I only took 2 Cipro (500mg)
Posted , 9 users are following.
30 year old healthy Male. Went to the urgent care facility from sharp pains in testicular region. Doctors said prostotitis and prescribed cipro 500mg. Instructions directed to take 2 tablets a day for 10 days. Yesterday was The first day I took it. I took my first dose at noon and my second around 10 hours later. I also took 600mg ib profen an hour after my second dose.
About 2 hours after my second dose I noticed I felt like I'd taken meth or something but without any euphoric feelings. I was wired and shaking like I'm having a panic attack. And then as the night progressed I noticed my knees starting making a "popping" sound. And the my ankles started hurting.
After about 6 hours of full blown panic the feeling of near death passed. However here I am now, about 24 hours later my left ankle and knee still hurt. And my legs feel a bit weak. I can still continue with my normal activities but the pain is there.
After my second dose I ceased taking the medication. I've read so many horror stories here I'm now panicked. I can't lose my ability to walk, because if that happens I lose the ability to provide for my family. Maybe it looking for a bit of optimism here lol.
If I only took 2 pills is that really enough to cause severe damage? How long does this crap stay in my body? I'm hoping because I immediately stopped the medicine I won't have lasting or debilitating damage.
Has anyone here got negative effects from only 2 pills? If so did you start getting better soon after ceasing the medication? I would appreciate any replys and good day 
P. S. The ONLY warning on The bottle itself stated "may cause dizziness". And also to avoid to much direct sunlight.
2 likes, 12 replies
miriam65408 Ball_blocker
Posted
You've done well to stop taking these tablets. Whatever was causing your pain can be fixed by taking a different antibiotic - although the doc should really check if you've got an actual infection before prescribing ANY antibiotic.
2 pills is really enough to cause severe damage but just think how much damage the whole bottle full might have caused you! You also took Ibuprofen - was this suggested by the doc or did you just decide the pain was so bad you had to take it? It was probably the worst thing you could have taken along with Cipro as it's well known that it will make the symptoms worse.
Shaking, panic attack, popping noises, ankles - all these are typical symptoms. If you still have pain don't try to work through it or you may cause more damage - you could even suffer a tendon rupture. Try to relax, don't stress (can make it worse) try and eat healthily with good quality fats and oils and cut right back on sugar in any form and also booze. Your body will thank you as it needs to do some repair work and bad foods will give it extra to do.
Are you in the US? Go to floxy hope which is a site started by a recovered floxie giving lots of information and helpful recovery tips.
It's criminal that the only warnings on the bottle were about dizziness and sunlight. Was there no leaflet with all the side effects listed and the other business? (This is why I think you're US as that wouldn't happen here in the UK!)
Final warning - never, ever in your life take another fluoroquinolone antibiotic (the family are Cipro, Levo, Avelox and a couple of others - but they're often branded with different names so remember the name fluoroquinolone to be on the safe side). I'm sure you will recover from this if you take it easy but if you take just one more pill it may be a disaster for you. Warn your friends and family too.
Ball_blocker miriam65408
Posted
Thanks for your reply
it's been about a week since I've taken the medication and thank God I seem to be improving. My symptoms actually became worse about 48 hours after my last dose of the medication. I haven't had any lasting CNS side effects (that I've noticed) but Definately tendon issues were and still to an extent are still there.
I was rendered unable to walk for a few days because if tendinitis in my left Achilles. Also pain in my knee. I'm now able to hobble along lol. For awhile I couldn't put ANY pressure on my left foot without intense pain. Fortunately now I can a little bit. The knee issue has also seemed to drastically improve.
I'm in no position to go back to work but I can at least walk around the house now. It's terrifying that only 2 pills were able to cause this much pain. It's insane to me. I couldn't even imagine if I continued with the medication. No way in hell should doctors be able to prescribe these meds in an outpatient setting for minor infections.
When I went back to the doctor I was given doxycycline in place of the cipro. I can't help but wonder why wouldn't they prescribe thay medication FIRST. Instead of starting me out on one of the most powerful antibiotics known to man.
miriam65408 Ball_blocker
Posted
A lot of doctors reach for the Cipro first as it's a). well promoted by the pharma reps and b). is broad spectrum which means it's likely to do the trick without the doc having to bother going through the process of getting a sample cultured to see whatever is causing the problem in the first place. With prostatitis especially the cultures often come back negative so the damaged patient didn't need an antibiotic anyway!! A culture that's positive would indicate to the doctor which less powerful antibiotic would work but docs often think it's better to go for the big guns straight away.
Here in the UK docs have to swear an oath to 'first do no harm' but it seems they forget that bit in an effort to move the patients along faster.
Are you in the US? Not sure about the oath but the mentality is about the same. Let me know where you are and I'll point you to groups to join.
Be prepared for the pains to come back anytime over the next few weeks. You can't take anything for granted with this stuff. It sits quietly working away in your cells til one day you walk about and something gives. Take it very steady, don't do anything strenuous for a good few weeks. One guy I know had his Achilles (ankle tendon) go while he was washing the dishes about 6 weeks after finishing his tablets. Warn your friends, family and other people - this stuff is dangerous. Not kidding.
tasneem99 Ball_blocker
Posted
tasneem
miriam65408 tasneem99
Posted
Hi,
This does sound like you're having a reaction to the Cipro - which really shouldn't be prescribed for a UTI anyway, unless you've tried various other antibiotics and are in danger of urosepsis. Did your doctor grow a culture? There will probably be safer ABs he can give you. ~I suggest you don't take any more of the Cipro (was it for 7 days?). 5 days is usually plenty for a uti anyway. Do NOT take a NSAID e.g. Ibuprofen as it can make things worse. Don't take any for at least a year. Paracetamol is ok if you have any pain. Don't drink alcohol for a while either. There are many sites where you can get further help or go to this discussion:
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/fluoroquinolone-toxicity-syndrome-427305
you'll find addresses and useful info in the thread.
Good Luck!
tasneem99 miriam65408
Posted
I so appreciate the reply.. I only took two 500mg pills, one the night before and one the follwing day. It seems my UTI is gone, however just left with these symptoms.. sincerely praying they pass. Thank you for the advice about the Ibuprofen, im hoping Tylenol is still ok? I have read alot of testimonies, and they do make my anxiety worse, so just breathing and drinking lots of water for now. . praying my heart rate goes back to normal.. Thank you so much, and blessings to you!
tasneem99 melissa94887
Posted
kenneth123 Ball_blocker
Posted
Hi Bb.
Just returned from hospital after second surgeon says might have infection.
This is after a nurse prodded heavy handed into and tried to get round the front. This caused me dull pain in my nether regions for last five days so I went n to ask whether the nurse could have damaged my prostate. Quite a delicate thing really. New surgeon said it is quite difficult to damage the prostate with a digital rectum exam. I have been prescribed am not a surgeon so could not disagree at the time. My survival instincts tell me otherwise. Anyway he has recommended four weeks of your ciprofloxacin then do another PSA test.
I my research now I have found your comments on this site. The side effects sounded horrendous on my initial research then I found your experience. I have read other people's responses on here and am seriously thinking of not getting them. The antibiotics I mean. Thanks for writing on here. As one person put it the big pharma push these tablets. I have been trying to keep my body at ph 7.5 to 8. An alcoline state doesn't let bugs exist. Only an acidic state. I have been researching for 16 months. About two weeks ago I let my food regime slip a little and my ph went to 6. Pains in my left knee and hip came back within a day. I then got ph up to nearly 8 and pains went away. Ph is an answer to pains and lots of things nflamatory diseases.
Anyway after reading all n here I will ask for another family of antibiotics. Or I say I have taken them but don't take them. My little fe, my decision. As ne said on here big pharma push these chemicals and doctors and surgeons probably get something out of it. Latest. Surgeon 15 yrs prison for operating unnecessarily on over a 1000 patients. Now that nvestigating his work mates. Probably tip of the iceberg. Money. Surely these people have enough just by being n their profession.
doctors oath as mentioned on here,,,,,first do no harm,,,,,
miriam65408 kenneth123
Posted
Hi Kenneth, You've done well to not take the cipro - as I think you know by now! I'm just a bit confised as to whether you've taken it or another Quin in the past? Or are your pains in knee and hip just run-of-the-mill joint stuff and you follow this regime because of inflammation?
Whatever the reason I think your dietary advice is sound and should help Melissa and others. There was a study that showed prostate or other pain in that region is very often caused by stress. Apparently men tend to tense up 'down there' without realising it! The study compared groups of men with pain. The group with the exercises had a 'significant' recovery rate while the group on Cipro had little improvement (but there's no money to be made out of exercise tips!). I can't post the url to the study but it was - (6-day intensive treatment protocol for refractory chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome using myofascial release and paradoxical relaxation training). That should do it!
Hope this is interesting for you, also check the moderator's discussion:
https://patient.info/forums/discuss/fluoroquinolone-toxicity-syndrome-427305
for other useful addresses and a good lot of discussion and info.
Metalinc Ball_blocker
Posted
How you feeling these days, man? I've been taking ciprofloxacin for years and years due to my Ulcerative Colitis but now I'm starting to get issues. I'm gonna stop the medication too now and hopefully things will go back to normal