I'm new here and need advice on Cipro

I've been a long-time lurker here, but this is my first post, so hello everyone. This forum has really been a great comfort and source of information for me, so thank you.

A little background on me: I was officially diagnosed with Crohn's in 2007, but I have had stomach "issues" (diarrhea, abdominal pain) my entire life, as do most people in my family. The GI that diagnosed me put me on Pentasa, then Keflex (antibiotic), neither of which worked (in fact, the Keflex made my symptoms much worse). He was also very hard to reach, and I felt like I wasn't getting the best care, so I decided to try a new GI.

Since I started seeing her two months ago, I have tried Lialda, Asacol, and Entocort (which I am currently on, with no success). Before the Entocort, she wanted me to try Cipro, but my experience with antibiotics has always been the same: I end up with worse diarrhea than before. My mother was also hospitalized with c. diff a few years ago, which can be caused by taking antibiotics long-term, from what I understand. That was a hellish situation, and I would rather just deal with the Crohn's and not take anything than have to go through that. now that the Entocort has done zilch to help me, she really wants me to try the Cipro.

My new doctor has also recommended that I see a Crohn's specialist, since my disease is "hard to manage." I'm not sure if I should bite the bullet and try the Cipro, even though I am terrified of it, or just take nothing and wait to see the new doctor and get her opinion.

Has anyone here with "hard to manage" Crohn's tried Cipro, and has it worked for you? Has anyone's symptoms been made worse by it?

Thanks for your advice!

I would say that your situation is not unusual in that antibodics can make you feel worse, but I actually do feel better on a combo of antibodics, but I also take probodics with it and eat LOTS of yogert.

I've been on Cipro/Flagyl three times and I never had extra diarrhea because of it.
I've never taken cipro by itself. I have taken Flagyl by itself. Man, it gives me the worst after taste ever! It makes food taste like metal and water taste like poison.
But I have to admit, cipro/flagyl, when i took it the third time, did the most good for my fistula. It stopped draining and sealed over, but it's still there.
I don't want to take them anymore because I don't want to get c-diff.

I took Cipro with Flagyl last spring and ended up in the hospital. Of course the docs don't point to the antibiotics, but it was clear to me. I started the two antibiotics and within a week the D was worse. It continued to get worse and worse. I kept calling my doctors (GI and primary, anyone who would listen) and finally quit them both and checked myself into the hospital (certain I had c-diff, which I didn't) after I lost control within literal seconds of when the urge hit. I was crossing the street from my neighbors house to mine and could NOT control it to even get across the street. Bam! My temps were up to 102.5 and I gave up. I have avoided them since.

Having said that, twice prior I was on either Cipro alone and once a that same combo and I did not get worse D. In fact, it did seem to help me. Cipro along with steroids has an increased likelihood of a ruptured Achilles tendon. So if you do try it, and are still on Endocort, watch for soreness.

Cirpo is commonly used in Crohn's. I don't know how much it helps others though. Some people have better luck with Xifaxan. It's another antibiotic that doesn't seem to give the D or any of the other icky antibiotic effects. Maybe you could ask your doctor about that one. Cipro and Flagyl are the most common, so I won't be surprised if she wants to to try it. Just watch for worsening symptoms and call the doc about stopping.

I took Cipro one time for a Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth, and it worked really well for me without side effects at all. Then I had to take again about a month ago and only made it 4 days because it made me so sick with nausea and diarrhea. Crazy how it worked well one time, and not the other. I know that Pred is a med we love to hate, but it works the fastest for me to quiet a flare down. Hope it helps you to feel better. Hugs!

I just finished taking my cipro/flagyl combo and boy, did it take a toll on me! I had D the entire time I was on it probably twice as bad as I did before. But, it did make the infection in my illeum go away so I was happy about that. Today I started my first Crohn's regimen of 6MP, Endocort, and 25mg Prednisone. It's 3:18 am and my heart is popping out of my chest! I feel so tired yet my pulse is 155bpm so for tonight, I am screwed. Thank god its saturday and I am off tomorrow.

Hi and welcome! I too am going on to cipro, Had Fagyl in the past but it was awful to many side effects, the GI said to try cipro as its not as bad as Flagyl just got to get the op out of the way first! Bev x

My daughter got fever of 103.6 degrees Fahrenheit from Cipro.  After two days and nights of battling to keep fever rising no higher than that, I noticed the connection between the fever rise and fall and the administration of Cipro (every 12 hrs). Pointed it out to the docs in the hospital so they withdrew it and the fever went away.

Cipro has helped me more than once when Prednisone did not. Everyone is different, but it's definitely worth a try