Metronidazole is an antibiotic medication used to treat bacterial infections of your stomach, vagina, skin, lungs and joints, says Drugs.com. Usually you will take 250 milligrams of metronidazole three times a day for seven days or as your doctor prescribes, says the National Library of Medicine. Do not take more metronidazole than your doctor instructs or you may develop harmful side effects.
Common Side Effects
According to Drugs.com, metronidazole can routinely cause nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, dizziness or headaches. It can also cause sneezing a cough or runny nose. Other common side effects include vaginal itching or discharge, unsteadiness, dry mouth and an altered metallic taste in your mouth. Do not fret if you have these symptoms; however, call your doctor if they last for three or more days. She may tweak your dosage to help curb these effects.
Harmful Effects
MedlinePlus says that metronidazole can lead to the following serious side effects: skin rashes, itching, joint pain, fever and a stuffy nose. It can also cause convulsions, watery or bloody diarrhea, chills, a fever, sore throat, paresthesias (numbness or tingling of your hands and feet) and painful urination, says Drugs.com. Other harmful side effects include mouth or lip sores and white patches covering the tissues of your mouth. Call your doctor right away when you have these symptoms.
Additional Side Effects
The National Library of Medicine says that metronidazole can cause glossitis (a red tongue), a furry tongue, neutropenia (low white blood cell counts which make you susceptible to infections) and thrombocytopenia (low platelet counts which make you prone to bleeding and bruising). Metronidazole can also cause lack of coordination, depression, flushing of your skin, urinary incontinence, proctitis (rectal inflammation) and decreased libido (sex drive).
Other Concerns
You should not use metronidazole if you are pregnant. Drugs.com says that metronidazole can harm your baby during the first three months of pregnancy.
Avoid alcohol when taking metronidazole. Combining the two can cause tachycardia (fast heartbeat), redness, warmth, nausea or vomiting.
Tell your doctor if you are taking such medications as cimetidine, disulfuram, lithium or warfarin, says Drugs.com. Metronidazole can interact with these drugs and cause the aforementioned side effects.
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