QUESTION
I was diagnosed and treated for gonorrhea within the past month. I have lingering symptoms of malaise, fatigue, sore throat, and a filmy paste, greenish in color on my tongue. I returned to the doctor and he put me on Cipro. Nothing seems to correct the situation. Could it be a sign of a more serious infection? What should I do? Thank you.

ANSWER
Cipro is an excellent antibiotic that treats gonococcal infections of the throat, rectum and penis. These infections usually respond to treatment in a few days, although you have to continue the course of treatment all the way through to the end. The antibiotics themselves, however, can have side effects like fatigue, malaise, weakness, headaches, nausea, etc., including changes in the coating of the tongue.

Other infections like viruses, common colds, infections that cause sore throats, and a bit more serious ones like EBV or CMV which cause mononucleosis can also be transmitted sexually, although it is not very likely that you would have gotten two infections at once. It also would be a bit unusual for a sexually active person to get mono at age 44.

The best advice most docs give in this general situation is to allow time for the antibiotic to do its thing. Improvement will be forthcoming. In the meantime, eat healthfully, get plenty of rest, and keep the caffeine and sugar intake low. If you're not feeling better at the end of the antibiotic cycle, check back with your doctor.

To your health,
Dr. K