CIPRO side effects / general worries

[ChrisMayo]

Hi all,

I haven't posted here for some time but I've hit a bit of a wall and wanted some advice / thoughts.

I was put on Ciprofloxacin for a suspected prostate and testicular infection last Tuesday, I had some horrible side effects (severe anxiety, tiredness, leg muscle pain) after trying to persevere I went to the hospital and was given some new antibiotics (Nitrofurantoin).

Since then i've had all sorts of problems from the Cipro and possibly the new antibiotic as well.

I've read so many horror stories about Cipro and I've got myself into a state that I'm going to become really ill and for a long time (I already feel terrible after just four doses) and the other antibiotics are giving me awful headaches and problems with sleeping.

I'm definitely in an anxious state and also felt a possible enlarged lymph node in my neck which really freaked me out, even though it's something i've never checked for before. It feels like it's hurting now, but that might be because i've been prodding it.

So now i'm worrying about all sorts of problems that might be wrong with me.

Any thoughts on how to distract, or has anyone dealt with the above issues at all?

Sorry for the rambly post.

Chris

[lior]

Hello Chris. Strong antibiotics can make you feel rubbish for a couple of weeks. That's totally normal, and it won't make you ill for a very long time. It would be much, much worse if you didn't take them and ended up with a serious, untreated infection. You are doing the right thing. Keep going, take the doses at the right times. Don't prod your neck.

You know that a side effect is anxiety. So just remember that it's just a side effect.

Now here's something that might distract you. Are you the same Chris Mayo who is a ginger comedian that I once talked to on OkCupid?

[ChrisMayo]

Hi Loire

Thanks for the reply. I stopped the Cipro about 4/5 days ago, so I'm hoping it will slowly subside. I finish the other antibiotics on Saturday, so fingers crossed next week will be better.

And ha! Yes that's me

[lior]

It's Lior, like the hebrew name, not the French valley...

I'm 100% sure that next week you will feel better.

I just watched your show reel! You are way too easy to internet stalk!

---------- Post added at 23:51 ---------- Previous post was at 23:46 ----------

Totally made me laugh by the way. You know what's just a bit worse than someone walking the same pace as you? Someone walking just a teeny bit slower than you, but blocking the way. Then realising that you're there, so they try to up the pace to get away from you, but just a tiny bit so it doesn't work - you end up walking the same pace only then. So after too many excruciating minutes they decide to slow down and let you pass. Then you sort of feel guilty...

...and that's why you're a comic, and I'm not

[worrywart29]

OMG cipro was the start of all my problems and I haven't been the same since and after reading all the horror stories my health anxiety started

[ChrisMayo]

Hey Lior,

Sorry, autocorrect I think!

I hope so! Crippling anxiety today which woke me up. Awful.

Haha thanks! Small world eh? Yeah I have a longer bit of that routine but just put a snippet online

Hi WorryWart29
How long ago was this? Would be interested in talking about it.

[lior]

What were you thinking when you woke up?

This is the first time ever on NMP that I have recognised someone. It's kind of weird. All my deep dark stuff is here - it's safer if it's more anonymous.

[nicola1980]

Cipro is renowned for playing havoc with your mental health, it even warns you on the leaflet, i refuse point blank to even be prescribed it, im currently taking another strong both co anoxiclav and I'm feeling dreadful aswell but I am very poorly with a kidney infection but my anxiety has rocketed XX

[worrywart29]

Hey Lior,

Sorry, autocorrect I think!

I hope so! Crippling anxiety today which woke me up. Awful.

Haha thanks! Small world eh? Yeah I have a longer bit of that routine but just put a snippet online

Hi WorryWart29
How long ago was this? Would be interested in talking about it.

I took cipro back in January. About 3 days in while at work I said to my Co worker I don't know why suddenly I'm feeling so anxious as if something bad is about to happen it's at this time that I also noticed a weak and heavy feeling in my legs. I didn't think much of it went home and took another dose I looked in the mirror and my eye was bright red almost immediately after taking the pill. This prompted me to Google cipro side effects. The stories I read had me up all night crying because I was having the same issues as a lot of them such as weak muscles anxious feeling and eye issues I just knew I was going to end up in a wheel chair. I stopped the cipro but the issues with my legs only increased it was now a burning and tight feeling in my leg muscles sort of like I pulled a muscle. I immediately bought magnesium supplements and changed my diet I say after a few weeks my legs improved although now I still randomly have legs issues. The issues with my mental health still has not improved. One day while laying in bed I jumped up and became nervous over not being able to hear my heart beat (I know normally we are not supposed to hear our heart beat) but for some reason this alarmed me this one incident triggered my health anxiety. I started checking my pulse excessively throughout the day all I could think about was my heart my mother convinced me to get an ekg to put my mind at rest I agreed and it came out normal. This sorta put my mind at rest but now I obsess over every ache pain and is convinced I have something terminal. Before the cipro I never gave my health much thought I don't know if the cipro triggered this or if it was the result of me reading the horror stories that triggered it

---------- Post added at 15:10 ---------- Previous post was at 15:00 ----------

Forgot to mention that it also cause my bones to make a popping sound on almost every movement it decreased now but still notice my bones are very loud. Also had lots of pulsing in legs sort of like a heart beat. The list goes on and on I'm sure I could think of more later lol

[ChrisMayo]

Sounds like we went through similar worries Worrywart29

The anxiety was the worse, woke me up in the middle of the night on day three, heart was beating out of my chest and felt like it was burning. Have had that on and off over the last week, have been off it for a week so it should be working its way out of my system now.

I got the tendon pain in my achilles and stiff leg muscles so naturally I was worried about ending up not able to walk (I also read all the horror stories and there were LOADS). I couldn't put any weight on my ankle for about three days, but I think that was mainly from worry my achilles was going to rupture.

Got it checked out by the hospital who said it's likely to be from the meds but that everything looked strong and healthy with no signs of inflammation or weakness, so it was unlikely i'd suffer long term.

Still taking it easy as it's early days, I also bought magnesium and have been taking lots of vitamins and drinking tons of water to try and detox.

Are you feeling back to normal now? Aside from the anxiety.

I certainly got it all into my head that I was doomed, so I think that made everything ten times worse.

Hope you're doing ok
x