Cipro And Possible Tendonitis and Tendon Damage Lawsuit
Cipro (also known as ciprofloxacin, ciproxin, and ciprobay) is a synthetic antibiotic manufactured by Bayer A.G. Like Levaquin, Cipro is in the group of drugs known as fluoroquinolones. Cipro is used to treat lower respirator tract infections (including pneumonia and acute bronchitis), certain STDs, skin infections, soft tissue infections, septicemia, legionellosis, and anthrax. It was approved by the FDA in the fall of 1987. Since then, it has become the best selling antibiotic in the world. The gross sales for Cipro alone in 1999 were $1.04 billion.
There is a list of side effects that could occur as a result of taking Cipro. The most commonly seen side effect of taking Cipro is gastrointestinal irritation, but some users may find themselves sensitive to light (photosensitivity), suffering from constipation, or sensitive to caffeine. However, an alarming number of Cipro users have reported swelling of joints and cartilage, chronic pain, and even tendon rupture in the Achilles tendon, the rotator cuff, the biceps, the hand, and the thumb.
It was the tendon ruptures that caused the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to change the packaging of Cipro in 2005 to include the possibility of tendon ruptures and permanent neurological conditions. This past July, Public Citizen, a consumer advocacy group founded by Ralph Nader and Alan Morrison, finally pressured the FDA into adding a “black box” warning to Cipro and other fluoroquinolones labeling, stating that taking Cipro increases the risk of tendonitis and tendon rupture. However, the FDA has not recalled Cipro, due to the fact it feels the advantages of the drug far outweigh the possibility of tendon rupture and most physicians agree. The FDA has said “The risk of developing fluoroquinolone-associated tendinitis and tendon rupture is further increased in people older than 60, in those taking corticosteroid drugs, and in kidney, heart and lung transplant recipients.” Doctors have advised patients to stop taking Cipro at the first sign of any tendon pain or inflammation, avoid exercise, and contact them immediately.
Despite the new label warnings, Public Citizen feels that Cipro has been unsafe for a while now. Between November 1997 and December 2005, the FDA received reports of 262 patients taking fluoroquinolone suffering from tendon ruptures. There were another 258 reported cases of tendonitis and 274 cases of other tendon disorders by Cipro patients during that time frame. Public Citizen feels that there are more cases that have not actually been reported to the FDA. The nonprofit organization filed a petition with the FDA in 1996 to have a warning label addressing the rupture issue. The FDA granted the petition, but the warning was all but hidden in the list of other side effects of Cipro.
Now that the FDA has finally put the “black box” warning on the label, the question is – was it too late for some patients? If you or someone you know suffered tendon problems such as a rupture or tendonitis while taking Cipro before the warning was added, you may want to contact a lawyer to find out more about a lawsuit and see if you are entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering.
September 21st, 2008 at 3:21 pm
hello
My name is Cherry Roundtree
In the year 1998 I had a severe ear infection and went to the emergency room
I was placed on Cipro
I suffered tendonitis in my right arm loss feeling in my fingers and had to receive a cortizone injection for the pain and because my muscles tightened up so badly that I could not straighten out my arm.
I had to go on workmans comp at work and light duty I suffered medical problems so badly that included high blood pressure panic attacks migrain headaches, I had to quit my job in december of 1999
after 10 years do I have a case because of the cipro
September 22nd, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Cheryl, to get the best advice, you should contact a lawyer to see if you have such a case. We are not lawyers and cannot offer any type of advice to you regarding an actual lawsuit.
October 14th, 2008 at 11:12 am
In the mid 80’s Iaccoca took over Merc Sharp and Dome as research manager. On national television in his speech, he stated;
“We are not going to resear5ch cures anymore, we are going to make drugs to make people feel better, we will tell them they will die without them, and in most cases they will, and they will feel better with them and come back for more, and they will give us their money, their cars, and their houses, and gentlemen we will own America”.
The full text of his speech is in all the magazines and news papers of October of that year, approximately 1987, it was front cover news for Time, Newsweek, and all Times Newspapers that month.
The drugs were expanded on anti-anxiety, and anti-depressants, such as Paxil, Prozack, etc etc…
Need I say more?
I will…
His efforts included, passing the “DRUG FAST TRACK TESTING” with George Bush Sr, which in all intense purposes means “NOT TESTED”, just make it and sell it for HIGH PRICES, and say it will CURE THEIR ILL’S, even though IT WON’T!
Lee Iaccoca needs to pay for mass murder!!!!!
October 29th, 2008 at 10:23 pm
Hello;
I am a sufferer of Cipro and have been for the last 6 going on 7 year’s. I was on Cipro 500 mg daily for 6 year’s straight until I saw it on the new’s one day and paniced and called my specialist and they took me off of it right then. I am a kidney recipient of 16 going on 17 year’s. I have took Cipro off and on for the first 10 year’s and I ended up in the hospital with double phenominia in 2001 and went into a coma.For 5 1/2 weel’s. The Dr’s did not expect me to make it through one day they had my family called in. But by the grace of God I am alive. Well i was sent home on a lot of med’s and one of them was Cipro 500 mg daily and I had had a lot of problem’s such as walking and severe pain in my hip’s and spine. It is all over my body now and I have got a list of problem’s the Cipro has caused me and I will have to live with for the rest of what life i do have left.I amonly 51 someday’s I fel like someone just need’s to roll me over in the grave it get’s so bad. I can not even get out of bed I can not even move my eye’s my spine and all of my bone’s hurt . I have been to many of Dr’s an I was begining to think i was crazy until I seen the new’s about the Black Box Warning on Cirpo and that ezplained it all to me. I called my Dr’s and they took me off of the drug right then. I am still having a hard time and probally always will have but thanks to the Bayer Co they made my life worse other than better like they was suppose to with the medication CIPRO….. I just want to thank them for messing up my life with me family and everything else…