Beware - Ciproflacacin antibiotics can cause permanent damage

Mayoclinic.org ^ | February 16, 2025 | Nasir Khan

[TermLimits4All]

In 2017, I took Cipro for just five days to treat a simple UTI. Since then, my quality of life has been steadily deteriorating. Over the past seven years, my condition has worsened to the point where I can barely walk, and I will soon need a wheelchair.

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TOPICS: Chit/Chat; Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: antibiotics; cipro; collagen; drugs; elastin; health; healthcare; medicine; neuropathy

[TermLimits4All]

So I was hospitalized last July for diverticulitis w perforation. I was given cipro and metronidazole IV for 5 days and oral scripts after I left the hospital for another 7 days. 500mg each tablet, one was three times a day and the other two times a day. I started noticing that my legs were tingling and sometimes I would be standing up and the pins and needles in my legs were such I thought I was going to fall down. Fast forward to November 25 I had a flare up and was prescribed another course of these same drugs. Symptoms seemed to stay relatively the same. This February I was again in the hospital for the same issue, same drugs. Now this is really getting serious. The pins and needles feeling doesn’t stop in my feet and is intermittent in my legs with those same feelings of tingling, like blood rushing out of my legs where I feel like I might fall down. I have an appointment with my regular doctor next weeks about this and possibly getting a referral to a specialist. Anyone here experience adverse side effects from this drug combination, and did it end up being a permanent issue? My main issue is no one at the hospital or even the pharmacy ever told me about any side efffects. I had thought this was possibly from being less mobile for 3 five day periods over the course of the last year. Less mobile meaning 4-5k steps a day versus 10k per day. That was obviously not the problem. I pray this isn’t a permanent issue, it’s already affecting my ability to work in my field.

[sauropod]

Bkmk

[Sacajaweau]

How old are you...

I took cipro as did millions of others when anthrax was around. No problems.

[nuconvert]

Tendon rupture & peripheral neuropathy have been listed as adverse effects for years.
It seemed like Dr’s were handing out Cipro for everything, and in the past 2 or 3 years, they’ve cut back on prescribing it.
I’ve taken it in the past with no ill effects, but I wouldn’t take it now unless absolutely necessary.

[TheThirdRuffian]

It caused my right leg tendon to almost snap. It tore and healed and I have a lump there 20 years later, but I was lucky.

It’s a shame because it’s a really effective broad spectrum antibiotic.

[RummyChick]

This topic is way too complicated for here and probably whatever Dr you see.

That drug involves prostaglandins.

You may have genetic quirks related to that drug. Ignore people who come on here that says thousands used it with no problem. You appear to have a problem for whatever reason . Possibly genetic.

I had a bad reaction to a MRI contrast. I have no doubt that prostaglandins were part of it.

Prostaglandins are involved with the infamous niacin flush. I tried an experiment. Indomethacin knocked out the flush. You could try asking for indomethacin but it’s not a drug to take long term

You are going to have to do the research on this because you can’t rely on Drs to figure it out .
I have major genetic factors related to drugs and always look them up.

Check this site and look for anything you might have been taking at same time

https://go.drugbank.com/drugs/DB00537

[RummyChick]

By the way, try asking Twitters Grok program and see it can direct you to issues to investigate including genetics.

[RummyChick]

https://www.cureus.com/articles/259611-unveiling-the-neurotoxicity-of-metronidazole-a-clinical-conundrum#!/

[montag813]

Thank you for all that information. Have you had a DNA test via ancestry or some other service to determine these issues? My children have gotten these tests and I was considering it. What are the best ways to figure out if you have genetic predispositions to such things?

[Sacajaweau]

Again....how old are you.

[AuntB]

Been there, done that!

It was 2011..I had an infected tooth needing pulled from a bad root canal..he gave me cipro. Within 2 days the ligaments in my back blew out. Excruciating pain and I have been screwed up since. I have hyper mobile joints all over my body now.

[BlueStateRightist]

Correct spelling of the drug: ciprofloxacin.

[RummyChick]

This topic is a slog. Very very complicated . I used Nebula.org. at the time they offered lifetime access and I bought it.

There is no easy way to do this genetic look through that anyone who has had reactions to drugs should do .

I did it with a fake name . I have the data and constantly refer to it when figuring stuff out. I use Grok to help tell me what to look for in an issue

I uploaded data to genetic genie that red flagged . But because of the way this works you may not red flagged on something if you are a null. There is one thing I have that I had to actually use Grok to help me find the graphic of the dna to prove I am a null from both sides of family .

I recommend doing it but it takes a lot of work. I am several years into this and still finding stuff

[Man from Oz]

About 14 years ago, my urologist prescribed me 1,000 mg Cipro daily for 3 weeks for a supposed prostatitis(slightly elevated PSA) for a 50-year-old man.

By day 10, I was experiencing significant anxiety issues (no previous issues, and I don’t think I am crazy :)). I immediately quit taking the stuff and continued to suffer significant sleep apnea/internal sleep clock issues (circadian rhythm) for 3 months afterwards. It really screwed my sleep patterns up badly.

Researching online, I found and participated in a voluntary CIPRO survey that some California medical school conducted, and as I researched the symptoms, the tendon tear issue came up quite frequently.

BTW, I am an Animal Science Professor and work in the beef industry. There used to be an animal health pharma called Bayer (they sold their animal-related suite of products about 7 or so years ago), and they had an animal antibiotic called Baytril. Baytril is Enrofloxacin, which is a close first cousin to Cipro (same family of Quinalones). Long story short, they conducted potential human use studies with it in an attempt to get approval for use. This effort was abandoned because it also caused human psychological issues as a side effect.

MFO

[RummyChick]

It’s when I see stories like this that make me think genetic component to it or drug drug reaction.

I have a serious defect in a p450 enzyme. It can cause all kinds of problems. No one thought to test me. I discovered on my own..but now that I know..Drs are pretty much clueless other than “I have heard of It but no nothing about it”

Even though I got it officially confirmed and it’s in my records I am still treated like drug seeker if I bring up certain opioids won’t work on me.

[RummyChick]

To clarify, 23andme and ancestry com are not good enough . But it’s a start . If someone has no health issues or no drug reactions it can give you some basic information .

But you need a deeper dive if trying to figure out drug issues etc.

For example, if you ask Grok what genetic factors do I need to look at for XYZ problem ancestry dna very likely not good enough .

Interestingly, nebula said I was high risk for lacunar strokes ..and sure enough..it’s on my MRI

[eastexsteve]

This sounds like the side effects from statins. This is why my wife can’t take them for these very side effects you mentioned.

[Semper Vigilantis]

I have CKD and cipro is the only thing I can take that cures any infection (especially UTI) quickly with no side effects. Other ABs just take my money and hover in the background.

[FamiliarFace]

My husband took cipro when he had some prostate biopsies, a few years ago. It has caused permanent neuropathy in his feet. Nothing we do helps much, and we have tried nearly everything. His tingling isn’t as bad as yours, but it is serious. We walk a few miles every day to make sure he doesn’t lose the ability to walk.

Now when they ask him about allergies, cipro is on the list. Never again.

They put this in the very fine print of a long document when you’re given it the first time. They are too nonchalant about it. It is yet another reason why I don’t trust big Pharma.

[KC Burke]

I sustained lots of nerve damage from chemo. Get a B-12 shot and then get little B-12,pills to dissolve undef your tongue.