Many drugs cannot be combined with certain products. So, for example, almost all antibiotics do not recommend drinking milk. Sorbents are forbidden to eat while eating. The topic of ethanol in combination with drugs is discussed separately. This article will tell you how metronidazole and alcohol interact. You will learn about whether you can use such compounds at the same time and what can come of it.
Metronidazole-based preparations
Before you find out whether alcohol with metronidazole can be consumed, you need to find out about the trade names of the drugs. This active substance is a broad-spectrum antibiotic. It is effective against many microorganisms and bacteria that inhabit the human body. There is an original drug called Metronidazole. It may take the form of tablets, ointments, or vaginal suppositories.
Also, the active substance metronidazole is part of many other drugs. These include “Metrogil”, “Trichopol”, “Terzhinan”, “Klion”, “Batsimeks”, “Metron”, “Metrovagin” and many others. Before combining these drugs with alcohol-containing drinks, you need to know about the consequences of such use.
What does the instruction say about the indications and contraindications?
The annotation says that the drug "Metronidazole" is prescribed for bacterial diseases of the genitourinary sphere. Also, the drug is prescribed during infection of soft tissues and joints. Less commonly, the active substance metronidazole is used in therapy to treat diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract.
The contraindications say that the medicine is forbidden to use with hypersensitivity to the components, during blood, liver disease and with pathologies of the nervous system. The medication is not prescribed in the first trimester of pregnancy and during lactation. Contraindications do not say anything about ethanol, but this does not mean at all that Metronidazole and alcohol are perfectly combined. Before drawing conclusions, it is necessary to study the annotation to the end.
Combination of alcohol and metronidazole
In the instructions for use of the drug there is a separate paragraph, which is often called "Special Situations" or "Additional Information". It is there that the peculiarity of combining the described drug with other compounds is prescribed. The instructions say that if you take Metronidazole and alcohol at the same time, the patient may develop a disulfiram-like reaction. There is also a high probability of side effects. Among them, the following states can be noted:
- With vaginal use, itching, redness of the mucous membranes, burning, irritation are noted. Discharge may increase.
- With internal administration, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, headache are possible. Often there is a digestive disorder, accompanied by flatulence, bloating.
- With any use, it is possible to stain the urine in a dark color, an allergic reaction, and so on.
Metronidazole Alcoholism Treatment
In what cases is Metronidazole and alcohol used at the same time? Compatibility of chemical compounds is permissible only in the treatment of addiction. In this case, doctors set a goal - to cause disulfiram-like reactions. After them, a person begins to feel an aversion to any ethanol-containing drinks.
People with alcohol dependence are prescribed Metronidazole. Patients stop drinking alcohol. Drinks containing ethanol should not be drunk, but only smell and hold in your mouth. Even such an interaction is enough to achieve the effect. Just a few days later, the patient begins to experience nausea, dry mouth, and hostility to alcohol. If you take Metronidazole and alcohol inside, the consequences can be very unpleasant. Therefore, such therapy is carried out exclusively within the walls of the hospital. Some patients may need urgent medical attention. Sometimes there is a sharp decrease in blood pressure, loss of consciousness, accompanied by indomitable vomiting.
Metronidazole and alcohol: compatibility (consumer reviews)
Most of the positive opinions about the described medicine. Consumers say that it effectively copes with a bacterial infection and normalizes the patient's condition. If we talk about the simultaneous use of ethanol, then opinions differ.
One group of people believes that the medicine should never be consumed with alcohol. The interaction of metronidazole with alcohol can lead to very unpleasant consequences. Other people say that nothing will happen from a couple of glasses of beer. There are even such patients who ascertained the fact of drinking alcohol during treatment.
Doctors opinions
Experts say that metronidazole and alcohol should not be consumed at the same time (compatibility is zero). The only exceptions are cases of treatment for alcohol dependence. Doctors say that a drug combined with ethanol can not only cause side effects and disulfiram-like reactions, it can also simply be ineffective. As you know, antibiotics should always be taken at a strictly scheduled time. If you interrupt therapy earlier, then resistance of microorganisms will arise. In this case, further treatment with this drug will be ineffective.
A more negative effect with a combination of drugs based on metronidazole and alcohol goes to the liver and kidneys. With uncontrolled drinking of alcohol, a hepatotoxic reaction may develop. Also, acute renal failure sometimes occurs.
Doctors say that the active substance metronidazole is excreted from the patient's body within two days, mainly by the kidneys. This means that even after the end of therapy, you can not drink alcohol for two days.
Little conclusion
The medicine "Metronidazole" is an excellent antibacterial agent. However, it does not combine with ethanol. In this case, it is forbidden to take even medicinal alcohols (tinctures, drops). The smallest dose of alcohol can cause a violent negative reaction.
Before using any drug, including an antibiotic, you need to visit a doctor and get individual appointments. Check with your doctor about the possibility of using the drug with other chemical compounds. All the best to you!