Ciprofloxacin

[M67W77]

Given cipro for lung infection and uti.  After 2 tablets foot and leg pain excruciating.  Read side effects of cipro and discovered it can cause tendonitis so back to doc for a different antibiotic.  Heard that one elderly lady had a broken Achilles with this drug.  Anyone else had this reaction?

[Hidden]

Yes, though I was on it for a long time before it happened. You won't be able to take any of that group of abs, the quinolones, in future. 

[SeasideSusie]

I have taken Cipro two or three times before, fortunately with no adverse effects. I have been unwell recently and was dithering about whether to take my emergency Cipro but something stopped me. Turns out I had pleurisy and pneumonia and my GP gave me Amoxycillin. When I mentioned I had considered taking my emergency Ciprofloxacin that another GP had given me as I thought it might have been my Pseudomonas come back, he said he wouldn't advise it and that they don't use it now. 

I have since learned of some of the problems, you might find these links interesting:

ciproispoison.com

patient.info/forums/discuss...

articles.mercola.com/sites/...

Sorry to hear you were in so much pain, I hope there's no lasting effects.

[Hidden in reply to SeasideSusie]

I think it's a really useful & effective antibiotic Susie, provided people read the leaflet & stop taking it at the first sign of a problem, as the poster did. I wish I could take it, now it's IVs every time the pseudomonas flares. I think the reason GPs keep it in reserve is to prevent pseudo becoming resistant, as it's the only oral ab for that. Several abs inc amoxicillin are effective against strep pneumonia so no need for cipro. I'm looking forward to nebulised cipro being available once the clinical trials are over. The more inhaled ones we have, the better!

[scorpiolass in reply to SeasideSusie]

Useful links Susie, thanks. X

[moodygirl in reply to SeasideSusie]

That is seriously worrying reading Susie.  Makes me even more determined to keep as healthy as possible.  I've had pseudomonas for over two years now (bronchiectasis for most of my 65 years) and so far have managed to keep it under control without a doctor's prescription. It didn't show in my last sputum test but that's not to say it isn't lurking waiting to reappear. 

Have you tried oil of oregano?  It's another of my go-to natural antibiotics.  

To be honest I'm not sure what I'd do if I did get a nasty flare-up.  I don't think the articles mentioned an alternative.

Take care

😄

[SeasideSusie in reply to moodygirl]

Hi moodygirl  

I was told I had Pseudomonas probably about the same time as you. I was diagnosed COPD in 2013 and Pseudomonas might have been the first infection I had following diagnosis. After the second time I had it my old GP gave me a prescription for a pack of Ciprofloxacin and said get it filled and to keep the Cipro at home with instructions to start if ever the surgery was closed, ie weekend or bank holiday, and I was coughing up green foul smelling gunk (her description). I was puzzled because the two times they said I had Pseudomonas and prescribed Cipro I never had green foul smelling gunk then just felt unwell with discomfort in my lungs and some mucous which I don't normally get. This is why I wondered if I had Pseudomonas infection again this time and dithered about taking Cipro as it was Easter holidays and the surgery was closed.

I do have some oil of wild Oregano, read about it a while ago. I was using it with this recent infection, along with Manuka honey and increased AllicinMax. Unfortunately nothing helped and I ended up with the diagnosis pleurisy and pneumonia. GP didn't even tell me what it was. I went back after a week on Amoxycillin and to see if x-ray results were back. Reported to him the pain was much improved but breathing still a big problem, he just said to repeat x-ray in a few weeks to see if the shadowing clears up. Never said anything about my struggling with breathing. It was only as I got up to leave that I asked him if it was pleurisy as I'd been in so much pain and he said "Yes, and pneumonia". It's such hard work getting any information and I'm the sort that likes to know so I can do as much as possible to help myself.

When I told him I thought it may have been Pseudomonas and I almost started my emergency Cipro that's when he said they (and I think he meant himself) no longer recommend it and use something else. So he was linking the Cipro to Pseudomonas. I asked if I could have some emergency antibiotics to keep at home in case this happens again when the surgery is closed, he refused saying they prefer people to go to the surgery. Well that's fine when they're open. There isn't even an A & E close, that is 60 miles away.

I am looking into portable nebulisers and the Allimed liquid. Where do you get the saline for your nebuliser, is it being prescribed?

[moodygirl in reply to SeasideSusie]

I'm sorry your GP isn't very helpful Susie.

I was diagnosed with pseudomonas after four days of coughing up blood.  At the time i was feeling fine; no temperature, no tiredness, no aching, no extra mucus. It was a complete shock.

I'm surprised you were prescribed amoxicillin as I was told this no longer worked for any lung infection once diagnosed with pseudomonas. It's probably best to get tested if possible. The bronchiectasis nurse at Glenfield told me if I thought  there was an infection I could get a blood test there that would give results the same day and so could start on the correct treatment.

I was also told that people with bronchiectasis would always have bugs in their sputum.  I decided that as long as they were under control I wouldn't take antibiotics.

Felt extremely fatigued recently and my breathing wasn't too great - was on the verge of taking my rescue ciproflaxin but thankfully now feel ok again.  I wasn't sure if the saline solution caused the tightness in my chest so stopped using it for a while.  I'm going to give it a try again soon to see if that's the case.  My GP can't/won't prescribe it so I get it from the respiratory clinic at Glenfield hospital.

It's a real dilemma sometimes to know what to do for the best.  I did take some colloidal silver so maybe that helped. You might want to consider that?

Something else I'm deliberating over is cannabis oil but it's not easy to get hold of and it's expensive.

Another thing is hydrogen peroxide treatment but that's scary.  If I start deteriorating I will certainly try it though.

Good luck Susie, whatever you decide to do.  It's all trial and error I'm afraid.

Keep me posted.

[scorpiolass]

Hi, yes, I was prescibed this some 2 -3 years ago. I got tendonitis, I agree it's very painful. CIPRO   was stopped. I do have a tendency to get foot pain; I thought I was just vulnerable to this side affect. Now reading sssusies links I wonder. Hope the pain has gone . X

[jojam]

I had an allergic reaction to Ciprofloxacin after just one tablet so cannot take it same with Penicillin  I currently am prescribed Clarithromycin for my lung infections 

[peege]

My respiratory nurse said that in the profession they call it Domestos 

As Hanne says, roll on the day they bring out the inhaled Cipro for those who need it. 

[Maximonkey]

Hi M67 I too have reacted this way to the antibiotic.  Tendonitis is a really painful condition that unfortunately does not just disappear when you stop taking the pills.  Exercises for stretching tendons is really good and if you do not know how to do them, just google it.  Good luck Maximonkey

[M67W77]

Got podiatrist coming today so hoping for some advice.  Painful experience!  Thanks for all comments.  

[Hidden]

Yes, after one week I got Tendonitis. I was warned it might happpen, it's common knowledge.

[SeasideSusie]

Patches2  I think it's fair to say that all medications have side effects, some people will react to them, some won't. I suppose we have to weigh up the risk v the benefit. It's not easy.

I have taken Cipro two or three times, with no apparent problems that I know of. I've no idea whether taking it in the future would cause me a problem or not. The evidence out there certainly gives one food for thought.  If I was prescribed it again I would have to think long and hard. The doctor I recently saw said he wouldn't prescribe it now and would use something else but that doesn't mean that another GP in the practice will necessarily think along the same lines.

[Nottobad]

All medication causes side affects. I have taken cipro  with no side effects. That is the antibiotic the consultant said I was to be put on. Everyone doesn't get all the side effects. If they help you have to take them. I take tablets that can cause damage to the liver and kidneys. And have to have regular blood test. To monitor them.