Metronidazole for Diverticulitis User Reviews

• Sammy
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 11, 2019

"This metronidazole medication wrecks me as bad as the diverticulitis, but they work. Day 3 of severe attack and pain is a bit better, but today started with diarrhea. I'm starting to think IBS and Diverticulitis are quite connected , anybody feel the same way?"

• Mary
• August 27, 2019

Flagyl (metronidazole) "First diverticulitis (DVT) attack, was in such pain & had been in a very stressful situation. I had CT and diagnosed with DVT and prescribed flagyl & cipro. Became very ill, nauseated, headache, confused, lost my way back to husband's hospital room. Very frightening & debilitating. Called former GI dr & he took me off 1 of the drugs & I slogged it out & finally got well again but at what cost? I'm 1 that get frequent flare ups. Now take 250 mg amoxicillin 3X day for 10 days which is very inexpensive & have no side effects. Nothing to compare to the horrible , torturous side effects of those other 2 drugs. I sought advice from 3 GI drs, and consulted 3 colorectal surgeons. It is hard to imagine that they still do not really know what causes these DVT flare ups. It's all best guess & try this or try that. With so many people suffering from DVT I can't find a major study being conducted to ID any specific bacteria that seems to get out of hand causing these repeated infections."

• Beegee
• March 19, 2021

"Metronidazole or Flagyl is very powerful. I have diverticular disease, and the alternative is surgery from flare ups. While I probably will get surgery later on, this is the go-to drug before. It happens between 2-4 times every year, and I know what it feels like when slight cramping and urge to go then escalates to straight up sharp pain within hours. Long story short, this drug is not pleasant. It leaves a metallic/bitter aftertaste in your mouth for the two week duration you are on it, it takes a few days AFTER ceasing the treatment for that to end. But otherwise, it is doing its job. The gas, bloating, cramps, and diarrhea are all symptoms of diverticular disease, not necessarily this drug. This drug is the solution, and it is a powerful one. It is not pleasant, but it works and its cheap. That's my experience using for the past decade with this terrible disease, this drug has kept me off the operation table so far, and I'm hoping it can extend that for several more years until I have no choice."

• SIGLE...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 2, 2019

Flagyl (metronidazole) "I have had Diverticulosis for years. The first attack was awful. Went to ER. So very very sick. Did the Flagyl/Cipro routine. felt worse. Over the years I have discovered many things. First of all you DO NOT WANT TO TAKE CIPRO. Google up Cipro. It is poison and even have groups of people with horror stories about Cipro. FLAGYL: All you have to do is ask your doctor to write brand medically necessary and the pills come coated with a smooth blue coating that slides down easily and do not dissolve in your mouth so no bad taste when taking taking Flagyl. If you have diverticulosis and get flares of diverticulitis do not wait. IMMEDIATELY start on flagyl A lot of the symptoms you all describe are not from the pills they are from the disease. No Cipro and start Flagyl immediately. I keep a supply always in the house."

• Jbano
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 24, 2020

Flagyl (metronidazole) "Was prescribed flagyl for possible diverticulitis, took it for two days and could not take it anymore. It caused me to have severe diarrhea, fever, severe flu like symptoms, made me very weak, had to stop taking it. Will never take it again."

• Jame
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 7, 2018

Flagyl (metronidazole) "I am a Flagyl survivor. Today I finish my 48 hours of it getting out of my system following 7 harrowing days of physical assault. Day 3 brought debilitating stomach pain, incapacitating nausea, dizziness/brain fog. The hospital had to confirm for me that the diverticulitis was not worse it was the medication’s side effects. What??? Is this 2018? I am a healthcare provider and this has given me insight into people’s distrust of the medical profession. The medicine first patented in 1963...now in generic form...and never an attempt to refine the med to reduce side effects? Or produce alternatives? I have an intense full time job, got lucky I was sick over the long weekend (????) and just made it through day 6 and 7 at work with the use of partially effective Zofran (anti-nausea). Find any alternative drug or treatment. I just lost 10 days of my life first to illness then to the treatment. I believe quality of life matters. Good luck diverticulitis suffers! I’m with you in spirit."

• AmyS
• October 3, 2016

"I was on metronidazole (flagyl) & ciprofloxacin for diverticulitis. Let me start off by saying these two medications together SUCK, however they DO work. I have never had any problems with medications...ever. (in 40 years) This time though, at times, I thought I was dying! Best described as the worst flu ever. Massive nausea, occasional vomiting, diarrhea, exhaustion, horrible taste in my mouth, nothing tasted good, and my appetite was bad. Day 4 was the peak of feeling awful. I went to every review sight trying to gather what worked to curb the symptoms. Everyone is different so what worked for others, didn't necessarily work for me. Here is what did work for me a bit, in case it can help anyone else. 1.) Try to not take them together. Split up the doses by like an hour or so. 2.) Take each dose with a little food, (even if you aren't hungry) something bland. DO NOT USE DAIRY PRODUCTS. This made my nausea worse! 3.) Have mints or candy at all times. Your mouth will feel gross and things will taste funny. However, I found spearmints also helped sooth the tummy a bit. 4.) Pepto-Bismol. 5.) Try not to take them immediately before bed at night. Give it about an hour or two. I noticed nausea will wake me up throughout the night if I take them to close to going to sleep. GOOD LUCK, and remember: Your doctor prescribed these for a reason. A reason that could turn into life threatening unless you get it controlled. The worst thing ever is to start taking an antibiotic and then stopping it mid-cycle as your body then becomes immune to it and is essentially ineffective."

• trying...
• August 9, 2016

Flagyl (metronidazole) "This is my third diverticulitis event in 9 years, and each time I have been treated with Cipro and Flagyl, but I do not remember feeling so awful the first two times, nor do I remember the horrifically bad taste of the metronidazole (flagyl.) I can hardly get it down and after I do the horrible taste in my mouth is beyond description. I have resorted to immediately grabbing a lollipop to coat my mouth and pharynx with the sweet sugary taste, which actually does help. On top of that I am nauseated, dizzy, have a foggy brain, and nothing tastes normal or good, not even water. I am thankful for the improvement in the abdominal pain, as that shows that the horrid stuff is working, but dang, can't they put it in a capsule?"

• Yetag...
• December 9, 2016

Flagyl (metronidazole) "I deal with diverticulitis every 9 to 12 months. CT over the past 15 years keep showing mild diverticulitis as they call it but when it hits it feels nothing like mild! Nasty lower left abdominal pain . Sometimes I get a fever. Now my dr. Just put me on antibiotics as soon as I get symptoms because I always go into the fever eventually . Yes going on this for 7 to 10 days can give you diarrhea. I found quite a while ago since probiotic yogurt came out as long as I eat lots of that I rarely get diarrhea now. And since you should be on liquid and very soft food diet anyway just switch yourself and eat nothing but probiotic yogurt and soups while you're taking this stuff. always take it with a meal too. And no alcohol!"

• LKano
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 11, 2019

"I took Flagyl and Cipro together for 10 days for apparent diverticulitis. I haven’t used any antibiotics for years. My experience was awful and I’m still having problems after my last dose 4 days ago. I have diarrhea, bad taste in my mouth, loss of appetite (forcing myself to eat), weight loss, and body aches. My doctor is going to check for other problems but I think these medications really messed me up. I hope the symptoms go away. It’s scary feeling like this. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences. Makes me realize I’m not alone."

• RMano
• April 27, 2021

"Nasty diverticulitis off and on for 20 plus years.....2-3 times per year. Flagyl and Augmentin work fine, take about a week to get back to normal. However, in last few years flagyl causes significant dizziness after 4 days ...... really like being very drunk. Plus, it now causes terrible tinnitus. I suspect I have just taken too much over the years (PS I am a doctor). I will look around for an alternative."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 20, 2020

"Taking Metronidazole 500 mg with Ciprofloxacin twice a day for diverticulitis. Day 3 and worse than the disease itself. Dizzy, not sleeping and heart palpitations. This is bad for a 72 year old female. Unsure I will continue"

• Dread...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 2, 2020

Flagyl (metronidazole) "I was prescribed Flagyl and Cipro for diverticulitis. oh my goodness. The drug radically wasted my muscles and made me feel dreadful, like I was slipping away. Got to where just looking at the pill made me vomit immediately. Doc switched me to Augmentin, which worked well, no problem. Why is Flagyl even legal?"

• Floid...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 8, 2020

Flagyl (metronidazole) "I have had a recent flare-up of diverticulitis, and was given Metronidazole (Flagyl) and Cipro for 10 days. I immediately started have severe gastritis (severe pain and burning) in my stomach. I suspected it was the metronidazole and every day the situation became worse! I developed painful urination and bladder symptoms, sores in my mouth, and severe stomach burning/heartburn. I read online that these were serious side effects of metronidazole. I had to stop the metronidazole after 5 days, even though my doctor insisted that I take it. Bladder symptoms resolved in 24 hours after stopping the drug. It has been 5 weeks and my stomach is still on fire. I can’t eat properly as everything causes me stomach pain. I am now scheduled for an endoscopy to see what is wrong with my stomach and esophagus. I will NEVER take metronidazole again!"

• Maeward
• January 19, 2017

Flagyl (metronidazole) "The first time I ever had diverticulitis I ended up in the hospital for three days with massive doses of flagyl through an IV. After that I had a couple of bouts of what I thought were UTI's but ended up the start of diverticulitis (which mostly happens when I travel). Because I recognize the symptoms, I am allowed to have a few pills with me at all times just in case and catching the attack soon enough usually only requires a couple of doses. It has been an absolute lifesaver!!!!! I've had to do the routine of many days and add in Cipro, so it's one of those cases where you need to be in tune with what's happening with your body to avoid getting that sick."

• Numpty
• November 19, 2019

Flagyl (metronidazole) "Taking the anitbiotic combo metronidazole and Cipro for a flare up of diverticulitis and now on day 4. My side effects are that I feel so dreadful, very weak, no appetite at all, dizzy, nauseated, night sweats, vaginal discharge, diarrhea, have lost 7 lbs already. Forcing small bits of food down as have to eat something, drinking lots of water, feel nauseated+++. I am in UK. This medicine is utterly brutal and toxic, but my pain is nearly gone. Longing for day 7 to end drama."

• Anonymous
• June 1, 2016

Flagyl (metronidazole) "Was given this for diverticulitis and after day 3 of taking woke up in a cold sweat, hair soaking wet and feeling faint. Slurred speach and overall feeling of dying! Went back to ER and they said it was side effect of this medication. They told me to continue no matter what, told them I'd rather die and threw the medication away. I'm still alive and doing well without this nasty medicine!"

• sick...
• May 29, 2019

"I have had my first bout of diverticulitis. I was prescribed Flagyl and Cipro. first day I took them together, got massive headache, felt awful. Second day I did this: Cipro 6 a.m. empty stomach with 500 ml water. Coffee an hour later. 8 a.m. flagyl with a glass of milk (can't take Cipro with milk because it has calcium but you can take Flagyl with milk) or applesauce. I have no bad taste with milk. then I repeat 6 p.m. Cipro with 500 ml water, and 8 p.m. Flagyl with milk, and that's it. I get no headache, no nausea, no vomiting, nothing and I am slowly getting better. I think taking cipro AND flagyl TOGETHER causes a reaction, and gut issues. So best to separate them out, let them work separately and not mix the stuff together. Also Flagyl is an antiparasitic so might be causing a bit of Herxeimer reaction after a few days"

• Andie
• February 18, 2020

"Diagnosed with diverticulitis and put on Cipro and Flagyl , today is Day #10 hallelujah!! Had diverticulitis flareups 4 & 5 years ago. I forgot how sick these drugs make me. I can’t keep food down, nauseous 24 hours a day except when I take Zofran, upper stomach pains, reflux, heartburn, dizziness, listless and spend most of my day sleeping. This came at the most inopportune time I just had major knee surgery two weeks before the attack which has hindered my healing process as I can’t get up to proceed with physical therapy, it’s too nauseating to move around. If I ever get another attack I will never take these drugs again. There has to be a better way! I want my life back "

• marvar
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 12, 2019

"My Dr prescribed metronidazole and Cipro for diverticulitis. I have been taking them for 9 days and have been extremely tired and fatigued, bouts of diarrhea and I basically head to the bathroom within a few mins of eating anything. I am on a pro-biotic and eating Activa yogurt to help with the stomach issues. I also started having severe upper abdominal and back pain. A weird sensation. I did not know what was causing this, but read on this site where a few other folks had the same problems. UGH !! I'm still having some very low tenderness in my low colon area, but I think the constant bathroom trips are possibly causing this problem. I guess I should go back to the DR, but do not want to. I'm really concerned about the upper abdominal and back pain. It is fairly constant and feels tender to the touch. Good luck out there folks ! Diverticulitis is no fun."

• MsAerie
• January 25, 2014

Flagyl (metronidazole) "Took Flagyl and Cipro together - felt worse than I did before - all the side effects everyone is mentioning. However, the alternative - raging infection - not really an option. Taking my diet seriously moving forward."

• Ameli...
• September 23, 2015

Flagyl (metronidazole) "I'm a 36 yo active female diagnosed with Diverticulitis. I took the combo of meds and am on day 7 now. I work out 6 days a week and have had to modify my workouts and weight lifting because I feel absolutely drained, weak and muscles ache. (This of course was advised against by both doctor and pharmacist but alas I am a knucklehead) I have the metallic taste as well in addition to nausea with the meds. However I would prefer these side effects to the pain associated with Diverticulitis."

• suzya...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 11, 2012

Flagyl (metronidazole) "After several years of diverticulitis and some very severe attacks including bleeding, I gave in and medicated with Flagyl. I only took 200mg twice a day and my symptoms disappeared, relatively no side effects other than dry mouth. I was vigilant with diet and NO ALCOHOL! Feel great but worry about re-occurrence."

• Lalal...
• December 23, 2013

Flagyl (metronidazole) "It seems I've had Experiences that a lot of these other people do with feeling worse than I did before on these medications with the Cipro and Flagyl and I'm nauseous I'm dizzy I have foggy brain I can't eat the taste is horrible and I feel like I can't function. I've been On this for the second time in a year and it's doing the same thing same side effects. I don't like feeling this way at all. I can't drive or go to work. I've been on it for 4 days out of 10 and its Christmas! My pain has subsided though."

• Kaiser...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 6, 2015

Flagyl (metronidazole) "I have to say that metronidazole is a horrible antibiotic as far as side effects go especially when one has to go to work. I experienced a lot of dizziness, migraines, muscle pain even in my heart, jittery and drowziness. I'm sure flagyl is the same. Next time I'm asking not to get this prescribed my doctor. Better yet take it off the shelf."