flyingiguana Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 I've been on this Cipro antibiotic for 3 days. The dr had warned me to call if I felt any tendon pain. So I did and I called and the nurse just kind of laughed it off and told me to take ibuprofen. Should I call back and get the nurse to actually ask the dr whether this is still safe? Or is that whole tendonitis thing with Cipro just so rare that I shouldn't worry about it? Anyone have experience with this? Also, is there any chance I'm just going crazy this weekend because of this drug? Or is that the infection that's making me a mess? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joker Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 I don't know if it's rare but my Achilles tendons have never been the same. I still have issues years later. I would probably call back and be more insistent. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 The nurse should not have laughed it off. Is there any swelling around your Achilles tendon? inflammation and pain there? Then stop taking the Cipro and call again or go into an urgent care center to be prescribed a different antibiotic. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 (edited) The nurse should not have laughed it off. Is there any swelling around your Achilles tendon? inflammation and pain there? Then stop taking the Cipro and call again or go into an urgent care center to be prescribed a different antibiotic. :iagree: Jean is right. I can't believe the nurse laughed it off. http://www.webmd.com/osteoarthritis/news/20080708/fda-warning-cipro-may-rupture-tendons I was prescribed Levaquin years ago, which is in the same antibiotic class, and was having leg pain. Fortunately I read about the side effects and stopped taking it. When I called my doctor he said I did the right thing, and prescribed a different class of antibiotic. Edited March 6, 2016 by Lady Florida 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valley Girl Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Call back and make sure the doctor knows you are having this problem. I had terrible leg cramps on Cipro and tendon pain long after I stopped taking it (my doctor took me off it right away because of this side effect). Let him know the nurse laughed it off, too. That's inexcusable, especially since you were warned to call if you experienced pain. When asked if I'm allergic to any meds now, I always let a provider know, that while I didn't have an allergic reaction to it, I did experience very negative side effects. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoobie Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Laughing off a black box warning is unacceptable. Definitely follow up with a doctor. 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 sadly - she wouldn't be the first nurse to dismiss something to which attention should have been paid. call back - and be very firm. if you have to bypass her - do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbara H Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 Please take this seriously. The nurse should not have laughed. I had a partial Achilles tear on Cipro (as a young healthy person and many years back before the black box warning came out). Don't hesitate to go to Urgent Treatment or to be pushy to get past the screener on your doctor's phone. Also, I'm guessing it would be a good idea to avoid exercise or any strenuous or quick movements that could encourage a rupture or tear until you can get this resolved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingiguana Posted March 6, 2016 Author Share Posted March 6, 2016 OK -- I got them to prescribe a different antibiotic. Now I'm just waiting on the very slow pharmacy that is the only one open on Sunday. Thanks for the advice. I didn't know if I was just panicking without cause. This isn't hurting very much, but there is pain. And that black box warning. 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 So glad you got their attention and have a new abx on the way! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 OK -- I got them to prescribe a different antibiotic. Now I'm just waiting on the very slow pharmacy that is the only one open on Sunday. Thanks for the advice. I didn't know if I was just panicking without cause. This isn't hurting very much, but there is pain. And that black box warning. Yep. It could have just stayed as mild pain or quickly turned into a tear. This is a better safe than sorry situation. I'm glad you were able to get in touch with him and get something else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Valley Girl Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 That's great news. You were spot-on to be concerned. Glad the doctor prescribed something different. Hope you feel better! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 The doc said to call if you had pain, so you were right to call. I am not usually a big complainer but I'd complain about the nurse laughing it off. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie4b Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 For the sake of other patients, I would call the nursing board about the nurse's response to a patient reporting a symptom with a black box warning. She needs to be told in a way that she can't ignore that that is unacceptable. She's lucky that you didn't listen to her so her advice didn't result in damage to a patient or in a lawsuit. Help her and others by reporting it. She needs a wake up call. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 I would let the doctor know about the nurse. Glad you were able to get new meds. I am just now getting over most of the tendon problems I have from taking this last spring. And yes, it can also make you crazy, but I think that can be the case with other antibiotics as well, particularly if you have compromised gut health to start with. I up my probiotic intake massively when I have to tak an antibiotic, and it seems to help. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted March 6, 2016 Share Posted March 6, 2016 I got that strong pain in my upper arms when I took Cipro. This was before the warning was so strong. I went to my doctor, and she said that it wasn't the cause, then she looked it up and changed her mind. I respected her for being willing to do that and not just a know it all. I took it for outer ear infections, and it turns out that there is an eardrop, localized rather than systemic treatment for that that works very well, so it was fine to stop the Cipro. It's nothing to fool with. She said that I should never take it again, and it is contraindicated on my record now. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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