Metronidazole - Can someone explain this medication to me?

Question

My wife of 22yrs started experiencing itching in the vagina area. She thought it was a yeast infection. Her doctor told her it was a std. Ive never slept around and this whole ordeal is leading me to probably divorce her unless i find out this medication is prescribed for things other than std. She was given 4 pills to take and 4 pills for me to take. Does taking metronidazole mean that a person has a std? I appreciate any information available. Thank you

Answer

The cream isn't used for std your wife has a yeast infection and the doctor gave you medicine also cause men can get a yeast infection also...

Answer

Some STD's can harbor in the body for years before they become active infections. Metronidazole can be prescribed for many things. It can be used for bacterial infections and also protozoan infections. Did they tell her what organism they thought was causing the infection? Trichomonas vaginalis is the most common STD that they prescribe metronidazole for. Trichomonas vaginalis infection in men is often asymptomatic so it is possible that you have harbored the infection for years or she could have had it for years as an asymptomatic carrier. You both should be treated to keep from passing the infection back and forth. It doesnt always mean that someone has been unfaithful. She may also have been misdiagnosed. Going by symptoms alone can lead to misdiagnosis, they need to culture and identify the organism for a definitive diagnosis.Form the CDC :

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The prevalence of Trichomonas vaginalis infection in the United States is estimated to be 2.3 million (3.1%) among women ages 14-49, based on a nationally representative sample of women who participated in NHANES 2001–2004. The following are other findings from this study.

Most women found to have trichomoniasis (85%) reported no symptoms.
Women with no history of sexual intercourse can still be affected by trichomoniasis (1.0%), as can pregnant women (3.2%), and women who have ever been pregnant (4.1%).
African American women had a prevalence of 13.3%, white women prevalence of 1.3%, and Mexican American women prevalence of 1.8%.
Prevalence of trichomoniasis increases with age and lifetime number of sexual partners among African American women.

As you can see, even women with no history of sexual intercourse can have Trichomoniasis so it is NOT a reason to suspect your wife of infidelity and be thinking of divorcing her based on this reason alone! That being said, many Drs will diagnose Trich when it is really BV (bacterial vaginosis) and it is possible to get trich from contaminated pools and hot tubs as well.

Answer

"Metronidazole is an antibiotic. It fights bacteria in your body. Metronidazole is used to treat bacterial infections of the vagina, stomach, skin, joints, and respiratory tract. This medication will not treat a vaginal yeast infection."

Click on the links:

https://www.drugs.com/metronidazole.html

https://www.drugs.com/pro/metronidazole.html