Cipro, or ciprofloxacin, is a common antibiotic of the fluoroquinolone class. It was the first of its class created by Bayer in 1981 and subsequently approved for use in the US by the FDA in 1987. Cipro was considered a groundbreaking drug at the time of its creation. It was the first “broad spectrum” antibiotic, able to treat many different kinds of bacterial infections. It can be used to treat everything from used to treat kidney and urinary tract infections, bronchitis, pneumonia, swimmer’s ear, diverticulitis, and a host of other bacterial infections. It can even be used to prevent plague, treat typhoid fever, and post exposure inhalation anthrax.
Anthrax has been a huge threat to military personnel, especially since 9/11, and finding a medication that can treat, and even prevent anthrax was huge. So when troops started being deployed to the Persian Gulf region, they were being given, among other medications, Cipro. The Defense Department stockpiled Cipro in the event of an anthrax attack during the Gulf War but also distributed the medication as a preventative in the anticipation of an anthrax attack during Desert Storm and Desert Shield. At the time, Cipro was not approved for the use of prevention of anthrax by the FDA; that approval would not come for many years.
Gulf War Syndrome
Gulf War Syndrome is a term used to describe illnesses that are chronic and have no determinable cause. Illnesses such as Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, and undiagnosed issues such as neurological problems, unexplained weight loss, and other disorders all fall under the guise of Gulf War Syndrome. See a detailed explanation on our blog Gulf War Syndrome and How It May Be Affecting You.
OSMI
Cipro’s side effects turn out to be very similar to many of the illnesses that Gulf War veterans are experiencing due to Gulf War Syndrome. Cipro causes damage to liver enzymes which, when sufficiently depleted, destroy DNA. The death of DNA causes effects similar to autoimmune diseases in our bodies. The symptoms of the process of this cell death (oxidative stress and mitochondrial injury {OSMI}) are all found in the illnesses attributed to Gulf War Syndrome (Golomb, 2012).
While OSMI can be caused by other triggers, it is known and scientifically proven that Cipro can cause OSMI. The newest FDA box warning label for Cipro that was released in July 2016, lists new side effects as tendon rupture, peripheral neuropathy, and central nervous system effects. These are in addition to the past side effects already released on Cipro’s warning labels.
Peripheral Neuropathy and Cipro
One of the major known side effects of Cipro, and something that Gulf War Vets have been experiencing to the point that it is one of the highest filed for a disability claim, is peripheral neuropathy. Peripheral Neuropathy is caused by damage to the central nervous system’s (CNS) communication network. The CNS is not able to send messages to the brain properly so the body experiences tingling, pain, muscle weakness, burning, and other sensations that it would not normally experience and has no physical reason to experience. Peripheral neuropathy is common in people who are diabetic due to the nerve damage done by the high glucose levels blocking the blood flow to small capillaries in the extremities, decreasing oxygen to the nerves in those areas. Peripheral neuropathy is normally caused by diabetes, physical injury, autoimmune diseases, cancers, kidney disorders, or tumors on the nerves. Environmental causes of neuropathy include exposure to medications such as Cipro, environmental or industrial toxins, and heavy alcohol consumption.
Some of the other, lesser-known side effects of Cipro include:
- Severe allergic reaction, which should be experienced immediately upon taking Cipro
- Phototoxicity, a skin irritation caused by exposure to light that looks like a severe sunburn
- Kidney stones and crystalluria, crystals in the urine
- Vision disturbances
- Delays of the healing of fractures
- Poor absorption of dairy products (possibly leading to Vitamin D deficiencies)
How to Prove Cipro Effects for a VA Claim
Finding out if you have OSMI due to Cipro or any other environmental factor requires a test called a DNA mass spectrogram analysis and having the results analyzed by a toxicologist. However, this test is expensive and requires very specialized facilities such as an FBI forensics lab to run the tests. Getting professional help with your claim can help with providing expert opinions that can introduce studies that can scientifically link these symptoms to Cipro if it was given to you during your active duty service. Remember, when filing a claim with the VA, you only have to have the benefit of the doubt, so having medical opinions that state that it is more likely than not that your illnesses were caused by taking Cipro is the evidence you need to file a substantial claim. This does not, as many of you know, guarantee that your claim will be awarded, but it will give you a better chance and provide you with the ammunition to fight for your healthcare benefits. Filing with the Gulf War Registry is also recommended, to insure that your history is on file with the VA. There are time limits on some types of claims, so make sure you check and talk to an expert if you have questions.
