CIPROFLAXOCIN CAN CAUSE NEUROPATHY

[RoadRunner44]

Hi everyone. You may remember I suffer with bronchiectasis. I have been on twice a day nebulized Coliston (colymycin) for 18 months without a break. As I have been experiencing pins and needles in my feet, legs, hands and feet for the past month my doctor is referring me to a neurologist. Apparently some antibiotics can cause these side effects. Ciproflax. and Coliston are two of them. This is the first time I have heard of this. Are there others here on this Forum that experience these symptoms? If so how are these affects dealt with? I'm quite concerned and would be grateful for your replies. Thanks. CHRYS

[sassy59]

Pete only takes Ciprofloxacin when he has a chest infection but hasn’t mentioned such symptoms. Hope the neurologist can help. Take care.

Carole xxxxx

[Johnsel]

Hello RoadRunner my husband was given Ciproflax and it gave him Tenderlitas (spelling) in his legs which I understand is common. Carole

[RoadRunner44 in reply to Johnsel]

Hi again, This is a follow up to your response to my post. I am now experiencing a painful upper arm. I went to see a physio yesterday and after examining me he said that in layman's terms I have tendonitis. After reading about your husband's tendonitis I believe my latest problem is due to the long term antibiotic I have been on. Thanks for drawing my attention to it. Chrys

[Mooka]

Hi RoadRunner44

I have pins and needles in my legs feet and hands. This developed about 8 years ago a year after I started experiencing symptoms which were eventually diagnosed as Vasculitis. I also have a lot of pain in my calves. I saw a neurologist a couple of times in the early days and nothing was found. I know this can be a symptom of Vasculitis and spinal stenosis which I also suffer from. I haven’t noticed it getting worse with the colomycin. My MDT tend to ignore it when I mention it! Sorry not much help to you.

[RoadRunner44 in reply to Mooka]

Hi Mooka, Thank you for replying. I will on line to see if I have any of the symptoms of Vasculitis. How do you deal with the pins and needles? I am trying

Magnesium oil at the moment recommended by somebody on the forum. I have been using it for a week so far but I still have those dreadful creepy feelings. If you have had them for so long is there nothing to help us? I'm hoping the neurologist can help when I get an appointment.

[Mooka in reply to RoadRunner44]

Hi

I didn’t mean to suggest you have Vasculitis- you would be experiencing more problems if you did. For the most part I try to ignore it. The pain in my calves has been causing a problem recently as it keeps me awake at night. I usually take paracetamol in the morning and before I go to bed. I can’t get on with the pills to block nerve pain so have to put up with it. On bad days I take co drydamol. I always felt that cipro accentuated any pain that I had so maybe that’s what you are experiencing with the colomycin. Hopefully you will get more answers from the neurologist than I did.

[RoadRunner44 in reply to Mooka]

It's good to be able to chat about our problems. I find taking a cocodamol pill helpful but I don't want to have to take them everyday. I am going to ask my doctor if acupuncture could help. Cheers for now. Chrys

[Mooka in reply to RoadRunner44]

Agreed. I don’t want to rely on co dryamol either. I asked my pain management nurse about acupuncture. She said it works for some as she used to administer it, but of course it’s no longer available on the NHS. She pointed me in the direction of a tens machine which has helped slightly with my sciatica. Maybe worth you enquiring about that as well as acupuncture. Please let us know how you get on with that one.

[RoadRunner44 in reply to Mooka]

Hi again, Well living in Wales has its advantages as my surgery offers acupuncture. I am seeing a doctor next week and will ask if I am a suitable candidate to try it. Nothing lost and everything to gain if it works.

[pete45]

It is part of what is called a BLACKBOX DRUG. Meaning it was FDA approved here in the states and after the fact they found it was maiming or killing people. A few months ago I had a first bout of pneumonia (COPD stage 2.5) and was prescribed levofloxen which is part of that drug family. There are other alternatives and why doctors don't start with them is beyond me. In any event after 4 pills I could barely walk as my calves/legs were in such pain. My GP's daughter snapped her achilles tendon and was in a boot for months all from the pill. GP wife is now on a rant to have the pills banned. In my case it took almost 2 months for my legs to get back to normal, it also affected my memory and I developed some neuropathy in my hands and it is slowly working it's way out of my left hand now after almost 4 months. You can google blackbox drugs to see which ones are now on the list, there are many by the way.

[RoadRunner44 in reply to pete45]

Thanks Pete, will check now!

[jmsutt73 in reply to pete45]

Well written and so accurately describes what I was trying to say! Thanks, Pete45. J

[pete45]

By the way it was prescribed along with Prednisone which apparently amplified the blackbox drug

[RoadRunner44 in reply to pete45]

That doesn't surprise me. So many people on this forum have found it difficult to get off prednisalone. I'm glad now my doctor refused to give it to me the second time.

[crashdoll]

Unfortunately, some antibiotics in this family are known to do this and doctors are not always as aware as they should be. I really hope it’s mild and treatable for you.

You can find a lot of horror stories online, so I think it’s helpful to have a pragmatic approach; bnf.nice.org.uk/treatment-s...

Take care x

[jmsutt73]

Ciprofloxacin and also Levaquin, I cannot take due to reactions. Racing heart. They both are very strong antibiotics with potential for serious side effects. They both can impact central nervous system, and would set off seizure in my, now deceased, darling daughter. J

[RoadRunner44 in reply to jmsutt73]

It's so sad that you have experienced some bad times which resulted in you losing your little girl. My thoughts go out to you. It is obvious that taking drugs of any kind has its problems. Unfortunately we have to rely on them to live a reasonable life. I am finding out that with my many health problems one drug helps in one way but has an adverse affect in another way. At the moment I am experiencing palpitations and realize it could possibly be through the long time use of colamycin. The bronchiectasis nurse told me this week that the consultant is likely to take me off it in January. I feel we are all trapped in some way.