Flagyl question

[EmilyElizabeth]

I'm on prolonged flagyl for a fistula, a low dose since I am small(250/2x day) and it is doing me good. Not healing it but taking the pain away and giving me energy. So I want to stay on it obviously but the past couple days I feel like I am getting a scattered few of those finger/toe tinglys that they warn you about.. sometimes I think it's my imagination since I've only been on it for almost 2 months, but other times I'm like "that was definitely a tingle!!" I don't want to go off it obviously but I definitely don't want nerve damage!!
Can anyone tell me, when you get the tingles is it really obvious?? How important is it that you come off it right away, and how long does it normally take for that to even happen? Thanks..

 

[Dunbar]

Warning and precautions are clear when it comes to tingling of any kind, stop taking it and consult your doctor. As for how long? everyone tolerates things differently some one day, some 1 year-go figure. Let us know how you are doing.

 

[Mom2oneboy]

My son started having numbness in his hands after being on Flagyl a couple of months and the doctor had him stop it right away. The numbness went away almost immedieatly. I would consult your doctor right away. Continuing the medication could cause permanent damage.

 

[EmilyElizabeth]

Thanks for the input. My GI is on vacation now, but he told me that when people develop the pins and needles/numbness he normally tells them to go off it. It's just that I don't want to because it's working so well for me and I cant really get any other treatment until sometime next month because that's when my scope is, and also meeting with a surgeon around that time. I wonder if I should just cut it down to one pill a day, or come off for a few days and then back on if its bad.

 

[Patricia56]

Your GI should have someone on call for him. There are alternatives to Flagyl, assuming you are not allergic/reactive to them. Typically the other antibiotic used in Crohn's for fistulas is Cipro. More recently here in the US there has also been a lot of success with Rifaximin (brand name Xifaxan). However this drug is very expensive and this is an "off label" use so a lot of insurance companies here won't cover it.

It isn't worth permanent nerve damage - at least it wouldn't be to me. Call or go to urgent care/ER to get help from someone on call or covering.

 

[EmilyElizabeth]

Thanks I went off it and will call tomorrow morning. Cipro gives me horrible diarrhea but maybe I'll mention the other one!

 

[EmilyElizabeth]

So my doc said stay off the flagyl, and put me on Doxycycline instead since I don't tolerate Cipro. So I google doxycycline and find studies that say it has been linked as a possible CAUSE of Crohn's disease. Sigh. Sometimes I wish the internet didn't exist