The antibiotic, Flagyl, is perhaps one of the best known medicines in Nigeria. People use it for all sorts of things: when they have diarrhea, they use Flagyl. When they have features of indigestion, they use Flagyl. When they suffer from vaginal itching, Flagyl is their drug of choice. Worse still, when they find a child who has rectal prolapse or has intussusception, a sure killer of children who do not have surgical relief, Flagyl is also used. People have often said that they use it also for prevention of sexually transmitted infections. That is most curious because when a “good” infection strikes, this particular medication will be powerless to prevent it. Now, Flagyl is the most well known trade name for the compound Metronidazole, an antibiotic which belongs to the class of drugs known as Nitroimidazoles. In this essay today, like we have done before for medicines like Paracetamol and Amlodipine on this page, we shall examine the legitimate uses of Flagyl and the side effects it can cause.
Doctors use metronidazole to treat gram negative bacterial infections. Often, pharmacists and doctors would advise patients not to use this particular drug with alcohol. It is not an anti-diarrhoeal agent, meaning that it was not initially formulated to be used to treat diarrhea but an effective antibiotic used in the treatment of some types of diarrhea that may be caused by gram negative bacteria. There are many people who take some tablets of this drug along to parties where they often use the medicine after consuming heavy doses of various foods at such gatherings. It is an ubiquitous medicine in many homes but a lot of people are blissfully unaware that this seemingly harmless though effective medicine can cause a variety of side effects.
Flagyl can cause nausea and even vomiting. It can make a person feel unwell and leave a metallic taste in one’s mouth to the point of developing anorexia. It can also cause headaches. When it is taken with alcohol, there is a multiplication of these side effects as well as abdominal cramps and seizures. It can also cause the aggravation of problems related to digestion. Not everyone who takes this unholy combination will suffer from these side effects but it is generally a wise thing to try and avoid the use of alcohol when taking this medication. The side effects take about three days to wear off the system after its usage has been stopped and so the regular intake of alcohol can then continue for those persons who cannot do without it. With regard to being responsible for seizures, Flagyl is believed to be able to bring down the threshold for seizures to occur.
There are other reasons why Flagyl is popular within the hospital and in many homes. It is because the drug can treat or prevent many types of infections within the abdomen, the skin, bones and joints, the pericardium which is the lining of the heart and the central nervous system. It is also used in similar roles for genital tract infections and sexually transmitted infections. To this end, this drug is available in various forms like syrup, infusion, tablets, pessaries which are inserted and pellets used in some special operations. It is indeed an antibiotic that has a wide range of applications. As its applications are wide, so are its negative effects on the body.
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When alcohol is broken down and that happens in two stages, the first product that results from this process is called acetaldehyde. This is a toxic compound which is responsible for the major side effects of alcohol. It is this product that routinely kills hundreds of people in India in alcohol drinking competitions and those who consume illegitimately brewed alcohol. It is thought that similar occurrences may be found in various parts of Nigeria. The next phase of the reaction is the further breakdown to a compound known as acetate which is made possible by the activity of a particular enzyme that is effectively blocked by Flagyl. This compound simply builds up in the bloodstream as a consequence of the blockage to cause a variety of effects that are similar to a drug known as Disulfiram. This buildup in the body occurs because the person is not able to fully digest alcohol in the presence of Flagyl taken as a medication.
Disulfiram is a medication that is used to treat alcohol dependency, in other words, to wean such people off alcohol. When it is taken by such people, they often experience problems like low blood pressure, rapid heart rates, sweating, headache, and vomiting. These experiences are thought to be disagreeable to those who take a lot of alcohol and could persuade them to stop the habit. Often, however, they simply stop taking the medications altogether or find reasons not to do so and are soon back to their old habit. Disulfiram and Flagyl are thus similar in behaviour when they are taken with alcohol hence the need for caution when it is due to be used.
Flagyl is today taken by many people for the treatment for various forms of diarrhea. In most cases, the use is inappropriate. Many are fortunate to get away with it because the diarrhea they had would have resolved anyway. Some take the drug around in their purses and handbags. Yet, they often have no idea what the side effects are. For example, this is a drug that can accumulate in the blood of people who suffer from chronic liver disease. It is also true for elderly people who are at least, 70 years of age. Other people who may suffer from some kidney impairment can also suffer some of the toxic side effects of this drug. It is often amazing to see people take this medicine with such freedom when they have no idea what the dangers are.
It has been observed to be the case that when people take both alcohol and Flagyl, some adverse reactions are worse in some people than in others. Sometimes, these effects are also dependent on age and as discussed above, dependent too on other illnesses going on in the body at the same time. In the main, when people are given this medication, they are often not told to avoid alcohol in the course of using the drug and only become agitated when they do so and some unpleasant reactions have followed. The fault there is mainly with the healthcare professionals who neglect to do this because, perhaps, the use of Flagyl has become so commonplace that it is no longer seen as a serious kind of medicine. If you have developed any of the unpleasant reactions mentioned above on account of using the drug, you will have to employ specific treatments to mitigate those reactions. If you are nauseous, sip warm or tepid water. If you feel dizzy, sit down quickly to avoid falling. If the severity of those reactions does not reduce, you should see a doctor.
Ask the doctor
Dear doctor, at 40, I am looking older than my age. Some people even address me like an old man. What can I do? 0813xxxxxxx
Your question is a very interesting one. Many times, the way people measure you in terms of age depends on what you wear and how you conduct yourself. Other than that, it is important always to situate your looks with the kind of work you do. If you work mostly outdoors, it is likely that you would appear to be older than your age as a result of the effects of the sun and other elements on your skin. Basic things you must learn to do, however, are to keep your hair short, use a moisturising lotion to take care of your skin to avoid it appearing too dry and aged and finally to determine if you do have an underlying health problem. You have to visit the hospital to be examined by doctors in order to determine this last aspect. Finally, your intake of water must be adequate to fully keep your tissues luscious and fresh.
Dear doctor, how do I get a hair growth cream? Can masturbation cause hair loss? 0814 xxxxxxx
You can get hair growth cream at any of the large pharmacies in the town where you live. In many cases, if they do not have it in stock, they can always arrange for you to pick it up at a time when they can source it for you. As for masturbation causing hair loss, there is no evidence that it can do so.
Dear doctor, I just came across an article of yours. I must commend you as one of the best doctors in Nigeria. Sir, I am having a painless blister around my penis and I have never had sex before. I do not know the antibiotics that will cure it. One chemist once recommended Fluconazole cream but I have yet to buy it. What can I do? 0903xxxxxxx
Thank you for your kind remarks and your question as well. If you saw a pharmacist at the place you went to, it is possible that you were given proper advice. If it was a chemist, please do not buy the drug they recommended because it would not be safe to do so. Sometimes, painless lesions like yours around the penis could result from an allergy or from an infection you got from your underwear. In many cases, this problem can be resolved by having a doctor examine the blister in order to be able to advice you on what to do.
Dear doctor, I am an avid reader of your column. I want to know what medications are available for treating halithosis. I live in Igbokoda. 0805xxxxxxx
You can visit the Ondo state hospitals complex at Akure where you are likely to see a dentist and have them examine your mouth. They will also inspect your teeth for evidence of tooth decay after which they can give you the sort of prescription you are requesting. It is important for you to know that sometimes the treatment for this condition goes beyond the common medications you know. You may be given a mouth wash formulated for your specific needs or you may have treatment for a sinus infection. All of that will depend on what the dentists find.
Dear doctor, I don’t know the type of infection that I am having but I usually feel pain at the lower part of my stomach. It is in the left side and it extends to the left leg. Please doctor, can you tell me the meaning of that pain? 0705 xxxxxxx
Thank you very much for that question. I do not believe that what you are experiencing now is due to an infection. It could be related to your gender, in which case, if you were a female, you could be dealing with a left ovarian cyst and if you were a male, it could be due to kidney stones. Females can also have kidney stones. Since you did not tell us which one you are, it would be prudent for you to visit a hospital and let doctors examine you so that the cause of the pain will be clear.
Now, because a large area is involved, this kind of pain is often called a ‘referred pain’ because it begins in one part of the body and extends to another. That is what this kind of pain is called.
Dear doctor, thanks for your write-up on baldness. Sir, I have been using hair dye for some time now and I have just realized that my hair is now going brownish in colour. Please I need your advice on what to do. 0810xxxxxxx.
You need to stop the use of the hair dye if it has discoloured your natural hair. Allow the natural colour to return in a few weeks and then you may wish to maintain the colour or hide it by frequently giving yourself a skin cut. If you have any reservations about this method, you can change the type of dye you use. There are several different types available from the beauticians and hair stylists.
Dear doctor, Please what is the best antibiotic for treatment of digestive disorder? 0817xxxxxxx
Well, there are various types of digestive disorder. The majority of cases are not even caused by an infection and the use of an antibiotic in such a situation is misplaced and will only cause you problems. If you suffer from a digestive disorder, the best thing to do is to go to a hospital and allow the doctors to examine you. Depending on your age, such a disorder could even be due to the development of abnormal growths anywhere in your abdomen. This is not a complaint to be taken for granted as in many instances, there is an underlying cause. See your doctor today and have them examine you. The results obtained will provide the kind of treatment you need.
Dear doctor, I am a woman, 23, writing from Port Harcourt. I have been experiencing this for a very long time. I urinate every 10 to 15 minutes and before an entire day goes by, I visit the bathroom about 15 times. This is almost the same case during the night. After urinating, I still feel like doing so again but when I try nothing comes out or it will be small. What could be the cause and what can I do to stop it? 0903xxxxxxx
If you feel like passing out urine all the time and often feel as though some urine remains behind, it could be that there is a form of growth within your bladder. This is a problem that needs to be properly evaluated. It could also mean that the urethra, the connecting pipe from the bladder to the outside through which urine passes to the outside has sustained some injury in the past that has made it narrow. Whichever one is the cause, it will require a visit to a hospital for proper tests to be carried out to determine which one is the problem. Until that is clear, no form of treatment can be effective. There does not appear to be any discomfort or pain as you pass out urine and so the problem is likely to be some form of obstruction to the outflow or a reduced bladder size as a result of a growth. Take care.
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