Ciprofloxacin caused skin rash and flaky skin

[steve461]

I took ciprofloxacin (cipro) and developed what appeared to be a sun burn or chemical burn on the head and one side of my penis (upper right side). I had a bad cough with yellowish phlegm so the pharmacy gave me ciproloxacin pills and recommended I take 2 per day.  
Not 30 minutes after the first pill I felt a tingling sensation on the head of my penis. Once scratched (abnormally good sensation)  the "itch" went away for some 5 or 10 minutes.

The next morning I took another pill after breakfast and felt the same feelings come back.  I looked at my penis in the bathroom and noticed that it was red and blotchy spots there. I thought maybe it was just the house cleaner used too much detergent. Later that day I took another pill of cipro. This time I noticed again after 30 minutes the sensation were strong and the itch burning. I have stopped taking cipro for 2 days now and the skin has stopped itching but is still blotchy and flaking (not quite peeling).  I've never had anything like this before and I can surely attribute it to the drug. I don't think I've ever had a reaction to it before but I do recall taking it once before, for a urinary tract infection.

Is there a test I can take to find out if I am allergic to this? I should have spoken to someone earlier but since stopping the Cipro, the skin is healing and no more itchy red spots.

[steve461]

Thank you Grace.  Have you heard of others on this forum thinking the same as me (ie. STD) after taking cipro?

[gracefromHHP]

this isn't a std related issue.

follow up with your doctor for further evaluation of your symptoms.

grace

[steve461]

Thank you for your response.  I believe the pharmacist gave me the cipro as I had described the phlegm as yellowish in colour and she thought it was a upper respiratory infection.  I stopped the cipro after the itching became unbearable.  I should have consulted a doctor, but the pharmacist was closer and I didn't feel all that bad, despite the cough.

The reason I posted this in the STD forum was because it affected the genital area and I thought it was a STD, possibly excited because of the medicine I was taken (reaction or the bacteria fighting back)

I've taken some pictures as the skin has almost completely peeled off and is no longer sensitive to touch. Any ideas on next steps? Should I book an appointment with a specialist to see if they have a way to detect an allergic reaction to cipro?

Thank you for the response to my query.

[shaken2core]

Do not get back on the Cirpo.  The Quinolone family of antibiotics are very potent and dangerous and can leave you with lasting side effects.  You can google it and find there is a black box warning for this medication and there are numerous forums of people who have been "floxed" and are dealing with side effects years after taking the drug.  There are safer abx out there for respiratory infections.  

I took a quinolone and I can tell you it messed me up big time while on it.  Some side effects such as joint pain and tendonitis are still with me.  The fact that you had that reaction is evidence enough that you're allergic.  Talk to your doctor about a different abx.  I'm not one to contradict what your doctor is telling you or giving you, but I quinolones are the one thing I will speak out about.  

[kdaily]

you were given cipro for a cough? cipro has side effects you should contact your doctor since you're experiencing symptoms and they can give you somehting else, you shouldn't continue taking something that you're having a bad reaction to... I'm not a doctor and you should consult yours for further direction.

Also, this is an STD forum are you concerned about an STD??