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Is this tendon pain from cipro or prednisone?

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Posted 5/5/2013 2:57 PM (GMT 0)
Two months ago, I was put on cipro for a misdiagnosed cellulitis infection for 3 days, with the dose being 2x 500 mg every day. Once the throat culture came back and showed strep throat, I was put on penicillin to treat it.

Last monday, I started feeling pain in my left achilles tendon when walking. Now it is happening in both feet. Is this simply a delayed reaction from cipro or just something that happens on prednisone? I am currently on 5 mg of prednisone.

I'm 26 years old and haven't had any previous joint pains or tendon issues.

Post Edited (StealthGuardian) : 5/8/2013 12:57:59 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/5/2013 4:01 PM (GMT 0)
I'm voting for pred
Posted 5/5/2013 4:28 PM (GMT 0)
Make that two votes
Posted 5/5/2013 4:31 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for responding guys.

Ok. I just read through the cipro page and this is what it says, I am really feeling scared now:

"Fluoroquinolones, including CIPRO®, are associated with an increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture in all ages. This risk is further increased in older patients usually over 60 years of age, in patients taking corticosteroid drugs, and in patients with kidney, heart or lung transplants (see WARNINGS)."

I was also taking corticosteroids with cipro. :(

I am praying that this goes away so that I can resume exercising and walking. I will try epsom bath salts, up my magnesium intake and massage my tendons.
Posted 5/5/2013 5:07 PM (GMT 0)
 why were you taking steroids and cipro at the same time? You are not suppose to or with nsaids .
Posted 5/5/2013 5:10 PM (GMT 0)
I was so sick, so I just went along and blindly took whatever my physician told me to take. Now I realize it was a big mistake listening to her and not common sense.

It's possible I screwed up my life in those 3 days of cipro.
Posted 5/5/2013 5:30 PM (GMT 0)
Please contact your doctor right away about this. It's a serious and not rare adverse effect of Cipro and not to be taken lightly. Hope everything is okay.
Posted 5/5/2013 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
Judy2 - I'm going to make an appointment with a foot doctor tomorrow and get xrays.

From what I'm reading, it seems that this is an under reported problem with cipro - I'm hoping that it doesn't get any worse.
Posted 5/5/2013 6:21 PM (GMT 0)
I'm voting for Cipro
Posted 5/5/2013 6:54 PM (GMT 0)
Tendon rupture is possible with Cipro but if you had ruptured your tendon, um, man you would KNOW already. You wouldn't be posting on the internet about how your tendons kind of hurt. You did not "screw up your life". I was on Cipro and prednisone concurrently for two months -- prescribed by my GI with full knowledge of the risks. It is more dangerous when combined with corticosteroids but it isn't so dangerous that no doctor would ever prescribe it. I'm glad you're looking into it but please calm down.
Posted 5/5/2013 7:07 PM (GMT 0)

Pluot said...
Tendon rupture is possible with Cipro but if you had ruptured your tendon, um, man you would KNOW already. You wouldn't be posting on the internet about how your tendons kind of hurt. You did not "screw up your life". I was on Cipro and prednisone concurrently for two months -- prescribed by my GI with full knowledge of the risks. It is more dangerous when combined with corticosteroids but it isn't so dangerous that no doctor would ever prescribe it. I'm glad you're looking into it but please calm down.

It's not just tendon rupture, it can cause tendonitis and joint pain all over. The literature says that delayed reactions do happen with cipro and can occur as long as 6 months after the last dose. I really do a lot of things to keep my joints healthy -- yoga, cycling, walking, etc but this tendon pain came out of the blue last Monday when I was walking, which is why I'm worried.

But you are right, I'll give myself the benefit of the doubt and hope it's something temporary. I do need to calm down but reading all these horror stories of cipro are VERY, very unsettling -- it's destroyed the lives and dreams of many people, and I feel really hopeless because UC alone is giving me hell. I'll keep this thread updated.
Posted 5/5/2013 10:31 PM (GMT 0)
I vote for Pred.
Posted 5/5/2013 11:19 PM (GMT 0)
Pred or UC in general, is there any swelling?
Posted 5/5/2013 11:26 PM (GMT 0)
I'm going w/ pred. too.
Posted 5/5/2013 11:40 PM (GMT 0)
www.forbes.com/sites/melaniehaiken/2012/09/30/antibiotic-alert-the-drug-the-doctor-ordered-could-cause-deadly-side-effects/


You can do more research into it. A study was released last year on these types of antibiotics causing serious side effects. That doesn't mean it will happen with you, though. But definitely look into it because you're on this and pred.


Good luck.
Posted 5/5/2013 11:51 PM (GMT 0)
Mattcs,

No swelling, it's just that when I walk, I feel like I can't exert as much as I want to on the tendon without causing pain. I love going out for walks but my legs are getting a bit stiff and pain seems to be going from my heel to calves.

Sibby,

The more research it, the more it's freaking me out. It's just crazy what this drug has done to people! It says the drug alters the DNA and supposedly attacks the collagen of the bone -- so damaged cells get produced with no hope of recovery. I saw some youtube videos of people being completely crippled from the drug, but the reactions usually happened shortly afterwards. I'm reading the askapatient reviews and it's one of the lowest rated drugs on the site. Dr.Mercola says it's one of the antibiotics that people need to avoid because it's so toxic for the body.

I feel like such a dumbass for not researching it before putting it in my mouth. My physician did not even warn me about this.

Post Edited (StealthGuardian) : 5/5/2013 5:59:36 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/6/2013 12:13 AM (GMT 0)
Please don't put yourself down. You think you can trust every doctor that's out there, but you simply can't. Your doctor should have known of the side effects and risks. Now you know the risks. You made a choice to get rid of an infection. We don't know if the pain is caused by pred or cipro.

Maybe both, we don't know. I have heard of delayed reactions after ending cipro, and having tendon issues. Some are usually right after starting it.

You're dealing with it and you're taking action, which is a bloody good thing to do right now.

This antibiotic should be the last resort, not the first to treat an infection, such as what you had or c diff. It's an extremely powerful medication. And frankly, for years we believed antibiotics were safe. So you're doing the right thing.
Posted 5/6/2013 12:26 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks sibby. I'm praying to the medicine gods that this passes soon so that I can resume yoga and cycling.

People who have been "floxed" recommend chelated magnesium, glucasamine, high doses of vitamin c.

The ironic thing is this occurred just when my UC was getting manageable with resistant starches. It's like swapping out one evil for another now. That makes me a sad panda.

Post Edited (StealthGuardian) : 5/5/2013 6:29:05 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/6/2013 1:46 PM (GMT 0)
Tendon pain is most definitely Cipro and you need to discontinue it immediately.

Sue
Posted 5/6/2013 2:20 PM (GMT 0)
I was prescribed Cipro for an uti I didn't have ,I took one 500mg dose,than went on the internet and scared myself so much with what I was reading. The only thing the pharmacist said was to stay out of the sun,I did tell my doctor before hand I don't like antibiotics so I didn't want anything strong and this is what she prescribes,antibiotics that used to be prescibed as a last resource.

Sometines you can make yourself feel things that you have read. I do suffer from nausea all of a sudden four days after I took the Cipro ,5 weeks later still. It could be coinsidence.Never suffered from nausea before though.

Posted 5/6/2013 2:31 PM (GMT 0)
Suebear,

I stopped taking it 2 months ago. Only took 6 pills. I would rather die than take more cipro pills given the damage it's done to people. I think cipro has a place in the drug market, but ONLY as a last resort medicine as people have said. I just needed penicillin to cure my strep which is why I'm feeling bummed out. Should have waited for the throat culture to come back.

Zdenda,

It's definitely true that people can make themselves feel a certain way. I thought the cipro was gone from my body and continued my walking activities. It's just that I don't know what else is causing it. I haven't been on high doses of pred nor am I a marathon runner.

Post Edited (StealthGuardian) : 5/6/2013 8:47:04 AM (GMT-6)

Posted 5/6/2013 3:10 PM (GMT 0)
have you mentioned how long (and at what doses) you've been on pred?
Posted 5/6/2013 5:07 PM (GMT 0)

mattcs said...
have you mentioned how long (and at what doses) you've been on pred?

mattcs,

I've been on varying doses, with the most being 10 mg in the last few months. I have tapered down to 5 mg and seem to be stable enough.
Posted 5/6/2013 5:13 PM (GMT 0)
I was not on Cipro only Prednisone and I was in a ton of pain in my tendons and feet. When I have been on cipro I have always been warned though. I have been taking cipro and flagyl a lot recently and have zero problems. The instance of the tendon rupture with this drug is pretty low. Millions have taken it with no problems. Pretty much any drug you take has a lot of crazy side effects listed. If you read them you probably won't want to take anything. Now I will be back on pred this week and I do expect to have tendon feet issues again. It could be you are one of the rare ones with cipro tendon issues but it could be pred or something else.
Posted 5/6/2013 7:25 PM (GMT 0)
scum1,

How long did the pain last? Mine started last monday and started increasing in severity each day. Either way, cipro should never be taken with corticosteroids. From what the research says, only 10% of people actually report adverse side effects and the system is faulty. Worse yet, many of the reactions are delayed and people assume it's something else.

Going to see a foot doctor next Monday and hope everything turns out fine. In the meantime, I'll get chelated magnesium, take epsom salt baths and stay away from junk foods.
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