[Cinnabon]

Is cipro of your choice? Or A SIMPLE ANTIBIOTIC?

[princesslinda]

Depends on the type of infection. We use Cipro a lot for UTIs and prostatitis in our office and i've seen in prescribed for upper respiratory type infections.....but we do a culture and sensitivity first to see which antibiotic the bacteria are most sensitive to. For sinus infections or bronchitis, i've found Augmentin or amoxicillin will usually get the job done.

If you think you need an antibiotic, i'd urge you to see your doctor and get the one that would work best for your specific infection. If its viral, no antibiotic will help.

[Jan B]

Originally Posted by princesslinda

Depends on the type of infection. We use Cipro a lot for UTIs and prostatitis in our office and i've seen in prescribed for upper respiratory type infections.....but we do a culture and sensitivity first to see which antibiotic the bacteria are most sensitive to. For sinus infections or bronchitis, i've found Augmentin or amoxicillin will usually get the job done.

If you think you need an antibiotic, i'd urge you to see your doctor and get the one that would work best for your specific infection. If its viral, no antibiotic will help.

I'm impressed Linda, that your place actually does a sensitivity test to see which antibiotic would be best -- WOW. I'm asking about this next time I go in.

Cipro is the only thing that works for me w/a UTI. Anything else just wastes precious time. And Linda, I'm taking cranberry capsules every day now and crossing my fingers too! You are the best

[Keezheekoni]

I refuse to take Cipro on the basis that it has minute quantities of sulfa in it and I'm allergic. To most people who are allergic to sulfa, the minute amount won't bother them (maybe a little skin rash), but to me...anaphylaxis. No thanks.

For small infections I try and let my body work itself out, but in bigger cases (UTIs, for instance), I like azithromycin (Zithromax). I also like that the Z-Pack is only taken once a day for five days. I hate the antibiotics that I have to remember to take 3 or 4 times a day for two weeks.

[grace girl]

I went to the doctor yesterday for a uti (my first... ) he gave me macrobid...said it was a better choice for women with diabetes. I know absolutely nothing about any of this, so I just went with it. I have to say, though, it worked wonders....I woke up this morning with NO symptoms...after only two doses I'm impressed. Still taking it for another 5 days, though. I've never taken cipro, so I don't know anything about it.

[princesslinda]

Holly, sounds like the Macrobid is working well for you so far....its a very common prescription for UTIs, i've taken it myself a time or two. Make sure you drink lots of water as well.

If you can tolerate yogurt blood-sugar wise, have some....its so easy to get a yeast infection after Macrobid. If you can't eat yogurt, have your doc call in a Diflucan if you notice any of those type symptoms.

[grace girl]

Originally Posted by princesslinda

Holly, sounds like the Macrobid is working well for you so far....its a very common prescription for UTIs, i've taken it myself a time or two. Make sure you drink lots of water as well.

If you can tolerate yogurt blood-sugar wise, have some....its so easy to get a yeast infection after Macrobid. If you can't eat yogurt, have your doc call in a Diflucan if you notice any of those type symptoms.

Thanks...I've been trying to pour in the water...but I hadn't thought about yogurt. I usually always eat it when I'm taking meds...it's just been a while. I'll be going to get some this evening! The thought of a yeast infection after this doesn't really thrill me.

And not trying to hijack here, but he also told me to get some over the counter AZO for relief...which I did and it made me feel like I was high...I didn't take any more of it...I thought it might be the macrobid at first, but I called the doc and he said he didn't think that was likely. At any rate I haven't felt that way since I quit taking it. That was really, really strange.

[cgsmichelle]

[quote=Keezheekoni;299424]I refuse to take Cipro on the basis that it has minute quantities of sulfa in it and I'm allergic. To most people who are allergic to sulfa, the minute amount won't bother them (maybe a little skin rash), but to me...anaphylaxis. No thanks.

QUOTE]


Well.... this explains why I do not like taking Cipro. I am allergic to sulfa. I am on Cipro right now for a kidney infection. I have had problems with UTIs and Kidney infections for the last few years. Its absolutely miserable. I will say though... I might now like Cipro but it does the job well.

[cgsmichelle]

BTW The pharmacist told me that taking Cipro and Metformin together can cause serious lows in your blood sugar. When taking it together you should test your BS more frequently.

[princesslinda]

Azo/Azo Standard is a non-prescruption strength form of the medication "Pyridium" which is prescribed to "numb" the bladder. A side effect of this is "orange" urine....and it should help with the painful urination that accompanies a UTI. I'm not sure if it would be the culprit causing your "high" feelings or not....most of our patients tolerate it quite well, but everyone is different, so its probably best you don't use it.

[Rainboww]

I've been having a problem with recurring UTI's with Enterococcus. I took Macrobid once but it came back. I take Metformin 2 times daily. There is a warning on the Macrobid info about people with diabetes taking it. Does anybody have any more specific info on why the warning? What happens?
Is there any caution about the two drugs?

I was going to ask to switch to Cipro, as I've taken that years ago,, but now see that, after the anthrax thing it's found that Cipro is not as safe as was thought back when I took it,, and I see a couple of posts here about it raising sugar levels,, although that might be that it raises the reading.

[Mich]

We are tempted to think of antibiotics as simple, but they are not. There are broad-spectrum (like Cipro) that kill lots of things, but not all. There are narrow spectrum (like Flagyl) that only kill certain things. There are antibiotics that kill gram-positive bacteria and different ones for gram-negative bacteria, same for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. Combinations of these things must be taken into account.

Many people don't understand the factors that must be considered when prescrribing an antibiotic. If the wrong one is used, it can kill off the body's normal flora and still leave the little bad guys running around in there.

If I sound paranoid, I am. My mother, a notorious doctor-avoider just self medicated as usual and ended up with a huge nasty c.difficile infection. (One type of little bad guys I mentioned above.)

Go to the doctor. Take his advice. Double check with the pharmacist. Antibiotics are wonderful but are not simple.

Mich

[Rainboww]

I have seen many doctors make mistakes. It is quite true that along with the culture should be done a 'sensitivity' to see what the organisms are and what they are vulnerable to. It happened to me some years ago that an antibiotic was prescribed for me (Tetracycline) and when it wasn't helpful the round was continued,, and it turned out that I had a strep infection which got out of control because strep is not vulnerable to Tetracycline, plus I had a big Lupus flare-up because Tetracycline can cause lupus flare-ups. I learned my lesson. I do listen to the doctor, knowing that not all of them graduated with high honors,, and I also do my homework and take an active part in my care. It happened also that my diabetes was ignored for many years because I don't fit the profile that doctors were using. I can't be diabetic because it is not in my family, I exercise, I'm not fat,, so that thirst was just that and the rest of the symptoms are hypochondria,, right?

[sarahspins]

Years ago I had pneumonia... went to the doctor, was given amoxicillin for it, and didn't improve.. I was given another course, and told "it might take more time" and I eventually ended up in the ER getting IV Levaquin (after 16 or 17 days of being sick). I was in bad shape.. it was not fun. So, anymore, I don't mess around if I really need antibiotics... I feel like I lost 3 weeks of my life being sick, when all the doc had to do in the first place was do a culture and prescribe something stronger and I probably would have been fine.

[art]

My Doc loves Cipro.
When I travel he gives me a script for a weeks supply.

I take Janumet (essentially metformin) and I've never heard of going low in conjunction with Cipro and personally I've never gone low taking the 2 together.


Art