Seattle, WASylvia took Cipro antibiotic five years ago for an infection-which cleared up—but she started having problems with her shoulder joints and now her right hand and toes are numb. Sylvia hadn't heard of Cipro side effectsuntil her doctor switched the cipro drug to Bactrim.
"I told my doctor about my joint problems; by that time I had taken Cipro for about 6 or 7 months, two weeks on, two weeks off. He told me it was because of this drug and told me to stop taking it, but the damage was already done.
I would say the Cipro was a good antibiotic because my infection never returned but at what price?
About this same time I went online and saw all these testimonials from other Cipro sufferers; we had a lot in common because all their side effects sounded like me. Then I had an MRI last October because I had a fall at work—I just tripped. It showed my tendon detached but I want to know if it is a weakness of my joints and muscles that caused that. Now that I am taking Bactrim but my situation hasn't changed much, in fact I feel worse. I am scheduled to get an epidural shot in my neck that should relieve pressure on my spine"
Tammy, from Liberty, NC has Multiple Sclerosis so she has suffered with pain for many years; it got to the point where she couldn't stand the pain in her feet any longer and could hardly walk. Her physician sent Tammy to a foot clinic where she was given injections in her feet to relieve the pain. She also wore a splint on both feet because the specialist said she has tendonitis: Tammy couldn't imagine how an injury such as tendonitis could have happened.
Then she discussed her meds with the doctor: the red light flashed when she mentioned Cipro. "I had taken Cipro for several years because I am prone to infections but all this time I've had nagging pains in my back and shoulders, as well as my feet," says Tammy. She immediately stopped taking it.
"Cipro is supposed to be used as a last resort antibiotic but the doctors weren't told that," says Mark from Homosassa, FL. "But Cipro is a blockbuster for the drug company and they aggressively marketed their drug when it should have only been used when other drugs didn't work.
"It would have to be a life or death situation before I take Cipro again and I found out that is exactly what Cipro was originally marketed for. This drug is overused and over-abused. It's certainly done a number on me." Mark is disabled from the side effects of Cipro. He has been taking intensive physiotherapy but he knows it is going to be a long haul, if he gets better at all.