Cipro and breakthrough treatment

I took CIPRO for an inflamed gall bladder for two weeks. Two days after I stopped I started to get pain in my left ankle, both elbows, neck and shoulders. I could hardly sleep at night as the pain would not leave. I never knew that CIPRO did this much damage to your body.
J.Nunez
Violet, LA

I took Cipro many times but in November I took it with a prednisone dose pack, this seems to make the tendon issue worse according to todays report.

I have had severe achiles tendon pain for 7 months now. I can't bend my ankle when I walk. I also had surgery for a torn rotator cuff in December, no injury to my shoulder, it just tore.

I have wide spread tendinitis an now I know why. Is this a temporary situation? I hope!!!
ksquared

I took Cipro and had a persitant leg twitch, and did not think anything at the time. many symptoms came around a month later. all over body twitching, burning skin, muscle pain, tendon pain. maily on left side of body. Also, insomnia, dark circles under eyes, horizontal depressions in fingernails...just to name a few. It has been almost 2 years and I have sense been diagnosed with fibromyalgia by PC, I need to go to a ruemy. I have never had these pains until cipro and I still have all of them most of the time.
I told my mother not to take Cipro or any in the same class. She was prescribed Levaquin and called the nurse and said she did not want anything in the same class as Cepro, and thew nurse said "Oh no it is not, I did hear Cepro was bad". So she took them unaware. She was so sick after first pill. she thought it was severe flu. She could not even move her arms because of terrible shoulder pains.

I was prescribed CIPROFLAXACIN 500 mg 28 tablets twice a day. I developed Achilles tendon on my right leg
while playing volleyball. I am using crutches and off from work with short term disability. This drug did not cure my existing problem
but created new problem. Even when such side effects were known to the Physicians and Pharmacists I was not made aware of this. As a United States of American citizen I am requesting FDA to please ban such drugs
that cause such side effects.

Took Cipro for 7 days for a UTI....three days after ending Cipro UTI returned. Now on Cipro for 10 days and have been having severe abdominal pains under belly button and above bladder. No pain if I lay down. Pain returns in the morning after I pee and have a bowel movement. Feels like gas pockets that move from side to side. If I sit or bend forward feels like a balloon filled with gas that is going to pop.

Anyone else with this type of pain. Have 4 more days of Cipro remaining.

I was prescribed 500 mg, twice a day for 5 days for a UTI. Immediate side effects were insomnia, restlessness and feeling sick to my stomach when taken without food - but I didn't really think twice about it. Approx 2 days after my first dose I woke up, was making coffee and got a sharp, VERY painful feeling in my abdomen. Ran into the bathroom and was shocked to see blood in the toilet, along with what appeared to be mucous. The pain went away and I just didn't feel "good" the rest of the day. Went to the bathroom twice with nothing until it happened once again. I went from thinking I had hemorrhoids, cysts, diverticulitis, etc. and almost went to the emergency room until we read the insert that came with my prescription. All of these were clearly listed in it. I stopped taking immediately and it has not happened since. I feel back to normal.

I am a healthy and active 26 year old who couldn't believe this happened. I am now taking Florastore (a probiotic you can buy behind the counter at any pharmacy) and eating Activia yogurt. Wish I had seen this message board before I began taking Cipro.

Wow, I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia several years ago. Instead of getting on medication, i decided to watch my diet. I noticed i only had fibromyalgia when my cholesterol was high. I keep my cholesterol down and myself thin and toned and i am healthy with no fibro. However, i recently began to take Cipro, and all of a sudden i feel fibromyalgia coming on again. I decide to look this up online and find out there is a connection!

I was recently prescribed Cipro for a UTI. I've been on it for 6 days now. The first night was crazy. I felt excitable and when I finally did fall asleep I had the most intricate, amazing dream, almost lucid. The next day I felt a boost of energy and was running circles around my husband while doing yard work. The third day was when the pain hit, soreness in my elbows, knees, feet and hands. I attributed it to my previous day of insane energy. Right now I'm feeling quite bloated and I have this dull pain that feels like it's in the marrow of my bones. I have a tingly sensation in my muscles and my mind is a foggy, yet racing haze. Two more days of this and I'm hoping for the best. I didn't even know I had a UTI. I just know I was feeling very lethargic and had horrible pains in my left side and bad back aches, which now leads me to believe I had a kidney infection. Hate to say it, but I think I am experiencing the lesser of two evils. What's worse, raging, possibly life-threatening bacteria, or anti-biotic over kill with severely inconvenient side-effects?

Ciprofloxacin is a highly dangerous drug and should be banned. My son (18) has developed twitching, jerking movements which came on a month or so after stopping it. He took it for 6 weeks and towards end of treatment came out is a terrible rash on his back. No doctors or consultants will accept that that is where the twitching has come from. Thousands of people all over are saying they developed devastating side effects after taking this drug and because the side effects come on some time afterwards doctors will not believe you. The more people highlight the dangers of this drug the more someone will listen.

I was prescribed the Cipro, 250 for UTI....within 24 hours was having a headache which did go away within 3 days, cleared the UTI...made sure I took the Cipro with meals. Within 1 week of being off of the Cipro started having extreme stomach issues....burning, irritation.... took approx 2 more weeks taking Heartburn MD supplements with meals to "heal up" the stomach lining from the Cipro. Took Amoxicillin for past UTI's now the docs don't want to give Amox only Cipro. Was told by the doc that the UTI's have managed to build a resistance to the Amoxicillin.....I could understand that if you took Amoxicillin regularly. Hmmmm!

I was prescribed Cipro for a UTI on 1/25/08. I took 500 mg for 7 days. About day four I began to experience intermittent "little pains" in my hands and feet. I thought it could be a side effect of Cipro but no big deal and would subside when I finished the prescription. Boy was I wrong. It has been two months and every week that goes by I feel worse. I have pain and mild cramping in my arms, hands, legs and feet on and off all day. The muscles in my neck and the back of my head tighten up and I get very lightheaded. When I get up in the morning I am extremely stiff and do not feel like myself most of the time. I have read many comments by others who have used this drug on several websites and I am quite worried at this point. Can I expect these symptoms to gradually subside or am I on the road to becoming an invalid? Sorry to sound dramatic but this is very upsetting. Has anyone found anything to help with these sort of symptoms or does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

I was given Cipro 500mg twice daily for a UTI. After 4 days on the medication I developed severe joint and tendon pain. Every joint in my body was in pain! I have called the doctor and they had me stop taking the medication. I continue to have pain in my joints. By the end of the day, my knees are killing me! Will this ever go away. I am seeing the doctor tomorrow, I am so upset over this, I am in my mid-30's and am feeling like I am 80! I am a grade 1 teacher and have 3 young kids at home, I hope things will get better!

My name is Eric , and 7 months ago I took Cipro for a minor UTI , since then I have had ear-ringing , headaches , tendon/joint pains , stomach problems and various other problems too numerous to mention . Understand I was a very healthy 47 yr. old male who was never in the hospital or doctors office . These drugs are very powerful and full spectrum , effecting every cell in your body , If your doctor wants to put you any Fluoroquinolone drug , refuse at all cost !! The pain and suffering I am still going thru is not worth it !! Go to FQresearch.Org. to see the damage these antibiotics cause .

For all of you suffering on this board I strongly suggest you log unto www.fqresearch.org where you will find over 4000 medical journal entries, case reports, etc., that detail the horrendous damage these drugs are capable of. You will also find a link there for a support forum hosted by yahoo that everyone here is invited to join.

We have been fighting with the FDA since 1999 to get "Black Box" warnings as well as "Dear Doctor" letters sent. Had this been done I doubt that most of you would be suffering like this. This class is a drug of LAST RESORT, and it is not approved as a first line agent for ANY disease state.

It is both shocking and appalling that we see people coming on this site promoting the use of these drugs and chasing you for suffering a reaction. I can assure you this is not "in your head" by any means. These severe adverse reactions have been documented since 1982 within ALL of the leading medical journals. They are THE most toxic and dangerous antibiotic in clinical use today.

But the FDA refuses to provide adequate warnings within the package inserts and Public Citizen has had to SUE them in Federal Court to even have them review their petitions seeking, once again, "Black Box Warnings and Dear Doctor Letters."

Recently Bayer issued a "Dear Doctor" letter in Europe regarding the severe adrs to Avelox. But we find no such letters being written here in the United States.

Anyhow, just a brief note to let you know that you are no alone, your name is "Legions", and we have been fighting on your behalf since 1999.

Regards,

Mr. David T. Fuller
Director
Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation
www.fqresearch.org

After being diagnosed with a urinary tract infection, I was given Cipro at the hospital. My heart started racing to the point that it was hard to breath. After a while, this symptom went away. Three days later, after continuing to take Cipro, I started to feel tingling sensations all over my body, and a fiery burning sensation on my right lower back. I also had patches of numb areas all over, and suffered from muscular spasms. I developed horrible agitation episodes and tachycardia. I had rushing thoughts going through my mind and felt like running away. At some point, I felt as if I was about to have a convulsion. The doctors deny that these are side effects of Cipro and think I am suffering from anxiety. I have had anxiety before, but who hasn't? It is too much of a coincidence to have all these symptoms together right while taking Cipro.

I am a healthy 33 yr old woman who was prescribed Cipro after a miscarriage ciprng was 1000mg per day. One day after beginning the course I felt weak, lethargic, severe headaches, itching all over resulting in large bumps all over, had diarrhea, nausea and now two days after coming of the meds I am getting pain with burning in my chest. I am afraid it is because of the Cipro and don't know what to do. My doctor seems to think its all in my mind and is unwilling to admit its the Cipro. Not surprising since she prescribed it. Don't take this drug I wish now that I had done research before taking this poison.

DON'T TAKE FLUOROQUINOLONES. THERE ARE SAFER DRUGS TO TAKE. THIS STUFF IS POISON. ANYONE WHO HAS HAD A REACTION, PLEASE SEND IN A MED WATCH REPORT TO WWW.FDA.GOV SO THAT IT CAN BE TAKEN OFF THE MARKET. WE ARE BECOMING A COUNTRY OF CRIPPLES BECAUSE OF THIS CLASS OF DRUG.

Had My gall bladder removed in April 2007 and I was fine for months I had more back pain and went in for a cat scan and they said I have a Kidney stone and I was put on Cipro XL 1000MG for 7 days ever since now I have yellow liquid coming out of my backside all day and I have really Loose Diarrhea, Does anyone else have these symptoms from taking this??

I had a UTI and was given Cipro. I wake up shaking and having chest pain. My elbows hurt and my toes. I had diarrhea and stomach cramps as well as leg cramps. I am almost feeling like I have a panic disorder now, because I am so nervous about nothing. I wake up every night with either the palpitations in my heart. I thought I was having a mitral valve prolapse which I had almost twenty years ago. Now I have developed a spot in my eye like spider webs which now it has turned into a flash of light on the side of my right eye. I believe all this is from the Cipro. I was fine before it.

I went to the Er last week and they told me I had a UTI and they gave me Cipro and Pyridium. Well I started taking the Cipro on thanksgiving and by the next morning I was so sick to my stomach and my heart was beating very irregular and I was having palpitations. well I have a bad heart valve so I thought I was that but now I am beginning to think it was the Cipro. I had only taken it for a few days when I really started feeling bad. muscle cramps so bad at night I could hardly stand it, irregular heartbeats to the point I could not sleep and nausea and diarrea. I am still not feeling good and having all kind of problems after a week. this the second medicine I have had a bad reaction to. the other one was Bactrim for a UTI back in October. I think I will just stick to over the counter medicine.

My experience is also not a good one. At the end of June 2007 I was prescribed Cipro XL 500mg for 3 days for a bladder infection, at an immediate care clinic. Over the next two weeks I experienced abdominal inflammation to the point I looked 6 months pregnant. I returned to the same clinic where I was again prescribed Cipro XL but this time 1000mg for 14 days and waited for a urine analysis to come back. As this showed no infection I was told to continue the CIPRO and contact my gynocologist who could find nothing wrong. I was sent for abdominal and pelvic ultrasounds. Both came back clear but I was still in considerable pain and the inflammation had not gone down but was worse. In addition I was constipated constantly, a problem I had never had. From my gynocologist I was sent to my family doctor. Blood work was done as well as a barium enema. Nothing found, everything normal. As at this point, October 3rd I was having constant diarrhea with blood I was sent with a stool culture. Cipro XL has caused me to have a strain of C-difficile. As the diarrhea has stopped my family doctor feels I should not be given medication (not antibiotics) to clear the virus. With lots of fluids, probiotic yogurt, etc it will take time but it will go away. I will just have to put up with the cramping, bloating, head aches and general malaise I have felt since it was prescribed at the end of June. I only hope anyone prescribed CIPRO XL will think twice before taking it and perhaps request a different medication. There are others.