Side effects of cipro

Cipro always gives me full body aches similar to the flu. If this is how you are feeling it may take some more time to recover. Lingering pouchitis can also cause these same feelings so probably best to be checked again by your GI to see if your pouchitis symptoms have subsided in full and your symptoms could be left over from cipro dosage.

Malaise isn't on the list of common possible Cipro side effects, but it's a long list that includes things like anxiety, insomnia, and nervousness. It can be hard to tell a side effect from incomplete treatment. As CT wrote in your other thread, 500 mg *twice* daily would be a common dose for a short (about 2 week) course.

Thank you - and I should have been more clear, I am taking it twice daily.

Good advice here - I will check in with my doctor again tomorrow as I'm getting the sense that if the symptoms are still pouchitis then it will not go away on its own.

Shannon

Sometimes you have to try a different antibiotic. Flagyl alone did nothing for me, but Cipro worked like magic. Others have the opposite experience. For some, the combination of Cipro and Flagyl is the charm.

FWIW, I've been on antibiotics for years and generally feel just fine. I'm only miserable when I try to stop the darn things. Most pouchitis has a more complete response, though.

I have been taking Cipro and clarythromicin for chronic pouchitis for a year, in the last 2 months I have felt dreadfull , malaise, headaches, dizziness, spaced out, fuzzy/foggy head and just wanting to get though the day - life not fun at all. Pouch was fine though ! I have stopped the antibiotics which has resulted in me feeling so much better. I wondered if anyone else has had such a strong reaction to antibiotics ? Needless to say pouch now misbehaving - on probiotics and trying to change diet previously pretty much ate and drunk what I wanted. Any suggestions ? I've seen some people trying oregano oil. Thanks Adam

I'm glad you were able to get rid of the side effects, Adam. Each antibiotic is different, so the key is to find the one (or ones) that you tolerate well (and actually work). Xifaxan may be worth a try because it stays in the gut, and thus has few systemic side effects. IMO if oregano oil were carefullly studied then it, too, would have a long list of side effects that occasionally occur.

Some (though not all) people can prevent/control pouchitis with a very low carbohydrate diet. One diet that permits more (particular) carbs and seems to give decent results is the low FODMAPs diet.

I too, would rather e r stay away from Cipro.  It helps for a while then I actually get diarrhea during treatment and the friendly bacteria in the intestine is destroyed and have to try to replace this with lots of antibiotics.  I am a firm believer in going gluten free, it has worked well for me.  I have n o t had to be on antibiotics for pouchitis since starting gluten free which was three years ago.  My gastroenterologist told me 3 years ago that 60 percent of her patients are gluten free and many have also gone dairy free.  I also try very hard to eat organic.  It can be a little expensive but I need to take care of what I have left inside.  I look at it (here in America), as a trade for insurance co-pays for prescriptions that do not heal.      
Hope this is helpful.  I have had my pouch since 1992 so have gone the route!!!