Ciprofloxacin poisoning?
Posted , 76 users are following.
Hi All - I was prescribed a course of Cipro and Diclofenac (NSAID - apparently not a good idea)
and after day one I had to call my GP as I had anxiety, stomach problems and shaking - of course they said can't be the Cipro keep taking it. After 5 days I couldn't go on, so agreed I would stop - then after a couple of weeks the pain hit - severe muscle cramps, pain in joints, leg pain, headaches, neck pain, and worst of all severe anxiety, some of this has cleared up but 5 months later I'm still suffering.
I noticed there haven't been any posts on here for a while - is there anything happening in the uk to make people, Doctors etc more aware of this poison, are there any known legal actions against the makers by someone in the uk?
It seems Cipro is prescribed as a first line drug for relatively minor problems when something else would be better - to be honest I would rather have put up with the original symtoms than go through this. The worrying thing is how long will it go on for - it is very difficult to function at work when you feel this way
regards
Mike
7 likes, 266 replies
mike_7
Posted
No problem about the delay, hope you got the roof sorted ok, I know what you mean, sitting in the conservatory sort of feels like outside and I like it even when its raining hard, I often sit in our conservatory when I get home from work and read of just do nothing for a while.
I'd be happy to talk further about the mail story, but as you suggest, probably best done via email.
Will be interested to hear how the Q10 goes, didn't know what it was - but just googled it!
I'm trying someting called Muscleze from our local Revital store, the guy in there was very knowlegeable and seemed to know something about Fibromyalgia and it's symptoms, which are much the same as the side effects of Cipro. It contains lots of Viatmin B (all types) magnesium which apparently is very good and calcium and much more. I'm also taking Vitamin C supplements and a probiotic for the gut bacteria
(of course there is a theory that Fibromyalgia could in some cases be CAUSED by drugs like Cipro - which is why it is getting more prevalent and doesn't have any known cure)
Only been taking it for a couple of days so to early to say if it helps at all
Let me know the email and we can communicate further
All the best
Mike
RichCobi19 mike_7
Posted
Hi Mike,
I'm richard in Sheffield Uk and I'm really struggling after taking cipro for prostatitis. I can't stop my legs from shaking and I feel incessantly light headed. I had the cipro for 8 days and took 14 poisonous pill. Would you please message me to chat as I'd love to know that you're doing ok now. Cheers Richard
john616
Posted
I have sent you a reply with a disposable email address but it has been stopped and is awaiting apporaval
John
john616
Posted
I am new to e-mailing so I did not realise that the rules stop exchange of addresses etc. Is it ok to go back to where we left off ?
If you agree, I would love to hear what you learned from 'taking antibicotics ruptured my tendon'. Did you get any impression of how many people suffer from cipro in t he uk each year/.
Hope to hear from you
John
mike_7
Posted
I didn't realise it would stop exchange of emails either, how strange, anyway, happy to continue the discussion on here
When I first started getting the strange symtoms, I started googling and when I found all the other people with similar stories I was getting very angry, and then having discovered the Daily Mail article during my research, I think I googled the journalists name and found their website and from there dropped and email and much to my surprise they phoned back.
We had quite a long chat, but I don;t remember how many people had been in touch, but what was interesting was how many didn't want to be identified. Nothing specific came out of the conversation and at the time it felt good just to have a vent at someone who understood the problem.
The problem is I feel very torn between wanting to do more about the situation, but I don't know what direction that would take, and not wanting to because it's a massive step to start on that track.
I understand from what I've read that most of the legal actions against the manufacturers have failed anyway. I'm not even sure that would be the way to go, because it obviously works for many people and I'm sure saves many lives
My main issue is with the consultant that prescribed them for what was a relatively minor issue, and to be honest I would rather have put up with if only I'd know what would happen.
One interesting development though, went to see this rheumatologist last week, and he was the first doc I've seen who acknowledged the possible effects of Cipro - his words when I mentioned that I'd been on them were "Oh, Cipro that's an interesting one", turns out he had been prescribed them, but being in the business, he'd read about the effects and decided not to take them, but he admited that they can certainly mess with your head.- Thats a start because no one else believes that or at least they are not owning up.
All the best
Mike
Amnesiac101
Posted
I am from UK and living in Scotland. I was prescribed Cipro at the end of last year for 3 weeks (twice a day)and then again for a further 6 weeks in March / April this year. I was prescribed this drug for suspected prostatitus however this drugs appeas to have solved nothing and at the time of taking them I had a constant pain in my upper abdominal pain (where it felt like there was a war going on inside!!) and constipation,. Nonetheless I followed the doctors advice and finished both prescribed doses, however, months later the constipation has disappeared but I still have a constant adbominal pain and gas with bloating in the upper abdomen radiating through to my back.
I have had numerous scans, tests and exploratory procedures carried out but none of the doctors can provide any splution or assistance. My gaestroenterologist last week basically said there is nothing further he can do for me and suggested i revert back to my GP.
Not sure if anyone else has experienced anything similar but thought I d share this just in case.....
chris64921 Amnesiac101
Posted
Good evening,
So I was in the medical field for 20 years and ended up needing to take cipro for 30 days at 2 pills a day and they were 500mg. I was healthy and had no issues (besides prostate issue) so I started it on Monday. By Friday I had severe constant pain behind my eyes that would not go away and I felt sick to my stomach. This started in April of 2016. It's now March of 2017. I am still sick to my stomach from day to day. Eye pain has slowly gotten better but stools have been inconsistent and at times the same complaints as you. I had X-rays and labs drawn for 7 months. Every month I went for new labs and it was every test you could think along with a colonoscopy and endoscopy. Everything came back normal. That's a good thing. Everything was consistent. I had even went to the ER twice and an IV helped a lot. So fast forward a year later and the symptoms are lingering around and just won't go away so for me and my history in the medical field leads me to believe this is temporary or permanent nerve damage. My pcp thinks I am fine. My gastro doc says it could be from cipro but both my scopes for my age were really healthy and zero signs of anything but I know I am not 100%. I am at best 95% and some days I can dip down to high 80s. I am hoping some day it will just go away but just today I felt sick to my stomach after 5 days of feeling ok. This is almost a year after finishing the cipro. Only thing I changed in my diet was sunflower seeds and a turkey sandwich this week. So for whatever reason my stomach has a sensitivity to seeds and turkey. Same think happened a few weeks ago with the same food. So now I honestly should have never taken cipro. All the side effects hit starting 5 days later but my prostate got better. Also had a psa tests done and those were normal. I have a year follow up with my gastro doc in a week and at this point I am just living with this nerve damage as there really isn't anything they can do and they never really figured out what I was sick with. It was the cipro side effects.
miriam65408 chris64921
Posted
Hi Chris, you're quite right, it was the Cipro! Did you see the FDA announcement last July about strengthening the warnings for Cipro and all the FQs and also restricting their use for certain infections as the risk of permanent damage outweighs the benefits? You'll easily find it if you have a search.
Are you in the US? There are many more help and support groups than here in the UK but I can't give you links here. If you go to this discussion
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/fluoroquinolone-toxicity-syndrome-427305
you'll find useful links including one to Floxy Hope which gives excellent info, references, articles and recovery stories. One article says how Cipro can damage your gut for at least a year (or maybe more in your case as you took plenty!) so you need to help your gut with good probiotics, healthy food (no junk) etc. Just about everyone who's affected has loads of tests done and they all come back clear so the doctors say you're fine - which you clearly are not! Never take Ibuprofen or any other NSAID, or any steroids - they can make it a whole lot worse and kick off symptoms you didn't know you had.
Go to Floxy Hope and have a good look round on there. Good luck!
chris64921 miriam65408
Posted
I did look around there. Thanks! I will say that sleeping helps or just lying down. Every morning when I wake up I feel 100% fine and about 10 mins after I get up I get all the symptoms again. It gets so old. So when can you start taking Motrin again? Never or when this hopefully all goes away? I live in the US. Cipro was used as it was the best course of treatment for what I had. I am allergic to all cillins so I couldn't take any of them even if I wanted to. I knew it was Cipro once everything came back normal. I saw everything and the scopes. I used to read these to patients. So now it's been 11 months of slowly getting better. One last thing. I was flown off a cruise ship for being ill. Folks that have this condition don't ever go on a cruise ship. It makes it 10Xs worse but I went on advice from a doctor to clear my head and it was maybe just what I needed. Wrong. The doctor on the ship thought I had colitis and I was flown out of Cabo back to California and right into the ER. I lost 15 pounds in 48 hours. I wasn't seasick at all. I was so dehydrated. I would take a sip of water and in 30 mins I was in the bathroom. Sleeping didn't help or laying down. ER doc started me on Brat diet and said I needed rest. It worked. Labwork all normal again. I remember the ER doc saying I shouldn't worry as I have no signs of any cancer or any illness. I sad then you need to find a medication that cures cipro use. Lol. Anyway thanks again for your reply.
Eksldkaka chris64921
Posted
miriam65408 Eksldkaka
Posted
Hi, I just replied to your post in another thread so please take a look for it. You're wise not to trust doctors, especially about Cipro and the other FQs! Had you taken Cipro before this? It's shocking that doctors will hand out this drug without even doing a simple urine test. Your pharmacist friend is absolutley right.
RichCobi19 Amnesiac101
Posted
Hi there I had exactly same. I took myself to A and E and was mega freaked out at how bad the abdominal pains were. It's nearly 6 days since I took my last cipro and I can't stop my legs from shaking. The stomach cramps and abdominal pain has nearly gone but the feeling I'm left with is dizziness and like I've had 10 double espressos one after the other.
I'd really be grateful if you would reply and share how you're doing now. Cheers richard
anna69525 Eksldkaka
Posted
I was curious how you are, and how you are feeling after Cipro. I had only one pill of Cipro, and had painful legs and vision disturbances. Have you symptoms improved at all? I am hoping that 1 or 2 pills of Cipro would indicate a temporary effect or just the effects from magnesium depletion, and not serious side effects.
anna69525 miriam65408
Posted
miriam65408 anna69525
Posted
You say that you hope taking one or two pills of Cipro would indicate a temporary effect - it may or may not. Only time will tell! Some people are very ill after just one pill and others can take many, many courses before they have any problems. Hopefully you stopped soon enough and your painful legs and vision disturbance will soon go. The reaction to spicy food may indicate your gut is struggling, especially if you are normally ok with spicy food, and you should maybe take some probiotics (capsules or just live yoghurt is good). The Cipro will kill off all your friendly gut flora so you need to help them get established again. Oh, just re-read your post and it was spicy food not a UTI! OK!
If you had these reactions to just a couple of pills you should maybe make sure you are NEVER given Cipro or any other fluoroquinolone again. Your next time may not be so good. Take care.
Eksldkaka anna69525
Posted
anna69525 Eksldkaka
Posted
miriam65408 Eksldkaka
Posted
I don't know which countries you and Anna are from but if you can, please do report your experiences with Cipro to your health authority. In every country they have a scheme for doing this. If more people reported their problems then it might become easier for action to be taken against these drugs.
abdul89762 miriam65408
Posted
After 20 days again 10 days 20 tablet. About a week I stopped taking this.
But now I am continuously shaking, body burning, fear. Now I am in health now. I am diabetic too Feeling too stressed
Is there any way to get rid off? How a doctor could prescribe this?
I am always praying for recovery?
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