Common antibiotic may increase nerve damage and peripheral neuropathy risk. Summary: Fluoroquinolone antibiotics, such as Levofloxacin and Ciprofloxacin, appear to increase the risk of peripheral neuropathy by 47%. However, there is no significant increased risk of developing neuropathy associated with amoxicillin use.

Fluoroquinolone medicines (which contain ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, lomefloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin, prulifloxacin and rufloxacin) can cause long-lasting, disabling and potentially permanent side effects involving tendons, muscles, joints and the nervous system.

In a study with prescription event monitoring, the incidence of tendon rupture was estimated as 2.7 per 10 000 patients for ofloxacin and 0.9 per 10 000 patients for ciprofloxacin.

The most common presenting symptom of fluoroquinolone-associated tendinopathy is pain. This pain is usually of a sudden onset and may be accompanied by acute signs of inflammation and swelling. Achilles tendon rupture may be preceded by pain,25,26 but half of tendon ruptures have been reported to occur without warning.

Achilles tendinitis or rupture is among the most serious side effects associated with FQ use, with reports markedly increasing, especially with ciprofloxacin, a very popular FQ used orally in the ambulatory setting.

Taking ciprofloxacin increases the risk that you will develop tendinitis (swelling of a fibrous tissue that connects a bone to a muscle) or have a tendon rupture (tearing of a fibrous tissue that connects a bone to a muscle) during your treatment or for up to several months afterward.

If you suspect you are experiencing a fluoroquinolone-related issue with a tendon, do the following immediately:

1. Stop taking any Cipro or other fluoroquinolone antibiotic.
2. Stop exercising the affected area, and if possible, stop using it completely.

However, risk factors can also come from inside the medicine cabinet: in particular, data show that a class of antibiotics, called fluoroquinolones, increases the chances that a patient can injure their Achilles tendon.

An injury that is associated with the following signs or symptoms may be a tendon rupture:

1. A snap or pop you hear or feel.
2. Severe pain.
3. Rapid or immediate bruising.
4. Marked weakness.
5. Inability to use the affected arm or leg.
6. Inability to move the area involved.
7. Inability to bear weight.
8. Deformity of the area.

Ciprofloxacin extended-release is only approved for use in adults. Fluoroquinolone antibiotics can cause serious or disabling side effects that may not be reversible. Ciprofloxacin should be used only for infections that cannot be treated with a safer antibiotic.

There is no known study linking Cipro exposure to the development of MS, but one thing to consider is that the MS may have been going on for some time, leading to some bladder function changes and increasing the risk of the UTIs.

Fluoroquinolone medicines (which contain ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, lomefloxacin, moxifloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, pefloxacin, prulifloxacin and rufloxacin) can cause long-lasting, disabling and potentially permanent side effects involving tendons, muscles, joints and the nervous system.

Tendon rupture is found among people who take Cipro, especially for people who are female, 60+ old , have been taking the drug for < 1 month, also take medication Levaquin , and have Sinusitis.

Although most people do not experience any problems with ciprofloxacin, certain risks are associated with the use of this drug. For example, ciprofloxacin can cause joint and tendon pain.

Cipro can cause tendonitis, which is inflammation of a tendon, especially when administered with steroids. The drug can also cause side effects such as Achilles tendonitis and ruptured tendons following the onset of tendonitis, particularly in patients older than age 60.