... side effects seem to get worse and last longer. I've balked at taking Cipro but a urine culture shows that it is the only antibiotic that will work on pseudomonas bacteria. How long will the effects of a third hit last and is there anything else I can suggest the next time this happens?
My urologist has prescribed ciprofloxacin for UTI's three times in the last six months. Each time my
Question posted by hamhock62 on 27 March 2015
Last updated on 6 April 2020 by Andreamariepace
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6 Answers
Andreamariepace
6 April 2020
I know this is an old post, but may help someone else seeking answers. To avoid repeat infections first and foremost drink pleanty of water each day. Keep your lady parts clean, no back to front wiping which wipes poop into your lady parts and bacteria gets into the urethra and proceeds up into the urinary tract and can cause a UTI or a kidney infection. To be prevented consume cranberry supplements I recommend one with a higher concentration of cranberry and take one a day along with a probiotic that is made for women, or at least has lactobacillus in it. The more variety of strains and number of colonizing units the better. This regimen can also help prevent BV.
Katmss
5 Dec 2015
I just took a 14 day RX of levofloxacin and have terrible side effects which may or may not be permanent. I ony took the drug because my doc said in 20 yrs he's never had a patient report negative side effects and the other choice was IV antibioitics. I wish now that I'd have followed my instinct and been admitted to the hospital for IV treatment. I have tendon pain in both shoulders and my knee. I am a fit, athletic 66 yr old and I can only hope that this will not be permanent and change my life forever. All of you who have negative side effects, I hope that everyone that had negative side effects will call the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 FREE to report by telephone
Heather Palay
1 Sep 2015
Hey hamhock62, I have reviewed your thread and have a suggestion that will help prevent future UTIs. You do need the right antibiotic to cure the UTI though... I also agree with the Cipro comments...
There is a great product called ellura that is effective in preventing Pseudomonas caused UTIs along with many other bacterial causes. I used to get UTIs every time I had sex. It has happened from the very beginning. It is a REAL PAIN! Once is started taking ellura I no longer get UTIs. I have another friend with Polio who was on daily preventative antibiotics for over 15 years. She started taking ellura and has not had a UTI in over 2 years. Changed her life... Mine to. You can get ellura on Amazon but I buy it from the website, myellura.com because I get a better deal. You should try it. :-)
hamhock62
1 Sep 2015
Thanks for the suggestion - my urologist suggested cranberry juice capsules and I took them for several months until my nether parts got so raw from the acid that I could hardly sit down. I realize that Ellura is supposed to be better than plain old cranberry capsules but it is pricy. I'll run it by my urologist but for now, don't feel like I can afford it.
Malindalang
21 Aug 2015
Concerned about the side effects you had from your Cipro--I have not been on this site in quite a while and checking in to see how many others are Floxed. Are you better or did your side effects become permanent? The Cipro is a Fluoroquinolone which is a black box drug and dangerous. I am still in pain years later as a result of Levaquin. On the third day to the Levaquin I started back and hip pain and it progressed rapidly from there to my entire body and the pain was unreal. I still have pain and some depersonalisation issues--not as bad as the first year but not good either. It bothers me that some write to take this drug if they did not have the side effects as they do not understand how much pain others are in...
hamhock62
21 Aug 2015
My urologist is now PO'd at me because I refuse to take Cipro again. Last go round he prescribed Augmentin which had almost as many bad side effects as Cipro (chest pain, chills, fever, etc). My PCP changed me to macrobid which isn't as effective but which I can tolerate. I recently read that Cipro can cause hallucinations. I mentioned it to a nurse in one of my doctors offices and she said they were giving Cipro to the troops in Iraq when it was possible that they were exposed to Anthrax. Makes you wonder how many of the PTSD cases were brought on by Cipro. Some doctors just don't seem to care about the side effects if the "culture" says Cipro is the most effective.
Malindalang
22 Aug 2015
Please look up the Gulf War Syndrome. Many that were given Cipro for bio warfare never made it to the front lines at all due to the side effects and others had the side effects while there. These Drs. are so frustrating--it takes a Dr. that has had a relative or friend hit by these drugs for them to understand. My dr. has a fellow dr. who had side effects from cipro. The man recovered but it was not good for a while. Glad the man recovered but many do not. Just like us, anyone in the military that has had or is having side effects and knows 100% what they are from is being met with resistance. There are drs. that know of this issue. Some even post like Dr. Mercola and there are research drs. as well. as far as teh Augment. at least that drug does not have lasting side effects for you. I was given that so many years ago and I too had issues with it but nothing permanent. I am sorry you are have these UTI issues. Very hard to treat at times.
But damaging your cellular structure is not good. I have to wonder what an MRI would show at this time for you. For MANY there are spots on the brain that are NOT M.S. or LYME--all those are negative and remain negative even after treatment for lyme like myself. I was treated for negative lyme--tests that I paid $400 a pop for to go to Calf. as that is the only tests that is 100% reliable. Even though neg. the drs. did not know what was going on so they still ran all those drugs through me and I never recovered--I worsened as I never had Lyme and the dr. admitted it to me but he was lost. I will say that particular dr. was a super nice guy trying to make me better. He did not know. My pharmacy records read my medical history to a tee--no drugs for many many many years and them BAM--Levaquin on April 17 2009, then on April 20th I called the dr. not doing well, then on the 21st went to my dr. and then the pharmacy paperwork shows all sorts of drugs from that point forward trying to help me with the pain and side effects. Nothing ever worked. Stay away if you had side effects. Some do not--that is fine, but so very many do. That is the point. I do not care at all about those that do not have side effects--why would I, I care about us that do and did... each Dr. that does not believe should be forced to use these drugs then we would see HELP! as we know there would be plenty that have side effects. when you can, go to facebook and look up Fluoroquinolones and you will see support groups doing a lot of work.
hamhock62
30 May 2015
Update: I finished my last dose of Cipro the end of March. As of today, May 30, I am still feeling some of the side effects. Late in April I began to have mild UTI symptoms but my urologist didn't want to run a culture that soon. Then around the 2nd week in April I asked them to run another culture. Same infection results as before - pseudomonas. I had the option of taking Cipro or going on IV antibiotics. I chose the IV and yes there are side effects from it too but not nearly as bad as Cipro's.
I had back surgery in 2005 and the surgeon nicked something he shouldn't have. I've had a UTI almost continuously ever since. My doctors seem to think that UTI's will be a problem for me from now on and that the best they can do is manage it rather that prevent it happening again and again.
coloresue
30 May 2015
I am very sorry to hear of your troubles. Have you had a consultation with an Infectious Disease Dr.? If not, you may want to think about consulting with one to get rid of the recurrent infections. I'm glad you had the option of a change of antibiotic by IV.
coloresue
30 May 2015
I recommend you take the Cipro because the infection must be resolved. Then you should address what's causing these repeat infections with your Doc so you can avoid any more Cipro.
vanizorc
25 Dec 2016
Before you give such shoddy cookie-cutter advice, you should keep in mind that OP doesn't go into detail about what kind of side effects they're specifically having. Since it's a fluoroquinolone antibiotic we're dealing with here, it could be something serious and potentially permanent, like irreversible tendon damage. If OP is experiencing such adverse symptoms, they should stop Cipro immediately and visit their doctor as soon as possible to switch to another non-fluoroquinolone antibiotic. Staying on with Cipro for no other reason than "finishing the course" is idiotic and potentially life-destroying, in light of the side effects from this class of drug.
(My guess is that you've never taken a fluoroquinolone antibiotic before and don't know about the kind of damage these drugs can do. A bit more than a year ago, I took 2000mg of Cipro and to this day am still suffering the resultant body-wide tendon damage and pain. I was a healthy and fit 24-year old woman, and thanks to the Cipro I how I have the health and frailty of an 80-year-old. This class of antibiotics isn't like any other, so the standard "always finish your prescription" mantra should NOT apply here.)
Related topics
cipro, urinary tract infection, bacterial infection, ciprofloxacin, side effect, prescription, antibiotics, urine, urology, pseudomonas
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