Flagyl and Alcohol: myth?

 I've read conflicting reports on drinking while on flagyl. Some say that it has a similar effect as antabuse, while others report no issues.

What's the truth? Anyone with personal experience?

There can be more than one truth. Flagyl does not effect me negatively if I drink alcohol. That is my truth.

I don't think it's a myth - I just googled it and found that alcohol and flagyl together is a big no no on numerous websites, including drugs.com. 

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.

The antabuse effect is well documented but doesn't happen with everyone.

Like so many things - truth depends on the cir****tances.

I have no negative reaction.

 Hmmm... I took one this morning and just had a friend call and say he was coming into town tonight and wants to meet-up for a drink. What to do... what to do...

I forgot that I was taking a low dose of flagyl one time a couple of months ago and had a drink.  It could be psychosomatic, but I did not feel well for a while afterwards. 

Meh - I wouldn't do it again.  One or the other - I am fond of my liver, and don't want it having to decide which compound to detoxify.

Well shoot.  I had no idea.

~Becky

I had a different experience the last time I took Flagyl. I've never had that kind of issue. However, I had a blackout that I suspect had to do with that combination. It was VERY scary.

After that experience, I did a huge literature search for Flagyl and alcohol. From what my doc and I could find, there is only one actual study done that reported something like five such responses out of a crapload of Flagyl takers who drank. There are ALSO reports, which really caught my attention (though not very many of them either) of people who took a lot longer to metabolize alcohol out of their systems while on Flagyl, something like up to three days.

At the time, my habitual consumption was one pint of beer per day, hardly worthy of a problem otherwise. There was no other change in my routine except that I was on about day five of a course of Flagyl. So I will be very good about abstaining the next time I have to take Flagyl!

I had Flagyl in my IV pre op as I'm allergic to Penicillin and Amoxicillin.  As the nurse was putting it in, she told me it was an antabuse and to be careful....not that I would be doing any drinking, but she said sometimes it even affects some people using flavored extracts or mouthwash.

Susan