Patient was educated on the side effects of using Metronidazole as follows:
- Opportunistic fungal infections
- The friendly normal flora residing in the human body help prevent growth of opportunistic infections.
- Metronidazole by destroying the normal flora, tips the balance in favor of opportunistic infections.
- So, long term use of Metronidazole carries a risk of opportunistic fungal infections, such as, thrush and yeast infections.
- Vision changes
- Metronidazole intake can lead to vision changes, headaches, and eye pain, which must be immediately reported to the physician.
- Peripheral neuropathy
- Long term Metronidazole intake can lead to serious problems of the peripheral nerves, thus resulting in altered sensations, such as, pain and numbness, tingling, and burning sensations in the extremities.
- These altered sensations can result in disturbance in the touch, pain, temperature, and pressure sensations in the extremities, contributing towards changes in the vibration and body position sense.
- This can lead to falls and accidents, thus jeopardizing safety.
- Metronidazole use can also result in slowing down of conduction of nerve impulses, resulting in muscle weakness.
