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Any Experience with Ciprofloxacin?
History of Bronchiestases and COPD.
I have been sick for 3 of the last 4 months...and almost continually for the last 2 months. Started as cold like for couple of weeks...get better for a couple of days and then come down again. It developed into a severe sinusitis type infection. Early nasal swab and more recent sputum showed nothing sinister although no AFB testing was done.
A course of Azrithromycin was followed by Amoxicillin and then 2 rounds of Augmentin (because of a skin infection I also had – plunging hands into potting mix while I had some broken skin). While initially these antibiotics seemed to help they didn't kill whatever is ailing me.
At one point on a weekend I tried the young 'on call Dr' at my local clinic and he said I needed to switch antibiotics and put me on Cefuroxine, gave me a referral for chest Xray to rule out Pneumonia, and a referral for ent scope of my throat area...because one of the symptoms I have been experiencing is the feeling of my throat closing and stopping my breathing. (Have decided to leave the scoping for the moment).
I woke the next morning with laryngitis type symptoms and shortness of breath on walking.
The Xray and a subsequent blood test for inflammation markers came back negative (however I had also been on a 5 day Prednisolone course).
The pulmonary rehabilitation program I have previously been doing had suggested that nebulising hypertonic may be causing some of my excess mucus problems (up to 3 cups daily) and so I did cut down to 2 or 3 times a week for a while there, but back to once a day now. Doctors have found no reports of chest noises.
Yesterday I managed to get in to see a more senior GP I used to see and he strongly recommended I go straight on to a long course of Ciprofloxacin immediately to DRENCH all potential cavities in lungs/other non blood fed areas etc, and told me to stay on the antibiotic for a week after I am symptom free. He did warn about tendinopathy…but since I have taken the first tablet and done some research, I have discovered that it can be a very dangerous antibiotic…and I have had a bit of feedback from the LM people on Facebook, with stories of people’s problems after being on Ciprofloxacin. Understandbly they are very negative about the fact that no sputum testing for AFB/Pseudomonas was done… however the original nasal swab and subsequent ordinary sputum done between antibiotics did not show anything, unfortunately no AFB testing done.
Despite the fact that I have been on so many antibiotics and am currently on Ciprofloxacin now, AI suggested I could still submit a sputum for analysis, which I have done this morning.
It is difficult to find a GP (PCP) here in Australia, for acute events, who is really knowledgeable about Bronchiectasis, NTM, Pseudomonas etc and it can take months to get in to see a respiratory specialist.
The research article I found here is Australia about side effects of Ciprofloxacin is below.
https://australianprescriber.tg.org.au/articles/fluoroquinolone-antibiotics-and-adverse-events.html
I would love to hear any wisdom or feedback you could give me. Many thanks.
Narelle
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I took it once for 10 days no issues. I needed it agian about 9 months later, but after few days started tendon issues, had to stop, and will never be able to take it again. I was fighting pseudomonas so had to use an IV antibiotic.
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1 Reaction@sherrig
Sorry to hear you were experiencing pseudomonas...it sounds like you were able to clear it. Thankfully IV antibiotics worked, it appears. Have you been peudomonas free since?
May I ask what it feels like to have Pseudomonas and whether you had the coloured sputum?
My GP said he didn't think I had it, but still wanted me to take this antibiotic for a month or until I was symptom free for a whole week. What if it doesn't change the situation and I have risked all these side effects.
I have had a different cough the last two weeks or so, which is the main sympton now, just a gurgling feeling (with mucus) which was in my throat area, but now has descended into the base of my lungs...and the mucus coughed up is white and quite thick and sticky
Can you enlighten me as to what you experienced? Much appreciated.
Narelle
Is there any way you can see a Pulmonologist without waiting too long? I would be very wary of the GP's advice in this instance. You have asked about sputum and usually with Pseudomonas the sputum is rather brownish yellow and alot of it.
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2 Reactions@irenea8
Thank you, Irene...there is usually a month or longer wait to get in to see a pulmo. I may be able to get in earlier because of circumstances...however since I have started Cipro yesterday it is probably too late now to change it seems.
@narelled23 Not too late! Please, please get a pulmonologist appointment so you can have a culture done and get on the correct antibiotics for the correct amount of time. Repeated short courses without knowing what bacteria you have has not been working for you these past months.
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3 Reactions@narelled23
I second what Sue said. I have had GP's try to advise my lung situation that clearly know less about it than I do! My Pulmo said to always tell them I am getting care from my pulmonologist. If there is any way you can hold off and get the correct treatment from either a pulmo or an infectious disease specialist.
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1 Reaction@narelled23 Along with the IV I followed it with 2 months of inhaled colistin. Neither medication was fun to administer. My main side effect was from the colistin as it made my lung function decline, and I didn't understand why I was always tired, until I stopped. After I stopped i felt a lot better. I have been pseudomonas free since then (over 1 year). It was one of the reasons I decided to take the Brinsupri.
At the time I got the pseudomonas I was also on the Big 3 treating MAC. Since I had a lot of sputum it was hard to tell I had the pseudomonas until we did a culture and it showed up.
Hope this helps - Good Luck.
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1 Reaction@sueinmn
Sue, wouldn't be able to contact any pulmo until tomorrow now and presumably then have to wait...in the interim continue with this antibiotic in any case? Do you have particular concerns about cipro in this instance?
Overnight had the feeling this may be helping as my only real symptom is a gurgling cough and mucus.
I appreciate your input. 🙏
@sherrig
May I ask if your lung function returned after finishing the drug?
@irenea8
It takes time here in Australia to get appointments with a pulmonary specialist, that is the issue. I will certainly be more proactive about sputums before in future. I think it got out of hand right at the beginning and then just continued because I was already on antibiotics.