I am going crazy right now. I just started flagyl on Monday 500mg 2xday. I am having extreme anxiety, killer headache, and I have no appetite whatsoever. Help.
Anyone else with these side effects. I know I saw one post about headaches.
Thanks,
Karen
Posted by AZURE WISH (Member # 804) on :
I thought I would just share my expereince with headaches...
If I dont drink enough water or drink enough anything really I end up with a headache...
And enough is alot.
Yesturday was a bad day and I could barely get out of bed ... drank maybe half of what I normally do and by mid afternoon I had a headache.
I would call the pharmacist and see if the symptoms you are expereincing are side effects.
If not it probaly is a herx because they are all symptoms of lyme... although bad headaches can kill your appetite... I know they do for me.
A herx is when the lyme dies and your system cant clear it out as fast as it is being produced so you become toxic ... overloaded...
this can cause old symptoms to return, and/or new ones to appear, and/or current ones to get worse.
Herxes can be difficult. Flagyl was one of the hardest herxes for me. If it becomes unbearable please call you llmd and let him know whats going on.
Hang in there
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Oh my word!!! 1000mg a day to BEGIN with??? Please call your LLMD and ask if you can take 1/4 of that tomorrow.
Actually, I wouldn't take anymore until you call him/her. And if you're still feeling lousy, you may want to wait a few days before trying a lower dosage.
I am not a doctor!
Posted by KarenB (Member # 10510) on :
Thanks guys,
I did not take any today and I feel much better. No headache, and I did not take one last night so I slept like a baby.
Maybe it's all in my head, I don't know.
I will call him next Tuesday to lower the dose and to see what he has to say. It really was horrible. If it was a herx, I don't think I can handle a herx that is that awful. I have to function with 3 children.
Thanks as always for responding,
Karen
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
Flagyl gets into the brain, so yes, it's in your head!!
A severe herx can be dangerous. That's why many LLMD's take the gentle route when a patient is beginning flagyl.
Posted by Robin123 (Member # 9197) on :
I believe in testing a very small amount of any new drug. That way, if it goes sour, side effects are minimized. Also, we can build up slowly.
Posted by KarenB (Member # 10510) on :
Thanks everyone,
I'm holding off until I speak to him. I am feeling much better today.
For three days I thought I was going to die. Not a good feeling.
I personally think I am going to hold off on flagyl altogether until I get back from vacation.
I don't want any bad feelings while we are away.
Wouldn't that stink, telling your kids you can't come out and play in Aruba because Mommy is too sick. It's bad enough they see how I am all the time at home.
This girls leaving on a jet plane Feb 11th and wish I could say "Don't know when I'll be back again", but I can't. Be back Feb 25th.
Thanks for all your help,
Karen
Posted by siggy (Member # 8654) on :
Hi Karen, I have been pulsing flagyl for about 5 months now, 3 out of 7 days a week. The first three months were horrible!! What you are describing sounds a lot like what happened to me - I would loose my apetite, be easily depressed, no energy - didn't have the headache though.
If I would have been on flagyl every day, I don't think I could have handled it. Pulsing worked for me - I would get a couple of okay days in between.
take care , Sigrid
Posted by treepatrol (Member # 4117) on :
Depending on your weight 1000mg of flagyl is kinda high unless your as heavy as me 390 right now and that wasnt my dose mine if iam remembering right was 250mg 3 times a day = 750mg a day.
Posted by KarenB (Member # 10510) on :
Hi siggy and tree,
I was only supposed to take it for 4 days then three days off. That's pulsing, right? I'm still fairly new here and learning a great deal.
Tree, I guess 1000 mg a day for someone who weights 115lbs is way too much then. He seems to know so much about lyme and co-infections, I'm surprised he wouldn't think that was too much for me.
I can't wait to call him and ask him his reasoning for the amount. He knows I don't tolerate abx easily.
So far so good on the art and samento though. Maybe the natural root is the way for me to go at this point. I just don't know.
Thank you for your valuable input.
P.S. It is -2 degrees in MA today. A little too cold for this body.
Karen
Posted by hopeful123 (Member # 3244) on :
hi,
i know this is hard, but if you can stand flagyl at all, please try to continue. it really helps the cognitive symptoms because it goes through the blood/brain barrier. there's another atx that does this like flagyl, and that's tindamax (sp?).
for right now, enjoy your time away from the cold.
good luck
Posted by treepatrol (Member # 4117) on :
Ask him your llmd if he/she would let you take it 3xaday at 250 spreading it out instaed of pulsing once you aclamate to flagyl in say 3 months maybe go to the pulsing again at 1000mgs?
Some people have a hard time taking flagyl I wouldnt give up on it though. Maybe you could switch to Tinidazole Representative Names: Tindamax or {Metronidazole generic flagyl}or Metronidazole Extended Release?
Posted by KarenB (Member # 10510) on :
Thanks guys,
I have a lot of questions to ask my llmd. I so appreciate all of your valuable opinons.
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