Has anyone's parent used cipro and had hearing loss?

Adding to Jessie's suggestion, update all the medical background information you have on your parents to reflect any reactions such as Jessie's Mom experienced. And provide info on any reactions to update doctor's medical records the next time you visit.

We use not only a multi page history which I created for each of us but a 3" x 5" index card for Dad with pacemaker information on one side and vitamins, supplements, prescription meds listed on the other side, with allergies listed at the bottom (as well as emergency contact information).

After the potential side effect that I am seeing, I would say to work with doctors to take a friendlier antibiotic (e.g., Bactrim) while a Culture & Sensitivity (C&S) culture is being done. Then if needed to switch to the antibiotic indicated by the C&S. Going in with a sledge hammer seems bad if a little mallet would have worked.

Sometimes we can get a reaction from a pill because of the fillers/binding/coating that one pharmaceutical manufacturer had used. A variety of fillers are used to help make the pill large enough to handle... the binding is like glue to keep the fillers together.... the coating is used to make the pill slide down the throat easier.

Few years ago I had to experiment with different manufacturers of one pill to find a pill that had the least side-effects :P Even then I just gave up and stopped using the pill, I rather take the risk then have a lesser quality of life from the side effects.

She had a hearing test a few months ago. The change is large and sudden. I used to say things three times so she could understand. Now no matter how many times I say it, she can't understand. She does understand when I spell the word. It is exasperating. I'll have to get out the whiteboard again.

Jessie, thanks for sharing this experience. My father's taken Cipro a few times but I never noticed any hearing change. His hearing loss though is of a long duration and began years ago

All of the potential side effects is one reason why I don't take meds if I can avoid the; one never knows which side effect might be the one that actually occurs.

Has she had any hearing tests before, so that a baseline was established and could be compared to a new one to determine where the loss occurred (i.e., in what specific range)?

There's another possibility too, that the medicine wasn't pure. Remember where a lot of the ingredients come from.

Please let us know what else you learn about this.

I haven't really liked the frequency that cipro is being used now. It is our first line drug for Anthrax in the blood, so I don't like to see it used casually. Most UTIs I've seen will respond to Bactrim or Microbid. I don't know why there has been a recent turn to other medications that are not so tried and true.

P.S. If I do take some type of prescription pill for anti-bionics, I try to get the old tried and true meds that have been around for 25 some years. I don't care if the meds take longer to work, at least all the side effects have been dutifully noted.

I checked, though, and about stoke in the vestibular area and it may be wise to have an MRI to see if the blood flow is being impeded. Thanks, Pam.

Jessie, thanks for the update. I had to quickly check to see what pills I was taking last year when I got a UTI after kidney surgery. It was something else. I hate taking any type of prescription medicine because I know I will get some type of side effect.... I have to keep myself from reading the printout, otherwise my mind will trick me into ALL those side effects :P

It's not a stroke, Pam. No other symptoms but hearing loss.

I found some other things on the web, so my mother is not alone. The Center for Hearing Loss wrote this: Ciprofloxacin belongs to the Quinolone class of drugs, all of which can be quite ototoxic. Ciprofloxacin can cause severe hearing loss, loud tinnitus, ataxia, dizziness, nystagmus, vertigo and ear pain. Thus, it is a drug to be taken with caution.

This makes me wonder if it is worth the risk for treating a UTI when other antibiotics could work as well.

Jessie immediately call the MD and find out if it was the cipro or if she had a stroke. Demand a referral to a Neurologist.