DS math

Sounds like the woman you know could use some Flagyl.

I have FAR LESS urgent poops now than I did pre-op.  I do take Flagyl -- 3 pills a WEEK (not a DAY, a WEEK).  The one poop I take first thing each morning is pretty big, yep.  Sometimes I go again in the evening.  Sometimes I do get a bit gassy -- I did pre-op at times as well.

thanks for the post i have RNY but, have been struggling with gas lately heard about flagyl from another post  and was interested to hear that it helped you i am planning to call my pcp or surgeon on monday i dont know how it helps though do you? what does it change? the bacteria? btw - i love your hair dark you remind me of a dear beautiful friend i used to have named shelly holt she was gorgeous but, we lost touch after highschool kf

Yes, we can get a bacterial overgrowth in the bypassed loop of our intestines causing gas and/or diarrhea  Flagyl just keeps the bacteria in check.  Some people swear by probiotics, which are also beneficial.  Flagyl's just a lot cheaper, and a lot less pills to swallow.  A lot of doctors don't like to prescribe the Flagyl because of long-term overuse of antibiotics breeding drug-resistant bacteria.   However, these are the opinions I choose to believe about Flagyl which I'll reprint here from my blog:

Flagyl W/O Rx
on July 20, 2007 2:00 pm
Published

I'm getting a lot of requests for the link on how to get Flagyl without a prescription, so I'll just post it here so no one misses it:

http://www.lambriarvetsupply.com/i_001TLZOL-100_Fish-Zole

These are the 250 mg. so you'll need to take TWO of these 3 x a week, OR there are also some 500 mg. available on that same site. The tablets taste gawdawful, so put them WAY back on your tongue to swallow them and swallow them with something strong tasting (lemonade) or milk....

Here is a portion of published medical text on the need for antibiotics because of bacterial overgrowth [in our bypassed loop of intestine] (supplied by our excellent resident Nurse Practitioner, Carolyn):

From: http://www.oley.org/lifeline/bacter.html

Antibiotics

If the dietary therapy is insufficient to control symptoms, it should be continued with the addition of antibiotics. Broad spectrum antibiotics, such as Bactrim and Flagyl, used continuously, at half the usual antibiotic dose, are often very effective. Trials of different antibiotics may be needed to find the right combination. In addition to Bactrim and Flagyl, we have found Augmentum and Keflex to be beneficial. Our most severe case of small bowel bacterial overgrowth was a child with short bowel syndrome who suffered severe d-lactic acidosis with seizures. He went through several treatment regimes before we identified oral Vancomycin, a potent antibiotic, as an effective measure to control his overgrowth. After the acute overgrowth has been controlled, antibiotic therapy may be required only for a few days out of every month or may be so severe as to require prolonged continuous therapy. If symptoms reappear after a few months, switching antibiotics is often necessary. We have seen no development of antibiotic resistant complications utilizing this therapy over prolonged periods of time, probably because of the lower doses utilized.

I also asked Carolyn about neuropathy and resistance concerns with the long-term use of Flagyl and she had this to say:

"The acute lethal dose of metronidazole in humans is not known. Neurotoxic effects, including seizures and peripheral neuropathy, have occurred in individuals *****ceived 6–10.4 g of metronidazole orally every other day for 5–7 days for the treatment of malignant tumors. Nausea, vomiting, and ataxia without serious resultant toxicity have been reported in individuals who ingested up to 19.5 g of metronidazole in a single dose. The oral LD₅₀ of metronidazole exceeds 5 g/kg in albino rats.

If acute overdosage of metronidazole occurs, symptomatic and supportive treatment should be initiated.

Above quoted from Medscape.

Please note neurotoxic dose is more than 12 times the usual prophylactic DS dose (250-500mg 3X a week). Your body processes it so that it is unlikely to "build up" to a toxic dose, unless you are in liver failure, in which case you would have other, more pressing concerns.

Intestinal flora that become resistant due to regular use of Flagyl is possible but not likely. Even if you were to develop a resistant strain of c. diff from regular routine use of Flagyl, for example, it would still be susceptible to and treatable with vancomycin.

Currently the only known resistance to Flagyl is some strains of trichomoniasis, an STD. It may reassure those of you who may be exposed to STD's that resistant strains of that bug can be treated with Tinadazol.

My advice is to use whatever means of gas amelioration works for you, that you are comfortable with, and that you can afford. Flagyl is not for everyone. I am convinced that it is safe for me and most other people the way I use it."

Yawl can take my Flagyl from me when you pry my COLD, DEAD HANDS off it!!! LOL!!

thanks lea anne you rock i will check our your blog kf

I just want to double-check to be sure I understand correctly, because I'm gettin' to middle age and sometimes I don't PROCESS things the right way, as I should.

You're self-prescribing FLAGYL (a powerful antibiotic) by buying it from VETRINARY supply, against your doctor's orders? And taking it long-term at a half-dose, which will in fact generate drug-resistant bacteria?  And this is what you recommend to other people, as well?!?! Charming

Nope.  My doctor prescribes mine.  But I have ordered the flagyl from the veterinary supply place, and they are the SAME PILLS, different bottle.  Flagyl is over the counter in many countries, and can also be ordered on the internet from these other countries, but is a lot more expensive that way.  Unlike MANY people, I am capable of reading and comprehending medical articles and taking a pro-active role in my healthcare.  My physician is a PARTNER in my healthcare, NOT a dictator.  Many people don't have such a teamplayer for their healthcare needs, unfortunately.  MANY (not all) of us are intelligent adults that are capable of making individual decisions about what is best for our health.  I gladly supply the information on where to obtain this drug without a prescription at a very reasonable price to those types of individuals.

veterinary supply  lol

Lobotomy supply   hahaha

Flagyl is not a particularly strong antibiotic, especially in the low "maintenance dose" that some DSers take.  Let me take 1/2 step back... Flagyl isn't a "weak" antibiotic by any means... it's certainly stronger than penicillin or amoxicillin.... though when I hear "strong antibiotic", I more often think of meds like Cipro, Vancomycin, Eurithromycin, Tetracyclene, etc. "FishZole" is metronidazole 250mg "Flagyl" is metronidazole... available in 250mg and 500mg tablets. Typical dose for Flagyl to treat a "normal" infection is 500mg 2-3x/day for 3-5 days... then 500mg 1x/day for another 5-7 days.... knowing that, 250mg 3x/WEEK is nothing. the active ingredient is the same... and while I too have busted LeaAnn's chops about buying fish drugs, that she's going to start growing scales or gills.... the active ingredient is the same.  My only contention is that it's not USP verified which, having worked in lab type and research situations, means more to me than it might the average lay-person.... and probably more than it really needs to, because USP does not equal FDA. HOWEVER, I'm lucky that I have a doc who is willing to prescribe this low dose, as she knows I only take it if I know I'm going to be in a situation where it's next to impossible to excuse myself should I have a need to pass gas (all day sales meetings quarterly).  I will usually take 250mg 1x/day for about 3-4 days prior to the event, then I'll continue taking it through the event (however many days that is).  If my doc wasn't so open and understanding, I probably would go the FishZole route. Different doctors have differing views on the use of Flagyl to treat intestinal overgrowth.  Some are adamantly against it (as I believe is the case with LeaAnn's doc).  In reality, yes, there may be a small chance of creating a drug-resistant strain of infection (most common threat is resistant C-Diff)... but if there IS an infection resistant to the metronidazole (or any of the "zole" antibiotics) it is easy enough to change to a different antibiotic family (the "Cillins", "Mycins", "Cyclenes" or Cipro... and probably others)

No, my doctor prescribes mine. It is cheaper if you can get it that way and get insurance to pay for it. And yep, I knew all that stuff you said from talking to my doctor and you and Carolyn (a nurse practitioner) and reading and researching the journal articles.....but alas, I'm sure I shoulda listened to Charmed or Charming or whatever the F*ck.....afterall, she always makes the best decisions in life....