Cipro SE's

NotVeryBrave

Anyone out there have SE's from Cipro? Specifically joint pain? How long did it take to go away and did you do anything that helped?

I took Cipro once before for a UTI. I developed a painful lump on the arch of one foot. My PCP at the time did not think it was related, but I quit the Cipro anyway (was almost done with RX).

Recently I was put on Cipro for a very scary breast infection, complete with hospitalization and IV antibiotics. It was one of two oral antibiotics I went home on for two weeks. The Infectious Disease doctor had me stop the Cipro a few days early because of pain in my hands, wrists, and knees.

It's been more than a week now and I'm still having problems with pain and strength. Stairs are difficult - even getting up and down to sit is hard. But my hands really bother me - stiff, sore, weak.

Everything I find online is either a lawsuit or a quack or hugely depressing stories of no hope. Does anyone here have anything to offer? There must be some of you helpful people who've experienced this.

macb04

Hi NotVeryBrave, there is a Black Box warning about Tendonopathies from use of any of the Fluoroquinolones such as Cipro. I had a Rotator Cuff Tear from numerous courses of Cipro from surgeries. They are supposed to tell everyone about this risk before they prescribe this for anyone, but doctors are frequently sloppy and don't bother to share this information. I got Low Level Laser Therapy, which helped heal my Rotator Cuff.

FDA is notifying the makers of fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drugs of the need to add a Boxed Warning to the prescribing information about the increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture in patients taking fluoroquinolones and to develop a Medication Guide for patients.* Fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drugs are used ...Mar 27, 2017

Information for Healthcare Professionals: Fluoroquinolone - FDA

Food and Drug Administration (.gov) › u...

NotVeryBrave

Thanks. I knew about the black box warning - having already had some personal experience with a possible problem. I wasn't expecting this widespread issue. Maybe it's tendinitis in multiple areas?

I contacted the prescribing PS. Her advice was that it should resolve within a few weeks and to see my PCP if it doesn't. No input on anything to do or not do meanwhile.

ComputerGal

Hi NotVeryBrave,

I was on Cipro for Diverticulitis several times until I was able to control it with probiotics. It was the only antibiotic that worked for me as my doctor had already tried two others that did not work. The one thing that antibiotics do really well, & our diets do also, is deprive us of magnesium. My shoulders & joints started to hurt while on this cocktail of meds to rid me of this infection. Luckily, a friend put me on to Ionic Magnesium. A liquid concentrate. Pour a capful in 8 - 12 oz. of water & drink. It is absorbed immediately into your system, & I was good as new in a few days. I take it regularly now. You can get on Amazon. Good State is one of the Brands.

wrenn

I have peripheral neuropathy after only one dose of chemo. My oncologist said he didn't think the chemo could have caused it. After talking to my sister whose husband was on these antibiotics and has struggled since I was thinking it was my use over time of cipro for diverticulitis and then piling chemo on that made it worse. I have pain in my legs and can't walk far without resting and my gait is off. I look like I work at the ministry of silly walks ( monty python).

I won't use cipro again.

NotVeryBrave

I'll never take Cipro again, either! Yesterday seemed a little better and this morning I can barely close my hands. Mornings are always worse for stiffness.

I'll try the Magnesium - that sounds promising.

debiann

Doctor's prescribe Cipro way too easily without discussing the risks. I was recently given Cipro for a thought-to-be uti, but after reading about the SE's decided not to take it. When the results of the urine culture came back it showed I didn't even have a UTI, so I would have taken a dangeroud drug for nothing. I already have some neuropathy from chemo, I don’t need any more. Vitimin B6 helps my issues.

NotVeryBrave

So ... just to update in case anyone else is dealing with these problems:

I ended up seeing a Rheumatologist for my joint pain and swelling. He ordered a boat load of blood tests and put me on Meloxicam. That helped my wrists a bit. The blood work was pretty much normal so he thinks it's just a SE from the Cipro. I took a Medrol pack and that helped immensely. However - I had since developed worsening pain in one shoulder and it did nothing for that. So on to a cortisone injection in that shoulder. Nope - no relief.

I saw an orthopedic PA week before last. Had X-rays done and she was all ready to start me with PT, talking about repeating the cortisone injection and maybe doing the Medrol pack again. I thought - do we actually know what's going on? Pretty much insisted on imaging that would show soft tissues. I had the MRI last week and am seeing the actual ortho this week.

The MRI report says "fraying" of bursal side of supraspinatus tendon and a questionable partial thickness tear vs sulcus in the labrum. I'll see what the ortho recommends, I guess.