My mother ruptured both her Achilles tendons on it and they never healed properly. It happened without warning and after she was on it, not during. She was over 60 which is the demographic that is having some issues.

I've had IBS (the upset tummy part) for over 30 yrs. Whenever I'd have an infection or sinus problem my dr would put me on antibiotics and all upset my stomach except for Cipro, so I would always request Cipro if it fit my issue at the time. Not long after that I had plantar fasciitis (sp) in both feet and now I have severe feet problems. I have to wear all orthopedic shoes and they are so ugly! But I had no idea Cipro could have been the culprit until a couple of yrs ago when once again sick with an upper resp infection I went to the pharmacy to pick up the Cipro and happened to notice on the papers that came with it a large warning about some people having tendon ruptures and other problems while using it! I called my dr who wasn't aware of the problem, but he ordered me another antibiotic. Now every dr I go to I just tell them I'm allergic to Cipro. Some are still skeptic about it causing tendon trouble even though it was written as a warning in my prescription from the company! I had no idea Levaquin can cause tendon problems!! I started taking that yesterday :( This is so upsetting to me....

I guess when you think about it a chNce if a tendon issue would be the leAst of my probs when I take meds that can cause death. Lol just tryin to look at the bright side.

they never ask me when I can't breath in the hosptial why I am complaining about levaquin for pneumonia but I guess they think i am in a place not to question. serious meds for serious bacteria i guess. just like serious biologics for serious RA. is there an option?

My wife was on levofloxacin for seven days and started to experience severe tendon and joint pain. Its been four days and the pain has not subsided. Any ideas on what she can do to counteract this?

Alan,
An anti inflammatory usually helps joint/tendon pain better than other types of pain relievers. It does for me anyway. If using over the counter Aleve or ibuprofen are a good place to start. Take with food because they're hard on the stomach. And plenty of water.

But as was mentioned in the thread levaquin (which I believe you mentioned the generic name I could be wrong I'm not familiar with that med) can cause tendon issues. Your wife may want to go to the Dr and make sure there aren't any tendon issues going on other than pain. Pain is the body's way of telling you to pay attention.

Hope she feels better.
Emerald

I have since found out that it was the Cipro that put me in the hospital over the new year. It caused my C Diff infection. All beware.

My mother was put on Cipro last week for a UTI infection, when she visited the emergency. After she had taken it, she begin to feel side effects from the Cipro. Sunday, she called and spoke with an on-call doctor. He told my mom that she needs to go to the emergency like right now. She said that she did not feel comfortable of calling the Paramedics because all they were going to say was that mom was having a anxiety attack so the doctor called them himself. At the hospital, a doctor came in the room and told mom that she doubt that she was having any side effects from the medication, she should continue to take it. Mom was trying to explain to her what was happening. It seem like the doctor refused to listen to mom. But On Monday (this past Monday) she called her primary doctor, who told mom that she did not have to take it because mom really did not have a bad bladder infection. A nurse from mom's primary office sent mom a email stating that she did not have to take Cipro.

I'm just tired of this mess with doctors and any other medical advices, it's causing too much mayhem here at home and it's causing mom to feel less than a person. It seems when mom feel irritable, I usually catch the butt end of everything because of others. I get snapped at or I would catch the quiet treatment. I just wish that they did not tell mom about something they are not sure she has. Life is too difficult enough.

I was in an orthopedic boot for 9 months after taking it.

Never again. There are several comparable antibiotics one can prescribe.

Cipro is for bladder and UTI infections. It is not for pneumonia or other infections. One lung specialist had me on it for months, before RA, and it did not help. I ended up on Doxycline which worked well.

A few years back, some doctor prescribed Cipro for me for a lung infection. The pharmacist had just taken a course on Cipro, and said it was the most wrongly prescribed drug in Canada. She phoned the doctor and got it changed.

I didn't know about it affecting tendons, but I will keep that in mind next time I need antibiotics. I wonder if this was noticed in clinical trials, or just people complaining about it when it went on the market?

It doesn't affect EVERONE'S tendons. Just some. Not sure what the defining selection criteria is.

Actually, Cipro is also used for specific urethral infections.

It's a great drug - no doubt about it.....for those who can take it.