[Nacho]

Did you people suffering with PN know that commonly prescribed antibiotics in the Fluoroquinolone class can cause: peripheral neuropathy-eye and sinus problems-muscle pains-tendonitis-gastro-intestinal problems, and more. Some of the antibiotics responable are: Cipro,Levaquin,Avelox,Floxin. There are 13 total in this class of antibiotics that have side effects that can cause the above mentioned problems. The side effects are listed in the PDR, but most Drs. are unaware of this problem. A new warning was included in 2004 of the potential for severe and permanent PN with the use of Quinolones. There are several forums filled with people that have had thier lives ruined by these antibiotics. The damage can show up weeks to months after you are done taking the Quinolones. They can also cause severe insomnia and anxiety that goes away after a few weeks. This could be the cause of alot of the so called "idiopathic" PNs out there. Just google in - Quinolones and adverse drug reactions. I hope this helps. Nacho

[MelodyL]

So what happens if, let's say 25 years ago, my husband was hospitalized with "fever of unknown origin". and he stayed there about 2 weeks (they put him in isolation because they did not know what was wrong). I couldn't even visit him and I had just had a baby.

So does this mean that Alan's Idiopathic PN could have been caused by a med that he was given 25 or so years ago. Alan has had this for 18 or so years.

boy, now wouldn't that be something??

Melody

[Nacho]

These quinolones have been around for over 30 yrs.

[nancy-h]

During the early 90's I suffered terribly from sinus infections. I was on Cipro but also Zithromax (The Z-pack that hits the infection hard in 4 doses.) Off the top of your head, do you know what class Zithromax is in?
Anyway, I finally had the sinus surgery to stop the constant infections and pain.

Due to an infection caused by negligence, my husband has to take Levaquin for life. I pray he does not pick up PN on top of all of the rest of his medical problems.

Thanks;
nancy-h

[Nacho]

But Cipro is. I would recomend you go to drugvictims.org before your husband takes anymore Levaquin. It builds up in the system and is toxic to people at different levels. Some people can take several doses before they have permanent damage. Others can be damaged on the first pill!

If you already have PN and take one of the quinolones, It can make your PN go off the charts. This is what happened to me. I was finally getting my pain under control and some feeling back when my Dr Rx.ed cipro for a minor urinary tract infection. He was unaware of the warning on PN. My PN is now so bad that I can barely walk. He did not believe me, and told me he would no longer be my PCP. (did me a favor). Google in peripheral neuropathy and quinolones....it's all there.

[Nacho]

Myacins are safer for most people.

[mrsD]

but quinolones have NOT been around for 30 years, in the USA.

Cipro was the first here. It's patent expired in 2003. That makes it 13 or 14 yrs old thereabouts.

It is also not accurate to use the -myacin suffix as safe. There a many
mycins that are NOT related to each other, and some which are very toxic.

Gentamycin, and tobramycin are neurotoxic to some people.
Streptomycin is rarely used and also quite hazardous. These are called aminoglycosides.

Achromycin, Terramycin, Vibramycin are in the tetracyline family. (not toxic)

Adriamycin is a chemo agent and can damage the heart.

Erythromycin and Azithromycin (Zithromax) and clarithromycin (Biaxin) are in the family of macrolides.

Clindamycin is very hard on the GI tract, but is useful for deep tissue infections and bone infections(anaerobic). It can cause severe colitis in some people. It is called a lincosaminde.

We have had many posters in the past, who claimed damage from fluroquinolones. This family of drugs, is very problematic for some people.
It also causes tendon ruptures for some. Not everyone reacts to the neuro potential of the quinolones. Cipro in short course treatments is usually well
tolerated. Long term however, increases risk.
Some quinolones have been recalled/discontinued. Omniflox was one.
Some have fallen into disuse because of CNS side effects/seizures= Floxin

Some on this board have had this experience with fluroquinolones. There is a book written about them called Bitter Pills, by Stephen Fried.

[nancy-h]

Mrs. D - thanks for the info although it boggles my mind! It does help because just last winter I was rx'd Cipro for a sinus infection by a Nurse Practioner who was on duty at my clinic over the holidays last year.

For such infections, what antibiotic should PN'er's ask for, the Z-pack (Zithromax)? I am also lucky enough to have an allergy to penicillin and sulfa.

Opinion, please.

Nancy-H

[mrsD]

We enter here, Nancyh the realm of sales promotion!

When the fluroquinolones came out, they were orginally intended to be
a third line drug. That is others, were to be tried first, and if it appeared that
resistance was present the Cipro was to be considered later.

Some people (like me) are allergic to penicillin and sulfa drugs. So Cipro is
a good choice for bladder/kidney infections in patients with those problems.
But the it was noticed that it was SO good, they started promoting it
aggressively, and really pushing the samples at doctors, who used it themselves and it quickly became highly popular and the tiers of use quickly bypassed.

Other drug companies became interested in making more money, so Me-Too quinolones came out. This is when the toxicities became more apparent.
It took several years for the tendon rupture side effect to be identified. It often occurs up to six months AFTER the drug is stopped, so it was hard
to connect to the drugs. The ME-too copy cats, were sort of rushed thru, and all of them except for Levaquin, show more toxicity than Cipro.
Some have been taken off the market entirely.

Cipro is still used heavily for cellulitis (infection of soft tissue), kidney infections and prostate infections. There is a low dose Cipro pack for bladder infections in women--it is very low dose. Levaquin was shown in studies to be very good for community acquired pneumonias, resistant to other drugs.
Cipro is still used for long term treatments of chronic prostatitis. It is here in the long term use, that PN is a potential side effect. Some people, may get the PN however, at first use (depending on their susceptibility to nerve damage).

The tiers for urinary tract infections for non allergic people are:
1) Amoxicillin or Cephalexin
2) Septra DS
3) nitrofurantoin
4) Cipro

For upper respiratory infections:
1) amoxicillin/Augmentin or erythromycin (or Zithromax) if penicillin allergic
2) Septra DS
3) Quinolones (often first line now for pneumonias)

Amoxicillin still works. Even though there are resistant strains of bacteria out there. My son had a flaming throat with Mono and amoxicllin took care of it quickly and easily. In children this is first line. (they don't use quinolones quickly in kids because of the tendon rupture issue). Although Cipro did get approved for kids, it is still withheld unless absolutely necessary. In children it is reserved for kidney or cellulitis infections. (usually from trauma or kidney birth defects).

How it goes however in the doctor's office is that Zithromax is given very frequently today. And there is some bacterial resistance developing to it. There is a new dosing of 500mg for 3 days now for that, and some pneumonias.
Zithromax works well for me. But I don't use it very often. I don't get ill much since doing my supplements (including zinc and EFAs). Essential fatty acids, really fix small imperfections in the mucous membranes, and improve mucous movement and help keep the upper airways clean. Oral zinc beefs up the immune system. I used to get about 4 bronchitis attacks/year--since I am exposed to sick people every day. That has gone down to about 1 every 3 or 4 years. I have had bronchopneumonia twice, in the past before my supplement days.

Levaquin remains very popular for the elderly population. We use alot of it
for the nursing homes. Lots of pneumonia there. In the nursing homes, long term urinary tract infections are common. They use nitrofurantoin mostly for that. I do not see long term fluroquinolones frequently there. Nitrofurantoin has new warnings on kidney damage and it too can cause PN, only not as frequently.

Use of antibiotics is controversial now, since mrsa (methicillin resistant staph) has appeared. These super bacteria are thought to be mutants resulting from over use of antibiotics or misuse of them.

[mrsD]

http://www.askapatient.com/classrepo...E%20INHIBITORS

There are ERRORS in classification here.
Drugs in the list contain ace receptor antagonists...which are very
different from ACE inhibitors. So this classification is murky. and poorly done.
This concerns me.

And it is interesting that hyoscyamine is not listed under antispasmotics...this is the most commonly used after dicyclomine.

Keep in mind that the ratings contain many unusual comments. People will say the most amazing things that their drugs cause for them. Some of the
reactions are common place others are off the wall. The first page for Singulair is a good example. So keep this in mind when you read those effects.
I found some of them to be AMAZING and have never heard them voiced by patients-- I hear EVERYTHING eventually BTW. And some of the Singulair page is an example of perhaps exaggeration. People lie on the net, bamboozle. So keep that in mind. Some things are true, and others may not be. It is very hard to sift that out for a layperson. So please don't use this as an exclusive information source. Ask your pharmacist (first) and doctor as well. For example I have used Singulair for years..it has been terrific. I don't use it everyday, only when exposed to potential allergens (like penicillin dust, which is occupational for me). I don't have ANY side effects from it at all.

I could also not find who is sponsoring this site. So if anyone knows or finds that information, I'd appreciate sharing it here.