Cipro Kidney Infection, Room Mate, Chrones, Digestive Tract, Spasm

Posted over a year ago

I was given it for a nasty kidney infection, but I swear it made me more sick than the infection ever could. I was lethargic and nauseated off my rocker, fevering, and trembling. I remember while I was recovering from the medication as I lay waiting for ... more »

I was given it for a nasty kidney infection, but I swear it made me more sick than the infection ever could. I was lethargic and nauseated off my rocker, fevering, and trembling. I remember while I was recovering from the medication as I lay waiting for its 1 1/2 half life to expire, my room mate said it felt like we had a vibrating couch I was trembling so much. That all passed, but what has stayed with me for two years is a damaged, unpredictable, undesirable digestive tract. I get stomach aches and nausea a lot, and my bowel usually cramps and hurts. It stripped me of all the good flora I had in my tract and though mom gave me acidophiles bacteria (sp?) which has helped a ton, my tract has never ever been the same. People say I just developed IBS over the years, and if a doctor does give me a minute of their time, they just say that or it's stress or it's 'normal' as one doc tried to pass it off as. They just won't listen. Before Cipro my tract was strong and resilient, I took Cipro, then after Cipro it's so sensitive and unpredictable and painful. Thank goodness I found ginger, but this shouldn't have happened in the first place. I hope one day a doctor listens to me so I can find out what the Cipro caused, whether it's Colitis, Chrones, IBS... Ect... I don't even know what is wrong with me but I do know Cipro caused it. No one will believe the Cipro is what caused it... Now I am so anxious about it, which only exaggerates it. I get stressed and I can feel my gut start to spasm. Please someone help me... Please...

10 Replies

Martinsmom - I am sorry to hear about what happened to you. My son was given Leviquin (in the same flouroquinolone family as Cipro) and had severe reactions to it. Joint pain, severe headaches, dizziness, weakness, which all went away after several months. What did not go away was digestive issues. He gets the runs almost every day and has pain around his belly button area every day. He has been tested for all types of things and everyone comes back negative. You mentioned you take ginger which helps. Do you eat fresh ginger or a pill form? How much do you take? Does it help with the pain? Will it take it away? Please let me know.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Bre22 - Hey, it's been a wihile since I've been on here. I take powdered ginger in a capsule form, you can find it at any health foods store. I prefer one called Ginger Force. I usually drink Ginger Ale too. I would say after self therapy with one famotidine a day (Acid reducer, not neutralizer as those are more unhealthy), one ginger a day, and one acidophilus capsule a day (I really like the ones called Pearls, and I take the IC (Intensive Care) type) for five months, that I am doing much much better. I am starting to be able to eat what I want, when I want, without paying the price of an unruly gut. I would also drink a glass of milk (almond milk in my case since lactose gives me cramps) before bed to combat the morning acid stomach aches.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Bbham - i believe you. i know what cipro did to me

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Sadfromcipro - Cipro has ruined my digestive tract too, trying to find some answers and glad to come across some leads posted above that I will look into like the ginger. I have started taking the probiotic pill Ultima Flora Adult Formula 1x a day and while it has greatly helped with other problems I previously had, my digestive tract is so messed up I honestly don't know if it has helped with that but am very glad I use it.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Sadfromcipro - Meant to mention that I've lost 60lbs since I took Cipro 4 and a half months ago due to my body not being able to tolerate most foods, acids, fats, sugars, etc and I can only eat a FEW fruits, a FEW vegetables and a Few sources of protein. My doctor wants me to keep an eye on the acid reflux as it can later develop into throat cancer. The almost continuous heartburn, indigestion, ibs and colitis isn't a treat either.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Bbham - You might want to google Dr Jay Cohen. Maybe he can help.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Bre23 - It has been four years since taking Cipro (September 23, 2007 to be exact), and only in the last few months has my digestive tract become 'normal'. It has taken three years of self medication which included taking powdered ginger in capsule form, and a daily 12 hour famotidine tablet. No longer do I have spontaneous diarrhea unless what I ate was less than optimal, and no longer do I suffer from nausea day in and day out. The only remnant is random heartburn which I seem to be getting under control. When I went to the doctor for a couple UTI's since taking the drug, first thing I say is "No Cipro!". Drug reactions are always worse the second time around. There are other options that did not have any affect on my digestion. When sitting in a dentist's chair, they tell us not to swallow the fluoride, yet doctors are feeding people fluoridated antibiotics?! Fluoride is POISONOUS. Look up fluoride poisoning - it's freakishly similar, if not exact to the illness one feels when under the influence of Cipro.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Bbham - I took cipro for 2 days in feb of 2007. My health kept declining for 3 years. I have had every symptom from cipro poisoning there is. I used to be healthy and athletic with no joint pain at all. I went to the gym regularly, jogged, skied, etc. Now I have difficulty walking, joint problems, poor balance and central nervous system damage which I fear is permanent. I had surgery for a labral tear which took 1 1/2 years to diagnose because I had no traumatic event. I have been told by 2 neurologists that I have a degenerative neurological disorder but they don't know what it is because every test/MRI came back normal/negative. I have improved over the past year+ from taking supplements/vitamins but doubt I will ever feel normal or even be able to walk normally again. I couldn't run if my life depended on it as my legs won't cooperate. The muscles just don't respond/stiffen up. It's hard to describe and even my own family can't comprehend what I'm going through.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Sadfromcipro - to Bre22~ I'm glad you've had some relief, I'm checking into the supplements you've taken. Feel free to message me if you think of anything else, thanks. to Bbham~ so sorry to hear you're still having sooo many problems, but I do understand what you're experiencing as I am going through some issues from Cipro side effects too. If you need to vent feel free to messge me. I hope we can help each other.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

Cindyjane - I don't have any problems with side effects from Cipro, but I did develop an overgrowth of fungus that I cannot get rid of; I just scanned the symptoms above and it sounds like some of you may have the same thing from taking Cipro. If you haven't already, check with your Dr as to the possiblity of having fungus. It causes all kinds of stomach problems.

Posted over a year ago - Reply

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