Common abx causes tendon damage (Cipro family)

[plansrme]

https://www.runnersworld.com/injury-treatment/fda-warns-of-tendon-damage-linked-to-antibiotics

 

I just heard of this this weekend when a relative-of-a-friend was treated with Cipro.  Another relative hit the roof because his son's college athletic career was cut short when he was given Cipro for bronchitis.  I'd never heard of such a thing but googled and found this.  Apparently there is a significant link between fluoroquinolones (Cipro and Levaquin are the two I've heard of, but I believe there are more in the same family) and tendon damage.

 

I've racked my brain to try to remember if any of my kids has been treated with one of these, especially the one who went out with an ACL tear.  Fortunately, we've almost never had antibiotics at all, so I haven't come up with anything, but I've instructed all three, including the one who is headed off to college on an athletic scholarship, to check before taking any kind of antibiotic.  I can just see her waltzing out of student health with Cipro and not realize she's jeopardizing her athletic career.

 

Anyway, this may be old news, but it wasn't to me.  

[MedicMom]

My mom has tendon damage from Cipro. My understanding is that it’s rare. I’ve taken Cipro and Levantine both and not had any problems. However I also have EDS so my tendons in general are not fantastic.

[Butter]

It is rare, but it most definitely happens.  My mom had trouble for months after taking Levaquin, but it resolved (much more common to have issues that resolve over time).  I took Levaquin once for pneumonia.  It was that or the hospital.  My doctor cautioned me to take it in the morning with two full glasses of water and to drink 3-4 more glasses over the course of the rest of the day in order to prevent side effects.  This was in 2011 I think it was.  Most people I know who have taken that type of antibiotics have not been warned or given such instructions by their doctors.

[PrincessMommy]

yes, I was told about it when I went on Cipro about 18months ago.  Thankfully, I haven't had any trouble. 

 

Cipro, and other fluoroquinolones, are pretty strong antibiotics and, as far as I know, aren't used for typical infections.  They're generally reserved for gut infections.  But, maybe they're moving them to more regular use?  that would be unfortunate.... Even though I didn't have tendon issues, they still had some awful side-effects.  I hope I never have to go on them again.

 

 

[Joker]

Yeah. I have one foot that I don't think will ever be the same. Unfortunately my doc had me on steroids and cipro at the same time which I was told later increased my chances of issues.

[Carol in Cal.]

I think it's more common that they realize.

 

I had arm pain with Cipro, and told my doctor that I didn't want to take it again.  She was unaware of the issue.  To her credit she looked into it and then agreed that I shouldn't have it.  Shortly after that when I was walking across my dining room, a tendon snapped in my right leg, and I had drop foot for weeks while it healed by itself.  Now I know that that can happen *any* time.  It makes it alarming to hike, actually.

 

Just recently my husband had a UTI and what did they prescribe?  Cipro.  I couldn't believe it was a first line drug now for something so basic.  Granted, it turned out to be an E Coli UTI, so it was a particularly nasty one, but they didn't know that when they prescribed it.  AND, when they got the test results back they asked him to double the dose.  I'm alarmed to see that they used this instead of trying amoxicillin first.  He even requested something else, because of my experience, but they insisted.  (Having said that, I'm a little more assertive.  I would have said, I am unwilling to take that.  What alternative is available?  But he was not quite that strong.)

[Rebecca]

My daughter was treated with Cipro two years ago...around age 12... due to a resistant strain of pseudomonas. It was the only antibiotic that would work other than IV. :(

 

She does have an affected tendon from the medicine. It is her achilles and it is definitely directly related to the antibiotic. 

 

 

[ktgrok]

I've taken it numerous times for sinus infections that didn't respond to anything else. Worked miracles. No side effects. 

[BarbecueMom]

DH just finished a round of it (well, levaquin) for a sinus infection that would not quit.  He is allergic to penicillin, and the PA explained that it was the best choice to get into the sinuses and clear out the infection.  DH had a badly sprained ankle this time last year, so he's being extra careful.  So far, so good.  His coworker's SO tore both Achilles' tendons after Cipro.

[Peaceseeker]

I was prescribed Cypro recently for a kidney infection. I really didn't know anything about it and just assumed it was a regular antibiotic. I do always read those information pages on side effects, but every medication has so many these days. So I took it without thinking much about it.

 

OMG- they are now referred to as the pills from Satan in this house. I have never experienced such extreme side effects. I had a migraine for 18 hours straight. I had ringing in the ear for several days (thank goodness I stopped after just a couple of pills, as some people fight these side effects for years after a course of this stuff). I had other side effects as well but those were the worst.

 

Anyways I called my doctor's office and told them they had to prescribe something else. I will never take that stuff again unless I am dying. Even then, I will have to think about it for a while first. 😨

Edited February 20, 2018 by CaliforniaDreaming

[scrapbookbuzz]

Cipro is something I believe should be avoided if at all possible. last fall when I had what I have dubbed The Great Kidney Stone Adventure of 2017 ( I had not one, but TWO kidney stones, 2mm and 4mm, that took a WHOLE WEEK to pass. OUCH!), the first thing they prescribed was Ciprofloxacin. Um...  I knew it was a nasty abx (antiobiotic), and reading the side effects, I decided I was only going to take it that day. Then I replaced it with colloidal silver which is antimicrobial (antibacterial and antiviral). Between that and several other natural, herbal remedies, I survived that week and avoided infection. YMMV but there are other options to synthetic medications.

[wapiti]

FWIW, someplace along the way I read about supplements that can help prevent damage from cipro.  A quick google turned up this article https://floxiehope.com/tag/nac/ though there may be others.  (e.g. magnesium, vit E, NAC)

 

(eta, I took cipro years ago, no problems whatsoever.  But just in case a family member ever needs to take it again, I am keeping track of these ideas)

Edited February 21, 2018 by wapiti

[Alice]

It’s very commonly known. We don't use it in pediatrics unless we truly have no other choice. And it’s not used widely anymore because of the tendon issues, unless it’s really the best choice for the infection. 

[Spryte]

I was told to watch carefully for signs of tendon issues when I took Levaquin years ago. Maybe 2008? So it’s not new, but important to know, regardless. In my case, it seemed the best option for treating bartonellosis. We ended up switching though, as I had some other odd, rare reaction, and really thought I was dying. Ugh! Not my personal favorite class of abx, but useful when necessary.

[lollie010]

My husband finished a round two weeks ago and swears he will never be the same human being again. There really is no description for the misery which started about 36 hours from when he started. We are hoping for improvement.

[plansrme]

I have to admit that I am surprised by the number of adverse experiences y'all have personally observed.  it would never have occurred to me to even think about significant possible side effects for such a common drug.  I'll never again just blindly hand my kids a prescription without actually reading all of the stuff that's printed on the bag.  But mostly, I've just advised my family just not to get sick, because apparently nothing is safe.  

[Sandwalker]

FWIW, someplace along the way I read about supplements that can help prevent damage from cipro. A quick google turned up this article https://floxiehope.com/tag/nac/ though there may be others. (e.g. magnesium, vit E, NAC)

 

(eta, I took cipro years ago, no problems whatsoever. But just in case a family member ever needs to take it again, I am keeping track of these ideas)

Thank you for that link.

[Ann.without.an.e]

I was prescribed levofloxacin for pneumonia and the label warnings were abundant on it.  It spoke of spontaneous tendon rupture that could occur for months after taking the medication.  It said I shouldn't exercise or drive?  It had like 10 labels of warning on it.  I didn't take it.  I called the doctor and asked to try something else first. 

[Lady Florida.]

I was put on Levaquin about 10 years ago for something - I no longer remember what. After 3 days of dosing my legs hurt so bad I could hardly walk. I called my doctor and he said to stop immediately, then prescribed something else. I did some searching and found that there was a good deal of information about it. This has been a known side effect for quite some time. I don't know why it took so long for a black box warning to finally come out.

[SamanthaCarter]

I ended up with months of hip pain after aggressive use of levaquin for MRSA about ten years ago. I’ve never used it since.

 

I’ve used Cipro several times more recently for resistant UTIs. No problems with that.

Edited February 22, 2018 by SamanthaCarter

[matrips]

There have been numerous Facebook posts over the years about those drugs. I put it on my allergy list- I don’t want them. I took levaquin once once just for a couple days before I quit it due to joint pain. That was scary enough. Fortunately nothing more happened, but it took awhile to get better. Doctors prescribe them way too easily, especially with all the warnings and issues.