I have side effects from ciprofloxacin. Should I be concerned?

Question

I was hospitalized for a urinary tract infection that went to the kidneys and then was detected in the blood. It became quite serious as an infection (4 days in hospital) and I was given cipro by injection, and now, back home, I have 500mg tablets to take (I took a dose this morning). Already in the hospital I was feeling a little dizzy and tense behind my legs. I thought it was normal but now I see that it is part of the side effects of cipro and I don't know if it is serious. If I don't exercise and the stiffness is not incapacitating, should I really stop treatment? It seems to me that treating the infection is more important. I'm 35 and don't take corticosteroids or anything else... I would much rather not stop treatment, I'm just afraid that if it's inflammation in the tendons that it will be permanent and I won't be able to exercise anymore, as I'm normally pretty active.

Alexandre Chagnon · Accepted Answer

Hello, The two side effects you mention are among the effects that can theoretically be experienced with ciprofloxacin. Most antibiotics can cause nausea or possibly dizziness as you describe. So it is recommended that you take it with food to help alleviate these symptoms. Just be careful not to take it only with dairy products, as the calcium may decrease its effectiveness. It is necessary to space the Cipro™ 2h before or 6h after dairy products and calcium. Note that a urinary tract infection that affects the kidney can also affect your general condition and cause nausea/dizziness. For leg stiffness, it has been reported that ciprofloxacin can have adverse effects on tendons, especially in people who are older, have health conditions, or are taking corticosteroids at the same time. There have been cases of tendon rupture with this drug, the Achilles tendon more frequently. So to avoid this, it is recommended to avoid any physical exercise for the duration of the treatment. If you feel pain or observe inflammation in the tendons, it should be stopped and consult your doctor quickly to change treatment. Ayoub Bouchama, pharmacy student Supervised by Alexandre Chagnon, pharmacist It is recommended to stop treatment when you really feel pain or there is inflammation in the tendons or joints. The goal is to avoid as I mentioned a tendon tear, which would prevent you from playing sports for a more considerable period of time. If you say it is just stiffness and you are not putting stress on your tendons, I would not tell you to stop treatment, just monitor the progress. If within 24-48 hours, the pain increases, you should consult your doctor. He or she can then prescribe an alternative antibiotic that will control the infection and avoid side effects of the ciprofloxacin.