So confused!

I think the only reason he prescribed me a low dose of cipro was because my symptoms were chills, back and falnk pain, low grade and nausiated......I held off taking it, until yesterday because my lower back was throbbing and I was feeling flushed.....I could feel some relief last night, but today when I took my second pill I am getting the same reaction I get to the other antibiotics and that is irritated throat and sore gums......so I am going to make an appointment this week to see my family doctor to see what options I have left.  I persoally think because of my reactions to the meds I can not complete a full course, and I think there is still a trace of bacteria that is causing symptoms but not enough to show up in the urinalysis or culture......It is very frustrating because I want to be rid off it, but can't seem to find a medication I can tolerate to take all the way through.  The other throught I had is I have something else going on that is not an actual UTI and my body is rejecting the meds because it doesn't need it.  

It's really important to finish a course of antibiotics because the first few doses kill off the weaker bacteria, leaving the stronger more resistant bacteria to multiply if the antibiotic is discontinued. Then the same antibiotic taken later may not work. Cipro is one of the few last big guns, so to speak, and should only be used when there are no alternatives because of the risks. That's why it's crucial to know the exact bacteria causing an infection so the most effective antibiotic can be prescribed, and then the full course must be taken. I know you have side effects, and it sounds like there's a real infection going on somewhere, even if it's not in the urinary tract. Maybe an option is to be hospilitalized and monitored while on an intravenous form of an antibiotic. 

That is what I am going to suggest to the doctor when I see her..... to be treated in the hospital, that way they have all the meds to counter act any reaction.......I am not sure she will go for it seeing urinalysis come back negative and the last couple cultures came back negative.....hopefully I find out tomorrow what this last culture came back, if it is negative then she probably will not treat me at all and it is just a mystery.....I have noticed people on this  topic have stated that they have had UTI's even though they get negative results, but I am not sure doctors are willing to hospitalize a person that is not showing bacteria growth.

One of the nasty side effects that Cipro can cause is interstitial cystitis. Along with tendonitis, neuropathy , irregular heart beat and umpteen other symptoms. They do not go away after finishing the course and indeed can start months after. There is a thread on this forum on fluoroquinolone toxicity which gives good info.

There is no medicine to counter fluoroquinolone toxicity. Many doctors will not even admit it exists despite all the adverse reactions being listed in the patient info sheet that comes in the box of pills!

I believe all of that to be true because my own mother when she was in her forties was treated for a UTI with cipro and shortly after treatment she turned jaundice and was told she had toxic hepetitis from cipro.....this is why I always said no to it....however when all the other meds give me severe itching, sore throat or short of breath...this is the only option I had left....I only took two pills and I have stopped as I would like to talk to my own family doctor as I have heard of another one called monorol....although I am not sure what that one is all about either.  I am still on the fence if this is UTI related or just a bad case of PMS, I am finding now that I am in the perimenopause phase my body reacts almost flu like a week before my period, the only reason I went to the docs is because of the uti issues I had in August and I question if it was cleared because I could not finsish meds....and I was getting chills, and all they symptoms of upper UTI and I do not want to mess with that.  I just don't understand why all these medications that are for UTI are so toxic and can cause worse problems with your body.....it is so very frustrating.  I am going to see what options I have left, I may even suggest IV form in hospital, I question if I am allergic to a filler they put in the meds, because it seems odd that I gt same reactions with different families of antibiotics.  Again if my culture comes back negative, I doubt they are going to treat anyways....symptoms or not.  Regardless there is something going on whether it be hormonal or a slight infection somewhere.

If you are in perimenopause you might benefit from using an oestrogen vaginal cream. UTIs seem to get worse with the menopause .