What should I tell my healthcare provider before taking ciprofloxacin?

• have tendon problems; ciprofloxacin should not be used in patients who have a history of tendon problems.
• have a disease that causes muscle weakness (myasthenia gravis); ciprofloxacin should not be used in patients who have a known history of myasthenia gravis
• have liver problems
• have central nervous system problems (such as epilepsy).
• have nerve problems. Ciprofloxacin should not be used in patients who have a history of a nerve problem called peripheral neuropathy
• have or anyone in your family has an irregular heartbeat, or heart attack, especially a condition called “QT prolongation”.
• have low blood potassium (hypokalemia) or low magnesium (hypomagnesemia).
• have or have had seizures.
• have kidney problems. You may need a lower dose of ciprofloxacin if your kidneys do not work well.
• have diabetes or problems with low blood sugar (hypoglycemia).
• have joint problems including rheumatoid arthritis (RA)
• have trouble swallowing pills.
• are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if ciprofloxacin will harm your unborn baby.
• are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed. Ciprofloxacin passes into your breast milk.
  • You should not breastfeed during treatment with ciprofloxacin and for 2 days after taking your last dose of ciprofloxacin. You may pump your breast milk and throw it away during treatment with ciprofloxacin and for 2 days after taking your last dose of ciprofloxacin.
  • If you are taking ciprofloxacin for inhalation anthrax, you and your healthcare provider should decide whether you can continue breastfeeding while taking ciprofloxacin.

• Ciprofloxacin and other medicines can affect each other causing side effects.
• Especially tell your healthcare provider if you take:
  • a steroid medicine.
  • an anti-psychotic medicine.
  • a tricyclic antidepressant.
  • a water pill (diuretic).
  • theophylline (such as Theo-24®, Elixophyllin®, Theochron®, Uniphyl®, Theolair®).
  • a medicine to control your heart rate or rhythm (antiarrhythmics).
  • an oral anti-diabetes medicine.
  • phenytoin (Fosphenytoin Sodium®, Cerebyx®, Dilantin-125®, Dilantin®, Extended Phenytoin Sodium®, Prompt Phenytoin Sodium®, Phenytek®).
  • cyclosporine (Gengraf®, Neoral®, Sandimmune®, Sangcya®).
  • a blood thinner (such as warfarin, Coumadin®, Jantoven®).
  • methotrexate (Trexall®).
  • ropinirole (Requip®).
  • clozapine (Clozaril®, Fazaclo® ODT®).
  • a Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drug (NSAID). Many common medicines for pain relief are NSAIDs. Taking an NSAID while you take ciprofloxacin or other fluoroquinolones may increase your risk of central nervous system effects and seizures.
  • sildenafil (Viagra®, Revatio®).
  • duloxetine.
  • products that contain caffeine.
  • probenecid (Probalan®, Col-probenecid®).