updated May.28.2023
What Is Flagyl?
The active ingredient of Flagyl is Metronidazole. The drug is used to treat:
- Amebiasis
- Urogenital trichomoniasis
- Vaginitis
- Intestinal and hepatic giardiasis
- surgical infections caused by anaerobes.
In some cases, you can combine Flagyl with Amoxicillin. In this combination, Flagyl affects Helicobacter pylori as amoxicillin does not allow bacteria to develop resistance toMetronidazolee.
Metronidazole was developed in 1960. Brand name Flagyl is patented by the pharmaceutical company Pfizer US Pharmaceuticals Group.
FDA approved Metronidazole for sale in the U.S. under the brand name Flagyl.
You can buy Flagyl (Metronidazole) in other countries under the brand names: Clione, Metrovagin, Metrovit, Metrogil, Metron, Metroseptol, Rozamet, Rozex, Trihobrol, Trihopol, Trihosept, Efloran, Metronidazol, Metrid etc.
You need to have a prescription to buy Flagyl in the USA.
Flagyl is available in different dosages, indicated in mg, on their original packaging or blister with tablets (capsules). Registration forms of Flagyl (Metronidazole) constitute:
- Tablets Flagyl 250 mg (active ingredient Metronidazole 250 mg) – the equivalent generic 250 Flagyl mg;
- Tablets Flagyl 500 mg (active ingredient Metronidazole 500 mg) – the equivalent generic 500 Flagyl mg;
- Tablets Flagyl 750 mg (active ingredient Metronidazole 750 mg) – the equivalent generic 750 Flagyl mg;
The drug is rapidly absorbed when taken orally, with the elimination half-life reaching 8-10 hours.
The connection with proteins is weak and does not exceed 10-20%.
Flagyl rapidly penetrates the human tissue: skin, lungs, liver, kidneys, cerebrospinal fluid, semen.
Flagyl Dosage
Consult with your attending physician about your individual dosage of the drug. Take a pill with a glass of water before or after your meals.
Trichomoniasis Treatment
10 days course of treatment of trichomoniasis: 250 mg 2 times per day.
5-8 days course of treatment: 400 mg 2 times per day.
Metronidazole can be prescribed for women in the form of vaginal tablets or suppositories.
Sometimes therapy should be repeated. In this case, the Flagyl dosage is increased to 0.75-1 g per day.
There should be an interval in 3-4 weeks between treatment courses if laboratory tests reconfirm trichomonad’s presence.
Alternative therapy includes 2 grams of medicine daily (both to the patient and his sexual partner). When having sexually transmitted diseases, both partners should undergo treatment.
Lambliasis Treatment
Take 500 mg 2 times a day for 5 to 7 days.
Dosage for children:
- Under 1 year – 125 mg daily
- 2-4 years take 250 mg daily
- 5-8 years take 375 mg daily
- older than 8 years – 500 mg twice a day.
The treatment takes 5 days to complete.
Giardiazis Treatment
Take 1500 mg three times a day for 5 days.
In the case of asymptomatic amebiasis, the daily dose for adults is 1500 mg (500 mg 2-3 times daily from 5 to 7 days).
In the case of chronic amebiasis, the daily dose is 1500 mg three times daily from 5 to 10 days.
For acute amebic dysentery, the dose is three times daily 2.25 g until the all symptoms disappear.
Liver Abscess Treatment
The maximum dose per day is 2500 mg two or three times daily from 3 to 5 days.
On the first day after surgery, take 1000mg of Flagyl. 1-2 days after a postsurgical period, the usual oral dose is 750 mg daily within a week.
In case of the decreased kidney function (creatine kinase is less than 10 ml / min), a daily dose should be reduced by half.
Suspensions For Oral Use
Suspensions for oral use are prescribed for the treatment of anaerobic bacterial infections.
The usual children’s dosage is 7 mg /kg every 8 hours for 7 to10 days.
In the case of lambliasis, children under 2-5 years take 200 mg / daily, 5-10 years: 300 mg / daily, and 10-15 years: 400 mg daily.
The usual duration of therapy is to 5 days. Re-treatment can be done after 10-15 days.
Flagyl Parenterally
For children above 12 years and adults, the initial dose consists of 0.5-1 g by drop infusion within 30-40 minutes, and then every 8 hours, the dosage is 500 mg at the rate 5 ml per minute.
After the first 2-3 infusions, the doctor can use stream infusion in case of good tolerability. The duration of therapy is 7days.
If there is a need for intravenous infusion, the maximum dosage is 4 g daily under the doctor’s supervision.
Oral intake should be made gradually. Dosage consists of 400 mg 3 times daily. Single dose for children under 12 years is 7.5 mg / kg.
Only your doctor can determine a more precise method of treatment . In any case, consult a qualified medical professional before treatment.
Side Effects
In most cases, people do not have any side effects during treatment. Rare cases of adverse reactions to Metronidazolee have been noted, in particular, the following:
- vomiting, nausea, stomach pain
- dry mouth
- change in taste, metallic taste
- stool disorders
- Pancreatitis
- cholestatic hepatitis
- peripheral sensory neuropathy
- seizures, headache
In rare cases, you may have hallucinations and confusion.
Allergic reactions to the drug may include urticaria, itching, rash, anaphylactic shock.
If you experience ataxia, confusion and hallucinations develop, terminate the treatment with Flagyl immediately.
Pregnancy And Breastfeeding
Flagyl can penetrate breast milk. That is why you should stop breastfeeding during treatment.
Flagyl penetrates the placental barrier and reaches a fetus. Thus, Flagyl is contraindicated to pregnant women.
In some cases, you can take the drug with extreme caution in the II and III trimesters of pregnancy under the supervision of your doctor.
Contraindications
Flagyl is not prescribed to patients with intolerance to Metronidazolee or other drugs of this group.
Flagyl suppositories are not used to treat children.
People with severe neurological disorders should use the drug with caution.
Considering the risk of dizziness and decreased visual acuity during treatment with Metronidazole, avoid working with industrial equipment or drive machinery.
Patients with hypersensitivity to gluten should avoid using the drug.
Avoid taking Metronidazolee with disulfiram and ethyl alcohol.
Metronidazole is administered with caution to patients with hematological disorders and with history of such disorder.
Can You Buy Flagyl Over The Counter?
No, you can’t buy Flagyl over the counter in the U.S. You have to provide a valid prescription from your attending physician.
The only way to get Flagyl OTC is to order the drug online. However, it may not be safe to order medicines from an unknown pharmacy without a license to operate in the U.S.
Nevertheless, you can browse reviews of people who have previously ordered the drug in such pharmacies. And if they are satisfied with the result, you can try and buy Flagyl online.
What Is Flagyl Price?
The price of Flagyl depends on many factors like pharmacy, brand or generic drug, etc. Of course, it is much cheaper to buy Flagyl generic from an online pharmacy. Such drugstores often do not require you to have a prescription, which is very comfortable. The average price of Flagyl generic is around $0.45 per pill.
Average Price Of Flagyl Generic
| Dosage | Quantity | Price | Price Per Pill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 400mg | 30 pills | $32.99 | $1.10 |
| 400mg | 60 pills | $52.99 | $0.88 |
| 400mg | 90 pills | $69.99 | $0.78 |
| 400mg | 120 pills | $82.99 | $0.69 |
| 400mg | 180 pills | $111.99 | $0.62 |
| 400mg | 360 pills | $111.99 | $0.58 |
References:
Metronidazole: antibiotic to treat bacterial infections – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Flagyl: the Story of a Pharmaceutical Discovery | Postgraduate Medical Journal (bmj.com)