Metronidazole for Clostridioides difficile Infection User Reviews (Page 2)

• Mar...
• January 24, 2016

"Was prescribed Metro 400 mg three times a day for Clostridium infection. Within a few days, I was experiencing stomach gurgling and bubbling that was diabolically strong and constant. It would keep me awake all night and be going literally all day. I was terrified to eat and became so upset. I have never been ill with my tummy before and consider myself a strong and robust 44-year-old man with no prior mental or gastro health problems, but this drug literally destroyed me. Jury's out whether it's worked or not. The Clostridium diarrhea has gone (though stools still aren't right and stomach is still sore), yet to have tests to confirm."

• Jus...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 27, 2019

"I am on day 3 of this stuff after being switched from vancomycin due to a reaction I was having from it. This is the most awful medication I have ever been on. This stuff makes you feel wicked out of it. I spent all morning crying. I’ve been depressed, extremely exhausted, agitated... My bottom left eye turned pink about half an hour ago, and I’ve got no idea why?! Brain fog to the extreme, I don’t even feel like this is real life. All started from C. Diff, I can’t stress how important it is to wash your hands. I've turned into a germaphobe."

• ker...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 7, 2022

"I developed C. diff. from Augmentin for a sinus and throat infection. Because of weekends, holidays, and labs slowed by the ongoing pandemic, it took an extra 10 days to get the C. diff. diagnosis. Then my doctor tried Vancomycin. Twice. It didn't work. So now she went to metronidazole 500 mg t.i.d., because my insurance requires me to try this before a more expensive antibiotic. By day 2 of this, the diarrhea stopped, which is a relief, so now I'm pretty much constipated. After 2 months of diarrhea and soft stools, this is welcome. But the side effects have me thinking the C. diff. is just bent on taking me down one way or another. The awful metallic taste, fuzzy tongue, dizziness, and even worse insomnia and mental fog than I usually have are bad enough, but now I also am itching all over despite taking Allegra-D during the day and Benadryl at night! I just finished day 10 of 14 days. I've been sucking on hard tack candies and chewing gum to stop this taste! This had better cure the C. diff.!"

• Mea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 10, 2018

"This is the absolute WORST antibiotic I have ever taken in my life. I have been to the ER 3 times with horrible stomach spasms, nausea, and foggy brain, and no doctor could figure out what was wrong. The latest visit was today. I have finally decided to do my own research and ended up here. *The metallic taste lasts all day long and is disgusting. *After about an hour of taking it, it's like a wave hits me, and I become dizzy, disoriented, and foggy. *I have been so tired, barely able to keep focused at work. *No appetite and no thirst. *Dark urine. *Vomiting. I have lost 8 lbs on this medication, and I am cutting it short today. I wouldn't recommend this to my worst enemy."

• Jbs...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 7, 2018

"Day 7 of 14 on this med, I came down with C. diff after a round of Augmentin and Biaxin 3 weeks before that. I too had nausea, but that got a little better once I could get solid food in my stomach with ginger ale and Nauzene in my pocket for the quick draw. I can't shake the weakness feeling, tired, run down, just spent. I have been unstable on my feet and confused. I can't tell if the C. diff is winning or metronidazole is winning. I hate to spend the money, but vancomycin has to be worth a shot."

• Rai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 7, 2019

"I was put on Flagyl after vancomycin wasn't effective in clearing my C. diff infection. Five days into taking it, my arms went numb and my right leg. I called the doctor and was told to stop taking it. Two days after I stopped, other symptoms started showing up: blurred vision, dizziness, trembling, depersonalization, ear pain, eye pain, severe anxiety, insomnia, stomach pain like being eaten from the inside out, racing heart, blood pressure 180/100. I was like a zombie. Of course, the doctor didn't believe I could have all these symptoms after I stopped. So, needless to say, I had to help myself. I joined the Flagyl toxicity support group on Facebook. I learned Flagyl depletes thiamine and magnesium. So I began magnesium threonate and AllThiamine. It helped tremendously. I thought I was getting better, and then two months down the road, joint pain set in: thumbs, fingers, knees, back. I'm at a loss on what to do about this. Whatever you do, don't take Flagyl, it will mess you up."

• Ant...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 13, 2019

"This is the 14th day taking this metronidazole for C. diff, colitis, and E. coli infections. It has been one of the most miserable times in my life. It definitely cleared up the infections, and I can appreciate its effectiveness and low cost. The side effects for me included constant nausea, a metal taste in my mouth, brain fog, and insomnia even though I took it with a full meal. It is a horrible pill to swallow, and I am glad that this is my last day. Hopefully, I will begin to feel normal, and I will be done with this 'off' feeling."

• Anonymous
• September 6, 2011

"Took 4 days for diarrhea to stop, but side effects were terrible: nausea, upset stomach, insomnia, dizziness. Didn't have the bad taste. Just finished the last pill, thankfully, wouldn't want to take it again."

• Yai...
• August 22, 2015

"I'm on day 6 of 10 for C. diff and don't feel there is much of an improvement. The taste is horrible! I've had the worst anxiety attacks from this along with daily headaches. I think I could sleep all day and night with this stuff. I'm hoping I start to feel better soon."

• Ema...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 24, 2018

"I was prescribed metronidazole 3x500mg for 10 days for mucus and blood in stool (my problems started after a treatment of levofloxacin). This is the most horrible drug I've ever taken. After two days, I started having abdominal cramps and diarrhea. The side effects just got worse and worse, up to the point that I had diarrhea at least 15 times a day, all solid and pureed food went through me after an hour, and the cramps were so painful that I feared I was dying. I cannot comment on its effectiveness because I had to discontinue the treatment on day 6 due to the severe side effects - which only began subsiding a week after stopping taking the medication. The very annoying part for me was how protective my physician talked about both levofloxacin and metronidazole when I mentioned that I was probably suffering from the side effects."

• Jam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 15, 2019

"I was prescribed metronidazole 500 mg 3 times a day for C. diff after having a reaction from vancomycin. It seems to be helping my diarrhea, but I can not take the side effects anymore! The taste in my mouth is making me throw up, I can't eat, I'm dizzy, can't sleep, I just can't take it anymore!"

• hur...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 5, 2014

"I have been taking metronidazole 500 mcg 3 times daily for 7 days for C-diff. The side effects are awful, stiff neck, painful urination, back, leg, hip, knee, ankle, and overall joint pain are terrible. I reported this to my MD, who encouraged me to keep taking the med for 10 days to be sure the C-diff infection is gone. So, I am still taking it. Right now, I only hope that once I manage 10 more pills, the pain and hurt will go away. This is without a doubt a very toxic medication and not much you can do except take it anyway... Can someone out there let me know if the joint pain goes away after you quit taking this stuff? Is there something that I can do to avoid permanent joint damage?"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 3, 2022

"After finding out I had a C. diff infection without any symptoms (stool test was for something else), I was prescribed 3x 400 mg a day of metronidazole. After doing my research and listening to what the doctor had to say, I took the tablets for 6 days in which the side effects were bearable-lightheadedness, dizziness, bloating, minor stomach cramps, loss of appetite, and taste changes. However, out of nowhere on day 6, I was hit with irritability, agitation, sadness that quickly turned into depression, dread, and suicidal thoughts. I stopped the tablets and will see how I recover, it has only been 24 hours. I’ve never felt like this before-nonstop crying and not knowing what to do with myself. Speaking to my doctors shortly, but no doubt they won’t associate it with the tablets, yet so many people have these side effects! If you have a C. diff infection, I would suggest doing your research-maybe I’m in the so-called “small group of people” who have these effects."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 23, 2022

"I would recommend drinking something thick like Ensure or something with a lot of flavor to try and mask that nasty taste. Pills dissolve very quickly, so avoid soda or hot beverages. I experienced dark urine, a lot of gas and burps, and some light headaches."

• Jan...
• November 1, 2018

"I took one pill/dose of this combination, and it was the worst. It is a garbage drug. I stopped taking it after one dose and after a night of cold sweats, six blankets on the bed, and multiple runs to the bathroom. I am STILL awake since Tuesday evening since I went to the ER. This is a crap combo of a drug and don’t take it. My primary even refused to change my order until I told the ER nurse my story."

• Can...
• April 23, 2021

"Nothing severe, but very drowsy, emotional. I empty my bowels seven times a day, and it’s very soft and feeling nauseous. I use this medication for a tooth infection. I recommend taking probiotics while taking this medication."

• Kco...
• April 9, 2021

"I recently started taking this medication and am on day 3 for my C. diff infection. I honestly do not know what’s worse, the side effects from this medication or the C. diff itself. I am constantly nauseous, especially right after my morning dose. It makes my mouth so dry to the point where I can’t even chew or swallow food, complete loss of appetite. I am extremely fatigued but feel on edge. I would not recommend this medication to anyone, there has got to be something that causes less suffering."

• Mel...
• March 3, 2020

"Took 1500 mg metronidazole a day. I was able to manage three pills a day for a short time. Now I wish I had never taken it. I had to go to the emergency room several times. Each time, they told me it was because of my C. diff infection, but I did not think so. I was throwing up blood and had an intense burning sensation in my stomach. It felt like I had a bunch of hot needles throughout my entire digestive tract, specifically my stomach. They took me off of the medicine early but then put me back on it when my infection returned. The second time around was even worse than the first. More ER visits. Over a year and a half later, I am now unable to eat the foods I want and regularly throw up during the nighttime. Honestly, my life sucks now. Please, if you can afford something else, TAKE IT!! Yes, it 'worked,' but there are better alternatives to this drug. I could have taken vancomycin and I would be okay today. This drug is too dangerous to be on the market & has completely stripped my stomach."

• Ste...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 16, 2021

"Was prescribed 1x500 every 8 hours for C. diff, which I developed after taking infusions of vancomycin two times daily to treat a bone infection in my foot. I am diabetic, and after three weeks of vancomycin, I broke out into an allergic reaction, leading to the doctor prescribing this. I was nauseous for two days, had a headache, and was very tired. Completely lost my appetite and had to force myself to eat anything. After day three, I began having stomach cramps and diarrhea. I also had blurry vision, and my knees and joints all over hurt. I drank no alcohol and limited my coffee. Really couldn't stand this drug, but it did successfully treat the C. diff infection."

• KRD...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 26, 2022

"I have been taking this medication for 2.5 days, after getting the results that my two-week episode is due to a C. diff infection. I also have colitis and assumed it was another flare-up. I’m reading reviews about the tabs, the liquid form is way better in terms of taste. Some side effects still persist, but the suspension form is miles better than the pill, so I highly recommend requesting that. Still no major improvement, but I will have to continue on. The dose is 30 ml a day."

• Hak...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 18, 2021

"Terrible nausea on this medication. I was prescribed 400 mg x 3 per day for 10 days for C. diff. It’s improved the symptoms of C. diff within a few days, but it truly is an awful medication to take. It tastes disgusting, and the taste lingers in your mouth constantly. I had awful nausea using it and dreaded each time I had to take a tablet. Even though my appetite was gone, I was dry heaving because of the metronidazole. I also had some odd visual disturbances. I caught C. diff after being given 4 different types of IV antibiotics in the hospital for a bacterial infection. I’m using a probiotic to try and avoid getting C. diff again after the course of metronidazole ends. C. diff is horrendous, and if I have to use metronidazole again, then I will, even if it takes all of my willpower to finish the course. I’ve had an awful lot of heavy-duty antibiotics recently, but I have to say that metronidazole is amongst the worst for side effects, even if it is effective for C. diff."

• Cap...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 1, 2022

"The effect of this drug on my brain cannot be understated. I began to have peripheral neuropathy, extreme panic, and depression. I didn't know how I would make it through the time it would take for the drug to wear off because it was so difficult for me to swallow saliva or food from panic and the sense of pure mental torture. I somehow made it through these seconds and minutes and hours as the feeling of poison gradually diminished, was given vancomycin, which was wonderful and side effect-free for me. I healed from C. diff and from the neurological effects of metronidazole, but not all have been so fortunate."

• Lai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 31, 2019

"After presenting in the ER with C-diff, I was prescribed Flagyl. Took as prescribed, but within 24 hours was so ill. I went to a different ER by ambulance. I was admitted, and within 24 hours had my entire colon removed, went into renal failure, and developed fluid buildup in my lungs. Was in the ICU for 10 days and in the hospital for 5 1/2 weeks. Lifelong injury! Brink of death because of this ineffective drug!!!!"

• Sni...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 24, 2018

"Okay... pretty worried about starting these meds after what I’ve read here. I was prescribed this medicine on Friday for the treatment of c. diff. 500 mg 3x a day for 10 days."