<p>We are both glad I have not started daily azithromycin, which is one course of add on Rx that was being recommended for my condition but we both worried about long term side effects. </p>
<p>Follow the advice of YOUR physician who knows your medical history etc. Allopurinol is a great (and cheap) drug used for gout and uric acid kidney stones. If I limited my diet to exclude everything “bad” for me (oxalates are in so many things good for you- and another type of stone) based on my health status I would die of malnutrition, but well hydrated- because water is about the only thing left… Or, have ice cream with the chocolate brownies- calcium taking care of the oxalates in the gut instead of the kidneys precipitating them. Not what they teach us in medical school, btw.</p>
<p>Sometimes, especially as we get old (hoping to become elderly in many years), we need to not worry too much about long term side effects since without the medicine we may not live long enough to get them! Too bad being a physician doesn’t prevent one from getting things, sigh. Also- knowing and doing are two different things as I keep telling my H. </p>
<p>Since my lung doc feels it is drug-induced gout, he doesn’t want to put me on any extra Rx and prefers that I just take more ibuprophen for pain relief and wait for the Avelox to exit my system and talke the pain and swelling with it. hopefullly it will clear quickly, since I only had 3-4 doses. i know that I react differently to Rx than many others and tend to more side effects.</p>
<p>Good luck, hope it was that and not a long term condition needing treatment. Just think- you are special, that small percent of people who get the side effects… A specialness you would rather not have, I know.</p>
<p>Yes, we are waiting for a report from the lab about uric acid and liver enzymes to see whether more tratment may be needed.</p>
<p>Actually, I have a condition I have no risk factors for and it is more severe than my history should have made it. I also have not progressed as all had assumed I would, so I have much to be grateful for. I have had quirky reactions to meds before, so my docs tend to be nervous of me and how I deal with Rx. A very sad that this was the go-to ABX and now is added to the list of ones I need to avoid. <sigh> Am so glad to have great docs to work with who are good problem solvers and willing to work with me to figure out solutions that will work.</sigh></p>
<p>The duty of making a FDA adverse event report has fallen to me, but I’m waiting for the lab results, so I can include them in the report.</p>
<p>OK, per lab results, uric acid levels are normal so NOT gout, “just inflamaation of tendon at base of big toe,” so just continue with maximum strength ibuprofen and wait for it to resolve itself. Hmmm, easier said than done. So glad I only took 3 pills before we figured out what was causing this–it’s the most disabled and pained I’ve felt in a very long time. I don’t deal well with chronic pain. UGH!</p>
<p>I have a friend with gout - he’s got a long, long list of don’t eats including spinach.</p>
<p>If your uric acid levels are normal and this isn’t gout, why is it still thought to be related to the antibiotic? </p>
<p>I’m not sure that diagnosis is always correct, but its what you have to go with. Gout classically appears overnight, and you wake up feeling you’re injured without having done anything to cause it. Gout will be aggravated by diet, and can appear in response to slight inflammation from other things like walking further than normal, or wearing tight shoes, or a long walk downhill that strains knees, etc etc etc. </p>
<p>Glad it isn’t gout! Hubby has gout and once had a flareup so bad he couldn’t move from bed and even the weight of the sheets was painful. It took a long time to get it under control,not just a matter of a few days. </p>
<p>Pretty sure it’s from ABX because that was the only change, it is a known rare side effect, and improving now that MD switched ABX. Swelling is going down and pain levels are tolerable without Ibuprofen now. Very relieved we caught it early – after only 3 doses and hoping for no lasting harm. </p>
<p>My MDs are convinced it’s ABX and I’m writing FDA adverse effect form. </p>
<p>*
If your uric acid levels are normal and this isn’t gout, why is it still thought to be related to the antibiotic?
*
Because the quinolones cause neuro pain, which is apparently more common than you would think.
When I was prescribed a third gen fluroiquinolone, the side effects were so immediate and severe, that I stopped taking it immediately and only afterwards discovered the problems others were having.</p>
<p>Considering that they are equivalent to an IV antibiotic, it seems like they shouldn’t be a first line of treatment especially if the bacteria hasn’t been identified.
<a href=“Could Your Antibiotic Cause You Permanent Nerve Damage?<!-- --> | <!-- -->The People's Pharmacy”>http://www.peoplespharmacy.com/2013/10/07/popular-quinolone-antibiotics-can-cause-permanent-nerve-damage/</a></p>
<p>Well, it’s not for me to 2nd guess my MDs. They and I have found Avelox very helpful for past infections that were not helped by other ABX and they are very concerned about how rapidly my infections can progress, so they have used Avelox as the go to ABX for years. </p>
<p>Hopefully we will talk about other options now and find safer alternatives. They had been trying to get me to consider daily azithromycin as a preventative and maintenance measure, but this definitely moves this further off the table. </p>