Have C Diff. Taking Metronidazole. Started Having Breathing And Swallowing Difficulty. Any Thoughts?

Posted on Thu, 7 Mar 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Thu, 7 Mar 2013 Answered on

Mon, 1 Apr 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : I am short of breath and having trouble swallowing. I"m taking Metronidazole(4 days) and my Dr. says I have to keep taking it, even though I feel I'm allergic to the medicine. He says it's the disease, not the med. causing the side effects. I have c-dif. What do you think?

Answered by Dr. Pravin Banodkar (9 minutes later)

Hello
Thanks for the query posted .
I would be pleased to answer your query .
No , I think you will need to review the drug intake with a second opinion and clinical examination .

The c diff infection cannot cause breathless and trouble swallowing.
You will need immediate assistance to check for impending angiooedema.

Thanks and take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Pravin Banodkar (13 hours later)

The Dr. wants to add Vancomycin together with the metronidazole. How does that help define if the metro. is causing the side effects? I want to stop the metronidazole (now I had some hallucinations). He is a well reviewed doctor and Critical care physician, but I've never felt this bad and had a Dr. tell me to continue the treatment.
does metronidazole cause hallucinations and can another Dr. change the treatment when this one says he is doing "proper medical treatment" for c-dif? Isn't combining the 2 meds. counterproductive if I'm having trouble with one of them?
Thank you

Answered by Dr. Pravin Banodkar (3 hours later)

Thanks for the information provided.

Both Vancomycin and Metronidazole work against C Diff
One of them should be started . In resistant cases of C diff , Vancomycin is prescribed .
Now you can stop the Metro if you are on Vancomycin. Metronidazole does not cause Hallucinations.
He should ideally be putting you ONLY on one medications that is Vancomycin in the present case scenario .
Take care

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar