I am supposed to start my Flagyl on Monday. I am to take 500 mg. twice daily for 3 weeks on then 3 weeks off.
I've read so many horrible reviews of this medication that I am seriously thinking of NOT taking it!
Number one ... I am emetophobic (fear of vomiting). I know that sounds crazy but I am and will NOT take or do anything that could possibly make me sick to my stomach!!!
Please be HONEST with me about the side effects of Flagyl!!!
Kim Posted by jwall (Member # 22999) on :
I took it for 3 days and thought I was not going to be alive after those 3 days. I did not feel sick to my stomach, but I was in such SEVERE pain from head to toe, felt drunk, dizzy. Oh, and yeast went out of control.
I have not taken it again, but I know I will soon and am not looking forward to it at all.
you might not have any problems, just beware of the yeast issue. Good luck!
Posted by karenl (Member # 17753) on :
Kim,
just start with 250 the first day and probably the second day if you are scared. Then you can go higher if you feel comfortable.
I got headache with 750 a day for three days. If you take it with food and water you should not have stomach issues. But I started on lower dosage.
I have to add 1,500 mg of flagyl now to 200 doxy but will start gradually.
Karen
Posted by Michelle M (Member # 7200) on :
It's very hard to take. No doubt about that. I never felt sick to my stomach, just weak and dizzy and sick. Headaches intensified a LOT.
That said, after one month of doxy I felt amazing progress.
It is worth it.
Posted by janet thomas (Member # 7122) on :
Here's another viewpoint on Flagyl concerning dosing and pulsing:
I'm lost. Which made you better? Flagyl or the Doxy?
quote:Originally posted by Michelle M: It's very hard to take. No doubt about that. I never felt sick to my stomach, just weak and dizzy and sick. Headaches intensified a LOT.
That said, after one month of doxy I felt amazing progress.
It is worth it.
Posted by kidsgotlyme (Member # 23691) on :
My daughter just started it with Zithromax, and she has not felt any different. I think it's just different reactions for different people.
At least try it. It might not be so bad for you. I was a little worried about it myself, but so far things are fine.
Posted by kimmie (Member # 25547) on :
I took tindamax and was scared of the herx, only thing I got was a slight headache. I may try flagyl next
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
RAMP UP! *If it were ME* I would take only a sliver of a pill the first few days to see how I would react.
500 at once could be a bad scene if you ask me...
It's not that tough a drug (physically)... some love it. My main problem with it was depression. OMG bad.
Posted by TN Kim (Member # 26729) on :
Thank you all for your input. Yea, I suppose I could cut the pill in half and start like that.
I will most definitely make sure I take it with food and plenty of water as well.
Uugh, I HATE this! Posted by Beachinit (Member # 21040) on :
I ramped up on flagyl alone took 250 3X/day for 10 days then added zithro then wham a multiweek, knee/leg herx, then very clear headed, then mood became serene etc. So flagyl crosses blood brain barrier and many LLMD/DO may start with that med first if neuro symptoms are severe. Is it also hitting Bart as well as Lyme/Bb, no one has given the answer. Anyway I did get the sharp stabbing neuropathy pains in calves and feet and had to stop, wait, restart several times in 3-5 day pulses and that seems to work great. I found flagyl much, much easier on my tummy than Doxy. I am currently taking Doxy, bactrim ds (both also cross BBB/blood brain barrier) along with Artemisinin. If I forget to space meds or to take Doxy without food then I get nausea and reach for some peppermint or ginger tea and learn from my mistake:)
Posted by karenl (Member # 17753) on :
Kim, you are right. Start on low dose. I had no psycho or depression problems at all. And if, just let your family know it is from flagyl.
Posted by drew (Member # 25220) on :
Hi, sorry to shift this a bit, but I thought Tindamax was Flagyl? Are they not the same?
I saw someone in this thread make reference to Tindamax. My Doc prescribed me Tindamax and I just started it today...I thought it was the same thing as flagyl just under a different/generic name...
Thanks to anyone who can explain...
Posted by pj1954 (Member # 11722) on :
I agree with tutu start low dose less than 1/4 pill and work up !
once you know how you will tolerate the med you can up to the prescribed dose !
flagyl has been a wonder drug for me , but we are all so different and seems each of us has a differing strain of this disease.
so what works great for one may not be so good for the next!
Posted by TN Kim (Member # 26729) on :
Thank you all SO much for your help and support! I might wait a couple more days before
starting the Flagyl as my husband might have to go out of town one day next week.
It would only be a one day trip but he would be unable to get back home quickly (flying) in
the event that I needed him. If he is in his normal office then he can be home within 30 minutes!
Kim
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
quote:Originally posted by drew: [QB] Hi, sorry to shift this a bit, but I thought Tindamax was Flagyl? Are they not the same?
I saw someone in this thread make reference to Tindamax. My Doc prescribed me Tindamax and I just started it today...I thought it was the same thing as flagyl just under a different/generic name...
Thanks to anyone who can explain...
Tindamax is a slightly different drug from flagyl... a bit easier on the body.
Flagyl and tindamax are the same "class" of drugs like the macrolide family is or cephalosporin group. Tindamax is newer and suppossed to be better tolerated than flagyl. Not sure if it is as effective?
Posted by WildCondor (Member # 434) on :
Take the whole dose as it is low to begin with. Flagyl is a great drug and you should not be afraid to take it. Don't let fear guide your thoughts during treatment. Flagyl helped get me well and it was a huge turning point.
Posted by stephfino (Member # 23599) on :
My LLMD said that Tindamax works like Flagyl but is easier on the gut. He prefers to order it over Flagyl.
I have just finished my first month of Tindamax.
I have taken it daily 500mg for 4 weeks straight. It has given me No stomach probs. I had headaches for about the first two weeks and then out of the blue they were gone.
Since adding the Tindamax- I am feeling less anxiety-and am finally even starting to get some sleep!!
I was VERY scared to start the Tindamax/ cyst busters from reading all of the posts here. But honestly it isn't that bad at all (for me).
Since I was soo nervous in the beginning, for the first 3 days I just broke the pill in half to 250mg..then increased it.
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
- You said you'll wait as one day next week your husband may not be able to get home if you have a problem.
It's doubtful that flagyl will present that sort of problem - and - there is no perfect time to start. It may be good to find others upon whom you could call if needed. Or know the number of your local taxi, etc. so you could get yourself to where ever you needed to be or get brought in whatever you needed.
You also said you refuse to take anything that will make you sick to your stomach. In a gentle tone of voice, I highly doubt it is possible to get through any treatment without feeling nauseated to some degree. Lyme, itself, causes nausea.
And, if you have any inner ear issues (as are frequent with lyme), nausea can come from that. In that case, GINGER capsules can help.
For other kinds of actual irritation of the stomach lining, DGL, mastic gum, etc. are invaluable to me. You can them separately - or take both Ginger and a DGL product as they will complement each other.
Knowing how to offset that is helpful of course but so is just know how to ride the waves. For me, having someone around during those times is actually much harder, as long as I've planned ahead.
Biofeedback techniques are also helpful with nausea. At its worst, a Chinese formula called Pill Curing can save the day. -
Posted by Keebler (Member # 12673) on :
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[ 08-01-2010, 03:40 PM: Message edited by: Keebler ]
Posted by Michelle M (Member # 7200) on :
quote:Originally posted by seekhelp: I'm lost. Which made you better? Flagyl or the Doxy?
quote:Originally posted by Michelle M: It's very hard to take. No doubt about that. I never felt sick to my stomach, just weak and dizzy and sick. Headaches intensified a LOT.
That said, after one month of doxy I felt amazing progress.
It is worth it.
Duh. Sorry about that. Flagyl. Not doxy.
Posted by bcb1200 (Member # 25745) on :
Don't be afraid. Flagyl isn't that bad. I did 100mg right off the bat. no big issues.
Posted by kimmie (Member # 25547) on :
Flagyl was great! I finally tried it, 1000mg for 4 days and it did increase my neuro symptoms but that meant it is working. I plan on repeating my pulse next week for 4 days at a higher dose. Everyone is different and I personally am lucky that I do not have intense herxes, just symptoms flare.
If you have been ill longer, I would think the herx could be worse. Flagyl or tindamax are so important.
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