wondering if cipro is causing my panic attacks

Hi XG,

Thanks for the update.;) Glad to hear that things are somewhat better.

Yes, finding a psychologist/therapist can be a shot in the dark. You can check out Yelp and other on-line reviews now days at least...

...or maybe your GP can give you a referral when you go in next week...professionals often network. This was how I found mine.

Best wishes and let us know how you are doing soon.

S.C.

So glad that you are feeling better!!

Yes, I agree that while we can't definitively say that a certain thing may have caused our anxiety...it certainly seems that some things don't help!!

I had a really strong (Vietnamese style) coffee the other day. It did not cause my anxiety, because there are plenty of people who drink these all the time with not effects...but it triggered symptoms for me.

Learning what we can and can't do or take...or at least having a fair warning about it helps a lot. Of course, knowing me...I will bring that upon myself again in the future...I love strong coffee!;p

Anyway, I hope that you continue to feel better and better.:)

Keep posting.

S.C.

Hi tj and welcome.

Thanks for the information...it does just seem to confirm what the others have been saying!

I am sorry that this is causing a return of anxiety for you. I hope that it ceases once you discontinue the Rx!

Be sure and get another antibiotic if you are still suffering the infection/bacteria that you were prescribed for in the first place...you don't want to keep taking the Cipro, naturally...but you don't want your illness coming back either.

I hope that you are feeling all around better really soon!

Post with us anytime.

Scaredy Cat

I'll add my experience with Cipro too. I was given it for a UTI back in October and it gave me terrible stomach cramps. They eventually went away after the first two days. I went back to the doctor and still had a UTI, so they prescribed me Cipro again. This time it gave me horrible chest pains and I had problems breathing. It also made my anxiety so bad that I could barely get out of bed. I thought for sure I was dying. At my next appointment, I told my doctor that I would never take it again and to add it to my allergy list. Since taking Cipro, the right side of my stomach has had some discomfort. It has gotten better and is pretty much gone now, but I believe that Cirpo messed me up a lot more than it helped me get over that UTI. Never again! My mom has had the same type of problems and refuses to take it.

I've had bad anxiety problem for couple months due to a lot of stress after a job promotion..........with months of research, relaxation and meditation exercise,i have been steering clear for few months until these two weeks i started getting the sensation back after going on the cipro for sinus infection 9 days ago.....i just had about two panic attacks from work today out of nowhere and under no stressful circumstances........i was so upset thinking all my hard work has become worthless........until i really start to think of why all of a sudden my anxiety just comes back so strong.......i can't help by start to google and see if people have this kind of side effect from taking cipro and i found this post...........i have stopped taking the last two pills and if i get better that means it's really this drug that makes me feel that way......!!

I was taking ciprofloxacin and it almost killed me and I'm not out of the woods yet. Basically after about 5 days of taking this drug with no side effects I collapsed at work. I was sitting at my desk and felt a twitch or flutter in my heart. I can remember thinking this is not right next thing I wake up on floor. The guy next to me helps me back into my seat then I pass out again and I am told I had some kind of fit. Which I now know was lack of oxygen to the brain. They call an ambulance and by the time the paramedics get to me I am more or less ok they do and ECG and can see nothing wrong. I then got taken to A & E and got another EGC still I'm told there is nothing wrong. So I accept this and go home I never thought it would be the ciprofloxacin so dont mention it but I stopped taking it that night since they were almost finished anyway.

about 4 days later I was at work and I felt as if I was going to faint again but it never happened but I went to an emergency appointment at the doctors anyway. I am not sure if it was just a panic attack or not but I have been feeling gradually more anxious for the past couple of days even though its been over a week since I stopped taking the ciprofloxacin. The doc took blood which came back totally normal and I am to go for another ECG tomorrow to check for drug induced Long QT syndrome.

This Long QT syndrome's symptoms completely fit the bill for what happened to me. There is no warning you are just sitting there then you faint or die. I feel like I am lucky to alive as no body in my office knows how to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the time it took the paramedics to get to me I would have been long dead.

I just hope that if this drug caused some kind of heart arrhythmia or god forbid Long QT syndrome that it will now be resolved as I am no longer taking the drug.

I have never had any anxiety/panic previously to taking Ciprofloxacin I am normally cool as ice. I am not even sure if it is panic attacks or a heart a arrhythmia that's causing me to have these symptoms.

It was suggested that Ciprofloxacin could cause acquired Long QT I just hope its not permanent.

The Symptoms I have had recently are:

Sweating,
ringing in my ears,
extreme nervousness and feeling of dread
mild tingling in face and head and sometime limbs,
mild heart palpitations
slight headache
mild nervous shaking

Not had:
any fainting since the initial attack,
no real dizziness,
no shortness of breath
no severe chest pain

Hi Aeroman and welcome!

Just to clarify...you have not taken Cipro again since July? Or did this last bout of anxiety also result from a course of abx?

Either way...sorry to hear of your anxiety return.:( What have you tried in the past for relief? Do you have any good go to coping skills or self-help material that you can use at this time?

If you need some fresh ideas, please see our Resources at the top of the main page here. It is full of great recommendations that could help.

Keep posting here as well if you find it helpful. Support is key!

Scaredy Cat

Okay...I see. I am sorry that this has been rough.

Here is the link to our Resources. You can try some of the great self-help ideas for anxiety...as well as Moodgym, a really good on-line therapy option for depressive feelings.

https://www.healingwell.com/community/default.aspx?f=9&m=104206

If you find you need further help, you can then consider consulting with your doctor about meds and/or a therapy referral.

...and keep talking with us for understanding and encouragement.:)

S.C.