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Taking Flagyl And Drinking Alcohol

This article outlines the possible outcomes if someone drinks alcohol while taking the prescription medication Flagyl. Although it is one of the lesser-known drugs, it is a solid antibiotic prescribed to treat various bacterial and parasitic infections.

  • Since the liver and intestines process and break down this drug in the body, side effects primarily impact the gastrointestinal system, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, and constipation.
  • The liver also metabolizes alcohol. Between two and eight percent of one alcoholic beverage is excreted through sweat and urine. The liver metabolizes the remaining percentage.

Initially, alcohol is a toxic chemical called acetaldehyde, a form of formaldehyde converted to acetyl radicals. When someone drinks too much alcohol, the liver cannot keep up with converting acetaldehyde into acetyl radicals.

  • Accumulating acetaldehyde in the bloodstream can lead to vomiting, hangovers, or, worst of all, alcohol poisoning.

Although it is not advisable, drinking a beer or a small glass of wine while taking Flagyl typically causes side effects in most people, such as;

  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea

Depending on how much alcohol, a disulfiram reaction resulting from mixing alcohol and this drug could last up to two hours. Emergency medical treatment may be necessary if symptoms are severe to prevent dehydration and fainting due to hyperventilation. Alcoholics taking disulfiram to suppress cravings should not take this drug.

Occasionally, mixing this drug with alcohol may trigger a response resembling signs of a disulfiram reaction. It is due to alcohol interfering with the ability of the liver to metabolize it.

Side effects of a disulfiram reaction can include:

  • Throbbing headache
  • Flushing/sweating
  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Heart palpitations
  • Dizziness
  • Blurry vision

Psychotic reactions such as hallucinations, paranoid delusions, and extreme agitation could occur in alcohol abusers with small amounts of disulfiram in their bloodstream.

Some people are susceptible to this drug blocking the metabolization of propylene glycol by the liver. Propylene glycol is a commonly used ingredient found in injectable, oral, and topical medications to facilitate the dispersion of the medicine.

Excess amounts of propylene glycol in the body could cause:

  • Tachycardia
  • Seizures
  • Acute kidney failure

According to drugs.com, “Patients treated with metronidazole should continue to avoid using any products containing alcohol or propylene glycol for at least three days until after completion of therapy.”

If prescribed, always tell your physician if you are currently taking or plan on taking any one of the following:

Most antibiotics will remain effective if alcohol goes with them—however, the ability of some antibiotics to eliminate infectious bacteria or parasites by alcohol. For example, an antibiotic called doxycycline loses its effectiveness when mixed with alcohol.

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