Hello, I've been taking 1000mg of Flagyl for over a year now for pouchitis. I tried drinking a glass of wine with it once but i felt really flu-like and sick. Since then i haven't touched alcohol, which has hurt my social connections here in London. For folks who take flagyl, are you usually able to have a drink before you feel bad side affects?
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This is a question where taking any answer you get to the bank could be dangerous because people have different side effects from medications and the warning about mixing flagyl with alcohol presumably is not based on nothing.
That being said I am on the same dosage of flagyl as you, and I do not have issues drinking alcohol while on flagyl. But when I have done it, it's not like I washed my flagyl down with a few power swigs of whiskey. I take flagyl morning and at bedtime. I am not usually a big drinker but for example I had two glasses of sparkling wine last night at around 6 pm and there was no problem. I actually got bombed while on vacation in Montreal a few weeks ago, during an afternoon, this because some guy from Toronto kept buying me drinks, and still had no problem.
That being said I am on the same dosage of flagyl as you, and I do not have issues drinking alcohol while on flagyl. But when I have done it, it's not like I washed my flagyl down with a few power swigs of whiskey. I take flagyl morning and at bedtime. I am not usually a big drinker but for example I had two glasses of sparkling wine last night at around 6 pm and there was no problem. I actually got bombed while on vacation in Montreal a few weeks ago, during an afternoon, this because some guy from Toronto kept buying me drinks, and still had no problem.
I have taken Flagyl for years, most recently to stop my occasional diarrhea. I get along okay but always get one night's rest before drinking alcohol.
DaveD
DaveD
Mixing flagyl and alcohol is not a good idea.
Flagyl and alcohol together can cause severe nausea and vomiting, flushing, fast heartbeat (tachycardia), and shortness of breath. The reaction is similar to the effects of Antabuse, a drug that treats alcoholism by causing patients to become very sick when they drink.
Flagyl and alcohol together can cause severe nausea and vomiting, flushing, fast heartbeat (tachycardia), and shortness of breath. The reaction is similar to the effects of Antabuse, a drug that treats alcoholism by causing patients to become very sick when they drink.
Flagyl is actually similar to the medication Antabuse, prescribed to help alcoholics stop drinking - hence some of the unpleasant side effects. Some people, however, can and do drink while on flagyl. I supposed you could try spacing out your dosages, much like you have to do while having dairy with cipro (usually a 4-6 hour window), but since you have already experienced the unpleasant side effects, you have a pretty good idea how it will affect you in the future as well. My understanding is that this is not one of the side effects that improves or disappears over time. Having spent a lot of time in the UK myself, I understand how this might impact your social connections. Perhaps you can speak to your doctor about rotating meds or at the very least, a dosing schedule that can best mitigate the bad effects.
I drink on it with no issue. I got smashed in NYC a few times. I had no side effects. I also can't puke anymore since food goes through me so fast but I never had the urge either while on it.
When I was bombed at the Montreal Jazz Festival here is exactly what I mixed with flagyl drinking from about 2-5 p.m., with 500 mg flagyl dosages taken at 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. the same day:
1 Mango Sunrise (rum, mango liquer, mango juice and other ingredients I forgot; advertised by the bartender as "sweet and girlie", but tasted strong and not so sweet to me)
3 Bellinis (sweet "girlie" type drink with rum, chambord, peach schnapps, sparkling white wine mixed with ice and cream; delicious!)
2 shots Jameson Irish Whiskey, purchased by a random guy from Toronto who wanted to "man me up" after watching me drink the Bellinis
1 "Jagerbomb" (large shotglass of Jagermeister submerged in a glass of Red Bull), also purchased by the guy from Toronto who said he wanted to "man me up"
I am not in the habit of refusing free drinks because I am taking flagyl. Sorry.
Anyway, for me, no side effects.
1 Mango Sunrise (rum, mango liquer, mango juice and other ingredients I forgot; advertised by the bartender as "sweet and girlie", but tasted strong and not so sweet to me)
3 Bellinis (sweet "girlie" type drink with rum, chambord, peach schnapps, sparkling white wine mixed with ice and cream; delicious!)
2 shots Jameson Irish Whiskey, purchased by a random guy from Toronto who wanted to "man me up" after watching me drink the Bellinis
1 "Jagerbomb" (large shotglass of Jagermeister submerged in a glass of Red Bull), also purchased by the guy from Toronto who said he wanted to "man me up"
I am not in the habit of refusing free drinks because I am taking flagyl. Sorry.
Anyway, for me, no side effects.