I was prescribed Ciprofloxacin on 9/1/11. I was 59 years old at the time. I am a female with one kidney. My doctor prescribed this antibiotic for a bladder infection. After taking 5 pills (250mg) , I was in severe pain throughout my body.

I returned to the doctor. After tests for Lupus, Lyme, Rheumatoid arthritis, etc all came back negative, the doctor did say it may have been the antibiotic.
The next few years were hard. I had frozen shoulders with extensive tendon damage..chronic fatigue, brain fog, tinnitus, G I problems, hip pain, photo-sensitivity, reoccurring bladder problems. I was in a lot of pain.

It is now 4 years later. I have recovered 90%. Some days are better than others. I don’t know if at my age I will ever be the same. I should have never been given this drug with 1 kidney.
My biggest fear is that my two boys, my grandchildren, or a family member or friend will be prescribed this drug. They all know what I have been through but a lot of times people think this can’t happen to them.

There are many that were hit harder than I. I can walk. Some cannot.

I would like to see stricter warning put on these drugs. My feeling is that these should only be used in life or death situations where nothing else will work. Not for colds, and bladder infections, sinus infections, etc.

I don’t want to worry every time someone in my family or a friend goes to the doctor that they will be given a fluoroquinolone..