IMPORTANT WARNING:   Return to top

About your treatment   Return to top

Your doctor has ordered metronidazole, an antibiotic, to help treat your infection. The drug will be added to an intravenous fluid that will drip through a needle or catheter placed in your vein for 1 hour, three or four times a day.

Metronidazole eliminates bacteria that cause many infections, including meningitis; pneumonia; and stomach, skin, bone, joint, heart, and gynecological infections. This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Your health care provider (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) may measure the effectiveness and side effects of your treatment using laboratory tests and physical examinations. It is important to keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. The length of treatment depends on how your infection and symptoms respond to the medication.

Storing your medication   Return to top

• Your health care provider probably will give you a several-day supply of metronidazole at a time. You will be told to store it at room temperature and protect it from direct light.

Store your medication only as directed. Make sure you understand what you need to store your medication properly.

Keep your supplies in a clean, dry place when you are not using them, and keep all medications and supplies out of reach of children. Your health care provider will tell you how to throw away used needles, syringes, tubing, and containers to avoid accidental injury.

In case of emergency/overdose   Return to top

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Signs of infection   Return to top

If you are receiving metronidazole in your vein or under your skin, you need to know the symptoms of a catheter-related infection (an infection where the needle enters your vein or skin). If you experience any of these effects near your intravenous catheter, tell your health care provider as soon as possible:

• tenderness
• warmth
• irritation
• drainage
• redness
• swelling
• pain

Brand names   Return to top