Metronidazole for Giardiasis User Reviews

• Anony...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 15, 2013

Flagyl (metronidazole) "I took Flagyl and Cipro for giardia and salmonella diagnosis. Both taken for one week. The Flagyl has a terrible taste and you have to drink something besides water while you are taking it because everything tastes metallic. It works to eradicate the infection but I was very happy when the seven days of treatment was over. I also experienced lack of appetite however you must eat something when you take Flagyl or it will upset your stomach. Other side effects experienced: bloating, burping, hiccups, terrible taste in my mouth all the time, lack of energy. But the need for the medication outweighs the side effects and it took care of the infection."

• Lilly
• June 29, 2020

"Took Flagyl for 7 days because the doctor said I had a parasite in my stomach after taking a stool test. Read the reviews and freaked out about having horrible symptoms. The only symptoms I’ve experienced while taking it was some abdominal pain and change in urine colour. Other than that, It didn’t feel like I was taking a new medication. Pros: I felt better after the medication. So I noticed that I have less trapped gas, bloating, stomach noises when laying down. Cons: Remembering to take 3 pills a day with meals. So taking the pill every 8 hours. It’s important to take probiotics everyday! Some doctors fail to mention that. AND to take the medicine after EATING FOOD. DON'T TAKE IT ON AN EMPTY STOMACH- doctor told me this."

• Retired...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 10, 2022

Flagyl (metronidazole) "It was such a relief to get a diagnosis of giardiasis instead of something worse that I was happy to accept a 10 day treatment of 500mg/3x day flagyl. As a retired RN, I knew it could be bad and it was! Dizziness, metallic taste in my mouth, stomach pain that differed from the one giardia was giving me, headaches, nausea, sleep disruption, random itchy spots, foul tasting heartburn - full range of side effects. HOWEVER, I am still so grateful to have something to get rid of my parasites after suffering with them for 3 months that I just dug in and took the 10 day treatment with gratitude. It's been rough and, now at the end of the treatment, I am focussing forward on healing my GI system and getting back to normal."

• parke...
• September 18, 2017

"I've had this for 4 years. I've seen many doctors and have lived very miserably and confused. My mother ignored me and kept calling me a hypochondriac but I wanted answers. Last week they figured it out. I'm on 500mg Metronidazole 2x daily for 7 days. Today is the 7th day. I have never in my life been so terrified of being unhealthy forever. I want to heal. On Tuesday, they will be testing my stool to see if I have rid myself of this infection. If I do not get rid of this stupid bug, I will be soo disappointed. And the metronidazole feels highly toxic. My tongue is yellow from all of the yeast in my body from my gut flora being annihilated. Someone comfort me. "

• Caius
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 11, 2015

Flagyl (metronidazole) "After many weeks of diarrhea, no appetite, crappy stomach feelings I went to the doctor to see if I might have Giardia, turns out from stool tests I have something called Blastocystis homini. Well Flagyl is also prescribed for this as well as Giardia...so I'm taking 500mg / 3 times a day for 10 days. I luckily haven't had to take any medicine for years and I have to say, this stuff reaally sucks. If you are feeling crappy while on this you are not the only one. I'm now on the 7th day and really looking forward to being done. Feeling like I can't function / think straight / general listlessness and anxiety like others say is my experience. Doesn't help that I'm generally paranoid about drugs...symptoms of the bug don't seem to be improving."

• Madri...
• August 28, 2017

"I was on 250 mg 3X a day for one week to treat a giardia infection I have likely had for years without detection. My doctor will also have me on a three-day course in about two weeks, in keeping with the cyst cycles. I just finished the course and had no adverse side effects. I took them in the middle of fairly-sized meals and made sure to drink at least a gallon of water a day, along with eating a clean diet. Perhaps it was the lower dose or one of those measures, but I did not even feel fatigued during the course of my medication. Know that not everyone has terrible (or any) side effects. I delayed taking these after reading so many accounts of awful experiences, but I imagine there are plenty of others that have no side effects."

• Alano
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 25, 2020

"Caught Giardia traveling. Had severe stomach cramps and raging diarrhea for 5 days. Flagyl quickly cured my symptoms. Took 500mg (I weigh 110lbs) 2 times daily. Would recommend this drug. Only side effect was a metallic taste on day 4. Took meds with food."

• Anonymous
• August 16, 2009

"During my 7 days on this medicine I experienced a very bad metal taste in my mouth. I was also constipated and had headaches. The medicine cleared up the Giardia and all the symptoms stopped about a day or two after my last dose."

• Evejude
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 25, 2015

"On day 7 of 10 of taking Metronidazole and i still feel like shit! Being treated for a parasite that was making me feel awful but not this awful! I know in the long run this will be beneficial as the parasite will be gone however, taking for ten days is exhausting. I have had to take the entire week off work. Side effects include stomach pain, nausea upon movement, brown urine, back pain, fatigue. And the foul taste!!!! People really haven't exaggerated the taste - it is vile and constant! Can't wait to be done!"

• Blu
• July 12, 2018

"I'm taking 5 400mg Flagyl tablets daily with a meal and I feel worse now than I did with Giardia. I've lost my appetite entirely, I've been stuck in bed for a week and now off work. I had been going to work with the Giardia because I thought it was IBS. But since I have been taking this poison (and it does feel exactly like I'm being poisoned), I barely get out of bed I am so fatigued. I am finding it hard to concentrate, my mouth tastes like I have been chewing on aluminum foil. I feel nauseous constantly, constipated and no matter how much water I drink I feel dehydrated. My urine is a dark colour with a strange smell. I have read this drug is an antagonist of vitamin B1 so I will start taking B1 and Magnesium supplements to hopefully improve these horrible side effects. Good luck to anyone reading this. The only reason I have given it a GENEROUS two stars because so far it has worked to reduce my giardia symptoms but once I finish this course, I will NEVER touch this stuff again."

• Feel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 22, 2016

"I have no idea whether my symptoms are from the giardiasis or flagyl. I have constant headache, abdominal pain, nausea, can't eat, major weight loss, and severe fatigue. I cannot work and am barely functioning. Whatever is causing this, I hope it goes away when I am done with this drug. I have never been so sick in my life."

• Life...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 16, 2023

"I am 30 years old, normally healthy aside from IBS and asthma. I realized that I hadn't pooped in a week, but wasn't sick at all, so I began to take stool softeners. When those didn't work and a month went by with no movement, I got a little worried and went to the ER. They gave me an enema that did nothing but send my stomach to the pits of hell and back. After that first visit, I spent the next 2 weeks in and out of the hospital. Finally, I received a fecal impaction that worked, but then after passing rock hard stool, came the diarrhea, fever, extreme weight loss, thinning blood, no menstrual cycles, and what felt like death. Metronidazole was prescribed (500mg x2 a day), and within 24 hours my symptoms disappeared. I had normal bowel movements, had my period, and could eat without feeling repulsed by food. NO SIDE EFFECT WAS WORSE THAN GIARDIA AND ITS DEVILISH SYMPTOMS!"

• Money...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 15, 2022

"Hey guys just finished my treatment of Flagyl and it was a roller coaster. It began when I contracted giardiases from a lake. The virus itself lasted about 2 and 1/2 weeks. I then stopped eating due to my stomach shrinking from all the food posing from giardiasis. I started the medication and was able to eat more and more each day. The side effects are pretty bad sadly but if your looking to get better then it is worth it 100%. I had an upset stomach 24/7, metallic taste in my mouth, constipation, diarrhea, and complete loss of appetite. This drug is intended to kill everything in your system and I will not be around people for another 3 days. The drug did work and that is what it’s purpose was. If anyone gets this disease"

• Mtlguy
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 27, 2017

"Was prescribed 500mg three times a day for 7 days for parasite. On the 7th day I started feeling better and my stools were returning to normal. For 3 days after the end of treatment I felt soooo good, I thought I was cured... only to be sick again on day 4 after treatment. Maybe I need a longer treatment or another antibiotic. However I saw a difference after taking it. In my case the side effect were awful tast in the mouth and dark urine, but nothing is comparable to the symptoms of this evil parasite that I am dealing with since 2 years thinking I had IBS ..."

• Steve
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 5, 2018

Flagyl (metronidazole) "After 2 weeks of severe diarrhea just surviving on electrolyte drinks doctors were suggesting surgery. Flagyl was suggested by an experienced traveller a total of two 400mg tablets taken 4 hours apart completely cleared it up. That was 25 years ago. Since found it useful for acid reflux. It is a strong drug so still use after other options have been excluded."

• Super...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 24, 2020

"Caught giardia from our new kitten that was spreading her feces everywhere. Vet lab confirmed she had it, so my case is so far presumptive. Socialized health care in Canada means I won't get the actual results of my stool sample for up to 5 days. I'm on day 4 of 7 of metronidazole(500 mg x2 / day) of metronidazole and feeling a little better I suppose... definitely got worse before getting better. Still, I'm having mental fog, no energy and tired, headaches, very nauseous, and depressed. Still having diarrhea, but it's not explosive like when my symptoms started. It's an awful drug. I really hope it's working."

• Lizzie
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 4, 2018

"I am in the middle of a 5 day, 3x250 mg treatment for giardiasis. I don't know yet if I have got rid of the bugs for good, but metronidazole has been a life saver for me so far as my stomach cramps used to keep me awake at night. I also want to thank my doctor for listening to me and having me tested for parasites even though she did not think that it would be useful! I did have a headache on the first day, and I still feel the metallic taste in my mouth, but I will take that any day compared to what I was going through before taking the medication (I am taking a relatively low dosage though which may explain why the side effects are mild)."

• 2Neve...
• March 5, 2016

"I had an intestinal parasite after a trip to Central America. I had a very difficult time in this drug. I'm a healthy, 40 year old woman and the side effects put out for the 5 days I was only this pill. I was taking 750mg every 8 hours for 10 days. I called my doctor and had to stop after 5 days. Severe headaches, nausea, weak, fatigue. I couldn't work and had to rest all day. Metallic taste as well. I would not take this drug again- I would ask for another treatment. It's an aggressive drug that was difficult to tolerate."

• Squea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 20, 2021

"Been suffering with severe diarrhoea fir 7 years off and on. Dr said irritable bowel. Live super clean great diet . Stool samples done nothing remarkable . Though I do believe it depends on the laboratory. Flagyl is my only relief . I want to take it for ever. No serious side effects . I had a gastroscope and biopsies taken, 4 days later felt like I was dying . Living on the toilet and a fever . Had to just about get on my knees for dr to give me Flagyl . It was magic so I’m trying to find out if I can take it permanently."

• David
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 28, 2023

"This medication is rough! I was having GI issues for 2 weeks after getting back from a trip to SE Asia. The stool test suggested I had Giardia + ova and other parasites - yikes! Started on metronidazole 500mg, three times daily, for 7 days. Made it 3.5 days and requested to switch meds. Side effects included headache, brain fog, fatigue, urine discoloration, nausea, loss of appetite, and a metallic taste."

• Anonymous
• August 14, 2011

"I was on 250mg 3x a day for 10 days. It cured my Giardia, but made me very nauseous. My doctor had to give me antinausea medication (Zofran), just so I could keep the pill down. I also experienced a bad metal taste in my mouth for the duration of the treatment."

• Russell
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 20, 2019

"For me metronidazole is simply does not work for the treatment of Giardia. I was prescribed 400mg x 3 per day for 5 days. The drug also has some nasty side effects, tight achilles heels, mental confusion and I was off balance whilst walking."

• Seventy...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 2, 2021

"I was really scared to use this based on reviews but am experiencing very minor side effects. I’m taking 500 mg 3/day for 7 days for giardia. Side effects are very manageable and not severe at all: headache, fatigue, mild stomach upset. I take with food, wash the pill down with lemon flavored water (helps a lot with the taste) and drink lots of fluids throughout the day. Side effects are nothing compared to the fatigue/stomach issues I have from giardia. Efficacy tbd."

• Dave
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 6, 2021

"It didn't take long for me to figure out I had giardia. Drank some sketchy looking water while on a hunting trip and just over a week later my dog started barking at my belly making noises. Took forever and a day for tests to come back so I had to wait to start treatment. I'm on day 2 and I feel fine and my bowels feel normal for the first time in a month."

• Farme...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 4, 2022

"Started working within 3 hours. No side effects at all, not even a metallic taste, maybe a little tiredness but (suspected) giardia will do that to you! Went from 20 visits to the bathroom over 6 hours to zero the rest of the day. 500mg twice a day for 7 days. Miracle drug!!!"