Effects of Cipro and Flagyl

[Steve]

I am having my 3rd diverticulitis in 2 yours. I have consulted with my doctor concering having the surgery. It looks like he is going to schedule a colonoscopy to see how big the affected area is. In the mean time he has placed me on Cipro (500mg and Flagyl (500mg). This is my first time on the drugs. 10 min. after taking the first dose and I am already feeling like I am going to vomit. Is there anyway of making these side effects more tolerable. Thanks.
By the way, depending on the results of the colonoscopy, I am looking at having the surgery in December baring any major complications.

[Steve]

Sorry for the spelling errors. I was in a hurry.

[Biker]

I had my laporoscopic procedure performed coming up on 6 weeks. I am making a great recovery. Good luck with your surgery.

I experienced the same results with Flagyl and another high powered antibiotic. I just would eat something small to help with the nausea.

[gnorris51]

Steve wrote:

I am having my 3rd diverticulitis in 2 yours. I have consulted with my doctor concering having the surgery. It looks like he is going to schedule a colonoscopy to see how big the affected area is. In the mean time he has placed me on Cipro (500mg and Flagyl (500mg). This is my first time on the drugs. 10 min. after taking the first dose and I am already feeling like I am going to vomit. Is there anyway of making these side effects more tolerable. Thanks.
By the way, depending on the results of the colonoscopy, I am looking at having the surgery in December baring any major complications.

Ask the Dr. To give you some anti-nausea medication - they use to give something called Compasine but now its been replaced by something else - can't remember the name but when I was on this regime it took the nausea away.

[Leo]

Hi Steve,

Being a vetran of Flagyl and Cipro I can say I share your pain. The remedy is almost as bad as the illness. Bottom line is you are going to feel like crap until all the medication is gone. The first day after you finish your meds you will feel like a new man, so hang in there.

[Bob]

I took the Levaquin and Flagyl and got thrush mouth! LOL I guess it worked. Had to swish Hydrogen Peroxided in my mouth and eat lots of yogurt to offset the effects.

[fouzia]

I have the same probleme ,but you have to stop taking the dairy food with the midicine you are taking

[Sharon]

My husband is recovering from his first attack. Finished the flagyl and cipro last Thursday. He still hasn't gotten his taste for food back. He has lost a lot of weight, not due to not being hungry, but due to the fact that everything tastes terrible. I think he has had almost every side affect possible. How long does it take to get that stuff out of your system?

[Leo]

Hi Sharon,

Everyday will get better, day by day.

[Sharon]

Thanks Leo for your words of encouragement. Last night hubby ran a fever so I'm quite worried about a relapse. He was only hospitalized 2 days recieving IV antibiotics. Everyone seems to say 3 to 5 days they spent hospitalized. I hope that if he needs to go back on antibiotics that there is another drug option besides flagyl. I know he won't want to take that again. Oh the joys of diverticulitis!

[Leo]

HI Sharon,

Did he have a Cat Scan? If he is running a fever I would go get it checked out. The last time I was in for 2 weeks with IV anitbiotics, but I had a perrforation. Does he still have a constant pain in the left or right side?

[Sharon]

Hi Leo,

Yes, he had a Cat Scan which was how the diverticulitis was diagnosed. The left side pain has been gone as was the tenderness when the doctors pressed on his stomach. The one thing that I thought they should have done at his follow up check up was bloodwork, which they didn't do. He probably had this infection for at least three to four weeks before he went in, so I keep thinking that if he had infection for that long, it's not just going to disappear. He had no fever this morning and did go to work, but I told him he needs to get in today so hopefully he will. He also has a cold which doesn't help matters! Thanks for replying, it's so nice to hear from someone who has been there.

[Jeannie]

I am so glad to read that others have had a hard time with this combo of drugs. There is NO DOUBT that the flagyl is the most disgusting thing in the history of people eating. Ugh! BUT....I would rather take it then land in the hospital or have pain and infection. However I have run my time on the Cipro and my body has stopped responding to it. I was give Levaquin in the hospital via IV and didn't seem to have any problems with it until I was out and taking it by mouth. I developed severe joint pain, and I am dissapointed because I am running out of options for antibiotics (have been allergic to sulfa based for all my life) How many options are there out there for intestinal infections? When I was given Cipro again as a substitute for the Levaquin the joint pain stopped but the vomiting started because of nausea to the meds. I just take it and lay down (previously taking my anti nausea meds) and think about the beach and anything else that takes my mind off of the stomach upset. Not doing as well as I would hope with it, but trying my very best. Now it feels as if it is coming back again.:-(
Though.....nice to know I am not the only one who becomes ill from this.

Jeannie

[No Dairy]

I am taking Cipro and flagyl. I am not supposed to have dairy?

[Jeannie]

No Dairy wrote:

I am taking Cipro and flagyl. I am not supposed to have dairy?

No, I believe the pharmacist told me either two hours before I took my meds or 6 hours after IF I had any dairy, but highly suggested just not to eat dairy if taking Flagyl. I believe you could probably find out more information by Googling Flagyl and looking for interaction information.
Hope this helps some.
Jeannie

[Jules]

My husband took Cipro and Flagyl, and then suffered severe lactose intolerance that made things worse. Basically, dairy foods caused gas that "inflated" the painful pouches, then more Cipro, more dairy intolerance, and so went the cycle. Finally we found over-the-counter meds that restore a beneficial lactose-digesting bacteria and, Lo! my hubby can have cheese and milk and all that again! All the difference in the world. It's called "Digestive Advantage." Take it once daily, and welcome dairy back to your life!

[terri]

I agree. the Flagyl is rough on you. When i got my next attack, i begged for something else. They gave me cipro and bactrim. I tolerated it very well, but I know others don't. Good luck.

[shay]

I was prescribed Flagyl for BV and Cipro for UTI? I am scared to take them now. Are these side effects truly that bad?

[Susan M]

I have been on a lot of antibiotics the past three years. Flagyl gives you a metallic taste in the mouth- the higher the dosage the worse it is. This can be pretty irritating but the drug cures me so I put up with it. Flagyl and Cipro seem to be the most common treatments for milder cases of diverticulitis that can be treated at home. I have also had Cipro for uti's. They do kill off all the desireable bacteria as well as the bad ones which leads to digestive disturbances and yeast infections. My doctor has me take Florastor during antibiotic treatment and probiotics such as Culturelle as soon as the antibiotic treatment is finnished to restore the good bacteria that were killed off by treatment. Read the label- some brands can used during antibiotic treatment and some would be wasted unless you wait till treatment is over to take them. I do not get digestive disturbances nor yeast infections if I take Florastor while on antibiotics. After my last attack in August, my doctor told me to take probiotics every day permanently. Since then I have been feeling great and have not had any type of infection. It is either a heck of a coincidence or they are really helping me.

[Carolyn]

I was diagnosed with diverticulitis on Valentine's Day and had to take Flagyl and Levaquin for a total of 24 days. I had started to recover after 10 days on the antibiotics but apparently the infection was not totally cleared up, I had a return of symptoms, so I went back on. I have now been off the antibiotics for about 10 days and have had all kinds of digestive problems and have continued to lose weight. I can't figure out which foods are 'safe' though it is clear that lactose is bad, maybe wheat as well.I went to the ER two days ago and was told that I had a reactive form of IBS and that my intestinal flora was quite compromised. I am now taking Align (probiotic) and Levasin...with Elavil at night for sleep and pain. Has anyone had this same experience? I am wondering how much longer it will be before I feel good again...will I feel good again? Before all of this happened I exercised regularly ate a ton of fish and salad. I would have thought I would be the last person to get diverticulitis. I am discouraged and needing to get back to work.