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Ciprofloxacin poisoning?

Posted , 76 users are following.

mike_7
mike_7

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

266 Replies

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  • FloxieHope
    FloxieHope mike_7

    Posted

    The lack of recognition of the adverse effects caused by cipro and the other fluoroquinolones is appalling.  It's not as if the adverse effects are not well documented.  If you look at the links and resources page of the web site floxiehope, you will see over 120 peer reviewed articles about the dangers of fluoroquinolones.  If you don't feel like looking through all those journal articles (they're not fun reading), just look at the warning label for cipro.  The warning label is 43 PAGES LONG.  Yet doctors feel as if they can wontonly disregard that warning label.  It's absurd.  It's wrong.  It shows that there are not systematic checks and balances keeping doctors from hurting people with pharmaceuticals.  

    Fluoroquinolones cause multi-symptom, chronic illness.  They are chemo drugs masquerading as antibiotics.  To give them to anyone who does not have a life-threatening infection is WRONG.  

    Fluoroquinolones taken with NSAIDs can be a horrible combination.  Look up Robert Grozier on youtube for a worst case scenario of what can happen with that combination.  Sadly, Mr. Grozier passed away recently (summer, 2014).  

    I hope that you are doing better now, Mike!  

    It is WRONG to hurt people with these drugs.  It needs to stop.  

    • Ploddingon
      Ploddingon FloxieHope

      Posted

      It's really good to see you here FloxieHope. I think your floxiehope website is amazing; there is so much readable information and you have a great way of explaining the science, so it becomes understandable.

      When I was Floxed with Levofloxacin, it was with a combination of an NSAID and the steroid Prednisolone.

      You're so right, the reckless prescribing of these Fluoroquinolones has to stop and doctors need more education about the adverse reactions.

      In the meantime

      Plodding on.........

       

  • muhammed06785
    muhammed06785 mike_7

    Posted

    Hello all, I was given cipro 250G twice a day for epididymitis and have never felt the same. After three days of taking it I went to A and E due to extreme dizziness and a fear of having testicular cancer. While i was there I had an ECG with was deemed unusual and was made to stay the night. They did blood tests, X-ray's and other countless things and by the morning i was discharged. however, the consultant told me to continue taking Cipro and to take iburporfen which after research I found out was a bad idea. The next day after being discharged I went back due to the pain and had blood tests done which showed nothing. Two days after this i rang my gp who told me something similar had happend to him and to stop taking cipro. It has now been 4 days since this and I have now got the symptoms which a lot of people end up getting. Extreme pain in my ankle and knees. This as well as pain in my chest and occasional pain in my back. My bowel movements has been severely affected as know I have this sharp pain when excreting and excrete less often. I've been told to take Iburprofen and the pain will go away but i find it highly unlikely. I went to my gp and he gave me a deep freeze gel for my pain. i am utterly shocked by the consultant at the hospital for telling me to continue eating cipro alongside having iburprofen. My gp knew straight away that the cipro had done the damage which the consultant just ignored. To cipos credit it has cleared my epididymitis. Can anyone tell me any remedies or medication I can take to help. Also, roughly how long this torture will last. Thank you and i wish everyone with this pain to recover quickly.
    • Ploddingon
      Ploddingon muhammed06785

      Posted

      Hi Muhammed

      although I have responded to you on one of the other threads you have posted on, I thought I'd say hello again here!

      Some other things people have mentioned taking to help, apart from magnesium, is lots of Vitamin C and the B vitamins too. I can't take these, because of other health problems and all I have done is to take Morphine for the pain. All my tendons in both lower legs (Achilles) and feet and ankles were badly affected, to the point where the pain was indescribable and I couldn't walk at all (just shuffle) for nearly 5 months last year. I have improved a lot since then but still have problems.....and some new ones.

      floxiehope has posted above and I really recommend her website. You can ignore the more scary stuff (there is loads of that on the web and you can easily get freaked out) but on floxiehope, you can find good links to credible information and feel-good recovery stories.

      i wish I could tell you how long the torture will last but we are all different; be patient if you can and rest plenty. Just remember, report the adverse reaction to the MHRA under the Yellow Card Scheme and your GP should too. Encourage your GP to learn more about FQs - it's a good start that he believes you, don't take any more Cipro or any other FQ again and no more Ibuprofen....that is a bad combination. Don't let anyone talk you into taking any steroids either!

      if it helps to talk about what's going on for you, then come here and let it out! We are all listening and in this world where so few people know about this FQ poisoning, we have to help eachother here!

      i wish you well

      plodding on

    • muhammed06785
      muhammed06785 Ploddingon

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply, I will consider taking some of these supplements to ease the pain. I find that i am quite lucky compared to other people right now as my symptoms dont seem as severe. however, i presume they will become worse in the days to come. The ones i fear most is my chest pain and my new symptoms like ear ache and lower abdomen pain. Im hoping the ear pain is just ear wax. How long would you say it will take for the cipro to get out of my system? I should clarify that for the past 4 days I have only been taking Iburprofen. Last saturday to monday I took iburprofen and cipro. I feel extremely angry at the consultant who saw me as he told me to take both, my gp looked at my results and knew straight away it was the cipro and told me to stop. I feel I am also lucky because my GP understands what cipro can do as he has took it himself for something and lead to tendinitis in his shoulder. Yet, he informed that taking Iburprofen should help so I'm quite confused on what to do. 
    • Ploddingon
      Ploddingon muhammed06785

      Posted

      You're very welcome.....just wish I could help more muhammed.

      you're right when you say that the damage has already been done, though it's also important that both you and your GP, understand that damage continues with this toxicity and at the moment, nobody knows how to stop it. I only say this, in case you find you are experiencing more symptoms,,which seem to come from nowhere and have no,logical explanation - then you and your GP can consider if they could be Cipro related.

      The anxiety can be a tough one and if I tell you that I take a daily NSAID (I have done so for years and have no choice) and I am still alive, that may help alleviate one of your fears!

      The Cipro sets off a chain reaction and affects the body at a cellular level. It starts off a cascade effect and so there is no one point at which you can say that it has left your system. I recommend you try to get your head around the science of how the drug works and what makes Fluoroquinlone antibiotics so different from other types. It is close to a chemotherapy agent.........

      However, there is no reason to assume that you will get worse - you may not get any worse than you are now but you should always seek medical help if you get severe or troublesome symptoms, especially chest pain - you must never ignore that.

    • muhammed06785
      muhammed06785 Ploddingon

      Posted

      Thank you for your reply, my main worry will always be my chest pain. I feared it was a blood clot at one point and ended up going to A and E to thankfully find out it wasn't. I've heard many stories now of it taking people up to 2 years just to get there normal life back. This just makes me hate the people who would distribute such a drug when it leads to so much pain. My gp said that once he got tendinitis on his shoulder he simply stopped taking cipro and he was fine. I found this slightly re assuring but seeing my current symptoms makes me think the same won't happen to me. If my symptoms het worse in the next few days then I will have to resort to going back to A and E. My gp has put on my report that I'm allergic to cipro, so seeing that may make the consultant there actually help me
    • Ploddingon
      Ploddingon muhammed06785

      Posted

      To say that you are 'allergic' to Cipro, is not strictly true. It had an Adverse Reaction on you and it would not just be Cipro but all the Fluoroquinolones. This is not the same as an allergic reaction. It is documented and in the drug information leaflets, that these antibiotics can have delayed adverse reactions too - they are very common nd cannot be described as 'allergic' reactions. I have heard stories of doctors saying that they will just give a different FQ instead.

      your GP was lucky and often the medics say that you can't be having a particular reaction, as they are so rare - your answer can be 'well I am one of the rare ones'. Most people simply don't report their ADRs or don't realise they have had one.

      there is sooooo much ignorance and denial surrounding these antibiotics!

    • muhammed06785
      muhammed06785 Ploddingon

      Posted

      I feel so weak that I feel that I need to go to A and E but I fear that they won't do anything. This devil medicine has physically and emotionally drained me. I'm up to the point where I can't get out of bed due to the effort required. This and the anxiety of my symptoms do not help. Like right now I think I have rectal detachment. Then again it is probablyy anxiety. I just hope and pray all this pain goes away
    • Ploddingon
      Ploddingon muhammed06785

      Posted

      If you think you are having severe anxiety at the moment, then try and calm yourself down - can you distract with the telly or something? It is very easy to get worked up and scared over this and then all physical symptoms get worse as we get more tense.

      on the other hand, if you are genuinely feeling so unwell, with pain etc., then perhaps you should seek some medical advice.

      you won't feel like this forever......let us know how you get on.......

    • billa58896
      billa58896 muhammed06785

      Posted

      All I can say muhammed is I wish you luck. I'm in the UK. Male 31. I took 5 tablets 500mg 9 months ago for suspected epidimitis. I was a club runner and triathlete with my local club. I haven't run since this happened.i don't cycle anymore. I still swim though but nowhere near the level I was before. Anxiety will pass however its likely you may be left with pain in joints/mild tendinitus for the rest of your life. You will find some healing along the way whether its two or five years. The damage is done now. Keep a clean diet and exercise regulary to stop the anxiety from flaring up. Also keep off the web. If you can get a doctor in the uk to believe you, you're doing well.
    • madge07350
      madge07350 muhammed06785

      Posted

      Dear Muhammed- I know your post is an old one and I wondered if you had had any resolution with your chest pain. I have had chest painfor many years on and off along with rib pain. This can be caused by costochondritis which many floxies experience. It can be so severe as to mimic heart attacks. I also ended up in a cardiac ward after taking Cipro with avery fast and irregular heartbeat. My ribs hurt most of the time. If you can cause the chest pain by pressing on your breastbone it is more likely to be the costo
  • billa58896
    billa58896 mike_7

    Posted

    In re to supplements,  theres no evidence to support anything reverses the side effects of ciprofloxacin.  peoplehave had mixed success using magnesium and other supplements but see what suits you.  Try to eat as healthy as possible. Lots of fruit and veg and keeping the body akaline ( google it to find different foods that support this). this will help support the bodies natural defences and may assist in the healing process ( can't do anymore harm )
  • drwatson
    drwatson mike_7

    Posted

    I am a physician (psychiatry) practicing in the US.  I found this website because a patient presented to me today still struggling with an awful reaction to taking Cipro 5 years ago.  It has destroyed her way of life.  I was shocked as I have never heard of this.  I myself have taken a course of Cipro 3 times in the past 6 months (daughter in preschool) and have never had a problem.  This is by far the more common scenario. My doctor did not give it to me becuase she is a sadist and wanted me to suffer.  She gave it to me because I was sick as a dog and had tried several other antibiotics.  Nothing worked but Cipro which turned my symptoms around completely within 2 days each time.  I am not sure I would take it again now that I have seen what can happen.  

    It is true that in a desire to be helpful, doctors sometims prescribe stronger antibiotics than are necessary.  This is a big problem in terms of creating superbugs.  And apparently in the case of Cipro, the risk of these rare but very serious reactions is a reason to consider not using it at all.

    • Ploddingon
      Ploddingon drwatson

      Posted

      Hi drwatson

       I am not surprised that the Cipro cleared up your initial health problem; it is a broad spectrum, very, very strong antibiotic!

      a mistake that many people make is to think that just because they have taken a Fluroquinolone before, with no adverse reaction, then they will alway be fine with this class of antibiotic- wrong! We all have our own individual threshold, beyond which the meds will cause a reaction. It is like Russian Roulette taking an FQ. There is some good information about these thresholds, written by Lisa Bloomquist on FloxieHope.

      There are directives about when to prescribe an FQ and when not to....the docs are unaware/ignorant often, or they don't understand that these are heavy-duty antibiotics and were never designed to be used as a first defence. In most cases where they have been prescribed, they were not necessary and peope have been/are being poisoned daily, when their ensuing problems could have been avoided.

      They should only be used when everything else has been tried first and failed ......ie., as a last resort and without an FQ you would die!

      i would urge you not to take any more Cipro....ever, as you don't know how you might react and if you have another choice, why would you take the risk of ruining your life forever?

      take care and stay well

      plodding on x

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