ciprofloxacin with cirrhosis

[rexx73]

hello everyone,

are here some people who took this antibiotic with advanced fibrosis/cirrhoisis?

before 10 days i had a lactulose breath test to check if i have bacterial overgrowth in my small intestine.
wich could be the reason(or one of the reasons) for my bloatings and nausea.

the test came back positive and the doc (gastr doc)told me to take ciprofloxacin 500 twice daily for 10 days.

i told him that im not sure i want to take this as i know its hard on the liver,
he said i can take it as he asked back my hepatologist (they both work in the same hospital/transplant center).

but i still hesitate to take this antibiotic because i still think something is wrong with my liver,to be true i sometimes not even trust the hepatologist at the transplant center when it comes to my liver.
i dont know now if i should risk and take it or leave it,because i realy believe this drug can send my liver to fail.

so i would appreciate some opinions on this much
marc

[rexx73]

I wanted to ad that iam generally distrustful,no matter who. as its a part of my anxiety disorder.
at my transplant center where I go for routine checks
and hcc screens
they still telling me all my symptoms I have are not liver related,I feel sometimes like a hypochondriac.
but as I have another transplant center nearly I will think about to get an appointment there and when they have the same view on my situation I will have to learn living with it.

regards Marc

[rexx73]

Thanks for all the answers.they did not say I have any infection.
the checked via breath test if I have more than usual bacteria I'm my small intestine.
so they said we can try this to look if your boating is getting better.
I talked to them yesterday and they say we can try something alternative when I want as this overgrown is not life threaten.
j know when I would have any serious infection I would not hesitate a second take antibiotics.

[Dee1956]

Rexx, I wanted to come back and say that yes I have taken Cipro and I have cirrhosis.  I know you are worried, please trust that your two doctors only want the best for you
My best
Dee

[HectorSF]

Cipro is given at transplant centers to patients who are at risk for bacterial infection. I was given Cipro during my hepatitis C treatment while I had cirrhosis.

You do realize that any type of infection in a cirrhotic can be fatal? Not treating or preventing an infection is highly dangerous.

http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijhep/2011/784540/

"Patients with cirrhosis of liver are at risk of developing serious bacterial infections due to altered immune defenses. Despite the widespread use of broad spectrum antibiotics, bacterial infection is responsible for up to a quarter of the deaths of patients with liver disease. Cirrhotic patients with gastrointestinal bleed have a considerably higher incidence of bacterial infections particularly spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. High index of suspicion is required to identify infections at an early stage in the absence of classical signs and symptoms. Energetic use of antibacterial treatment and supportive care has decreased the morbidity and mortality over the years; however, use of antibiotics has to be judicious, as their indiscriminate use can lead to antibiotic resistance with potentially disastrous consequences. Preventive strategies are still in evolution and involve use of antibiotic prophylaxis in patients with gastrointestinal bleeding and spontaneous bacterial infections and selective decontamination of the gut and oropharynx."

Not trusting your hepatologist is a bad sign. You should change doctors if you don't trust them. In the worse case your life could be in their hands. Personally I would never put my life into the hands of someone I don't trust.

First consult your hepatologist. Only they know the reason they are prescribing it and your health status.

Good luck!
Hector

[Dee1956]

I agree with Mike that if you don't feel you can trust your Hep doc you should get another.
I wanted to try to help so looked this up as I knew levaquin has been  rumored to have serious effects on the tendons.  I found an FDA warning and am sharing with you.  I wish you a lot of luck


http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm365050.htm

[mikesimon]

If you have a hepatologist who is associated with a liver transplant center I think you should ask your hepatologist. If you don't trust your hepatologist maybe you should get a new doctor - one you will have confidence in.

Good luck,
Mike