Talia Smith, 44, of Norwood, said it felt like a “bomb went off” in her body in April 2021.
Days before that pain began, Smith had gone to the doctor suspecting a urinary tract infection.
After lab results confirmed she had a UTI, her doctor prescribed the commonly used antibiotic Cipro.
Otherwise known as ciprofloxacin, Cipro is part of a class of broad-spectrum antibiotics known as fluoroquinolones.
Its recommended uses include to treat anthrax, the plague, gonorrhea, typhoid fever, and complicated bacterial infections.
Currently, about eight name-brand fluoroquinolones are on the market – but most people are prescribed dozens of generic options.
“I actually said: ‘This is a pretty strong antibiotic,’” Smith recalled in an interview with Investigative Reporter Ted Daniel. “Like, ‘Is this the right one I should be taking? And is there anything I need to know?’ And they actually told me, ‘No, there’s nothing you need to be aware of. This is a very safe and effective antibiotic for UTIs.’”