I have had my pouch for 15 years. I have also had my share of bouts with chronic pouchitis, and I have taken Cipro, Flagy, Biaxin, etc.....all having side-effects. But one drug that my surgeon has prescribed from day 1 is Metro-gel. It is a Flagyl gel that is traditionally given to women for vaginal yeast infections. Well, my surgeon always mentions it as a way to treat pouchitis without many of the adverse side-effects of taking it by mouth. It is inconvenient because you have to fill a plastic tube, insert it into your rear, & dispense it. With all the talk lately about the horrible side-effects associated with Cipro, Prednisone, etc........I thought I would pass this little "trick-of-the-trade". My G.I. was pleasantly surprised when I told her that the surgeon prescribed Metro-gel.
Posts: 24 | Location: gloucester, ma, usa | Registered: April 27, 2000
Josep1, Who is your GI? Is metro-gel commonly available? I never could get a pharmacy to complex flagyl into a suppository for me. You may have solved my problem.
Metro-gel is commonly available. It isn't mixed or made by the pharmacist. It comes in a tube with 5 narrow plastic plunger-tubes approx 6" long. When the surgeon wrote the script, I thought the pharmacy and/or my insurance would give me a hard time becasue it is prescribed for a women's yeast infection. It went through OK & the pharmacy never said anything. The surgeon that prescribed it is Dr. Ronald Bleday at the Brigham & Womens in Boston. My GI is Dr. Sonia Friedman also at the Brigham & Womens.
I went camping last weekend, and I tossed back a few drinks without any of the problems associated with alcohol & oral flagyl.
Joe
Posts: 24 | Location: gloucester, ma, usa | Registered: April 27, 2000
I don't get the metalic taste in my mouth.....nor do I get the nausea. The benefit is that the Flagyl is put directly into the pouch rather than having to flow through your bloodstream as the tablet form has to.
Joe
Joe
Posts: 24 | Location: gloucester, ma, usa | Registered: April 27, 2000
Joe, another question, how long do you need to "hold" it for you get the benefits? And no systemic reactions?How long of a course do you take it? Sounds like a possibility.... LoriP
Posts: 436 | Location: Wisconsin | Registered: August 10, 2006
I am currently on the metro-gel 2 x's a day for a month. I have no problem holding it in....and I have never had the urgency to release it. The plunger tube is about as long as a pen, but a little thicker. So it isn't too much to take without an urge to pass it.
The trick is to use a lubricant as the plastic tube doesn't slide in too easy without any.
Joe
Posts: 24 | Location: gloucester, ma, usa | Registered: April 27, 2000
My doctor prescribed it 1 tube 2x's a day. I am not sure how many milligrams that is. Last time I looked at the tube, the total mg's of 2 tubes a day wasn't near what I had taken in the past if it was the pill form.
It comes in a tube, and is typically prescribed for women's vaginal yeast infections.
Joe
Posts: 24 | Location: gloucester, ma, usa | Registered: April 27, 2000
It is used for treating vaginal infections with protozoa such as Trichomonas vaginalis, ameba, and giardia and also is effective against anaerobic bacterial infections. In fact, its use can lead to the development of a yeast infection, just as can any antibacterial agent.
