Taking Metronidazole.

Take Metronidazole for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Metronidazole will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu. Do not drink alcohol while you are taking Metronidazole and for at least 3 days after you stop taking it. You may have unpleasant side effects such as fast heartbeats, warmth or redness under your skin, tingly feeling, nausea, and vomiting.

Metronidazole works best when there is a constant amount in the blood. Take your doses at evenly spaced intervals, day and night, and try to avoid missing any.

Before taking Metronidazole, tell your doctor if you are allergic to any drugs, or if you have:
- A blood cell disorder such as anemia (lack of red blood cells) or leukopenia (lack of white blood cells);;
- A stomach or intestinal disease such as Crohn's disease;;
- Epilepsy or other seizure disorder; or;
- Liver disease;;
- Nerve disorders;

If you are being treated for the sexually transmitted genital infection called trichomoniasis, your doctor may want to treat your partner at the same time, even if there are no symptoms. Try to avoid sexual intercourse until the infection is cured. If you do have sex, use a condom.

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take Metronidazole.
Metronidazole can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use Metronidazole without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Metronidazole can be taken with or without food. It may cause dry mouth.
Hard candy, chewing gum, or bits of ice can help to relieve the problem.

Take Metronidazole exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take the medication in larger amounts, or take it for longer than recommended by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label.
Take the extended-release form of metronidazole (Metronidazole ER) on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before or 2 hours after eating a meal. Do not crush, chew, or break the extended-release tablet. Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time. Take Metronidazole for the entire length of time prescribed by your doctor. Your symptoms may get better before the infection is completely treated. Metronidazole will not treat a viral infection such as the common cold or flu.

Metronidazole may be taken with food or a full glass of water or milk to prevent stomach upset. Dosage is based on your medical condition, the type of infection being treated, and your response to therapy.

To be sure Metronidazole is not causing harmful effects, your blood will need to be tested on a regular basis. Your liver function may also need to be tested. Do not miss any scheduled visits to your doctor.

Antibiotics work best when the amount of medicine in your body is kept at a constant level. Therefore, take Metronidazole at evenly spaced intervals.

Metronidazole can cause you to have unusual results with certain medical tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are using Metronidazole.
Store Metronidazole at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

Continue to take Metronidazole until the full prescribed amount is finished, even if symptoms disappear after a few days. Stopping the medication too early may allow bacteria/protozoa to continue to grow, which may result in a relapse of the infection.

If you are taking a combined oral contraceptive pill or are using contraceptive patches, there may be a very low risk that Metronidazole may make it less effective at preventing pregnancy. Although the risk of this is very low, the personal and ethical consequences of an unwanted pregnancy can be very serious.

Antibiotic medicines can cause diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or has blood in it, call your doctor. Do not use any medicine to stop the diarrhea unless your doctor has told you to.

Inform your doctor if your condition persists or worsens.

Before taking Metronidazole, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following medicines:
- a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
- cimetidine (Tagamet);
- disulfiram (Antabuse);
- lithium (Lithobid Eskalith others);
- seizure medication such as phenytoin (Dilantin) or phenobarbital (Luminal Solfoton);

Metronidazole may be taken orally with or without food. In the hospital, metronidazole can be administered intravenously to treat serious infections. The liver is primarily responsible for eliminating metronidazole from the body, and doses may need to be reduced in patients with liver disease and abnormal liver function.

If metronidazole is taken by people taking disulfiram there may be a risk of confusion and psychotic symptoms such as paranoia and hallucinations. This combination should be avoided where possible or closely monitored if essential.

If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use Metronidazole or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

Metronidazole should be taken with food or a full glass of water or milk to prevent stomach upset. Antibiotics work best when the amount of Metronidazole in your body is kept at a constant level. Do this by taking Metronidazole at evenly spaced intervals throughout the day and night. Continue to take Metronidazole until the full prescribed amount is finished even if symptoms disappear after a few days. Stopping Metronidazole too early may allow bacteria to continue to grow resulting in a relapse of the infection.

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect Metronidazole. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use.
This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors.
Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.