medicine alert
 

Warning: Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics Linked to Nerve Damage

The FDA is requiring the drug labels and Medication Guides for all fluoroquinolone antibacterial drugs be updated with the serious side effect of peripheral neuropathy. The nerve damage may occur soon after these drugs are taken by mouth or by injection, and may be permanent.

RELATED CHART: Antibiotic Formulations

The affected fluoroquinolone drugs include: Levaquin (levofloxacin; Janssen), Cipro (ciprofloxacin; Bayer), Avelox (moxifloxacin; Bayer), Noroxin (norfloxacin; Merck), Factive (gemifloxacin; Cornerstone), and Ofloxacin.

Topical formulations indicated for the ears or eyes are not known to be associated with this risk.

RELATED: Infectious Diseases Resource Center

The FDA recommends discontinuing the fluoroquinolone if the patient develops symptoms of peripheral neuropathy. The patient should be switched to another, non-fluoroquinolone antibiotic unless the benefit outweighs the risk. Symptoms include pain, burning, tingling, numbness, weakness, or a change in sensation to light touch, pain or temperature, or the sense of body position.
For more information call (888) 463-6332 or visit FDA.gov.

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You just can't believe in medicines. These drugs have lot of adverse effects. Last year when my skin burned, I preferred best tanning products rather than taking medicines.

Damn i am on cipro right now, i only take one more tablet tonight so it is probably too late for me. I got a call friday late afternoon from my surgeons office saying my pre ops came back with a urinary tract infection. so they had called in cipro which didn't ring a bell with me until just now when i was researching how bad it would be if i went to the beach. Then i saw it was in this category. I only had it prescribed for 3 days and pray i do not get these problems .I also read it can cause tendon rupture up to many months after you stop taking it. Especially if you are taking steroids, which i am taking a replacement dose of cortisol as i have adrenal insufficiency. Just my luck.,
Judy