Last year I'd a UTI and well, you got it! I got the CIPRO! Even tho it's in my 'file' that I shouldn't? DUH.. I did ask THREE times, ARE YOU SURE?????
Well, at times better the devil you know than the one you don't? I was on a short course as well, and did just fine until about 10 days after I went off the CIPRO...then PN [new?] kicked in. But not too badly. At least no more infection!
Alternative anti-b's take longer and are less likely to work. The tradeoff is getting rid of the infection and then dealing w/the consequences later. In my own case the CIPRO induced effects have long receded into the background after several months.
The infection could create far more undesirable consequences in the long term if not treated than dealing with the consequences of the treatments.
Mrs D is again, right, in that we have to be super careful with some things. Plain and simple. It's a frustrating place to be in at times, but we are here and must deal with it all! Hugs and hope always 's - j

Thanks dahlek. Thats the frustrating thing, the Cipro is working great on the infection. I called the pharmacist and she said to not worry about it (I don't know about that) She also said that I can check with the doctor as well (even though he is a gynecologist, not a neuropathy expert) You are so right about letting the infection go, I took the wrong antibiotic about 15 months ago for a bladder infection. It didn't work and by having that bladder infection for a longer period of time, it caused complications that lasted for months. I finally took Cipro and the infection was wiped out. This was before I ever got PN. I guess we shall see what happens. I appreciate MrsD and everyone here with their great advise. Hugs to you too!

MrsD, can you explain how the (natural type) and NAC (n-acetyl cysteine) is helpful when taken with and after the cipro treatment? Does it work towards protecting the nerves?




Wanted to add, I called the doctor and he also said the same thing as the pharmacist. He then asked me how I felt bladder wise, and I said fine. He then told me to go ahead and shorten the course from 7 days to 5.

The NAC and vit E was posted by Dr. Jay Cohen, based on
a report from a patient who used those for his quinolone damage. The NAC is the oral way to increase glutathione, which this patient had administered by another doctor IV.
I suggest NAC for those who don't want to consult a doctor for IV glutathione treatments. Glutathione cannot be used orally.

It is the only report I am aware of that offers a solution.
I don't know why it works... no one has figured that out yet.
If you read the link I provided to Dr. Cohen, he explains how he verified it.

It is always possible that acetyl carnitine will work too, if quinolones damage mitochondria like other drugs.
But we don't know that for a fact at this time. We also don't know how they damage tendons over time and cause ruptures, after treatment is over.

Just last week I had what the doc suspected was pneumonia. Because erithromycin causes diarrhea, she prescribed a 5 day course of Levaquin. I took one pill and no problems. The 2nd day I started to have serious numbness & burning pain starting in my ankle & radiating up to my knee. I read the insert (too late, I guess) & almost fainted when I saw the laundry list of sx...most notably an achilles tendon rupture!! Who in the world would trade an infection for a ruptured tendon?? When I phoned the doc to say I wasn't going to continue, she got very defensive & said she gave it to many patients & only ONE had a ruptured achilles tendon!! This is a freaking nightmare of a drug. I still have much more intense burning & pain in my one leg & am worried that this is not the worst of it. Who knows what disabling effects await me down the road?

I read Dr. Cohen's report of the efficacy of glutathione & NAC. I'm happy that there might be some kind of treatment for this. The easiest would be to order some NAC asap.

I went to the health food store and got the NAC and the natual vitamin E and started on it as soon as I brought it home. I'm a little scared now. PN symptoms have definitely flarred up. I am done with my course of cipro and the infection is gone. I really have to keep an eye on this....