I had really bad tendon pain, especially in my achilles tendon when i took cipro. As soon as i told the dr. he slowly took me off it and the pain decreased dramatically. 

Your doctor should take you off this drug at the first reports of pain, this is potentially very serious and can leave you with irreversible condition or possible tendon ruptures in your hip / body.  Please see new FDA warnings advising this! This is not a drug to continue on if you get any side effects like this. It can leave you permanently disabled or 'floxed' affecting multiple body systems which doesn't go away any time soon.

https://floxiehope.com/fluoroq...nes-links-resources/

So what does one take to replace Cipro?

i am on a maintenance of 500 mgs. daily.

that along with VSL#3 DS keeps me sane! 

It has reduced frequency in half!

thanks!

Janie

I switched Cipro and flagyl for clindamycin until I got stabilised better on Aziothiaprine. It has risks too as does every drug of course. I'm not sure what's best for you, but be careful is all, what Cipro can do to the body isn't worth the risks especially if you are already getting the side effects! It's urgent to find an alternative really. The crazy thing is doctors don't even know about these awful side effects yet, or very few of them. They will be quicker to diagnose you with IBD related arthritis or something similar. 

Claire,

So the next time I get a flare up, what should I do. Cipro works...every time. I've tried dozens of other medications and none of the non-fluoroquinolone medications work. Penicillin based drugs work but I'm allergic to mold (among other things) and will have upper respiratory issues if I take it. 

It's a conversation to have with your doctor really, I was told I had no other options but Cipro / flagyl but then another doc tried clindamycin and this worked. Or IBD drugs can eliminate the likelihood to flare . I don't know your case and am not a medical professional so I have no answers for you. educate yourself about Cipro because doctors will tell you it's fine except rare cases...it's not a drug to mess with. It was developed for life threatening infections not to take the way it gets prescribed to us ��

Claire and I tend to disagree about this. Cipro gives many J-pouchers their lives back, including me, and it would be (IMO) foolish to leave pouchitis untreated because of exaggerated fear. The terrible side effects of Cipro are, in fact, rare, in spite of the hysteria that has developed around Cipro. Clindamycin, like Cipro and most drugs, will occasionally kill or permanently harm folks taking it. That's why we should use medications only when there is a clear need. It's not a reason to forego needed medications.

I wasn't advocating forgoing needed medications, I'm advocating for informing ourselves, and asking doctors for alternatives in the context of when someone is sadly already reporting ongoing pain.... and let's face it that none of us can know how common or rare side effects may be, especially with a drug with a known delayed side effect profile that can impact so many body systems. 

I understand what both of you are saying but the hitch here is that ongoing Pouchitis  increases the failure of your J-pouch! That I couldn't live with!!! But the arthritis thing does disturb me since it runs in ly family! I just had blood taken and my Vitamin D is lowwww so I just started that today and if the sun would just STAY OUT... that would help! Right now I'm staying on Cipro but will start looking into other drugs... �� 

I got joint pain long before I ever was on Cipro. Turned out it was IBD related arthritis (enteropathic arthritis). My vitamin D was also low, and hoped that supplementation would at least help. It didn't. I hope that it works for you.

I agree it is up to us to be informed about any medication we are prescribed, and mot just blindly take what is suggested. However, we also need to inform ourselves of the effect of NOT following the doctor's best advice. Usually there are other options, but none of them are not without.  Their own set of risks and/or downsides (like cost and inconvenience). Usually, the prescribed treatment is the best at the time for you. If side effects become an issue, you reevaluate. 

I do think that sometimes people think that antibiotics are innocuous and completely safe. Nothing that has a therapeutic effect is completely safe for everyone.

Jan