Got Prescribed Ciprofloxacin Today, What To Do?

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Ledo

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Thanks, I didn't pop them all at once, but took 2 or 3 aspirin every hour from about 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. After the last dose, the pain just completely stopped and didn't come back. It was wonderful after suffering like I was. I assumed the aspirin killed most of the bacteria, but it took about a week to get the stinging when urinating to stop completely, though it wasn't bad. (I didn't take anymore aspirin after that one day).
That is interesting come to think of it. I didn't know aspirin was reputed to kill bacteria, will have to follow up on that.

I have been on 325mg for few years now taken as salicylate made from sodium bicarb and horse aspirin flakes. It makes a big difference in my well being but the doc did say he wants to check for an ulcer but I don't think the neutral salicylate could do that. Do you know if it can kill virus as well as bacteria?
 

Peata

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That is interesting come to think of it. I didn't know aspirin was reputed to kill bacteria, will have to follow up on that.

I have been on 325mg for few years now taken as salicylate made from sodium bicarb and horse aspirin flakes. It makes a big difference in my well being but the doc did say he wants to check for an ulcer but I don't think the neutral salicylate could do that. Do you know if it can kill virus as well as bacteria?
Yeah, there are some posts about it. If you do a search and put "aspirin virus" you should come up with some results.

Make sure you're not searching only in this forum, 'cause I think that's the default search.
 

Giraffe

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@ Ledo, one of these sad testimonials suggested that there was a link between existing kidney problems (pains) and the devastating side effects of ciproflaxin. If I ever decided to try ciproflaxin (not likely), I would try to make sure that the kidneys and liver do not get burdened with other stuff at the same time.
 

aguilaroja

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I have been badgering my GP about a left side pain just below the rib cage ...Two week followup showed worsening WBC ...

A few possibilities:

(1) If the doctor requested a urine culture, the report should include the identified bacteria’s sensitivities to various antibiotics. It is likely that there will be other effective antibiotics listed on that report. You could request to switch to a different one. If you need a “reason” to switch, you could mention problems with ciprofloxacin-related meds in family or friends, or your concerns or side effects.
While any antibiotic can have potential side effects, other antibiotic choices may have less frequent and extreme side effects than ciprofloxacin.

(2) If you would like to empirically start added vitamin D while awaiting lab test results, it is probably fine to do so for the short term. My personal experience is that added vitamin D often speeds recovery from infection.

(3) As @charlie noted, D-mannose has some evidence suggesting it may be helpful. There are posts in the forum about this. It has helped relieve bladder infection issues among friends and family.
D-mannose powder for prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections in women: a randomized clinical trial. - PubMed - NCBI
“D-mannose powder had significantly reduced the risk of recurrent UTI which was no different than in Nitrofurantoin group.”

(4) It is possible that a combination of measures would relieve things more quickly.

(5) From your report, it is not clear what the second source of infection may be. Perhaps the change in the white cell counts are taken by the doctors to represent another infection.
 

Frankdee20

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Thanks, I didn't pop them all at once, but took 2 or 3 aspirin every hour from about 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. After the last dose, the pain just completely stopped and didn't come back. It was wonderful after suffering like I was. I assumed the aspirin killed most of the bacteria, but it took about a week to get the stinging when urinating to stop completely, though it wasn't bad. (I didn't take anymore aspirin after that one day).

That’s extreme man, Aspirin is powerful. Less is more
 
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Ledo

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...If I ever decided to try ciproflaxin (not likely), I would try to make sure that the kidneys and liver do not get burdened with other stuff at the same time.
Excellent point Giraffe added to keeping blood sugar up, thank you.

A few possibilities:

(1) If the doctor requested a urine culture, the report should include the identified bacteria’s sensitivities to various antibiotics. It is likely that there will be other effective antibiotics listed on that report. You could request to switch to a different one...

(2) If you would like to empirically start added vitamin D while awaiting lab test results, it is probably fine to do so for the short term. My personal experience is that added vitamin D often speeds recovery from infection.

(3) As @charlie noted, D-mannose has some evidence suggesting it may be helpful. There are posts in the forum about this. It has helped relieve bladder infection issues among friends and family.
D-mannose powder for prophylaxis of recurrent urinary tract infections in women: a randomized clinical trial. - PubMed - NCBI
“D-mannose powder had significantly reduced the risk of recurrent UTI which was no different than in Nitrofurantoin group.”

(4) It is possible that a combination of measures would relieve things more quickly.

(5) From your report, it is not clear what the second source of infection may be. Perhaps the change in the white cell counts are taken by the doctors to represent another infection.

I didn't come home with any paper work so I am unclear to what extent the urine was checked, I think the machine checks for things like sugar, protein, nitrogen, other particles but he indicated with certainty it was an infection. I can't believe there was time to "culture" anything though but I will be sure to check for infection type with alternative antibiotic possibilities if that was the case.

What a mess though, the doctor, my doctor didn't return my call, he left me hanging because I clearly told the nurse I took two doses with adverse effects yesterday. He doesn't like the questioning I put him through, didn't like me declining cat scan with contrast a year ago, and other things.

Tonight my family hyper reacted when I told them I most likely wasn't going to finish the course. They can't understand the risk.

I myself wonder if bacteria is present with the symptoms I have had the past years, why it wouldn't be unreasonable to experience some unpleasant even scary adverse effects.

I wish I had tried some of the other suggestions before actually going forward with the cipro. Thanks
 

Peata

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That’s extreme man, Aspirin is powerful. Less is more
Definitely. I guess it was over 4 grams. I don't advise anyone to take that much. I only did it because I was desperate, in extreme pain. I always thought I had a high pain tolerance, but this almost got the best of me. I was being urged to go to the ER for the pain, but all that aspirin kicked in finally.
 

aguilaroja

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...I am unclear to what extent the urine was checked, I think the machine checks for things like sugar, protein, nitrogen, other particles but he indicated with certainty it was an infection. I can't believe there was time to "culture" anything though but I will be sure to check for infection type with alternative antibiotic possibilities if that was the case...
While a urine check can come back promptly, the specific culture with antibiotic testing for bacteria takes a few days. Antibiotic prescription without bacteria specificity is "empiric". It is based on probabilities rather than specifics. You can call in two days to get the specific antibiotic sensitivities. ("Of course", it is extra work for the medical office to adjust things.)
 

Kray

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Ledo, any word yet from your doc on diagnosis and cultures/treatment plan?
 

Kray

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While a urine check can come back promptly, the specific culture with antibiotic testing for bacteria takes a few days. Antibiotic prescription without bacteria specificity is "empiric". It is based on probabilities rather than specifics. You can call in two days to get the specific antibiotic sensitivities. ("Of course", it is extra work for the medical office to adjust things.)

My husband fell ill at work on Monday, needed emergency care, has a dx of acute prostatitis (absent any male exam and based on ruling out other organs- kidney and liver tests all ok) and urine positive for E. coli, as well as positive for E. coli in his blood. They couldn't say how it got in his blood. Based on blood culture findings, they had him in hospital 2 nights with IV antibiotics and sent him home with an Rx for Cipro bid/30 days. Not too happy on the drug of choice, and this thread has me asking questions too. Our "list" of drug options contains at least 8 others, but the hospital doctor pushed for fluoroquinolone saying it was the best to penetrate the prostate (assuming this is the source of the infection!). Husband is better now but having night sweats since this happened, not sure what that is all about, temp is normal.

Trying to get appt. with primary care doc. Any insights would be appreciated.
 

artlange

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I took at least 13 aspirin over the afternoon and evening. The pain went away after I took the last aspirin and didn't return, but I had massive ear ringing half the night. It gave me anxiety and insomnia. I took some K2 to help it.
to protect ears when taking aspirin, I use glycine. seems to help with less ear ringing. two sources - as part of collagen hydrolosate and as a bulk supplement.
 

Frankdee20

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to protect ears when taking aspirin, I use glycine. seems to help with less ear ringing. two sources - as part of collagen hydrolosate and as a bulk supplement.

Would Glycine from Magnesium Glycinate count as well ? Theres 374 mg of it in one Magnesium capsule, and I take 2-4 a day maybe. I only take 325 mg Aspirin 5 Times a week. Only noticed ear ringing recently, a very mild, short lived occasion. I take Super K from LE about 5 Times a week too.
 

Peata

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Just an update: UTI tried to come back middle of the night, Saturday night. I remembered apple cider vinegar had helped me in the past. I took 2 T. ACV in 4 oz. water, and within half hour was at least 50% better and could go back to sleep. Seemed fine the next day, but still using ACV for a while to make sure the bacteria is gone.
 

Kray

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Just an update: UTI tried to come back middle of the night, Saturday night. I remembered apple cider vinegar had helped me in the past. I took 2 T. ACV in 4 oz. water, and within half hour was at least 50% better and could go back to sleep. Seemed fine the next day, but still using ACV for a while to make sure the bacteria is gone.

Thanks for that tip! There are more ways to skin a cat, as they say!

Have you ever tried d-mannose for clearing UTI? Ready to reorder more, then caught your post. Also, did you ever need drugs for condition? Trying to get help for husband who is on Cipro, want him to be off it but realize it probably has its place in his case. Awaiting appt with new family doc, not expecting Peaty experience or understanding there!
 

Peata

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Thanks for that tip! There are more ways to skin a cat, as they say!

Have you ever tried d-mannose for clearing UTI? Ready to reorder more, then caught your post. Also, did you ever need drugs for condition? Trying to get help for husband who is on Cipro, want him to be off it but realize it probably has its place in his case. Awaiting appt with new family doc, not expecting Peaty experience or understanding there!
Is d-mannose the AZO stuff from the drugstore? I know I've used that in the past, but it's been a long time ago.

I was prescribed antibiotics for a bad UTI in 2011. It had become a kidney infection, which I hadn't had one get that bad since i was probably 10 years old. I was prescribed Levofloxacin when I saw the urgent care doctor. He said that would take care of the infection since the Rx was one of "the big guns", but I didn't take it, and later had him call in something else to the pharmacy (they had done a urinalysis to see what kind of antibiotic would work best and it ended up being Keflex, I think.) So I guess for kidney infection, I'd wait to see exactly what urinalysis says it can be treated with other than the "flox" meds if it was me.
 

Kray

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Is d-mannose the AZO stuff from the drugstore? I know I've used that in the past, but it's been a long time ago.

I was prescribed antibiotics for a bad UTI in 2011. It had become a kidney infection, which I hadn't had one get that bad since i was probably 10 years old. I was prescribed Levofloxacin when I saw the urgent care doctor. He said that would take care of the infection since the Rx was one of "the big guns", but I didn't take it, and later had him call in something else to the pharmacy (they had done a urinalysis to see what kind of antibiotic would work best and it ended up being Keflex, I think.) So I guess for kidney infection, I'd wait to see exactly what urinalysis says it can be treated with other than the "flox" meds if it was me.

Thanks Peata, wish we'd had more chance to opt for something else, but it was an ER situation, had apparently made its way into blood, husband couldn't drive himself, had to be taken by ambulance, etc. Pretty scary. Ended up inpatient 2 days, on IV drip, sent home with Cipro. His first UTI. With men, we've learned it's really called prostatitis (altho no test confirmed this, just urine culture).

Anyway, need to get hooked up to f/u primary doc who will see us through from here. Hope he won't have to stay on Cipro long, but he is better, and able to get back to work today, no fever, symptoms, etc. wish I knew an alternate route to finish healing him without long-term Cipro, we'll see. From what we have been told, prostatitis is not uncommon in men over 50, and my husband is closer to 60.

D-mannose may be in Azo, I don't know. If you check on amazon or other supplement sites, people swear by d-mannose. I got the plain powder. Don't know how/if it's helped my husband since he's on antibiotics, but I figured it didn't hurt to try. ACV has been around a long time tho, and is much cheaper, if it works. I used the caps in the past- they're more convenient than liquid- maybe I'll look into buying the caps to have handy.

What was your experience with Levo? Have heard from others here to avoid fluoroquinolones at any cost, don't know why exactly, except based on their personal experiences. Anyway, glad to hear you're better with DIY!
 
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haidut

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I have been badgering my GP about a left side pain just below the rib cage which coincides with the top of the colon as it turns 90 degrees across the front of the body.

Blood work showed disturbed white blood counts,
Neutrophil 4% Low 60 - 70% range
Bands 1% Low 3 - 5 %
The rest, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and basophils all High and out of range. Evidently this is a somewhat rare combination?

Other symptoms maybe related are floating stools with white gook stuck on.

I had an ultrasound which was clear. Two week followup showed worsening WBC and the additional tumor marker test, CA 19-9 show just out of high end of range so I was referred to an oncologist/hemo guy who felt it was not a cancer profile at all judging by all the bloods (rbc's etc) which had greatly improved by that time.

I declined contrast cat scan he said it was okay to wait. This was 1 year ago.

Today at the yearly physical I complained about the pain as usual and with the urinalysis showing an infection, he wants me to take cypro.

I don't know if these two infections can be or are related but now I think I have real problems. Does anyone have advice? @haidut does this level of infection warrant antibiotics (you mentioned something the other day) or would you do something different?

I think it is important to treat the infection but I would ask for another antibiotic if possible. At least you now know that the "tumor" biomarker you got tricked into getting tested is basically crap (no pun intended). Good thing your oncologist was not a psychopath who would talk (extort) you into treatment.
 

aguilaroja

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...D-mannose may be in Azo, I don't know. If you check on amazon or other supplement sites, people swear by d-mannose. I got the plain powder. Don't know how/if it's helped my husband since he's on antibiotics, but I figured it didn't hurt to try. ACV has been around a long time tho, and is much cheaper, if it works. I used the caps in the past- they're more convenient than liquid- maybe I'll look into buying the caps to have handy.
Azo brand contains the primary ingredient Phenazopyridine. It is an entirely different substance than mannose. Phenazopyridine is used to relieve urinary tract discomfort during inflammation/infection, rather than to treat, say, an infection.
Phenazopyridine - Wikipedia

Mannose is a sugar with similarity to glucose (technically, an epimer).
D-mannose: a promising support for acute urinary tract infections in women. A pilot study. - PubMed - NCBI
“D-mannose seemed to have had a significant positive effect on UTIs' resolution and QoL improvement (p = 0.0001). As prophylactic agent administered for 6 months, it showed promising results (4.5% vs. 33.3% recurrences in treated and untreated patients respectively).”
“D-mannose can be an effective aid in acute cystitis management and also a successful prophylactic agent in a selected population….”
 

Owen B

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My husband fell ill at work on Monday, needed emergency care, has a dx of acute prostatitis (absent any male exam and based on ruling out other organs- kidney and liver tests all ok) and urine positive for E. coli, as well as positive for E. coli in his blood. They couldn't say how it got in his blood. Based on blood culture findings, they had him in hospital 2 nights with IV antibiotics and sent him home with an Rx for Cipro bid/30 days. Not too happy on the drug of choice, and this thread has me asking questions too. Our "list" of drug options contains at least 8 others, but the hospital doctor pushed for fluoroquinolone saying it was the best to penetrate the prostate (assuming this is the source of the infection!). Husband is better now but having night sweats since this happened, not sure what that is all about, temp is normal.

Trying to get appt. with primary care doc. Any insights would be appreciated.
Recently had a UTI. Had to go to a local urgent care. They gave me Cipro: 14 days. My primary was skeptical only of the 14 days. Said maybe 5-6 days at the most. When i got around to doing the followup with the urologist, he said he doesn't use Cipro. And would have given doxycycline instead.

Three different opinions. But my experience with the 14 day Cipro was brutal: total loss of libido, no erections, aches and pains in joints and pain in tendons in feet.

I'd research doxycycline. Stay away from fluoroquinolones.
 

Kray

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Recently had a UTI. Had to go to a local urgent care. They gave me Cipro: 14 days. My primary was skeptical only of the 14 days. Said maybe 5-6 days at the most. When i got around to doing the followup with the urologist, he said he doesn't use Cipro. And would have given doxycycline instead.

Three different opinions. But my experience with the 14 day Cipro was brutal: total loss of libido, no erections, aches and pains in joints and pain in tendons in feet.

I'd research doxycycline. Stay away from fluoroquinolones.

Thanks so much for sharing your experience and Insights. Might I ask, did they say yours was bladder or prostate-sourced? Urine cultures, blood cultures done?
 

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