I have been experiencing side effects from taking Cipro daily for my pouchitis. I have had pouchitis in varying degrees since my takedown surgery in 1998. I finally decided to break down and do daily antibiotic therapy and have been in remission for 3 months. This is after 40 yaers of UC and then pouchitis. It's feels like a miracle to be in remission but I am now having problems with my low dose, (250mg daily) of Cipro. They are the typical side effects mentioned over and over in this forum. I am now thinking of starting a rotation so I can limit the adverse symptoms. High quality probiotics taken at the opposite end of the day help, but I would like a less severe antibiotic than Cipro. Does anyone have suggestions? I think penicillin sounds milder. Has anyone tried Bactrim or other sulfa-based antibiotics with any success? I have heard they are virtually side effect free. Please help me find a gentler regimine. I love not going to the bathroom 20-50 times a day!

I have been on Cipro and Flagyl for Pouchitis but had to stop Flagyl as it made me feel quite sick. So I have been on Cipro for a couple of months 500mg x2 daily then dropped to 250mg daily. I have tolerated it well but it seemed to lose effectiveness before the lower dose so I suggested to my GI to change to Amoxicillan and so I am on 500mg x2 (3 times daily) and its working very well with no side effects as yet. So you could give that a try. Its all trial and error. Good luck!

you sound like me..I have done well switching to Keflex 500mgx2 daily..Amoxicillin makes me sick

I have taken Bactrim a few times for sinus infections and I find it a hard antibitoic to take. I just do not feel good on it. Maybe you will have better luck than me.