I know the proscription against combining flagyl and alcohol is more severe than other antibiotics because of the interactions. The on line literature says no alcohol until 72 hours after consumption.
One health provider told me to wait a week until consuming wine. I was wondering what the knowlegable people on the board think Is this overly conservative or reasonable?
Any liver dysfunction at all and that week recommendation looks good. Totally normal liver function in an otherwise healthy person (really healthy) then 48-72 H is fine.
The supposed interaction between alcohol and metronidazole (brand name, Flagyl) has been questioned, and a recent small study failed to demonstrate any interaction.
Source: Lack of disulfiram-like reaction with metronidazole and ethanol - PubMed
Anecdotally let me assure you folks get nauseated and vomit from this combo.
Many Many moons ago I did not listen to my doctor on this… I did not heed his warning and I paid the price.
Mr Fleming “recent” might be a bit of a stretch. It appears that study was done in 2002, which is ancient history in modern medicine and hasn’t been replicated on a large scale that I’m aware of.
My 2c: I think the original poster would do well to not tempt fate, evil humors, or the disulfiram genies.
Four days ago I was given the choice of an oral antifungal for three months or pulling the nails off…guess whos limping like an sob… 
Ouch!
But wise choice! ![[drinkers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/82916bed5ad74ac8470bc04089d9758b0c80c9fa.gif "drinkers"){kind=small}
Joel: How long between taking flagyl and drinking?
Glenn, thanks! Liver is one thing that’s ok, but totally healthy is far from fact.
It was only a couple hours Barry… probably 2.5-3 hours after I took Flagyl when I knocked back a few
Opening day of USC Football and I was in my mid 20s… I refrained for a bit but alas, I was young and stupid. Made me sick as a dog. Cramped up really badly too. That was actually the worst part. Stomach cramps. Never again… but then again I haven’t needed to take Flagyl since then.
Good luck.
I would agree with 48-72 hours. don’t think you need to wait a week. The other consideration is whether you need to be on Flagyl–there are resonable alternatives for most diagnoses.
This “conventional” wisdom has been widely questioned and anecdotally some people are simply more sensitive to the effects. Biochemically, it is a theoretical possibility. If you really dig into it, the original case report describing this effect was in someone (one person) who went out and binged which unsurprisingly resulted in a bad reaction. Tylenol containing products pose a far greater health risk when combined with alcohol consumption.
The ER doctor wanted to put me on Flagyl and Cipro (after several diagnostics). I said I’d like my achilles tendon to remain intact, so we nixed the Cipro. My local hospital has great ER doctors (unfortunately, I know all to well), but this time, I didn’t get a good one (for other reasons, not just this).
Actually you can get an Antabuse like effect which might explain he up chucking. http://www.brighthub.com/science/medical/articles/33423.aspx
I drank for the first couple days after starting, and 24 hours after finishing a fairly long dose (3weeks, IIRC). Had no reaction. Really didn’t particularly feel like drinking in between, as the meds themselves sort of whacked my stomach out. I actually suspect a lot may be dependent on the individual, so you won’t know until you try, if you choose to.
Oddly, For a couple months after, I was very sensitive to certain smells.
Not that we need to discuss your medical problems in detail in the forum, but there are a number of other antibiotic regimens that work just fine for diverticulitis, which I would presume is what you were being treated for.
tendon rupture during vigorous exercise on Quinolones is totally overcalled as a risk. it is beyond rare. Cipro plus Flagyl is great combo for diverticulitis.
alan
Thanks Alan.
However, I know well a person who suffered it twice. In two separate incidents, during the course of the Cipro or a week or so after. Tore one Achilles Tendon, then six months later, tore the other. Two separate courses of Cipro.
(second time during a relay race).
I prescribe cipro, or cipro/flagyl combo etc nearly every day and I’ve never (repeat never) seen a single case of tendon rupture attributed to the cipro in my 12 years of practice. Yes, rare.
interesting. In two decades of prescribing Cipro several times daily, I have yet to see it. I now caution people about it, but have never seen it.
alan