Trichomoniasis Treatment Plan

This treatment plan reviews the risks and benefits of the treatment we recommend. Please make sure to read this as well as the manufacturer’s pamphlet that comes with the medicine. The manufacturer’s pamphlet contains the full information on interactions, side effects, and other information you should know about the medicine before you start.

INSTRUCTIONS:

For treatment of Trichomoniasis, you must take:

One (1) Metronidazole 500mg tablet, orally, twice a day, for seven (7) days.

This can control the infection, which commonly transmits during sexual activity with an infected partner.

Signs of this infection include pain, foul-smelling discharge with or without itching or burning with urination. Trichomoniasis can also cause pain or discomfort during intercourse and can be transmitted between sexual partners. If you are sexually active please disclose to your partner that they may need to seek treatment, otherwise with continued sexual interaction re-infection may occur in either partner.

IMPORTANT NOTES REGARDING YOUR TREATMENT:

  • Avoid consuming alcohol for at least 72 hours after completing your treatment. Drinking alcohol while on antibiotics can increase the risk of side effects, interfere with the medication’s effectiveness, and delay recovery.
  • For your safety and the well-being of others, we strongly recommend that you refrain from all forms of sexual activity for at least seven (7) days.

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS:

This medicine contains the following active ingredients. If you are allergic to any of these components, similar components, or any of the other components listed in the manufacturer’s pamphlet, please do not take it.

  • Metronidazole

ALLERGIES:

This medicine may cause an allergic reaction if you are allergic to similar medicines or components. If you are allergic to any of the following, please stop the medicine and see your doctor in person:

  • Metronidazole (often prescribed to treat trichomoniasis)
  • Nitroimidazole derivatives, or any component of the formulation
  • Use of disulfiram within the past 2 weeks

CONDITIONS:

We evaluate your health history and the specific health information you provide us; however, if anything changes and you develop or discover that one of these conditions applies to you, please stop taking this medicine and seek care in person: Metronidazole:

  • Pregnancy
  • Use of any alcohol or Antabuse (Disulfiram)
  • Central nervous system problems
  • Liver problems
  • Blood disorders

PREGNANCY AND BREASTFEEDING:

Metronidazole crosses the placental barrier and its effects on human fetal organogenesis are not known. It is also present in breast milk after oral intake. Because of the potential for tumorigenicity shown for metronidazole in studies, a decision should be made whether to discontinue nursing or to discontinue the medication, taking into account the importance of the drug to the mother. This decision should be made with direction from your primary care physician or another source of local medical care.

EMERGENCY SIDE EFFECTS:

This medicine can cause dangerous and potentially life-threatening side effects. If any of the emergency side effects listed in the manufacturer’s pamphlet or those below happen to you, please stop taking the medicine and call 911 or seek immediate medical help in person:

  • Seizures
  • Anxiety or agitation
  • Difficulty swallowing or throat swelling
  • Jaundice or yellow skin
  • Liver and kidney disease
  • Severe skin rash or changes
  • Severe weakness or fatigue
  • Shortness of breath or wheezing

OTHER SIDE EFFECTS:

This medicine can also cause other side effects. If any of the other side effects listed in the manufacturer’s pamphlet or those below happen to you please stop taking the medicine and see your doctor in person:

  • Abdominal pain
  • Dizziness
  • Dark red urine
  • Headache
  • Lightheadedness or passing out
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Metallic taste
  • Candida Vaginitis

MEDICINES, SUPPLEMENTS, AND FOODS:

We evaluate your health history and the specific health information you provide us; however, if anything changes and you start or discover that you are taking any of the medicines, foods, or supplements listed below, consult with your physician or local care before you take the medicine. Some of these can cause dangerous interactions with the medicine we are prescribing you and we will help you evaluate that risk and decide on an appropriate treatment plan:

  • HIV medications
  • Birth control (all hormonal)
  • Narcotic pain medications
  • Anti-seizure medications
  • Antipsychotic medications

ACCURATE INFORMATION:

We evaluate the specific health information you provide and make our recommendations based on it. If you incorrectly provide that information, we may misdiagnose or fail to diagnose conditions that you may have which could affect our recommendation for treatment.

TREATMENT FAILURE:

This treatment is not 100% effective. It may not work or may only partially resolve the condition for which you are seeking treatment. If it is an emergency, call 911 or seek immediate medical help in person.

MISDIAGNOSIS AND DELAYED DIAGNOSIS:

There is also a risk that we will misdiagnose or fail to diagnose conditions that you may have which could affect our recommendation for treatment. This risk exists with a doctor in person as well but they may have additional signs and symptoms to aid their evaluation. We use an evidence-based practice and guidelines as well as clinical decision support to try to minimize these risks.

ACCEPTING OR DECLINING OUR RECOMMENDATION:

We recommend this treatment because the potential benefits of treatment outweigh the risks. You should evaluate this information as well as the manufacturer’s pamphlet, and any input from your in-person healthcare team, or other information to decide if this treatment plan is appropriate for you. You are free to decline our treatment recommendations although, doing so may prolong symptoms and be associated with negative outcomes.

OTHER TREATMENTS:

We have based our recommendation on your specific case and medical guidelines, but there may be alternative treatments or strategies that may be helpful to you. Some may be more or less effective than what we provide. Some treatments may require an in-person exam or procedure which we can’t provide.

SHARE WITH YOUR IN-PERSON HEALTHCARE TEAM:

You can access your records anytime. We strongly recommend that you update your in-person doctor, pharmacist, and the rest of your healthcare team to let them know about any new medicines you are taking or other changes in your health.