Question about Cipro and Diflucan.

[ICPrincess]

I would greatly appreciate it if someone could let me know if they have ever taken Diflucan (Fluconazole) at the same time they were taking Cipro?

Is it safe? I can feel that I have major yeast which is no surprise since I have taken 4 antibiotics in 4 months for a recurring UTI (though I am hoping the Cipro I am currently on will finally kill this beast since Keflex and Augmentin have not).

Has anyone taken both drugs at the same time (meaning in the same day)?

[ICPrincess]

P.S.

This stuff makes you feel like hell (Cipro) and the "AskAPatient" reviews from patients is not exactly reassuring. Kind of scary actually. Did not realize how severe the side effects were, but I do not know what else to do. All the other antiobiotics have failed me. Not sure I can even continue taking this whole course of Cipro. Everything aches even though the urinary pain is abating somewhat. What a freaking nightmare this has been for me.

[dg2901]

I personally have taken the two meds together without any issues. If you're concerned based on your own medical history don't hesitate to phone your rxing pharmacist.

[ICPrincess]

Thank you so much for taking the time to answer. It means a lot when you are going through what all of us are enduring. I am not so sure I am going to be able to continue the Cipro so I may just try to get one last dose in and then take the Diflucan. The Cipro makes me feel like I have the flu. I want to scream right now. The infection did not respond to Augmentin or Keflex. Macrobid makes me ill and I am allergic to Sulfa meds which are the best and now the Cipro is making me really ill. You really feel it. I liked the Augmentin because I hardly noticed it was there, but it did nothing for me and yet the Cipro makes it real clear it's in my bloodstream.

I wonder if others felt sick on Cipro out here even though it helped their infection? In any event thanks again for your help.

[Uzes]

Hi
I have just come off a course of Cipro. I felt about the same as you do while taking it. I felt awful with the bladder infection, which apparently was a major one. I felt really awful while the Cipro. was in my blood stream but the day after I stopped it I felt quite a bit better.
My understanding from friends and my pharmacist is that the Cipro. is the antibiotic that will go full force and attack the bacteria in our system. I think it did for me. I can really tell that the infection (at least) is not in my body.

Holy smoke I wish I could say the same about the I.C.!

[ICPrincess]

God I can't believe how flu like I feel. Joint and neck pain everywhere (shoulder has been aching). I had to stop however the good news is that my Azo strip is finally clear! It has been that awful Eggplant purple color through all the courses of Augmentin and Keflex and would never go away (or the horrible symtoms). I finally got a clear test result for the first time ever after taking three 500 mg doses of Cipro for two days. I just can't take another one. I feel sick already from it. It has been the only antibiotic to touch this infection however I feel really ill from it in general (traded one pain for many others).

I did some research and apparently studies have been done showing that one single 500 mg Cipro is usually enough for a UTI even though much more is prescribed. I believe it after seeing what it did in just three doses! This might be the perfect answer to that antibiotic I was searching for that I could take one of of after each period to stop getting infections however, I am not so sure I can deal with these serious side effects (many have reported permanent nuerological damage as well as the Achilles Heel tearing)! I was stunned as I realize that all drugs have side effects, but I bet you have never seen one with this many serious side effects reported earning them a new black box the label (I went to Drugs.com and was mortified). These are not garden variety risks.

I was OK after the one dose, but it was a completely different story after the second so if one is enough, it might be the answer. Also I found that some are prescribed only 250mg to be taken once a day for three days and I had 500 mg to be taken twice a day and so I do feel that is overkill. I just pray it stays away because none of the other antibiotics would touch it!

Thanks for yuour input. It is greatly appreciated more than you know.

[dg2901]

Like mentioned all meds come with side effects. If one ever took the time to read about the possible side effects from a simple aspirin nobody would take another one.
I always request Cipro as I know its the drug that kills the majority of bacteria with less doses. I'm fortunate enough to have never experienced any symptoms like you've mentioned. I have though had terrible gastric symptoms from other abx, mainly amoxicillin.
Have you thought about asking your Dr for a prophylactic abx? This treatment is rx'd as daily doses, every other day doses, once per week, or only after intercourse. If you're prone to UTI's (more than 3 per year) it might not be a bad idea to run this by your Dr and see what his/her opinion might be.

Hope you continue to improve.
D

[ICPrincess]

Thank you for your suggestion. I do plan on asking about this when I go in for a follow up (that's what I meant when I said I had been looking into antibiotics that can be taken in one or two doses after each period).

I do have to say that Cipro is in a class of it's own as far as serious side effects. I say this because I really did research this and this can be a very dangerous drug actually (more than most that's for darn sure). I know that they all have their potential but there were hundreds upon hundreds of people at Ask A Patient that said this drug destroyed their lives and they are in constant pain. They seemed rather sincere and since I am feeling some of what they are warning about, I have to concur. Obviously drugs like anything else work differently for different people however I am not feeling very well after taking this and hoping it will fade away and be temporary.

It has cleared this infection and for that I am truly grateful but the intense headache, shoulder pain, joint and muscle issues are extreme and came on right after I began to take this. I honestly feel like I have the flue which is what many of these patients were describing to a tee. Hopefully they will be gone soon.

[leelee88]

If your symptoms continue after you stop the medicine.. It might be a good idea to have some test run.. Because the flu is going around!!

Hugs

[ICPrincess]

I was just thinking that too. I am going to ask if they can run blood work when I go in next week for my follow up. That would be all I need right now is the flu (I have a colonoscopy scheduled for mid October so I need to find some peace before then you know)! I am one of those people that takes forever to heal. Ever since my breast cancer my system has been a mess. God I hope it's just the drug abnd not the flu.

P.S. I have been a little worried about serum sickness because I have been on 4 courses of antibiotics now in 4 months.

[ICPrincess]

It turns out that all that flu like stuff was the Cipro and not the flu. I will say this though. Cipro is the bomb because it killed what the others could not even touch. I am also basically OK if I just take one dose and in studies done on this drug, one dose of Cipro out performed a full course of several others antibiotics tested against it. Because I am so prone to infection which in turn causes me severe pain, I am going to start taking 1 (250) mg dose each month after my period ends and go from there. I only took three pills and yet the infection is gone still (test strip clear). I like that you do not truly need to overdo it and take more of this particular one. The side effects are pretty horrendous but if I can get buy with one or two doses, I can hang.

The Cipro wiped out so much pain!

[sissygirl]

Just wanted to say that I have been on Cipro several times for bladder infections (last time for a 8 days) and I didn't have any side effects at all for me that I noticed so far anyway and I finished a couple of months ago. I didn't know enough to be worried and my uro prescribed them without a word of caution. Thanks for the heads up if I need them again!

And I did go from bacteria to a clear urine culture with them. I have been taking vaginal flora probiotics since as I am sure it imbalanced every thing down there...

[karenann52]

I've found antibiotics usually make me feel better, even though it doesn't cure any thing for IC. Urologists seem to like Levaquin and Macrobid for UTIs. I'm allergic to Levaquin and don't like how I feel on Macrobid - two different things. I noticed minor relief from using L. Casei probiotics (in Dan Active). Acidophilus probiotic pills will help with preventing yeast infections, but it needs to be used every other day prior to an infection or use of antibiotics. My pharamacist told me to eat a standard yogurt with acidophilis 2 hrs b4 using an antibiotic and 2 hrs after - to help with yeast prevention and to replace good bacteria that the antibiotic kills off.

What's difficult for me about IC is knowing if I have a real bladder infection or not. Most often when my urine was cultured, there was no infection. For 2 yrs I've been confused if pain and spasming signals a UTI or not. I was told it was my pelvic floor (tight) muscles that probably caused the bladder to be disturbed, causing pain and spasming. I do have some scar tissue from a hysterectomy right over my bladder (that can tear with activity that makes use of the muscles in that area.) Bladder 'inflammation' will always cause some type of discomfort and I've finally accepted that.

For a unrelated skin infection I was given Doxycycline, which greatly improved my IC. I was on it for 4 weeks. It went to war on something in my pelvic area that other antibiotics didn't notice? I also use Dan Active daily (yogurt drink), as it seems to calm my bladder. I use acidophilus 2-3x wk, but it makes me hungry 1 hr after eating. Now I'm trying L. Reuteri (probiotic pill) as clinical studies suggest it may be helpful to pelvic/bladder area. Not all probiotics are equal. I avoid Activia (Bifidus, Bifido bacterium, BB-12, etc.) as it causes frequency in me. If you use a probiotic, pay attention to how you feel within 90 minutes. And, many antibiotics make me feel ill, especially in the area it's attacking - that's OK initially unless it's the bad reactions like hives, breathing...things on the warning labels. I now keep tract of how I feel when trying something new.