Metronidazole and Alchohol
Discussion
Hi
I am on the above antibiotics at the moment and have been strongly advised to avoid alcohol. Fair enough - I have promised myself a reward on Saturday night. The last pill to be taken is Saturday morning. Since then I have heard it needs a few days to clear through the system. Does anyone know more about the effects of this drug and alcohol.
I am on the above antibiotics at the moment and have been strongly advised to avoid alcohol. Fair enough - I have promised myself a reward on Saturday night. The last pill to be taken is Saturday morning. Since then I have heard it needs a few days to clear through the system. Does anyone know more about the effects of this drug and alcohol.
I am also currently on these and was told (by my consultant) it is one of the few antibiotics that reacts badly with alcohol and causes projectile vommiting. It did cross my mind to give it a go but I'm not that brave besides they make me feel sick as a dog anyways. I'm not sure till how long after you finished them would be ok to drink though.
Just don't even try it! Unless you really enjoy vomiting and feeling like death warmed up. I'd even avoid alcohol-based mouthwash in case you swallow a bit.
It is called a disulfiram-like reaction - disulfiram is a drug given in the treatment of alcohol dependance.
This from the British National Formulary regarding disulfiram:
"Patients should be warned of unpredictable and occasionally severe nature of disulfiram-alcohol interactions. Reactions can occur within 10 minutes and last several hours (may require intensive supportive therapy - oxygen should be available). Patients should not ingest alcohol at all and should be warned of possible presence of alcohol in liquid medicines, remedies, tonics, foods and even in toiletries (alcohol should also be avoided for at least one week after stopping)"
"Reactions include flushing of the face, throbbing headache, palpitations, tachycardia, nausea, vomiting and, with large doses of alcohol, arrhythmias, hypotension and collapse"
ETA - the effect is less severe with Metronidazole but can be quite bad - 24 hours abstinence after the last dose should be OK, unless you plan to have a skinfull, and even a small amount after 24 hours may give you a worse hangover than usual.
It is called a disulfiram-like reaction - disulfiram is a drug given in the treatment of alcohol dependance.
This from the British National Formulary regarding disulfiram:
"Patients should be warned of unpredictable and occasionally severe nature of disulfiram-alcohol interactions. Reactions can occur within 10 minutes and last several hours (may require intensive supportive therapy - oxygen should be available). Patients should not ingest alcohol at all and should be warned of possible presence of alcohol in liquid medicines, remedies, tonics, foods and even in toiletries (alcohol should also be avoided for at least one week after stopping)"
"Reactions include flushing of the face, throbbing headache, palpitations, tachycardia, nausea, vomiting and, with large doses of alcohol, arrhythmias, hypotension and collapse"
ETA - the effect is less severe with Metronidazole but can be quite bad - 24 hours abstinence after the last dose should be OK, unless you plan to have a skinfull, and even a small amount after 24 hours may give you a worse hangover than usual.
Edited by wendyg on Tuesday 28th June 21:41
Gee whiz, I had no idea that there were 'standard' (not for specific treatment of alcoholism) meds out there that did that!
I'd stick to the cranberry and lemonade for the night if I were you (NB stay off those lovely Fentimans drinks, they all have a teenytiny bit of boozahol in them).
Enjoy once you're well clear.
I'd stick to the cranberry and lemonade for the night if I were you (NB stay off those lovely Fentimans drinks, they all have a teenytiny bit of boozahol in them).
Enjoy once you're well clear.
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