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Reaction to cipro

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Granny_73
Granny_73

i am a73 year old female and have taken cipro for a bladder infection in past and reported to dr. That I had mild pains in joints. Now I get a bladder binfection again and he prescribed cipro again me thinking he knows best, well this time I can't walk without severe pain in legs and knees and ankles it's been 3 weeks is this normal

0 likes, 9 replies

9 Replies

  • marilyn79174
    marilyn79174 Granny_73

    Posted

     Hi Granny:  I cant answer that question but it seems to me your doctor should take your complaints seriously; doctors are loathe to admit that medications can cause serious side effects.   I hate Cipro;  you may want to ask him if he can prescribe another antitiotic-- did he do a culture and sensitivity to see what antibiotic  the organism is sensitive to?  that is always a good start.  Good luck. I do have to say I think Cipro is poison but sometimes it is necessary to take it.
  • miriam65408
    miriam65408 Granny_73

    Posted

    Your doctor has failed you.  You reported to him that the first course of Cipro caused you mild pains in your joints - he should have taken that as a warning sign.  He should have known NOT to prescribe it to an over-60 without very good reason because the risks increase as you get older.  He should have known NOT to prescribe it to you for a UTI - as Derek says in his reply.  He should have known NOT to prescribe it to you especially as you'd reported joint pains from taking it previously. 

    It's criminal that you now can't walk without severe pain. What you won't have been told is that this pain is from damage in your tendons caused by the Cipro and now you're in real danger of one or more tendons rupturing.  Is it possible for you to take this warning from me very seriously indeed and to try and rest as much as possible?  Whatever you do, don't try to move quickly and please don't try to 'exercise through the pain' - this is a mistake a lot of fit people make. 

    Are you in the US (you called it Cipro and here in the UK is usually known as Ciprofloxacin).  The letter from Bayer (the manufacturer) was issued in response to the FDA decision announced in July last year that all FQs (including Cipro) should be restricted for many infections because "the risks outweigh the benefits".  In spite of this, many doctors still think tendon problems are rare because no one ever reports them.  No one reports them because most doctors think they are rare so they tell patients it can't be the Cipro.  It's a vicious circle!

    Please look at the page on this forum that Derek gave you the link to (just click on it).  You'll see the pinned post at the top has several useful addresses where you can find more information.  If you want to look at the discussions below you'll begin to understand just how serious this is.  If you only have tendon problems then you're doing all right.  If your tummy has been upset that will probably be from the Cipro so take a probiotic or just some good live yoghurt.  The websites listed will give you more useful tips.

    There are also (in the US) several legal firms who can probably help you get some kind of justice as your doctor was clearly in the wrong on 3 counts.

    Never take Cipro - or any other FQ again!

    • derek76
      derek76 miriam65408

      Posted

      I'm seeing a neuro physiotherapist at the moment for my so called neuropathy. I mentioned my several times having been prescribed Cipro and fluoroquinolone as being the possible cause of loss of feeling and weakness in my lower leg. She had only vaguely heard of the connection.

    • miriam65408
      miriam65408 derek76

      Posted

      Hi Derek,

      There was a paper written about it published in a UK physiotherapy journal a couple of years ago, although  I can't remember if you said you were UK or not.  If you go to the UK website - the address is in the pinned post that you gave the link to above - then go to the What's Next page in the side menu, under the heading Exercise there is a link to this paper.  You could maybe print it off and show it to your physio?  She should have read it, it's not good enough that she's only vaguely heard of the connection.  Don't let her damage you further!

      Hope it helps - and fingers crossed this doesn't get moderated!

    • derek76
      derek76 miriam65408

      Posted

      Thank you Miriam. Yes I'm in the UK. This neuro physio only deals with the feet and lower legs basically to strengthen them for patients with MS, CMT, Parkinson's etc. The specialist Neuro I was referred to said practically before I had sat down that I must have a form of CMT. I said the nerve conduction tests and genetic testing in 2015 had not indicated that. His response was did they do the right tests, did they interpret them correctly ?    

    • derek76
      derek76 miriam65408

      Posted

      I could not find the article using search on physiotherapy web site but doing a Google search brought up the FDA warning to manufacturers that I will post separately for the Moderator to approve. 
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