt pretty tipsy, and went to bed. Woke up about 8 hours later and feel as I normally would had I had two drinks the night before. Hoping I'm not having a delayed reaction. I would seriously advise you guys to not drink, though. Why risk it? And why risk rendering the antibiotics ineffective? Taking antibiotics is NOT GOOD FOR YOU, and taking them often can make them ineffective later in life. My dad almost died because he took antibiotics too many times and then got pneumonia and the antibiotics didn't work and he almost died. Also, if you can't make it through a week on these things, why would you want to F up your course and then have to do it again??????
Anonymous said…
love this page - partic as the original blogger 'Matt' doesn't seem to have even reported back!!! :D

took last pills yesterday, had half glass of wine topped up with lemonade this evening... whoa!!! feels like on some kind of heavy duty valium/sleeping pill effect.. glad to be home with food in my belly and a bed to crash in! Incidentally, on day 4 had maybe 3 sips of lager and whoosh - straight to the head... wouldn't recommend drinking, that's for sure!!
Anonymous said…
Well I had to take Fagyl for an infection...250mg 3x a day for 7 days. I did not drink while on it. I hate throwing up lol...so I decided to chill on the booze for the week. Please believe me, it was very hard. I finished my regimen last night at 11:30pm last night. It is now 7pm and I am ready for a drink. My bff invited me out for drinks and I just have to go...I'll be back with an update :-). Also, I have been on this med before. And I have stopped taking it to drink before with no sickness. I also have never gotten ill from the medicine alone.
Anonymous said…
I can't believe I read all these. I seriously love every single one of you that has contributed to this page - for making me laugh for the past half hour.

I'm still undecided about drinking, I'm a regular drinker and chances are if I have a couple glasses of champagne I won't become ill enough to warrant any kind of worry, I don't really ever have reactions to anything - though.

I start the doses tomorrow (Wed) and plan to go out Friday night, will report back for funsies. =)
Anonymous said…
When taking Metronidazole for the first time some individuals may feel the above symptoms mentioned. I was taking the antibiotic 2 times a day at 500mg and was staying away from alcohol. During Christmas I visited a friend and ate a few chocolates with liqueur in them, by accident. About an hour later I became very ill the symptoms felt like severe car sickness. The next day I was back to normal. My question to all of the above individual is: If a medication states "Do not drink alcohol while taking" then why would you even try? Suffering from Alcoholism???
Anonymous said…
LMFAO...to all of you individuals who are weak and can't keep away from the booze. YOU ARE A ALCOHOLIC. Get help idiots. I know individuals who are developmentally disabled with better sense then all of you ( I am referring only to the idiots who kept drinking while on this antibiotic). Do you not know that everyones body will have different reactions to the medication and you might just be one of the individuals who dies from taking the antibiotic and drinking. If that is worth it to you then your a alcoholic!
Anonymous said…
I finished flagyl(metronidazole) 250mg 3x a day for about 10 days. Didn't drink until 30 hrs after last dose. Still felt funny but the alcohol didn't hurt anything. It's the next day and I feel back to normal. I'm suppose to take another course but I'm thinking about cipro, cipro makes me itch but that's better than no alcohol at all.
Anonymous said…
Okay folks, here was my scenario. I took 2,000 mg all at once for an infection. It was intense! This was at 4 pm on a Thursday.

Friday I had 2 beers by 9 pm. Felt a little more slightly buzzed for sure. Got home and drank 1 glass of wine, woke up feeling completely normal. The drug info sheet that came with my prescription said to wait 24 hours after stopping the med to drink. Cheers to all!
Anonymous said…
Saw a study from a medical journal that indicated that Flagyl interferes with normal metabolism of alcohol and causes buildup of a very nasty chemical (acetaldehyde) which is what makes you violently ill. I would imagine that people's varied reactions are due to the variations in factors effecting buildup of acetaldehyde concenrtarion (when you took the Flagyl, how large the deose was, when and how much you drank, whether or not you ate anything, etc) and people's natural ability to metabolize alcohol quickly, and perhaps their individual tolerance for acetaldehyde. My story: dentist prescribed Flagyl+Cipro after a procedure...didn't say a word about not dirnking. I went home, had a glass of wine with dinner, then took my first dose. Then I decided to read the pharmacy label (duh). Oops. No bad effects noted. I stopped drinking after that, though. Who wants to risk feeling that ill? Not me. And believe me, I like to get my drink on as well as the next person. But violent nausea is too high a price to pay for a martini.
Anonymous said…
Damn you all! I've been on flagyl for 2 whole months and have been afraid to drink the whole time =(. Wish it was just 7 days. Worth testing? I have 1-2 months left taking it.
Anonymous said…
I too have been amused trading these blogs. I googled metro and alcohol just to see what side effects my dr was talking about. After reading I decided not to drink while in the pills. I did however finish my last dose yesterday st six pm. Friday is finally here and I too needed a drink. I had a beer and drank it very slowly. I seemed fine. I then took a percocet and washed it down with another six pack. I also take Meds for tachacardia, and coumarin for a valve implant. After all this I was fine. A little paranoid but no died effects. It had been twenty hours since my last dose of metro before I indulged in Friday night bliss. If I survived anyone should be able. Good luck.
Anonymous said…
I'm on metronidazole 500mg 3x/day for 14 days. After 9 days, I had some vegetables that had been marinated in beer, an hour after taking a dose. About 30 minutes later, I started to get hives and rash all over my body. I thought it was the mushrooms I ate because I don't normally eat them. So I took my next scheduled dose of metro 6 hours after eating the veggies. Immediately, I got even worse hives and rash over more of my body! That was at midnight last night and I still have hives and rash that disappears and reappears on different places of my body. I also had a tall boy of bud light about a couple hours before taking the dose before dinner. Don't drink on this med or eat alcohol-marinated food! I had another experience with alcohol on this food too... not good. I threw up violently about 6 hours after drinking the equivalent of 4 light beers, then kept throwing up bile every 10-20 minutes because the smell of food was making my pancreas dump bile into my empty stomach. Oh, how I hate this med!!!! My doctor knows I drink occasionally and he didn't even warn me and I forgot about the Do Not Drink Alcohol label on it!
Anonymous said…
"I had another experience with alcohol on this food too"...

whoops. I meant "on this med too"
Anonymous said…
Well apparently, the alcohol in the marinated veggies should have burned off. Maybe an allergic reaction? Maybe a reaction to drinking earlier that day? Anyway, I'm stopping the meds! I hope 9 days was enough to stop the infection.
Anonymous said…
as I read this... all I am thinking is I have 14 days on this med, then add a few after. As I read most on 7 days, I almost cried thinking 14! Guess its good I have some Xanax which I am popping right now as I have never felt I needed a drink soo bad!
Anonymous said…
This page got me through my last few days of metro! I was on it for an impacted wisdom tooth, 3 x 400 mg a day. I stayed off the booze for the length of my course but drank 24 hours after finishing the course (it suggested 48) I am a total light weight, 114 lbs 5 ft 7" girl and i had no problems at all, so if i can do it so can others!
Anonymous said…
LMAO....as I sit here scratching the horrendous itch this devil drug gave me I am so thankful for the shared stories of trial and tribulation. I literally laughed out loud at some parts.

Day ONE of this 'drug' taken in the a.m. had half a beer around 6 pm and immediately began to itch. Coincidence? Perhaps...question is was it a reaction to the med or a drug/alcohol interaction??

One benadryl later and I was fine but put me off my beer I tell ya. Most of the info out there is designed to cover the drug company's ass, but I think parts of it are valid. That being said I have seen people ignore the warning to not drink alcohol or operate machinery while on painkillers and guess what? Anyway, I digress...

For the record - some of you may be alcoholics (but funny ones) and most of us may be social drinkers that were nailed with this sentence at an unfortunate time but ultimately you are one funny lot. Thanks for the chuckles to ease my discomfort.
Anonymous said…
Just opened a beer, I decided just to get a tall boy due my heart not being the best that's what worries me, but I'm an every day drinker (12 pack)Hoping this beer will feel like a few, or at least a couple. Had to try it too tempting, although I just took my first 500mg metro today at 11am now it's 8:30 pm. Will let ya know how this experiment goes!
Beautiful job! This is an interesting information.... keep posting such an amazing blog post. thanks for this lovely idea.
TD said…
im on metro 500mg 3x a day, very first day i took it about 3pm and had to beers about 9, felt slightly warm, that was this passed monday, i havent drank since, i took my dose this morning at 8am but tomorrow is a huge parade/booze day in my city so im holding off on taking the med again until sunday, im thinking i should be ok, wont be drinking until at least 4pm sat, will report back on sunday, wish me luck, tho i wont be getting too wild.....
Anonymous said…
As a paramedic, I always research any and all medications I'm perscribed. After looking into the effects of alcohol, when combined with Flagyl, I found that recent research suggests that the alcohol alone has little to no effect on the body when taking Flagyl. It has been found that the symptoms, once blamed on mixing alcohol a Flagyl, are simply a side effect of the drug itself.

Being a paramedic, I very much enjoy a beer or 3 throughout the week and decided to try it out on a night off. I figured that it wouldn't be the first time alcohol made me vomit and it was the only definitive test. So here's what I found;

Alcohol has no additional effect on Flagyl. After drinking 4 beers in a period of 2 hours, I did feel the same icky ness I have felt the last 3 days while on the drug, but there was no increase in symptoms. There was no vomiting, my stomach felt the same as it has, and nausea was non existent.

The moral of the story, if you're worried and don't really just "need" a beer, be cautious, but the theory has been disproven by credible, medical sources (other than myself). If you just need a beer start slow an see how it effects you. This medicine has been around for a very long time, as has the myth of "mixing with alcohol".
Anonymous said…
PUHHHLEEEEEEZZZZ...I seen this board of posts and I was so scared to do this but there was no way I could go on Spring Break and not drink ?!?! well I took my pill at noon and I went out later that night around 7 and had 3 Amouri Sours and two shots of Bacardi 151. You'll be fine just skip your last dose for the day and pick up the next day!
Anonymous said…
OK everyone here is my experience with Metro:

Great Blog btw. Had fun reading it. Really. You people are funny and crazy.

Took 4 500mg at once then 28 hours later read this blog and wanted to test it out. Drank 2 beers 28 hours later and felt a very slight warm feeling in body and very slight tummy thing. NO other symptoms next day. Now Im good to go !!

To all I would wait about 32 hours after coming off these meds before drinking but 28 hours is the least amount of time for sure.

You people enjoy life and get well and dont try to get to crazy !!

:)
Anonymous said…
Anonymous, you are highly promiscuous and a total alcoholic. Will you marry me? We have the same name anyway.

But I digress. Last night, after reading this blog, I got hold of a bottle of metro, and washed them down with a quart of vodka.

I began to feel a bit queer, my senses became heightened, dark hair began to sprout all over me, my teeth became elongated and I started howling.

I lost consciousness and remember nothing more, unfortunately, but boy, was I a mess when I woke up.

I can say no more without incriminating myself, but please, stay away from alcohol if you are on this stuff.
Ally Liguori said…
WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE!!!! through up about 4 hours after started drinking and it continued for another 15 hours. I was throwing up pure stomach bile since there was nothing left in my stomach. I'm on it again and i will not be drinking! i promise you its a BAD idea. Every other medication i drink heavily on but this one is not forgiving!
Anonymous said…
I had a beer this evening and two hours later took my first pill. When deciding to start I figured I will start right away and totally forgot about the beer I took.

we shall see...

The reason I started taking the pill today is because I have a friend from out of town coming specifically on my last day of the pill. :( I am researching how the side effects will be if I drink the next day.

I hope its okay... I read a lot of the posts but there were to many so I could not get to my answer. I do not want to take this again so I want a full proof treatment.
Anonymous said…
I have thoroughly enjoyed reading through all the comments. I appreciate everyones honesty!

I just started 500mg/3x day for 7 days today. Have taken two pills so far. A little discouraged by the 'no alcohol' thing as I love a glass of wine in the evening during the week and more on the weekends. I do plan on trying a half glass of wine tomorrow night. I will let you know how it goes!
Anonymous said…
I have been taken this medication periodically over the past 4 years when necessary. I have worked my way around drinking while on them as well. One pill in the morning around 8 am and skip my next dose due to drinking around 10pm. Never any side affects. Until one night, same routine. I waited about 10 hours from takin my last pill. I had beer and jäger. A hour into it. I was smashed! So drunk (and I'm very tolerable of my alcohol) I was hot, slurring, and wanted to pass out. I continued to throw up for the next 48 hours. Was unable to consume anything, including water. My urine was dark as heck, I was feverish and delusional. I literally almost killed myself, I poisoned my own body. I WILL never try to play around with drinking on this medication ever! Please people don't take a chance either. Every body is different. But it was the worst illness of my life.
Anonymous said…
oh man... i just got prescribed this metronidazole stuff today..and in 2 days i'm going on holiday! worst timing EVER. i have to take it for 14 days, no alcohol.. so i guess it will be mocktails for me by the pool in Fiji and Lemonades In Las Vegas. BORING. :(
Anonymous said…
I don't care what anyone sez. I get wasted every weekend with average of 10 beers, and a few beers during the week, and been doing it for 10 years. I am a female 25 years old, and 140 pounds. I was on my 4th day getting drunk, and nothing happened to me. Mind you since I started the meds. I got the shits, and when I drink on the drug, it's a little worse, but everyone is different.I am just lucky I guess. I say if you wanna drink, then go easy on it. That's all. Take a sip, and wait. see wait happens. Just be careful is all. I never listen to doctors, or read the effects anyways. Oh I AM CANADIAN, so the beers are stronger too lmao. I hope this helps someone, and good luck, cause I didn't read many good things. I kinda wish I read it before I got smashed hahahaha
Anonymous said…
P.S from the last message I wrote,,, the 25 year old female lol. I am taking 500ml at 3 pills a day, so I think I am at the max you can take XD
Anonymous said…
I would always recommend that one follows the advice of their doctor.
Alcohol is metabolized to acetaldehyde in the liver. That substance is highly toxic and is usually metabolized again to acetic acid by an enzyme called aldehyde dehydrogenase. This last enzyme is inhibited by metronidazole and thus the side effects.
Anonymous said…
oh oh...this is my 5th day 2x 500mg for 7 days and Im going to Cancun ALL INCLUSIVE HOTEL tomorrow...SHIT !!!
Anonymous said…
Loved this blog. Good on ya those who drank and enjoyed. With a raging toothache I was prescribed Metro last Tuesday afternoon(15 x 400g pills, one to be taken 3 times a day) then 48hrs before drinking. I have not gone a day without alcohol for several years and the thought of a week without appalled me. However I've been working the night shift and normally only have a 6am nightcap or 3 so gave myself the target of not drinking until Sunday (last match of the season). Managed to squeeze them in a tad. Last pill taken 10 hours ago (3pm Saturday). Toothache was gone by Thursday. Today has been one long bore but a goal is a goal eh. So, BIG drink tomorrow 2 days early. Cant wait.
Will let ya know how it goes.
Anonymous said…
This is so informative and I love all the comments. Long story short, this drug sucks. Unfortunately I am on it long term. I've been on it 3 x day for almost 2 years now. I was a big drinker before I got sick but because of my illness and this med in particular, I've had to stop drinking completely. But, this is hard and I've given in several times but never in excess. I have, on occasion, had a glass of wine or two without any side effects at all and then other times a half a glass of wine will make me very ill. My bigger concern, as should be yours if you decide to drink and take this medicine is what it can do to your liver. I have regular tests to check my liver and usually when I've had a glass or two of wine, my liver was fine, but there has been a couple of times that a small amount of wine (and once even just two sips of beer) has sent my liver enzymes SKYROCKETING. This can be a bigger problem than the immediate side effects of feeling ill when drinking. If you are taking a short course of this med, it is doubtful that you are getting your liver tested afterward, just a word to the wise and be careful. It can cause serious liver damage even it it doesn't make you sick when you drink. I'm just not sure it's worth it, especially if you are only on a short term dosage. Better safe than harming your liver.
Karl said…
Haha, hilarious post.. I'm on flagyl now and have been missing out on all the fun. Andes up having shots and beer and no problem. Got scared and came here to look and happy to know it won't inhibit the meds. I'm going downstairs and having a beer now, i'm in Bangkok and missing out!
Anonymous said…
i think its fair to say reading this brill blog fest on Metronidazole that some people it effects others it doesnt.
My gf is on it ..again for and abscess and after one and a half voddy and orange was violently sick, hot flushes, increased heart rate and feeling thoroughly shit..this lasted for a good 2-3 hours... so the advice is take your chances .... :-)
Mike said…
Somebody with a lot of time on their hands should run the math of all the comments posted here and come up with the percentages of bad reactions against no reactions of mixing this drug with alcohol. Future readers of this blog would know their odds.

My story:
I was prescribed with 3 500mg. tablets for 24hrs. of Flagyl. Took the last one yesterday in the morning. Last night, 12 hours after taking the last pill i drank 5 beers and felt no reaction whatsoever. Slept like a baby.

I woke up with a slight hangover though. I´m sure the hangover was caused by the interaction of the remaining chemicals of this drug left in my system and the beer. But I repeat. Very slight hangover. no headache or anything else.

This drug inhibits the ability of your liver to metabolize ( process ) alcohol, so basically the effects of alcohol in your body are multiplied depending on how much of this drug has been built up in your body and how much time has passed since your last dose.

Everybody reacts in a different way so i would advise you to not mix alcohol with this drug if you have been taking it for several days or if your last dose was only a couple of hours ago.

If your doctor has prescribed any antibiotic which is based on metronidazole and you feel like you need a drink, just call him up and ask him to prescribe a different one which doesn´t have this particular chemical.

Good luck to all!
KB said…
Was on this for seven days, two pills a day. Last dose was a friday at 330 in the afternoon. Started drinking about 28 hours after my last dose adn was fine. I took it slow at first but after two hours and nothing happened I drank hard...woke up alive and well, not even a hangover. It might depend on the person but even a pharmacist told me when I called that the 48 hour rule is something they tell you solely because it CAN make you sick, but I'd probably be fine after 24 hours. And I was. So it's up to you if you want to try. I don't normally have reactions to medicine so that might be a factor.
Anonymous said…
Yay! Second that old bean. Not too too bad on skanky Met, but feel like shit, knackered, dry mouth with associated metallic taste, bit mental, touch of the Inca Two Step (though not the dire squits), mad dreams and all without the booze.

Last dose (for a really unexciting dental abcess - lurved the infecting 'damn hot lesbian sex' up the thread) yesterday at 1630 ish, and I'm trying really hard not to go out tonight. Got the horn for a few beers though, which is a grate. Tomorrow I plan to break my duck at around 10 pm, which gives me about 50 hours leeway. Should be okay, but fuck this for a game of soldiers. Never again!

Paul in River City (London).
Anonymous said…
YOU GUYS ARE GREAT! I just made sangria previously to reading this. I just gotta go ahead and drink, it's too late now. Let you know how it goes.. Ive got a strong stomach though. I'm a college student
Anonymous said…
quite enjoyed reading this blog! had lots of weird side effects from this antibiotic in general:-

-loss of appetite (really unlike me)
-weird dreams
-smells seemed to be stronger

also, then had half a pint of alcohol before i realised it was a bad idea during the middle of the antibiotic course, felt totally fine but threw up the following morning (could have been psychological, because my housemate who is a nurse told me about the effects)

then, today i finished the course of antibiotics, for my wisdom tooth, figured it would be ok to have one or two drinks at my friends bbq and had crazy:-

-numbness in legs
-needing to lie down
-really spaced out
-feeling stressed about the above
-headaches/ neck pain/ lower back pain (liver?)

then looked on google and found this page
now kind of scared to sleep til feel better :(
Anonymous said…
Had a couple of glasses of wine last night and have spent the day with the worst hangover ever - won't be taking these again.
williebski2 said…
Took this awful antibiotic in my early 20's and took it in the morning and early afternoon and would go out and drink. Don't remember getting or feeling sick then, but then I partied A LOT back then! On it again for a C Diff Colitis infection and have to not drink for 14 days! Want a glass of wine so bad. Will not do it though am to scared, this drug is basically a chemo like drug, so imagine what you would do to your insides (organs) if mixing the 2. I don't know, not worth it, will stay sober for the next 3 days and wait my 3 days and get ripped on Friday when we go on vacation!!! Will probably have like 2 beers and be ready for bed. Oh well can drink more on Saturday then!
Anonymous said…
Well I'm on this crap for TWO WEEKS! 400mg 3 times a day. I am coping without having a drink......just. I'm a mum of 3 so don't go out much hence why I enjoy a couple of drinks at night when the tribe have gone to bed and even more so at weekends. It's what I look forward to as the evening is approaching!! Boohoo! Anyway, I take my last one on. Thurs morn and I'm on a night out on the Sat. That will be 56 hours roughly after taking my last one, will I be o.k to drink by then? I really don't want to start feeling ill in the middle of a rare night out and ruin the whole bloody thing!

Oh and this blog has been hilarious!!
Anonymous said…
Ive been taking metronidazole for a day and a half, 4 tablets in total. Took my last tablet at 6pm this evening and its my birthday tomorrow. Will be approx 28 hours after taking my last tablet that i'll be having a drink. Has anyone else done this?? Anyone had any of the side effects?? Do you thing 28 hours is enough for it to be out of my system?? Please help lol
Anonymous said…
I just wanted to say first of all this blog is awesome haha and hilarious and secondly I started flagyl 500mg 2x a day for 7 days ...this last weekend I had been on it for 3 days and was on a date out at buffalo wild wings and wanted to drink ...I had these nausea pills from awhile ago so I took one and went to town on some blue moon with orange...I had like 3 or 4 tall ones so that's like 6 or 7 normal beers and basically I got an amazing buzz and zero side effects besides feeling hungover the next day with a headache ...overall had an amazing night and felt no different then not being on flagyl but I guess everybody is diff?? Hope this helps ya !!
Oliver Heeks said…
Well I have just spent the last hour and half reading all this blog,

It's very funny I've been on Metronidazole now since Tuesday for a gum infection 3 times a day 200mg, the drug it's self has made me really hungry odd yeah? but otherwise no side effects.

I'm 27 been a chef for 11 years and drinking like one for 12, today is a 24 hour charity bash that am am really tempted to go to with my friends but I know there will be booze and I won't be able to help myself.

I've only one day left on metronidazole
my infection has cleared up and had my last pill 3 hours ago I think I will go out and have one and see how it effects me.

Time to put on the tartan trousers and have a larger might even make it a top
JennnnHere! said…
Ahhh all these comments are hilarious! I'm on Flagyl and cipro for 14 days...I started drinking Sat and remembered the bottle said no alcohol. I Drank like a fish as I normally do on weekends and was fine. Just a little hot and sweaty but it is summertime after all! I took a pill Sat morning and skipped my dose that evening. Tonight I'm drinking again. Took my pill at 11am and hopefully I'll be Ok...Damn cooter infection!! It messed with my drinking habits! And the side effects when I DON'T drink on them are worse! :-O Never again am I taking this crap when I'm done with prescription! Oh...skipping tonights pill as well! :-)
Anonymous said…
on this fucking metro for 4 days and no booze...I am dying to get trashed and i can't! damn dentist!
Anonymous said…
I made it all the way to a single pill left in the bottle . The posts are all so awesome and make me feel just slightly less crazy and stupid for even considering booze on this med.
But how can you resist ? It's like the doc is double daring you to drink . And how much more do u want to drink... Even just a sip because all of a sudden booze is off limits and just seems that much sexier .
Well even tho I was scared shitless, I just couldn't resist. Had two pints of beer tonight. Feel a little weird ( but is it in my head??). I'm hyperconscious right now and may not be sane ... Either way, my head is a bit cloudy and I feel a bit slow. Maybe a little warm and a tad dizzy. Im dealing so long as I don't vomit. Only time will tell .
Thanks all for making it ok ( in my head) to taste the forbidden fruit without fearing death. I can only hope my luck is as good as many of yours and I don't end up praying to the porcelain god.
Cheers drinking buddies :)
Anonymous said…
just want to report back on my experience:

completed a 5 day course of flagyl, 200mg x 3 per day. Had my first drink (vodka cooler) 17 hours after completing last dose.

Felt the flushed feeling, little bit drowsy and got a headache soon after. Had another 3 vodka coolers for the evening. Didn't feel any other symptoms except for the headache and flush feeling.

Still had the headache when I woke up this morning and had a bit of an upset stomach.

Going to start drinking some more this evening, which is 41 hours after last dose. Will report back if I experience any other symptoms.
Anonymous said…
Ahhhh!! Now I don't want to take it...
Unknown said…
Okay so I've just taken my first two pills of metronidazole today, one at 12pm and the other at 8pm, and considering I have the day of work tomorrow decided to buy some beers. I've drank two full sized pints of beer. It's been roughly an hour since my last one and feel absolutely fine. Who knows it might effect me later, I'll keep you updated if there's any changes..
Anonymous said…
I really want to drink so bad, my team has made the grand final in the footy this long weekend, and i cant drink and celebrate. i have to take 2x 400mg pills a day, and it seems im the only one who has to take it for 21days =(
My mouth tastes like shit all the time, and im a lil FML at the moment.
I wont drink while im on this, as i once drank when i had taken 1 cold n flu pill, then felt like death all the next day... think i will forget bout drinking straight after as well... until this taste leaves my mouth at least.
Anonymous said…
I'm 5'7 120lbs. I've been taking 500mg twice a day for three days now. Washed my pills down with a bottle of wine last night and no ill effects.
Unknown said…
Drinking a small (175ml) glass of Wolfblass wine, day 6 of Metro and so so bored. Not had a drink for 2 weeks so figure I been a good girl. :-) I am a regular drinker, quite a strong constitution. I've had awful side effects the last couple of weeks from one med or another, so might as well enjoy myself for half an hour.

Brilliant site by the way! At least you distracted me for an hour and a half! Probably saved me partaking in a second glass and regretting it!

Anyhow, wish me luck. You guys are great, so good to know I'm not alone in our fool hardiness!

Cheers all, from the UK.
Sam
Anonymous said…
I started taking metro on Saturday afternoon (500 mg. 3x a day). I hadn't read this blog yet and didn't heed the no alcohol label on the bottle. I was sipping my 2nd glass of wine when I took another dose of Metro and Cipro (2nd dose) at 9 pm. As soon as I swallowed the pills, I projectile vomited. That's when I decided to look it up and found this hilarious blog. I am glad to know there are so many like me. I drink wine every night (at least 2-3 glasses and even more on weekends). It is Monday now and I am not taking anymore. I was willing to teetotal after what happened to me and reading this blog, but I have been nautious all day and cannot stand the bad taste in my mouth. Too many side effects. I'll just take the Cipro.
Anonymous said…
I will NEVER drink again on this pill if I ever have to take it again...I'm kinda a bigger girl that drinks quite often..so there for I. Can hold my liquor......I was on day 6 of the 7 day perscription of the 500mg....... I drank bout 5 mixed drinks an a couple shots....I took it slow.......n I felt fine after my 1st 1 so I kept goin.....towards the end of the night at the bar my stomache started to cramp a lil but it went away n I hadn't had a drink for a bout an hr....after the bar closed we went to a couple afterpartys the 1st on was fine I didn't drink n I felt normal....then we went to another 1that was bout 15 minutes away on the way out there I was feeling really weird n a lil anxiety I didn't even get down at the party I had wished I just went home not even an hour later the people I was wit brang me home I ate a lil piece of banana n threw it right up then I went to bed for bout 3hrs woke up n for the next hr I was throwin up every 5 minutes n druring that hr I was scared to sleep I was so tired n wen I would start to doze off I was like I forgot to breathe n would wake up it really was freaking me out.....so finally I was able to fall asleep for bout 3 or 4 more hrs I woke up n I feel a lot better so hopefully all my throwing up is done if not ill let u no......but I really DONT recommend drinking on this med no matter how much u think ur body can handle...I thought my body could handle it....n boy was I wrong!! Good Luck!!
Anonymous said…
I took two yesterday, hoping to knock out infection. Then, one this morning at 9am. I went out with friends after work, bought a beer. Drank one drink of it. Waited... About 10 minutes later, I started having to burp - alot. Then, I got a splitting headache. Then, the headache continued almost all night. I never get headaches. Needless to say, I gave my friend the beer, and went all water, all night with my friends who were partying hard. It felt strange being the only one sober, but it was fun. I'm pretty much the same either way. Maybe I'll try this not drinking thing on for a little while... give my liver the rest it deserves. As for the pills? I'm probably not going to finish them. My infection was light, and I think they over-prescribed for me something that a bunch of acidophilus and drinking water will cure. I think taking one high dose will do me fine. Will post later on how it turns out!
babz j said…
I absolutely Love this Thread..I am in the same boat, been on it for 5 days, without alcohol because i was too scared, i also read on a Medical site, that there is no prroof of interaction, i do believe in the power of Psychology and i know that if i have a drink i will bring on panics and everything linked to anxiety myself.. however, ive decided to have a drink, and im quite a heavy drinker, i drink around 600ml of vodka on a night, I had my last 200mg Metronidazole at around 8pm yesterday, and will probably open the Voddie at 7pm so thats 23hours, i will let you know, if there are any different effects to my normal Hangover lol.. wish me luck :)
babzy j said…
Ok, my update, i have had 8 vods and although i feel drunk (which) i usually do lol, Im fine, will try come back on later :)
babzy j said…
and a full bottle of vodka later, im fine, apart from these hairs on my hands, growing at fast speed..but ive platted them so its all ok.. (this is not a side effect) i dont think lol,,612
Anonymous said…
finished 3 x 500mg for 7 days at 8 am yesterday morning.... wanted a drink last night, then read the rest of this blog lol.... so tonight it starts again... in an hour lol

Another rotten tooth.... It will be nearly 36 hours... I'll check back tomorrow...
Anonymous said…
So.... the night was a little scary.... but ok... had 3/4 glasses of wine... head was a little more groggy than normal next day... but ok. So I would say... minimum 24 hours after course finished... 36 to be safe.. take care guys. :)

LoAlex said…
I finished my last pill (2x a day/7days) yesterday evening, about 24 hours ago. I'm going to try to drink a beer slowly and see how things go. I didn't try to drink at all while I was taking the medicine because I was scared to get sick during exam week. I'll report back later...I'm also about to start my time of the month so that might have a bit of an effect since I'm already kind of tired and my stomach usually isn't 100% during.
Anonymous said…
I Started a course last wednesday of 3x400mg Met per day for 7 days. Dentist said no alcohol and I read the leaflet and again it said no alcohol and fairly serious side effects if you do, so I didn't drink. I was pretty pissed as I had a big Xmas weekend away with 110 people and normally would always have a few. My friend who's a doctor was there at the event, and I asked if I could drink and miss out a days tabs, he almost sniggerd saying that it was mean to prescribe the drug in December, because of all the antibiotics he prescribes that is the only one that you really can't drink with and it does stay in your system for a while like 2 days or more, so I wouldn't be clear all weekend even if I stopped. I was in such a grump! LOL.
Another Psycologist friend was there also and he said he did drink with it once and was really sick with intense vomiting so No I stayed sober all weekend.
I've managed to finish the course today and have about 48 hours to go before the Work's Xmas party on friday, so hopefully I'll be ok on that but I'm going to take it very steady as I've already had other Mild side effects such as:
Slight dizziness and vision being not as normal Poorer and some light sensitivity.
Mild nausea
Lack of appetite
slight kidney/back pain and dark urine.
This is not a nice drug and I hope never to take it again.

Jenny Reyes said…
I am inspired by the writing style of author. I will be visiting in future to extend my knowledge. Thanks.

how to cure a hangover
Anonymous said…
This shit is horrid...I'm half way through my course and 3 days to go and then another 48 hours before I can drink.

It's Christmas eve tomorrow...UGH!

Have had every side effect listed so far (and then some) and this is really is a case of the treatment being far worse than the health condition one is taking it for. Absolutely exhausted, bad mood, no appetite, headaches, burning sensation EVERYWHERE not to mention dry mouth and severe nausea and dizziness. Will probably be even more of a problem drinker (once I'm allowed) than I was before this crap started LOL.

Good news though? Smoking weed isn't a problem as long as you go easy. Hit the green instead if you're so inclined.
Anonymous said…
I am on 3rd day of this med (3 times a day). Have 4 more days left. Just opened a Corona hoping not to get sick. Will let you know. Took a pill about 3 hours ago.
Anonymous said…
500mg 2X a day - just took my last dose at 7 am this morning. I need to go have a drink with friends at 5pm - 10 hours will have passed. yay or nay? Anyone tried after only 10 hours? I'm tryng to be optimistic here..
Anonymous said…
I know this is yrs later but yeah wierd dreams!
Anonymous said…
Hahaha is this blog going to last for years?! This is amazing! Who needs doctors when we have hundreds of human lab rats. Brilliant.

Been on 200mg for last 5 days. Finished last pill at 1pm (or should I say 2 as wanted to get them out of the way for the weekend). No side effects apart from itchy skin. Has anyone else had that? Also felt quite sick on the first dose I took.

This week as been sooooo hard. Life is pretty damn boring withoutbooze. And who inventes fridays without booze?

Six nations in the pub tomorrow. 1:30pm. I will be drinking.

Will report back. Lets see if the 24 hour rule works....

Over and out alcholics....

Keep it coming ;)

(26 yr old female from Landannnnnnn!)
Anonymous said…
Hello from Melbourne (Aust).

Well, by the time I'd finished reading these posts, my 7 day treatment had almost ended :P
But last night, after Day 3 of a 7 day plan (3 x 400mg per day), I decided to give it a red hot go!

I drank 4 x 375ml mid-strength beers. Nothing, apart from the affects of the alcohol were a little pronounced.

I did miss my evening dose tho, had my morning and afternoon doses today, missed my evening dose tonight so I can do it all again ;-)

Although I think that 99% of those posting no affects drink almost daily. ALCOHOLICS UNITE!!! :P
Anonymous said…
stumbled across this hillarious blog like everyone else! Glad I am waiting to drink! We should throw a party and invite everyone who posted here! EPIC!!!
Anonymous said…
Definitely forgot about not being able to drink while on Metronidazole and i drank clear over 10 beers and i didn't feel sick, i only got alot more drunk than i should've or ever have gotten off of that many
Unknown said…
I had an intestinal infection,went to the doc.did a cat scan.they gave me a prescription for Metrondazole
when I got home I read the bottle and saw that I couldn't drink for 2 weeks...I drink 4 days a week and heavily...I panic and decided to go for the bottle drank a pint of tokillya ,and started the meds the next morning.that would be fri.
I was sicker then a dog for three days after that and now that I just started looking up this god forsaken drug..I now know why.lol..i assumed it would neutralize the antibiotic so that it wouldn't work..didn't know it would make me sick...two weeks to go..sigh
Anonymous said…
I'll second that, no more popcorn,3rd time in 3.5 years. 14 days of metronidazole,just glad I am done tomorrow.
Anonymous said…
I have been taking Metronidazole for just under a week now and have not had any side affects apart from a little diarrhea after about 5 days into the course.
I consummed my normal intake of alcohol (couple glasses of wine and a few beers) and I've not had any of the side effects that the pharmacist said I'd get if I drank alcohol with this med.
Jaimus said…
Well I've just been through hell and back with a ridiculous palate abscess from an infected saliva gland that somehow got blocked 3 days ago/ finished a hospitalization of 35 hours, Just was discharged 8 hours ago, was taking metro since last night through the IV,(about 5 bags total not sure the dose)and have 14 more days of 1000mg in 4 pills daily. Exactly 48 hours my last day is both my roommates birthday party, which is how i ended up on this blog. I'm not sure i'll risk the drinking then despite the fact that my house will be in epic party mode.
However why i decided to comment was that since i'm on a liquid diet i had went and got groceries suitable for this, and also picked up some Listerine to help keep my mouth extra clean while my wounds form minor surgery and stitches heal. did my first mouthwash maybe an hour before i began reading this blog, and I have since developed a bad headache cramping in my neck and increased heart rate. FROM MOUTHWASH. I'm disappointed in these side-effects and bummed i can't drink at the party, the mouthwash made me decide not to risk it.
Anonymous said…
About 72 hours since I finished the medication, going to drink my face off tonight. Should be fine but I'll post back if I get sick or something!
Anonymous said…
I'm on day 5 of a 3 x 400mg 7 day course of flagyl, taken with another antibiotic called cefelex. I only had 2 tabs yesterday and then one this morning before deciding I should be right to celebrate arriving at our regular beach holiday pad in beautiful noosa Australia.

I had the first beer 4.8% and felt fine so I cracked the 2nd then decided to research the combination on the net. It freaked me out a bit reading about hospital visits etc, so I only drank 1/4 of the 2nd bottle before tipping it out (I don't want to wreck the family holiday). I did feel a little warm and sweaty but I think I was just stressing myself out from the stories I'd been reading, also considering I've had a few heart pulpertations in years gone by.

After reading all this I think one response about it making the alcohol content up to 5 times worse may be on the money as there's young girls on here drinking 20+ drinks on this scale and obviously you'd be experiencing all the associated effects of alcohol poisoning and terrible hangover. Spirits also seems to react worse then beer in these stories. I'm a seasoned 35yr old male drinker but I'm not willing to chance it any further.

I'm 3 hours from my alcohol know and feel fine. I'll report back if things go downhill tomorrow, but I think after reading all this ill be fine. Had a few bad experiences on other party drugs when younger and it ain't worth pushing the envelope.

Anonymous said…
Yesterday, 4th day of 2 x 400 mg a day coincides with my birthday :/ so I skipped the night dose, took some milk thistle for my liver and slowly drank a beer before leaving the house (7 pm). Felt nothing. Went out, had another beer & a draught, still nothing. 2 mild shooters and a Smirnoff Spin, nothing... I doubt it was the milk thistle, so I'm taking it I got lucky and don't get this reaction. Some people obviously do though. I reckon start slowly and see what happens.
Anonymous said…
Great blog post! I just finished taking Metro for seven days and three Xs per day exactly 60 hours ago. I'm having a glass of fine French wine and feel a slight buzz but none of the other side effects. I gotta say, it is no fun drinking while worried about this bloody drug's side effects! I'll retort back if there are any new developments. If my experience changes I'll give you an update! Cheers
I tried it! said…
I have been on metronidazole 500mg 2x a day for 15 days thus far. Last night, my 14th night, I had a glass of rum, about a standard shot glass worth of 40% alcohol. Within mere moments, I felt hot, my cheeks were flushed, I became slightly dizzy, disoriented and seemingly quite intoxicated, almost as if I had just downed 3 or 4 shots in the same time span (20 minutes). With the first glass done, I was done drinking for the night. Eventually the symptoms faded after some pot and water, took about an hour to feel normal again. Nothing more materialized the next day re: any ill-effects. Drank two shots of rum tonight (my 15th night), had a beer and some cocaine -- feel great. I did pace my alcohol consumption over a 4-hour period, so that would have influenced how I felt, as well.
I really do believe that, it is, ultimately, up to the user to pace oneself. If you have a high tolerance for drugs and alcohol, try the booze. It may be wise to start with a lighter percentage drink, just to see how you feel as it starts going through you.
What an AMAZING blog for info and first-hand accounts. Kudos to everyone who's participated! Good luck!
Anonymous said…
To all those making comments saying you cant believe people cant go their dose without drinking, why the f are u reading this in the first place? To the rest, thanks.. been on this crap for six days with seven more to go. Ive had a few, nothing bad yet.
Anonymous said…
I did my own "experament" as well, seeing that I drink at least 2 glasses to 4 /day. To start with, I am a 28yr old female 5'6" & weigh about 146lbs. I am currently taking 12mg of Suboxone and 2mgs of Xanax "as needed" for anxiety. I was recently prescribed Flagyl for a BV infection which Ive unknowingly had for at least 2months now. I started my first dose on Weds night @9pm after having my last glass of wine at 4pm. I did NOT get sick from that. Today is sat morning (it being midnight), I took my dose of 500mgs at 11am fri morning (yesterday) & drank aglass of wine at 9pm fri night & sipped it until now. Nothing bad except diarrhea feeling stomach pains and Ive noticed some depression while on this and NO APPETITE WHATSOEVER! Wtf is that all about??! Ugh, all I haveto say is IT BETTER GET RID OF MY BV!!!!!! Or this drug in the future will NOT be on my "preferred list of antibiotics" EVER AGAIN! And also, all my food taates weird. I also hate the metallic taste & No sex drive, this shit SUCKS FUCKING BALLS!!!
Ninamac9 said…
As a gal whos had a bucket load of these pills (recurrent dental abscesses from partially erupted wisdom teeth) they have never made me feel yacky although i do experience the odd metallic taste in ones gob.... Always drank on them. Just finished a 7 day course which reminded me to add my two penneth on here. Drank most nights with my usual gusto and had no side effects bar being a bit hot and slight chest flushing abnormal for me. It says on the label from the chemist 'avoid' alcohol. It doesnt say DO NOT DRINK ALCOHOL. So fill ya boots i say. I weigh 50 kilos. Its miserable enough with the infection in the first place without the alcohol ban on top. Ta
Anonymous said…
I have been on Metro for 3 days only, 3 times a day 400mg each. I finished the course 15 hours ago now. Yesterday about 8 hours after taking my last pill I thought I would try a non alcoholic beer drink and honestly after drinking half the bottle I started with flushes and a slight depression lol. Damn there was no alcohol in it but it tasted like alcohol so I think my mind was playing games with me and told me it was real alcohol. I tipped the non alcohol bottle away. I am waiting the full 72 hours after finishing this drug. I hope I never have to take it again as its ruined my long bank holiday weekend in the sun.
Anonymous said…
its obvious that u havent done your research on tha uses of tha "dope" as you, put it some of your greatest leaders of tha free world all smoked "dope" george washingtons wife use to meet him when he returned home frm tha war. not to meantion that they re using "dope" to treat: autism, ptsd for our soldiers frm tha iraq war, cancer, and many other things i smoke "dope" and i still graduated with honors. it dosent matter about tha thc its tha person behind tha "dope" so i advise before you bash something you do your reasearch aye......i did and still do. so dont bash or suggest anything until you know your facts... as my professor says dont believe wat i say do your own reasearch and then comeback and bash it if you can...aye
Bitsy said…
Wow, these comments have continued over the years. I had to take 4 x 500mg in one dose today and only for the one day. So, yeah I won't drink tonight. I was searching for info on this because the chemist said two days without alcohol and I am going camping tomorrow so I wanted to see if I can drink during the trip. Looks like it to me...

I just wanted to point out as some others have: Before even reading this and just having had the medication with my breakfast, eating a small lunch and no alcohol I could report the following symptoms: funny/off feeling, mild dizziness, strange taste in mouth, some almost depression, loss of appetite and heartburn. So it kind of makes sense if this medication already causes all of that then drinking might exacerbate it.

But if you read all the scary bits before you drink I think it would be easy to be hypersensitive to any reaction. Not discounting those who did have very violent reactions but just sayin...

Feel sorry for you guys that had to take it for long periods of time.

Anonymous said…
Great page! Most of you people are obviously young, but I'm 73 and have decided not to take the risk. I was drinking only 1.5 to 4.5 glasses red wine per day but will lay off it for a bit. I am now on 400mg 3 times day for a fortnight.
Anonymous said…
One hell of a lot of you appear to have a drink problem!
Anonymous said…
I am so effing happy I found this blog post. Last night I thought I was loosing my mind but reading all this helped.
500 mg 2x + 500 mg cipro.
Been miserable and now I know why the minor amount of booze I've been drinking. A couple drinks at most.
Had a wedding today and didn't drink after reading all the reactions and having them.
Ugh can't wait to be done I've done chemotherapy and it wasn't this bad what kind of toxic shit is this ? 1/2 way through a 7 day treatment and I guess I won't drink for 3 days after. Thank god for legal weed here in California it's making it bearable
So spaced out from this and ill
Anonymous said…
Wow. If only I checked this site first instead of Wikipedia and webmd! I would saved myself hours of pain! I was on my fourth day of metro 500mg when I decided that "eh one night of heavy drinking shouldn't be so bad, what so it will intensify the alcohol a bit? great, it will save me hours of sipping" FAMOUS LAST WORDS! Ugh what an idiot I was! Just as the previous comments before mine... This stuff damn near killed me! I'm just coming out of it now and I still don't feel right. So I took the night pill about a cpl hrs before my first drink and then after drinking juice and vodka, prob about 4 or 5 shots I think, I also ate a big meal so I wasn't really feeling any different than I normally would. I only drink heavily on occasion prob once a month. The next morning I had a normal hangover nothing real bad but I felt weird. Then I even noticed blood when I coughed! That scared me but I thought whatever I better not drink so much. So I then took my morning dose of metro, completely forgetting about the fact that I shouldn't do it bc I drank the night before, AND I even took it on an empty stomach! Another no no! So then about 2 hrs later it began... Ughhhh I thought I was going to die!!! Every single side effect all at once came upon me! I had chills, feverish, headaches, depression, hard to breathe, nausea, uncontrollable twitching, blurred vision, super fast heart beats, stomach pain. Those were the worst I can think of, but I honestly almost had my husband call 911. I just couldn't get it under control! It took about an hour and a half to calm down. It just kept coming back after I thought the worst was over! And to top it off I was not home when it began. But while in the car and once home, the one thing hat helped me was sitting in front the air conditioner and closing my eyes and concentrating on breathing. I learned my lesson big time and only pass my story on to you with hopes that you do not suffer the way I had to :-(
Unknown said…
Having. My first beer less then 24 hours off metronidazole . 22. 6'5 200lbs think I'll be fine thanks
Anonymous said…
If one cannot last 7 days without drinking alcohol, I think theres a problem. Are you seriously gonna risk it just because you like alcohol? (if you aren't an alcoholic that is) I like alcohol as much as the next person, but if my doc says don't drink on this medicine, i'm not going to go and do it. I mean if you really just can't last the course of this medicine without drinking, there is a serious problem. I am on day 3 of a 7 day regimen and I am doing fine without alcohol.
Anonymous said…
I've realized that. It's like some sort of taboo to not have a drink for a few days. If you are that obsessed with alcohol, and you aren't even an alcoholic...maybe you need a second look. Hahah. If the doc says don't freakin drink...don't. No matter what. If you have no side effects from alcohol, cool. But if you risk it ya kind of deserve getting sick.
Austin4Alabama said…
Ok, here she goes! I was released from the hospital after a 6 day stay w/ colitis that stemmed from food poisoning from an Arby's sandwich. Stay away from there! Who even knows what is in that meat? After a CT scan and traumatizing anal procedure, I was admitted and put on IV Cipro and Flagyl/Metro BID a piece for all 6 days. I lost a lot of blood to the point surgery was considered. It all began 3 or 4 hrs after the sandwich I began to have severe abdominal cramps. So I thought it was diarrhea and was ready to take a shit and get it out lol well in the process of sitting on the pot the pain became so bad I broke out in cold sweats and became nauseated and now had to stand up and face the toilet I was sitting on a second earlier to puke! The puking began and some of the Arby's came up, i felt a little better. Now the abdominal pain reveled itself again to no avail. The diarrhea begins! Sold stool quickly turned into soft then a yellowish watery liquid. Oh and keep this mind, I recently had surgery on my RT hand w/ 2 pins placed which are protruding from my skin w/ my dominate hand. Has anyone ever had to wipe with the opposite hand, messy and awkward! Abdominal pains subsided, and i was like YES, its over, I made it! Oh no, it had just begun. The pains were followed w/ straight bloody expels, no stool, just blood. This went on into 4am and I realized it was not getting better, but worse. So a trip to the ER began w/ flashers on and pedal to the metal. That same thing followed for 4 straight days, my HCT dropped from 55 to 23 which is not good. I was released w/ Cipro and Flagyl PO BID for 7 days, im on the second day and dose. No alcohol but Im craving just a beer. Im a nurse and a 28m 5'10 was 150 but lost 25lbs during my stay in the hospital on a diet of only clear liquids! I think im going to take a chance and try a beer. I know better, just an imperfect human in a perfect world. Thanks for all the advice....will keep yall up to date
Anonymous said…
I had surgery and was prescribed this medicine after a fever developed a few days after I got home from the hospital. I went to a bbq, where it was insisted that I have a beer, despite not really wanting one. I had been on the medicine for nearly a week. I drank a few sips, reread the warnings and opted that the risk of being sick while recovering from abdominal surgery rare ovarian cancer at age 35) was simply too high. I did get very dizzy twice just a bit after my few sips. I'm glad I didn't through caution to the wind, as potentially puking my guts out while still healing from a huge vertical gash in my tummy seems unimaginably unpleasant.
Boston'sBible said…
Damn it. not what i wanted to hear! im so used to taking antibiotics for tonsillitis and washing them down with a pint that I'm HATING these tablets. I just want a pint on Thirsty Thursdays:(
Boston'sBible said…
Got drunk last night and i had taking a tablet at 1 in the afternoon and starting drinking at 9. I got no side affects, if anything the hangover isnt as bad as usual. im a lucky one.
Anonymous said…
Well after reading this i was worried to drink so i didmt go to heavy,
I had 4 wkds 2 punts and to double vodka and lemonades,
Ive woke up this morning and i am fine
So if your not OTT im sure its okay
Anonymous said…
So I took a single dose of flagyl...all 4 pills at once as per my MD yesterday approxiamtely 3pm....havin dinner with friends tonight and tequila may be involved...not heavily but some....am i in the clear or should I count it out?
Anonymous said…
I'm with the people who say that the "reactions" people are having is all psychological. I drink all the time on Metronidazole, I've taken it in pill form and used the gel. The first time I took it the pharmacist made it sound like I was going to die if I drank. After reading a lot of research I decided that probably wasn't the case and had a beer. Waited 30 minutes. Nothing. Had a few more beers. Nothing. I mayyybe felt a little drunker than usual? But I was probably imagining things. Since then I've proceeded to drink while taking it without a second thought. My sister has taken it and drank on it too with no adverse reactions.

If you're really scared about drinking on this drug, just drink a small amount and wait to see if you have adverse reactions. The reaction the FDA is warning about would happen right away, so these people talking about having "reactions" hours later or the next day are not having reactions to metronidazole but most likely just drinking too much.

Just my input.
Anonymous said…
Thats what i would like to know also i stopped tue night was the last one i took and i dont know exactly when i can have a drink
Unknown said…
I drink while I'm on it and the only thing it's done is make my tummy bubble but I'm still going finish my beers:) luckily I'm off on Mondays.
Rosie said…
Been taking 3 x 400mg of metro for TEN DAYS! TEN WHOLE DAYS.
I took my last tablet last night around 9pm. I have just started a bottle of mixed berry cider..

So far all I have is tummy ache from the laptop being sat on my stomach whilst I read through all of this comments.

Over and out!
Anonymous said…
Okay so I read a great deal of the earlier comments and thought I should be fine to just have one or two light drinks at the festival I was going to today... bad idea... on Meta 400mg 3x a day for 7 days and on day 6. After about 4 sips I was feeling hot flushes and nausea! I felt so sick I had to get out of the sun and try to down water to attempt to not throw up. I wouldn't have even had half of a standard drink. I am definitely someone who can drink a lot normally so I thought it would be worth chancing it since some people seem to have been okay.

I 100% think after how I feel that you are wayyyy better off just waiting! Don't do it! The drink is so not worth being one of the unlucky ones!
Anonymous said…
Please take my word on this one...you don't want to risk it. I was prescribed 500 mg twice a day for seven days. On fifth day, eight hours after taking dose, forgot and took two sips of wine. Poured the rest down the grain when I realized what I had done. It was definitely too late. Thirty minutes later just felt a little flushed and kind of dizzy, an hour later slight nausea, and 12 hours later at the ER after staying up all night on the bathroom floor projectile vomiting. You may not have the same reaction but I promise you it is not worth the risk.
Anonymous said…
4 days into 3x500mg per day for 7 days I decided on the Fri night to attempt a little harmless glass of vino after a totally shit day.sipped it slowly to see how it went.it fidnt go well.approx 5 sips later I started to feel sicky.abandoned the wine pronto.if I'd drunk that half glass quickly I reckon I'd have been doin a psychedelic yodel all night.

Julz from Scotland.
Anonymous said…
Took two tablets on a Thursday last one being 6pm. No alcohol for 48 hrs. Had one glass of wine thought I felt ok then within half hr felt quite drunk and heart rate increased ending up in s major panic attack I think. Although it said 48hrs wait. I'm waiting another 24hrs at least! That one glass even after the 48hrs didn't feel righter right..
Anonymous said…
THIS BLOG CRACKS ME UP!!! my hubby is adamant about drinking tonight and we bought our usual bottle of good ole vodka.. love the stuff. he has been on metro for 10 day x3 500 mg .. last one was at 8 am this morning he says fuck it .. im a drinkin and I say no so I came online and seen this blog and I am crackin up here but again worried about him drinkin.. I will post tomorrow and let y'all know if he is alive or dead!
Anonymous said…
What a great blog. Have read the whole lot and found the comments interesting and entertaining. I've been on Metro for 14 days and had my last dose this morning (Monday). I had a tiny sip of a friends wine on Friday night and had stomach cramps and nausea Saturday morning, but after reading this realised that I had taken the meds with my meal then had the sip straight after. Seems timing is a factor with the alcohol. That's the only alcohol I've had while on these meds have not had a drink during the whole time and right now I'm hanging out. Prior to this I easily do 1 - 2 bottles of wine in the evening, not to mention being a pub regular. Took my last pill at 10am this morning and by god I'm having a glass of wine when I get home damnit F*** the 48 hrs. Will take it easy and hope it goes ok. Well done everyone who has had to endure the effects of Metro!!
Anonymous said…
By the way I have been on 2x 400mg per day for 14 days
Heather said…
I wrote the previous 2 posts and would like to report that my last dose was yesterday morning 10am. I tentatively sipped about 2 glasses of wine last night (with a water in between - don't normally do that)felt slight nausea although was probably in my head. This morning I have a slight headache nothing much and I'm fine. If I ever have to take this medication again I will be well informed thanks to reading this blog. Many thanks and good luck to you all.
Cheers
Anonymous said…
It seems that the reactions are very much person based. I am on day 2 of 500/mg twice per day. Took my morning dose at 5 am. It's now 8pm. I had a sandwich at about 5pm. (I normally only eat once a day anyway). I'm on my 4th ZiegenBock Amber, sipping slowly, and so far so good. I am probably considered a regular drinker. I'll update tomorrow, but I'm not really noticing anything.
Anonymous said…
I've been taking flagyl 250 mg tablets thrice daily, as well as ciprofloxacin 250 mg twice daily, for nearly 9 days. I had a beer last night 4 hours after my last dose and I have never been more sick in my life. The vomiting began as soon as the alcohol was absorbed into my system.
For people considering drinking while taking these meds, I can tell you it's definitely not worth it. You will likely be sick before you even start to feel the effects.
Lacey Arnaud said…
Lmao this is the best post ever!
Anonymous said…
Ive drunk booze on Met and been fine. There is clearly a genetic element to the reaction. Doctors are just advising everybody to avoid it because some people have a very bad reaction. BTW : the original general advice on not drinking booze with antibiotics was issued to soldiers during the war, it was more about stopping them from spreading VD when drunk than anything pharmacological.
Anonymous said…
I think it really depends on the individual. I took 500mg 2x a day for a week. I had no problems and drank wine,beer,vodka. No side effects. Of course I took it in the am ate full meals during the day and a decent dinner, drank lots of water after drinking before taking evening dose.
Anonymous said…
I just want ONE glass of wine
VeeBee said…
Okay guys... I read ALL of these comments.

I went back and forth between I'm not drinking and Eh, I'll give a try.

I am 22, 5'5 and 5lbs overweight, lol. I only drink once or twice a month.

Anywho I'm on 500mg twice daily, 7 days. I will take my last dose today. This med has given me dark urine, VIVID dreams, nasal congestion, feelings of fever, and slight stomachache/nausea randomly I hope I NEVER have to take this again!!!
One of my friends is moving away to europe with her husband AND her birthday is saturday, this will be her last weekend here....so yeah, I'm boozing. It will be about 32hrs between my last dose and the time I will drink So I'm crossing my fingers. Let's hope for the best.
I'll report how it goes on sunday.
VeeBee said…
I didn't get sick at all. Had a great booze filled night.
Funny thing is I still felt nauseous from taking the medicine all day but once I started drinking I was fine. Lol
Unknown said…
This shit is stupid. I have a nasty taste in my mouth and have a head ache. What a waste of money. I don't even want to take it anymore. It makes you feel like shit even if you don't drink on it. Screw you all who don't have side effects. To those who do I agree this shit should be illegal and off the market. It's too strong and I haven't even taken what was recommended. Glad I didn't. Good luck to you all this crazy ass drug. I'd say do home remedies if you can. Cheaper, don't waste your money if you don't want the risk of the crazy side effects. I didn't even get a pamphlet with them.
Anonymous said…
Well I took one 400mg tablet at 7am this morning being a friday and have decided to stop and restart Monday morning. I have poured myself a wine...I am hoping that one tablet wont affect me!
Anonymous said…
I took metronidazole for the first time a few months ago. I was informed by my doctor that I could have absolutely no alcohol. I was wide eyed and jaw dropped being as how it was a friday and all. I refrained from drinking friday, but saturday rolled around, and I thought one beer won't hurt. I drank the beer and felt fine. I took my pills as ordered that day so I thought I was in the clear. The next day (Sunday) football was on, and of course you have to have beer with football, I started drinking in the afternoon about two or three beers. I swear I have never felt so sick in my entire life. I puked for about eight hours straight. I couldn't get up off my bathroom floor. I strongly advise against taking this pill with alcohol. It is poison.
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Anonymous said…
Yeah, glad I found this page. My doctor prescribed Metro to me without the alcohol warning, and I assumed it was like other antibiotics where you could drink moderately with no ill side effects. Nope. I went out to see one of my favorite bands on Friday night and had one whiskey sour. A half hour later I was having a panic attack, sweating bullets and dry heaving. I somehow drove myself home and spent the night curled up in fetal position wondering if someone had roofied me. Plus I was pissed that I missed half of the band's set. Definitely don't mix alcohol with this drug. :(
Anonymous said…
I drink everyday but today on metronidazole I got really ichy. I didn't know y I was itching until I remember a friend told me she drank on her antibiotics and broke out in hives and got ichy but knowing what I know now I'll be sober for a week...this is my second time having to take it and I drank like a fish every day I know now...
Anonymous said…
I finished a two-week course of Flagyl on Wednesday evening (it's Friday now). I bought a bottle of wine after work. After reading most of these posts, I picked up the phone and called my pharmacist! She told me that it's OK to drink 24 hours after finishing it. So I'm slowly sipping my wine, but so far so good. :)
Anonymous said…
I, too, was nervous about drinking on metronidazole. But I had an event on a Saturday night, my fourth day of pills, and knew I'd have trouble NOT drinking a little something. To protect myself from my own stupidity, I skipped my morning dose of metronidazole on Saturday and then didn't start drinking until 24 hours after my last dose (10 pm Friday.) I only drank two beers but had no adverse reaction. It's a gamble, but you can get away with it unscathed!
Anonymous said…
4 times a day here,no ill effects whatsoever
Anonymous said…
I have drank the past 2 nights while in the middle of my prescription. No side affects. Also, I have a friend that is currently in nursing school and just happens to be studying antibiotics and said that it will have no affects on you except for getting you drunker faster. IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD!! Enjoy :)
Anonymous said…
Love this thread so I thought I'd contribute.

First the basics - 7 days, 3x day, 500mg with the same of Augmentin for diverticulitis.

Drank 34 hours after finishing last dose. No noticeable effects other than some fleeting dizziness.

Wanted a glass of wine so bad but this thread helped me wait it out.

This drug blows. Had the taste (still do some), mild stomach upset and general blah while on it.

Cheers!
Anonymous said…
So I got prescribed to 500mg of metronidazole twice a day for 7 days. I took one pill around 11am yesterday and felt nauseous for a couple hours and decided to just stop taking the antibiotic all together. So its now 8pm, its been 34 hours since taking that one pill, do you think it's safe for me to drink tonight? Will that one pill be out of my system hopefully? I'm female 5'10 130 lbs
Anonymous said…
What if all the people in this comment thread who tried drinking with the words "I will report back" never replied because it killed them?
Unknown said…
This is the funniest blog I think I have ever read! I was Googling Metronidazole and alcohol and this thread popped up! I am on day 5 of 200mg 3 times a day and I took my last dose at midday.My course finishes on Friday. I usually drink 4 or 4 times a week and I have been feeling so crabby and irritable today I thought I would drink the 3 units of White wine in the fridge and test it out.....well its been a couple of hours and i feel fine! If I start projectile vomiting I will let you know! I am having a dinner party on Friday and am a little nervous I have to say as there will be copious amounts of wine and only 12-24 hours since my last and FINAL dose. Let's see what happens! PS - I am glad this thread exists and now it's 2014 so 5 years on people are stil pissed off about not being able to drink! lol!
Anonymous said…
So fast forward a few years. ..June 2014
I'm a 34yo female on flagyl 500 mg 2x's a day. IT'S TUESDAY!!! I drank 4 drinks Saturday night after my dose of flagyl 6 hours earlier. Sunday I was nauseous and could have shit through a screen!!! And all of Sunday and most of monday. As I said it's TUESDAY and I'm still so nauseous I can barely stand it. This drug is the devil. I will never ever everrrrr drink on this medication again or ANY other for that matter.
Anonymous said…
Tried this last night. On 2 500 mg doses a day. Took 7/8 beer and when I came home I puked and passed out hard. It would normally take 2 bottles of hard alcohol to get me puking. Didn't feel "drunker" though. No flushing but slight warm sensation. Pee was a gnarly color after, indicating it was hard on the kidneys.
Anonymous said…
This has been the best Blog I have read in a long time!! As others have said Glad I am not the only one missing my drinking! And for all the folks that says it is in your head are being Arrogant or smartasses..js..I am an avid drinker, have been for over 10 yrs. 6-12 beer a day everyday! Female 55 yr.old 5'5", 141 lbs.I am very active and busy person. Wednesday of last week I have been on Flagyl 3x 500 & Cipro 2x 500 for 6 days of 8 day dosage for diverticulitis. By the 3rd day I think I was having DT's! So I went to looking this medicine up cuz the bottle say "ABSOLUTELY NO ALCOHOL" (I just figured my husband told the Doc to put it on there so he could gloat.) and found this blog, which is AWESOME. It has entertained me for days! The Flagyl makes me nauseous, headache, hot flashes, loss of appetite. Had to be on Clear liquids for 4 days..(I needed real food! So on end of day 4 ate mac&cheese..(first poop today in 5 days!!) I have been inside house for 5 days! Took my 5 a.m. pill Sunday morn and thought after reading all those post on here by 12 noon take a chance and drink a beer. So went to a friends pool for the day and within 10 minutes I was sick from the SUN! Didnt even get to drink a beer! But everybody else was! Heart rate went up, nauseous, sweating profusely, watering mouth, felt faint and dizzy. That happened to me 2 times from just standing in the sun for no more than 10 mins.! So I sat in the pool with umbrella over me and that help bring me to normal and a 12 pk. of WATER! But then I had major headache for the rest of the day. Could't even go on a boat ride! It drained every bit of my energy out of me. I have 2 days of doses to go and HOPEFULLY on Friday I get to get my drink on with my favorite beer,ICEHOUSE!! Hope all is well with all y'all Drinkers out there! and for those that don't drink coming on here with your remarks. Go some where you are needed with all your advice!
Anonymous said…
Ok I have been on flagyl for 6 days... My husband is a bartender and I wanted to get out of the house. I sat with him at work and decided to have a shot of jäger w/red bull .. I'm also taking adderrall (per my prescription).. My last dose of both was an hour before I took a shot. It's been one hour since I took the shot.. I feel nothing at all.. And contemplating taking a 2nd shot. I usually drink a lot of jäger on the weekends. Gonna give it another 30min and test out a 2nd shot. I'll report back in 2 hours.

LEOINTHESUN-Las Vegas, Nv 9:22pm - 9/26/14
Anonymous said…
I have been on metronidazole/flagyl before. I did not dare drink while I was on it because I had heard the stories about it. Well I took my last dose on Friday around 8 am, I went out with friends Saturday night and had 4 drinks. I felt more intoxicated than i should had with the 4 beers, but no other symptoms at that time. I went home went to bed and woke up early the next morning with severe stomach cramps and started violently vomiting. I laid back down and woke up about 30 minutes later doing the same thing. Thank goodness that was the last of it. I will from now on wait 3 or more days after taking flagyl before i even think about taking a sip of alcohol.
Anonymous said…
Let's say I wanted the alcohol/Flagyl combination to be lethal... how much alcohol would it take? In fact, would you drink more, or dose more on the meds? Just curious.
Anonymous said…
Awesome blog...very helpful. I was on Metro_250MG 3x daily@5 days. Christmas Eve..2014; Figured I'd test a couple sips of wine after large meal and 250mg dose to see if there are any side-effects. Had no effects and slept like a baby. I'm on for possible Diverticulitis infection so I've taken doses on empty stomach w/probiotic throughout my course.

An hour after taking dose Christmas Day, I started feeling panicky, heart rate up, and felt like I was going insane. Took shower to calm myself down and started to feel better. Then, on way down to family's place, had another small panic attack in car with same symptoms. Must had tiny amount of alcohol in stomach from the night before???? How, I had 2 sips of wine?

Here's the thing...I escaped a pukefest but felt terrible all Christmas day after just two small sips of wine with giant meal 16 hours earlier. I weigh 165 pounds and drink wine regularly.

DON'T DO IT...Seriously,JUST DONT!!!!

Just wait the full 48 hours and continue boozing. It's not worth the puke-a-thon you could face. Its 50/50 chances....seriously. Hope this helps.
Unknown said…
Im going to give a martini a go. Took first dose of metro about 4 hours ago. I will report back. This blog has me dying laughing
Unknown said…
So Im on day 2 of metro train. 500mg 22x a day for 7 days and cipro as well. Had a martini last night with no issues but drank nice and slow. Today Im having one 16 oz can of bud. No issues so far but again going slow. I am female, 5 feet and 145 lbs. Heavy drinker.
I laugh at people commenting on how we need help if we cant go 7 days without booze and then say, by the way Im on it too and drinking anyway. Lmao
Anonymous said…
Im gutted reading all this, im meant to be taking 400mgs 3x a day for a wisdom tooth infection, hmm right where's my pliers, wilmaaa!
I can't remember the last time I didn't drink for a week, I was probably still in training pants.
I will wait a few days to see how the pain does and will then decide.
Great blog and funny to read, well done guys.
Anonymous said…
I'm on this med for the second time. 500mg 1 pill 2 a day. The first time I totally forgot I wasn't supposed to drink n I drank while on it, not much but I did then I got sick, as in sick with a cold and they told me NOT to take any meds with alcohol and 2hrs later I forgot and took some nyquil all this in the same week and not ONCE did I feel anything wrong. On my second time of this medicine. 3rd day in... took one at 11am. 5 hours later I took a shot of vodka and an hour and a half after that, I drank something similar to a tequila sunrise. 2 hrs later I'm smoking some FIRE. Now that I think about it, I smoked some fire earlier too, this morning before I took my pill. No bad reactions at all, I just took my pill again.
I didn't drink and smoke on purpose. I forget shit really easily so I forgot all about the dnt drink while on it. It does worry me about getting sick on it and feeling tripped out so I'm not going to drink anymore till im done with the meds.
I'm 5'3 and weigh 240, I would say I drink regularly 5 days out of the week, beer, liquor or wine. I smoke very little, for my back pain so I dnt sit there smoking joints or blunts, just take hits from my small pipe.

Hope this helps someone out! Good luck everyone! ♡
Anonymous said…
OMG, I have been reading all of these comments and 1. I feel comforted by the fact that I'm not the only one to be anxious about taking this medication and wanting to drink and 2. so scared that I don't think I can follow through. The story is that I went to the Dr. for my yearly pap and it was found that I had BV so she prescribed my something that wasn't covered by my insurance, so I asked the pharmacy to give me the equivalent of what was covered. BIG MISTAKE. The one that was covered ironically so is the Flagyl cream. Then the pharmacist said "and you know not to drink any alcohol while on this?" and I was like "no... I'm sure I took this before a few years ago and was fine.." and she was all shocked and said "really?? it can make your blood pressure drop to a dangerous level!!" which scared the shit out of me. I wouldn't have given it a second thought if she wouldnt' have said that and I wouldnt have found this blog. I was so scared that today I phoned the pharmacy back and asked for the orignial one that wasn't covered, which will cost me $57 out of my own pocket versus $4 out of my pocket.. but to me it's worth every penny!!! This stupid cream was a day 10 regimen and you can't drink the day after, meaning 11 days!! wtf?? so... I will suck up the $57 and considered myself lucky.
Anonymous said…
Just wanted to pop back in and say that the out of pocket meds were only $47... and worth every penny!! So glad I didin't go with the Flagyl.
Unknown said…
Ok so I'm taking the generic flagyl twice a day last time I took it was 10 or so hours ago and I'm freaking out I completely forgot about it and drank about a half of a beer. Please tell me I didn't just mess up this whole antibiotic cycle and I have to take this horrible stuff all over again!!!
Unknown said…
Hiya folks. Since this seems to be a medicine often prescribed to many people I thought I'd share my experience with it as well. Btw, this entire board has been a joy to read, glad I'm not the only person that cringes at the thought of no alcohol for seven days haha.
I'm a 5'8" female, around 170 pounds, and I haven't had trouble drinking a SMALL amount on Flagyl. The most I've drank is 3 beers on it before my stomach started to rumble weirdly in a "please stop doing this" way. It really helps if you wait at least 6-8 hours after your last pill (mine are 500mg) before drinking, and GO SLOW. I really wouldn't advise doing shots, but that's just me. Everyone's different and will be effected differently. I also skip my nigtly dose if I'm drinking that night and just pick up where I left off at least 6-8 hours after drinking. It's sad that there's no sure-fire way to know how it will effect you, but I think if you give it time after the pill before drinking and you pace yourself and listen to your body, you should be fine. I had no bad effects the next day from it, either. Just got a little flushed and warm but that's pretty typical for me when I drink. Happy drinking, friends, and stay safe!
Anonymous said…
Finished my 5 day course of metronidazole yesterday evening and after 11.tonight I decided to see if I could stomach some wine. Only had one glass. Feel a bit fuzzy headed but not sick so far ! Yucky taste in mouth so the red wine tastes odd which is a bummer.
Anonymous said…
I have been on the Metro for 5 days now, 1 500mg dose 2 times daily. I have been soooo good and haven't had a lick of alcohol for the 5 days. Which has been quite difficult as I had a networking event on Tuesday with wouldn't you know it... all the free booze you could imagine! Last night had a friends birthday party where all my friends got rocked and I stayed sober. I was thinking I would be able to relax after a crazy work week of weddings galore, with a gluten free beer (as I have celiacs disease) and I find this feed. I have been nauseous the entire time taking this medication and have even had bouts of vomiting throughout my 5 days. Think I may give it a go, but really appreciate this feed! Best of luck to everyone on this med, as I cant wait to be finished with it!
Anonymous said…
Flagyl: yuck. Fog, no appetite, whatever. The worst: no drinking. So just to report, I finished a 7-day course Monday and drank almost a bottle of wine today (Wednesday) and feel fine. Waited out all those long 7+ days. That is all.
Anonymous said…
Don't risk it! Even after finishing the dose. I was on metro for 5 days 2x per day. It's now Friday and I began my medication last Saturday, which means it's been 2 days upon finishing. I'm a big fan of wine and typically drink around a bottle per day. I figured since most say to wait 48 hours I would be fine. I had a half glass of wine, am completely dizzy to the point I can't stand up, have an excruciating headache and feel queasy. Unfortunately I won't be enjoying the rest of my glass of wine. Doctor said to wait three days after taking metro before consuming any alcohol and I should have listened. Don't risk it!! I feel like crap and can't get out of bed after only a small amount of wine.
Lena D said…
I. Love. You Guys. I feel like I joined a dysfunctional infected alcoholic club, and I like it. So first, it's not in people's heads (at least not all the cases), because the first time I had an issue, I didn't know about any interactions. Second, I want to know if a skin test would work, here's what I have to input and what I propose: I've been on this 3 times now, and they always caution you not only to avoid drinking alcohol, but products with alcohol. The second time, I used a deep cleanser on my face that I didn't realize contained alcohol, and it produced an almost immediate round of flushing, heart pounding, dizziness, and nausea. This last time, a few hours after I finished my last dose, I used the cleanser again, and felt a little....icky. Waited a few more hours, used it again. Felt fine. Proceeded to drink my face off, no issues whatsoever. So I'm curious, could this possibly be a way to test how you'll react BEFORE you're so sick you want to die?? Let's continue this awesome human experiment people, for the sake of science and all that (and having absolutely nothing to do with our group lack of alcohol abstinence) :D
Guernsey Girl said…
I'm on day 7 of 400mg 3 times a day following wisdom tooth extraction. I haven't drunk. I have however taken 2 paracetamol and 2 nurofen religiously every 4 hours since the tooth came out. I'm in agony....and could really do with a drink. I can't face puking as well so I've abstained. Anyway, back to dentist today because I still look like a gerbil with Bells palsy and it still hurts. Bastard dentist tried to prescribe another week of Metronidazole. I refused in favour of something I could drink on. I'm going to wait until tomorrow night so 24 hours....this is a great blog....thank you to whoever started it.
Anonymous said…
Great great group, is the best source that I found on the web! Sorry for english because I am from Brazil, so I will start my test tomorrow, 3 per day of 250mg, and I am going out with a friend, for sure try all the suggestion so hopefully I am in the mood after to write how was it!
Anonymous said…
I realize this was posted years ago but I felt compelled to leave a comment as I have spent the last 3 hrs reading the comments...

I am a female, 23 yrs old, 5'4, 120 pounds and I am on my 3rd day of metro. 500mg twice a day regiment. I decided to have one beer this weekend about an hr after I took the evening pill. I have been sitting in the bathroom suffering from extreme nausea, vomiting, and panick attacks about 6 hrs after that one beer....I should also mention I drink quite a bit every weekend as most 20-somethings do.

I'm in agony, writing this post to distract myself somehow, and I pray anyone who reads this just takes a second to realize it is not fucking worth it. Just fucking don't; you'll have a good time sober wherever you are partying.

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