Flagyl Effect on Thanksgiving

My doctor prescribed Flagyl for some parasitic infection of my stomach. My bathroom visits had started simultaneously with my new job last month. Initially, I thought it had to do with the stress related to going back to work. Come to think of it, having a job is stressful and having no job is also stressful! Probably, if there is an entity like God, he or she or it would certainly not ask humans about designing humans!

After all, I have been home since January after losing my previous job and completely gotten used to doing nothing, having no schedule-breakfast at 9:30AM, lunch at 3:30PM...- that it is really hard to leave home around 7:45AM, after finishing breakfast and return home after dark! All my walking has come to standstill!

Well, anyway, my initial days at the job were spent going to the bathroom (rather running, to avoid accidents). And, after a month, after exhausting all our south Indian home remedies and after being only on BRAT food, I was still going (More output than input, violating the Law of Conservation) and I had started trimming down (now that is a good side effect!). So, finally I had to visit the doctor. He ordered blood work and stool test, which came out positive for some parasite. After a week, he called me and told me to take Flagyl, if I want to. So, I had a choice.

Immediately, I started searching the Internet about Flagyl. I read horror story after horror story, discussion boards describing all the bad things about Flagyl. So, I postponed taking the medication. But, three days after that, I was still running to the bathroom. So, finally, I visited my neighborhood pharmacy to pick up my three day old prescription. And, started in the middle of the day, so that, if there is an emergency it is easier to find people around.

All was well. I could sail smoothly for three days. I was thinking, perhaps these people might be exaggerating things. After reading all those discussion boards, I had realized that I am in an altogether different planet, being a teetotaler! Many of them mentioned that they cannot survive without alcohol even a single day, as if it is a staple food! Some of them were even saying that they had their weed (with alcohol + Flagyl). Looks like, all these people have become chemists! Perhaps, because of all that abuse they might be experiencing those lousy symptoms?

No! I started feeling nauseated in the evening on the fourth day. All I wanted was rice with pickle (South Indian). I was slowly losing my appetite. Fifth morning, I was extremely groggy. It lasted the whole day. I was about to doze off at work yesterday, like my next cube coworker! Today, the sixth day- Thanksgiving day- I have been extremely drowsy all day like a drugged person. I do not feel like eating anything. I still see the same consistency in the bathroom. I am not sure whether my parasite problem still persists, as they say this drug also causes diarrhea! So, I would like to stop it today (or tomorrow perhaps, as I do not want to spend the majority of my waking hours in the bathroom either).

So, it is true that Flagyl or Metronidazole would cause all those lousy symptoms, even without alcohol itself. Some people claim that taking the alcohol did not cause any problems to them. But, then, they may be heavier and may be alcoholics who have become less sensitive to its effects.

My 500mg three times a day (I am 140 lbs) is making me so drowsy that I am not sure whether it is the drug or whether it is the dumbest thing that I did a few days ago that is making me forget the difference between the day and night! Over that, I would not dare to take anything that will impair all my thinking abilities. I only hope that the doctor's voice mail yesterday is not about more bad news and more medications! Need to call him tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving again!