CIPRO and related warnings to everyone

[TheBearguy8 58]

I am working my way through something nearly disastrous. There is a reason I am posting this for WLS patients

Cipro, Levaquin, are known a fluoroquinolones. These are not "typical" antibiotics and are used for more serious bacterial infections. I had a suspected UTI, and the emergency room gave me Cipro, and I had taken it before so I was not alarmed. Taken before surgery successfully with no problems except some stomach upset.

The pharmacist gave me a big speech about the sun, and nothing else I remembered. That's not the speech they should give. On day 3 my urologist went nuts and said stop taking Cipro immediately. I had taken it for 72 hours and seemed fine, with leg pain I didn't connect. Well the next week was hell. My Achilles tendons, joints and entire body went into some sort of crazy shock - and you don't think of an antibiotic doing that.

I am of the belief that post surgery, Vitamin absorption changes, dietary nutrients changes, it made me susceptible to what happened. I take Vitamins as instructed, but the body has changed. Here is the important part if you are reading this. MANY PEOPLE'S DAMAGE IS IRREVERSIBLE! I was horrified when I read the stories of doctors insisting patients finish the course of Cipro/Levaquin treatment while they were losing their ability to even walk. My legs are my life and career, this was a near disaster.

Our new bodies may present a new issue and I want any WLS patients to ask questions and be very careful. Side effects can fade away, but tendonitis, and joint injuries from this are often - often - PERMANENT.

https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/popular-antibiotics-may-carry-serious-side-effects/

Edited July 2, 2017 by TheBearguy8
spelling

[Joann454 1,329]

I am working my way through something nearly disastrous. There is a reason I am posting this for WLS patients
Cipro, Levaquin, are known a fluoroquinolones. These are not "typical" antibiotics and are used for more serious bacterial infections. I had a suspected UTI, and the emergency room gave me Cipro, and I had taken it before so I was not alarmed. Taken before surgery successfully with no problems except some stomach upset.
The pharmacist gave me a big speech about the sun, and nothing else I remembered. That's not the speech they should give. On day 3 my urologist went nuts and said stop taking Cipro immediately. I had taken it for 72 hours and seemed fine, with leg pain I didn't connect. Well the next week was hell. My Achilles tendons, joints and entire body went into some sort of crazy shock - and you don't think of an antibiotic doing that.
I am of the belief that post surgery, Vitamin absorption changes, dietary nutrients changes, it made me susceptible to what happened. I take Vitamins as instructed, but the body has changed. Here is the important part if you are reading this. MANY PEOPLE'S DAMAGE IS IRREVERSIBLE! I was horrified when I read the stories of doctors insisting patients finish the course of Cipro/Levaquin treatment while they were losing their ability to even walk. My legs are my life and career, this was a near disaster.
Our new bodies may present a new issue and I want any WLS patients to ask questions and be very careful. Side effects can fade away, but tendonitis, and joint injuries from this are often - often - PERMANENT.
https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/popular-antibiotics-may-carry-serious-side-effects/

Holy crap! Glad you avoided lasting injury!

[swimbikerun 1,038]

Ok can you explain how that relates to bariatric surgery and Vitamin issues? Is there any studies on that? You said it is your belief, but can you relate that to a specific issue? Sleeve surgeries are not going to have the vitamin issues, and I've seen one study that shows 2 years out, the intestines compensate for the vitamin issues. If you can help with some research, that would be a lot more helpful.

[TheBearguy8 58]

I thought I explained how our bodies changing - processing Vitamins and nutrients differently - can change as it did with me. My doctor told me that, and I read that Vitamin deficiencies can make one more susceptible to this side effect, but it's not proven.

[Joann454 1,329]

Ok can you explain how that relates to bariatric surgery and Vitamin issues? Is there any studies on that? You said it is your belief, but can you relate that to a specific issue? Sleeve surgeries are not going to have the vitamin issues, and I've seen one study that shows 2 years out, the intestines compensate for the vitamin issues. If you can help with some research, that would be a lot more helpful.

Sort of a topic switch but does that mean sleeve patients may not need to take Vitamins after 2 years?

[Pescador 1,374]

I have been up and down over four years with Vitamin issues. Very scary. Currently taking no Vitamins due to blood work. Was on Thiamine shots six months.

Warning.i got horrible GOUT five months after the sleeve. It lasted several months in my big toes. I was using a cane, could barely walk. I was told the Two Gout meds, Allipurinol and one other, were dangerous due to the sleeve. I felt I had no choice, one doctor said take, another said don't take. Thy put me in the ER deathly ill. dehydration is not fun, two days of vomiting and diarrhea. For the rest of our lives we must be vigilant and research ourselves.

Edited July 2, 2017 by Pescador

[Callie60 24]

I had the same reaction to Levaquin although it had nothing to do with my WLS surgery. I was put on Levaquin for a very bad pneumonia infection that lasted 3 months last year. My foot, one or the other, has been in an air cast 4 times since. 3 months last summer. 6 weeks this past Feb/Mar. And a whole new bout starting yesterday. I was told that those antibiotics are antibiotics of Last Resort because they can cause muscle and tendon damage.

Sent from my SM-N920V using BariatricPal mobile app

[swimbikerun 1,038]

I am on B1/B12 shots every months. If I didn't, I would be low. B1 is NOT the Vitamin you want to go low on. My liver giving me a fit, and the fat solubles are an issue now.

I have gastroparesis, reflux and IBS. Together all of them give me a whammy. I actually was tested, did a liquid vitamin, and went lower on 2 vitamin/minerals. That's when something else happened and we figured it was the liver.

I also have food problems that cut out a lot.

Most people do not have my problems. The bigger deal is what are you eating and drinking? I have not touched sodas, caffeine, or McDonalds' or the like since my surgery. If you are eating lean meats, veggies/fruit, you are more than likely doing good. If you are back to pizza/McDonalds/crisps, that's another story.

[swimbikerun 1,038]

3 hours ago, Joann454 said:

Sort of a topic switch but does that mean sleeve patients may not need to take Vitamins after 2 years?

Think about it this way: you are smaller now, hopefully eating and drinking better. Have you checked to see, for a year, every 3 or 4 months, do Vitamin panels and see what happens? I bet if you are 1.5 to 2 years out, you'd be fine.

Have you noticed that for sleeve they give the SAME recommendations pretty much EVERYWHERE? Well why? Your intestines weren't touched. Kinda makes no sense at all for a restrictive only surgery vs. restrictive AND malapsorptive.

[Joann454 1,329]

Think about it this way: you are smaller now, hopefully eating and drinking better. Have you checked to see, for a year, every 3 or 4 months, do Vitamin panels and see what happens? I bet if you are 1.5 to 2 years out, you'd be fine.
Have you noticed that for sleeve they give the SAME recommendations pretty much EVERYWHERE? Well why? Your intestines weren't touched. Kinda makes no sense at all for a restrictive only surgery vs. restrictive AND malapsorptive.

I will definitely ask to have all the Vitamins checked on a regular basis if they don't order it.
I'm only six weeks out so they've just checked and I was right on point with everything, but I am taking multi-calcium-B12 right now so I expected to be. Thanks.

[swimbikerun 1,038]

1 hour ago, Joann454 said:

I will definitely ask to have all the Vitamins checked on a regular basis if they don't order it.
I'm only six weeks out so they've just checked and I was right on point with everything, but I am taking multi-calcium-B12 right now so I expected to be. Thanks.

This is not for someone 6 weeks out. 1.5 years out or a year, yes I can see it. The first 6-12 months are rough.

Vic

[swimbikerun 1,038]

6 hours ago, TheBearguy8 said:

I thought I explained how our bodies changing - processing Vitamins and nutrients differently - can change as it did with me. My doctor told me that, and I read that Vitamin deficiencies can make one more susceptible to this side effect, but it's not proven.

Once you have a lost a lot of weight, in terms of after the first year, your body compensates. If you got a sleeve, the premise is that of restriction not malabsorption. I have a lot of other problems that contribute to my issues.

Is the medication one that is absorbed in the stomach, like a B12 type of thing?

[Berry78 4,259]

I used to frequent an electric bicycle forum. That's the first time I'd heard of the Cipro issue. People needed electric bikes because of the damage this antibiotic caused.

I came home from Mexico on an antibiotic that it turned out I'm allergic to. So my PCP prescribed Cipro.

I was about to take one, but wondered whether I should take it with food, so I looked at the literature. All of a sudden I noticed this unusual warning about ligament damage.

I remembered what I'd read on the bike forum, and decided not to take the medication. It was only for prophylactic purposes anyway...

(And I did not develop an infection, so it would have been a useless course anyway).