This site is to give HOPE to those who are suffering from Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Syndrome as a result of being poisoned by fluoroquinolone antibiotics – Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox, Floxin, etc. It contains stories of healing.
Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox and all other fluoroquinolones are dangerous drugs that can have devastating effects that cumulatively I’ll refer to as Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Syndrome or Floxing. Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Syndrome/Floxing includes damage to connective tissue (tendons, ligaments, cartilage, fascia, etc.) throughout the body, damage to the nervous systems (central, peripheral and autonomic), and more. The damage done by fluoroquinolone antibiotics can destroy a person’s quality of life or even kill them. Certainly, there is a time and a place for drugs with dangerous side effects. If you find yourself in a septic shock induced coma, fluoroquinolones may save your life. Unfortunately, these drugs are not being reserved for life or death situations. People are being prescribed them for urinary tract infections, suspected prostate infections, upper respiratory infections, as a prophylactic for travelers’ diarrhea, ear infections, pink eye, etc. Thousands of people have suffered needlessly from the devastating effects of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, when another, safer antibiotic could have, and should have, been used.
The damage done by fluoroquinolones is largely unacknowledged by the medical establishment and an accurate diagnosis, compensation and relief are difficult to come by. There is no known cure for Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Syndrome/Floxing. However, many people continue to LIVE after being poisoned by fluroquinolones. They find healing, recovery, perseverance, compassion and hope. These are their stories.
This site is meant to give hope for healing to those who are adversely effected by fluoroquinolones. It is no way meant to disregard the pain of those who are chronically suffering from the horrifying effects of Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox or the other fluoroquinolones. There are people who don’t recover. Their stories are real and they matter. There are also people who are able to recover and I share their stories with the hope that they inspire others, or at least give hope that recovery is possible.
Here is a New York Times article about the dangers of fluoroquinolone antibiotics – http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/10/popular-antibiotics-may-carry-serious-side-effects/?_r=0 – more news stories, research papers and other resources can be found on the “Links and Resources” page.
Here is a Facebook group that is a great resource for those going through Fluoroquinolone Toxicity – https://www.facebook.com/groups/floxies/
Featured post – I’m floxed. Now what?
The Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Solution Ebook has helped many Floxies to recover, including Daniel, Cindy and Ruth. As a bonus, you will also receive The Floxie Food Guide – a book of diet guidelines to help you through fluoroquinolone toxicity:
For those dealing with pain, this looks like it could be promising. (This particular doctor is in California.) http://www.nbcnews.com/nightly-news/video/can-virtual-reality-sessions-treat-chronic-pain-stanford-doctor-yes-955306563957
Barbara and L: Thank you so much for the responses regarding Ozone Therapy. I am happy to hear that it worked/is working for you. I am very interested in trying it, but am still nervous. I hope you don’t mind that I explore both sides of this and play a little devil’s advocate…
If you read only the first few paragraphs of the Ozone Therapy Wikipedia page, a source I believe to be trustworthy, it mentions death and lawsuits and states that there is no evidence it actually works. This information seems to be prevalent across the internet.
If it is such a miracle, and is helping patients with cancer, etc, why don’t we hear more about it? Surely the FDA can’t keep the so-called cured patients quiet? Wouldn’t they be shouting it from the rooftops?
Furthermore, I looked into its use in other countries such as Germany and found a link called “The Misconception of Ozone Treatment in Germany”, a page that includes this statement: “Being German and living in Germany, I can tell you that ozone therapy in Germany is officially regarded as a bogus treatment. It’s not covered by state mandated health insurance. The claim that it’s standard of care in Germany is unfortunately completely false.” And this was from a page that was SUPPORTIVE of Ozone Therapy.
L – have you met and spoke with the patients that your ND says he has treated with Ozone? Or are you taking his word for it? I’ve seen so many NDs over the years and I’ve learned that a lot of their claims are exaggerated.
Please don’t read this as me being argumentative – I believe your stories and am so happy to hear that Ozone has made a difference for you. I am just trying to approach it from a skeptical perspective, a perspective I *wish* I had before I decided to blindly follow the advice of my doctor and take an FQ. I need to be careful with the treatments I use, as we all do.
Ultimately, I hoping this just provokes some more people to post some positive experiences with Ozone, because for such a miraculous treatment there seems to be SO FEW (why?!) Has anyone else out there had success with it?
I was cautious about ozone at first. I have since gotten 2 prolozone Injections and today got my first ozone injection by an integrative dentist. Germany has its own medical establishment that doesn’t want competition. The fact that it is used so much over there proves people are choosing to use it due to the results. I wouldn’t trust Wikipedia any more than I would trust the FDA. Look up cipro on Wikipedia, I’m sure they think it’s just wonderful.
I think it’s smart of you to ask! Ok, first, I will just say that when I was doing my master’s thesis we were not allowed to cite Wikipedia, because it is not considered a really well respected and researched site. As for the people who got the ozone, I talked to them directly. They were there when I got IVs (The rooms seat anywhere from 1-5 people where I went) and a common topic of conversation involved what we were getting and how it was working. As for the FDA….they are bought by big pharma, and big pharma hates all these naturopathic treatments because they can’t patent them. There is currently a Levaquin lawsuit backeast that names not only Johnson and Johnson as defendents, but the FDA commissioner who approved it. She is charged with racketeering because her husband was heavily invested in J and J stock at the time. The current FDA head of the drug arm had the bulk of his salary while at Duke underwritten by the pharmaceutical industry.
When I was in my early desperate months, the only really kind, concerned regular MD I saw, a rheumatologist, knew I was going to start getting Ivs. I ran the list by her and some she said she thought were fine, some she was unfamiliar with and the H2O2 she said she thought was dangerous. I of course did it anyway because as I mentioned, I was gasping for breath. I don’t blame her because this is how they are trained—pharmaceuticals good/natural treatments-bad. However if you do a little searching online, you will find some more progressive institutions using H2O2 Ivs like Cleveland Clinic. (whatever you do avoid the quackwatch site…I presume it is operated by a shill for big pharma. In fact the term quack dates back to the early days of Rockefeller and his chemical corporation buddies. THey wanted to peddle their chemicals for medicine with no competition, so they gave lots of money to medical schools as long as they ONLY taught chemical treatment and referred to natural treatments as quackery. In the height of hypocrisy, Rockefeller himself apparently used ONLY natural cures.
Right on.
Hi Jason,
Firstly you are COMPLETELY RIGHT to question and be skeptical, shows you have a good brain, and lets not forget you can no longer take chances with your health. I wish I had your attitude “before” I was given cipro and “blindly” took it.
Secondly, “Big Pharma” cannot make any money out of ozone, as it can’t be patented, they hate the fact that it helps people and they can’t make a profit out of it, so they will do all they can to discredit it, generally if people go down the natural route, that’s money they are not making.
I dont know about wikipedia as I have never used them, so cannot comment.
My Ozone Doctor works in a private medical hospital in Alicante. As I said he has been using ozone for 20 years, but no I havn’t met any of his patients, but I see them in the waiting room. I thoroughly researched him and ozone before he treated me as like you, I don’t let anyone medical or natural give me anything unless I have done the research first.
Thirdly, this is not “a miracle cure” I don’t believe there is one, but I do believe in giving yourself the best chance of recovery by using different methods. I have a life now, from being in a wheelchair, having a multitude of symptoms to where I am today. I am not fully recovered, because each week I have really good days and some little bad ones. But in the past year I have flown long haul twice and am planning my third to Vietnam in November. I celebrated my 74th birthday in May and am determined not to let a course of pills beat me. Life is to short.
The methods I used when I found out what had happened to me were,
A protocol of vitamins and minerals from “The floroquine Solution” by the way it is Not the solution, but it had to have helped even though it was not measurable. I spent a fortune and tried so many, so I know that alone was not enough.
Going Gluten, and sugar free, and cutting down on dairy. This helped me loose weight as I had piled on 36lbs after cipro. Also going gluten free is good because it helps with inflamation.
Ozone Autohemotherapy, which for the first time I did notice a difference in terms of energy especially. Also it really helped with burning tingling etc. Again it is not “A Miracle cure” and I can only tell you my experience.
I am presently having accupunture from a Chinese Doctor who trained for seven years, she is in the clinic where my Doctor (Medical) also (Natural) is supervising and knows full well all about fluroquinolones. He used to work in Emergency and would ‘NEVER’ use cipro unless it was a life or death situation. The accupunture is also helping, but again good days and some bad.
Doing my best to stay positive, even though there have been many “dark” days. I try to zone out any negative thoughts, and I “Bloody” wont give up.
I think my point in all this is to say this for me has been a marathon not a sprint, as it is for many of us, (I am 2 years 9 months out) but if I at 74 years now can do it so can you younger ones.
I hope some of this helps and if you need to question further by all means do. We are all different but we can all contribute to helping each other and beating this.
Love and hugs,
Barbara xx
Jason,
I just thought, I should add what I thought made it worse.
Firstly all the Doctors I saw who treated me with contempt, who treated me like I was an idiot. “What did an old lady like me know”? Even though not ONE DOCTOR helped me apart from the Ozone Doc and the Doc in the Chinese clinic that I’m seeing now.I believe they all had a “God Complex” Each time I came away from these so called Doctors my pain would increase, caused by stress and frustration. Not ONE read the information I took with me, one commented that the “internet was the bain of his life. They sure don’t want you to gain knowledge.
Secondly, I had a nerve test which caused a massive flare up of agonising pain. I had just come back from holiday and for the first time in a long time I was starting to feel pretty good. Was it the test ? Seemed to much like a coincidence to me, but others have had the test without a problem. It was very invasive, but the results showed no nerve damage ??
Thirdly it was my own fault but I did nothing about my diet for a long time, so I was eating gluten which causes inflamation. I figured my life was a mess, I was in pain, so sod it I love bread. I did not think it would make a difference but it did when I engaged my brain and went gluten free. It helped with energy and brain fog, and of course my gut.
Any kind of stress is a cause of pain as it releases cortizone in the body.so trying to STOP reading horror stories from other floxies is a given. I dip in and out of this site and the fluroquine solution site now. In the begining I was consumed by it daily searching for a cure. Now I know at this moment in time, people do recover and I prefer to take on that belief, and hope that one day there will be a “Cure” for you all.
Here’s a thought for you ….HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE FOR A BABY TO GIVE UP LEARNING TO WALK AFTER FALLING DOWN HUNDREDS OF TIMES.?
Having myself done 17 years of research & ongoing because of my many horrific experiences with western medicine into big Pharma & all those connected to them.
the conclusion I reached long ago means that I now avoid allopathic medicine like the plague on humanity it is, thats unless I literally have no other choice in the matter i.e. their is no natural effective treatment, or I will literally die without it, one reason among a few is because there is NO such thing as a safe allopathic drug unfortunately prescription or OTC .
This in depth research has also left me with the sorry conclusion that every aspect of allopathic medicine is completely corrupted,& I mean EVERY aspect of it, & unfortunately as far as the drug regulatory agencies go, this sadly ALSO applies to them. As things stand right now, the FDA as far as I am concerned IS Big Pharma .
Therefore, when I do have occasion to visit an allopathic Dr, ALWAYS at the front of my mind is the following : the understanding that I am NOT actually speaking to that Dr .. I AM speaking directly to the pharmaceutical industry. So I will listen to what they have to say, then go home & carry out MY OWN research IN DEPTH.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=2282014
Debs Bloody hell. This is amazing, where did you get this video from? I am circulating it widely.
I agree entirely with all of your comments. I really do. I have lost all faith in allopathic drs. As you and others have said drs just represent Big Pharma and of course have their own financial interests very much at heart.
Thanks for the video it explains a lot.
The history of a subject is often where the truth on a subject, or where clues eventually leading to the truth / or what is closest to the truth can so often be found.
That’s why when I research, i research with an open mind without self censorship BOTH sides of a subject, no matter HOW far out, bizarre or opposite to my own opinion at that time it might be.
I will look into that subject in great depth, including that VERY important history, & I follow it right the way back to the source, or at least as far back as i can go . When I eventually feel I have reach a conclusion from that research, I will then immediately try to prove that conclusion I’ve reached wrong. That way I know I’ve done all I can to reach the most accurate answer at the time .
And having an open mind, if new information comes to light I will be back on that subject like a dog with bone reassessing my conclusion / opinion, unlike our brainwashed allopathic Drs who seem to think for some strange reason that science is not an evolving subject but is static, & who also seem to think that they learned all they need to know at Big Pharmas medical schools, & they do not need to continue to evolve, to learn anymore.
Lots more where that one came from, like this one in case you have not seen it .
Debs,
Thanks for posting these videos. I’ve long suspected that something wasn’t right in recent years and my suspicions have been confirmed by your posts.
These people have a brutal agenda and judging by the millions, perhaps even billions around the world who are suffering from “mysterious” chronic illnesses, I’d say they’re succeeding in their plan.
Luckily, God sees all and He will not stand for this chemical mass murder spree. It won’t be long before Mother Nature takes back control of this world.
Natural World > Chemical World
May somebody help me with a very little problem.
Half a yr before, I was identified as having the candida
I wish to look at some diet against Candida albicans.
In the Internet, a lot of information on this issue.
Although opinions often diverge. And I failed to find the correct selection for me personally.
Maybe the forum participants can propose an established diet or maybe several quality recipes against candida?
I’ll be really thanks for almost any help
Thanks!
Claytonrem,
This is my natural Path’s website and I believe he posted recently about your question.
If you can not find it you can always call him or search his posts. he gives a 10 minute free consult.
http://naturopathic.doctor/#
In the mean time I will look up some more for you and what i tried.
Michael
Thanks all for your responses regarding Ozone.
L – you had said that your ND also helped “former” floxies with ozone. Were those people you also met? Also, do you have a source about the Cleveland Clinic using H202? I tried to google it and search for it on their website, and came up with nothing. In fact I found a Cleveland Clinic page where a patient asked about Ozone Therapy and the Cleveland Clinic doctor responded that they don’t recognize it as a treatment because there isn’t enough validating research behind it.
Again, please don’t see this as me being nitpicky and argumentative. I am not denying what you say, I just want to explore this from all angels — and I, personally, just see more negative than good out there. Can the FDA be THAT good at hiding it from us? Sure, maybe in medical journals and online articles, but I just don’t believe that they’d be able to hide true accounts from all the patients who have apparently had success with ozone.
There just seems to be no correlation between the long list of conditions ozone purports to have treated, and the amount of people who have successfully been treated by it. If it is so effective shouldn’t we be hearing more from all of these people? Where are they?
Barbara, being in Europe, do you hear about it often there? It sounds like it is still an alternative treatment, but is it a well known one, like acupuncture? Most people in the US seem to have never heard of it. I wish we knew someone in Germany who could verify, personally, whether or not it is as big as some claim it is in Germany.
Bob, thanks for your note and please keep us posted on your progress with ozone. Did you feel any different after? Better? Worse? The same?
Thanks, Debs…yeah, I’m trying to do my own research too, it is just so difficult knowing what is true…
My daughter is going to the Funational Medicine Clinic at Cleveland Clinic. She was diagnosed with Lyme by doctor Mark Homan who is rather famous. You may have seen him on PBS. The doctor was able to confirm Lyme but my daughter was told they couldn’t treat it or the CDC would “shut them down.” Why, because it has been designed decreed that 2 weeks of antibiotics will “cure” lyme, which it will if you catch it in the first 2 weeks. After that it spreads and changes form and hides in fat and organs where antibiotics don’t reach. But insurance companies dont want to pay for long term treatment. So the CDC covers their backs and tries to shut down doctors that treat it. The FDA and CDC are the enforcement wing of the PharmoMedicalMafia. They want you sick so they can “manage” your symptoms. That was so much as adminted to me by a nurse getting a nutritional IV this week at the clinic where I got prolozone. She worked in oncology in a major hospital but she would not take chemo for breast cancer because she knows the damage it does. 75% of oncologists say they would not take chemo but they will give it to you at $30,000 a bag. Yeah, hard to believe it’s that bad but it is. If you a really progressive doctor they will come after you. Doctors using ozone was the to keep a low profile.
Yes, it is truly abhorrent. Sadly, corporations are running pretty much everything these days. My new MD is integrative and a Lyme specialist. Thankfully there are people out there who take their oath to heal seriously.
That’s Dr. Mark Hyman.
Question for Lisa: I believe I remember you taking kratom for pain in the past. How did thathe work out for you?
Hi Bob,
I think it helped a bit. I wouldn’t call it a strong painkiller, but it helped with the pelvic pain I was experiencing. Some floxies have said that it helped them immensely. I wouldn’t say that was my personal experience, but I think that it helped as much as an OTC painkiller would have, but maybe with fewer side-effects.
Regards,
Lisa
Some peoplevel have reported story stomach problems with kratom. Did you have any and what dose did you take?
Are any of you folks taking probiotics to speed up healing of the digestive system or are these a waste of time and money? I’ve taken probiotics sporadically in the last 2.5 years. I’ve no idea if they have helped me in any capacity but then again, I’ve never been consistent with them.
There’s reports and studies out there that claim they are a fundamental part to gastrointestinal health, while other reports and studies state no positive impact.
Which to believe?
I’ve been taking a brand that contains 11 Billion + Live Active Whole Cells. It consists of 11 strains: 4 Human / 1 Plant / 6 Dairy (veg. capsule form).
What’s the outlook like on probiotics? Should we be taking them? Are they an integral part to recovery from FQT or do they have little to no effect?
I make my own yoghurt & have done so for many years, & I do eat a great deal of it.
I eat it 3 times daily at least with my meals, & often will eat more.
I am convinced that this has certainly helped protect my micro-biome.
Considering the amount of times I’ve been floxed & the damage I suffered, the fact that even after my 7th floxing I have still improved a hell of a lot from my worst in many ways . I personally feel I would right now be be rather worse off, maybe not so improved If i had not been doing this consistently.
Debs,
Thanks for your feedback. I’ve done the kefir route but being lactose intolerant, it doesn’t sit too well with me. I used to be a heavy consumer of milk and I think that caused my intolerance. It’s not bad, but I prefer to steer clear of all dairy products these days.
Happy to hear that homemade yogurt has helped you a great deal.
That is to say, all dietary products. The capsuled probiotics give me no trouble.
Lukasz – I have been eating cashew-based yogurt made by a company called Forager. It’s surprisingly tasty and it uses probiotic cultures just like the milk yogurts. If you have access to it, you may want to try it. I’m a fan.
also cultured sauerkraut is good for probiotics. I have trouble with dairy too but I find that goats milk kefir (plain otherwise too much sugar) agrees with me and is also very good
Lukasz – I tried lots of probiotics and finally found one I like. Prescript Assist includes lots of unique strains of soil based probiotics not found in main stream products. I also have used two food based probiotics successfully Gut Shot which is a liquid made from cabbage with other elements. The original works best for me. And finally good old Kimchi. I like it and it has lots of bioavailable probiotics.
Lisa,
I looked it up and it’s something I would definitely be interested in picking up. Sadly, accessibility to products like these are very limited here in Canada, often none existent. I’ll check some of the health food stores anyway. Thanks for the suggestion.
L,
I’ve had kefir off and on since this all began. Doesn’t give me a lot of trouble but I’d still prefer a dairy-free alternative. Thanks for weighing in.
AColeman,
I’ve also consumed kimchi for a while. I really like it and yes, you’re right. It has many health benefits including that of being a good probiotic source. Cheers.
I received Cipro qnd Flagyl in a combo iv for diverticulitis. Six weeks later I had a colonoscopy. My gastroenterologist prescribed a probiotic but I was a bit sporadic about taking it as I started to suffer from acid reflux which was new for me. I blamed the probiotic but now I’m pretty sure it was a floxing symptom . After the one pill of Cipro for a suspected UTI when I finally found out about being floxed I started taking the probiotic every day. My guts work better than they used to do ( though I rarely became constipated except when travelling) and I do not get as many diverticular twinges. The acid reflux has more or less gone. I also take aloe vera juice most days. It does not taste that good so I mix it with a little cranberry juice.
Madge,
Thanks for sharing. I also find myself to be less constipated when using probiotics. Think I might stick with them.
Madge, raw almonds helped me with bad heartburn and stopped it in its tracks. I don’t know if they’ll help as well if it’s acid reflux, but it may be worth a try.
Thanks Pam- I will try them if it comes back. On the whole my digestion is ok now though I have had to restrict my diet due to the diverticulitis.
Hi Madge,
There is no ryhm or reason to this as I have read so many people don’t get constipated after taking a probiotic. I had to stop because after trying several different ones, 50,000,000 and up to 14 strains I GOT constipated. Hmmmmm???
That’s a drag. Do you feel your gut has recovered anyway since being zapoed by the FQ? Iread a comparitive study of antibiotics on microbiome disruption and FQs were the worst culprits.
Lukasz it all depends where you buy them, and if they are dead or live cultures. The quicker you can get them the better. If you buy them from a store sometime the cultures are already dead. Also prebiotics are good to take along with probiotics to help them along.
Here is Doctor Axe’s article on the matter.
https://draxe.com/probiotics-benefits-foods-supplements/
Michael
Michael,
Yeah, whether the probiotics are alive and well has always been a concern of mine. Like you said, we could easily be picking up dead bacteria which is of no use. I guess probiotics found in fermented foods will always triumph over encapsulated probiotics.
Hi Lukasz,
One thing that was recommended to me to help build up a healthy gut is an enteric coated probiotic capsule, which allows the probiotic to make it through the stomach acid and into the intestines without having a lot of it killed off.
Thanks for the ideas on skin health, too!
Hey everyone. I just saw this posted on facebook and thought it would be of interest to those of you dealing with pain issues. http://herb.co/2017/02/23/cannabis-pain-patch/
What the hell…..the back of my hands look like they have aged 20 years in the past 2 months. Over 2 years after taking Cipro. Crazy timeline. Does this skin thing ever get better?
Kurt, I’m having the same thing with lots of crepey skin 14 months after taking Cipro. I’m curious if anyone found a way to help the skin recover from this…
Sorry to hear that Pam. Hoping that this issue gets better with time…
Kurt and Pam,
Vitamin C is probably your best bet for skin-related issues.
There are people who claim that Apple Cider Vinegar is beneficial too.
Thanks for the info!
Hello everyone,
I just wanted to update you as to my condition. As many of you know me on facebook. I was recently diagnosed with Adult Autoimmune Enteropathy and it is a rare autoimmune condition that attacks your small intestines. I have been dealing with malabsorption and dehydration and severe weight loss and extreme pain. This all happened after I was floxed over 5 years ago. I took both levaquin and Cipro. It first attacked my brain and joints then tendons and eventually my guts. I have seen experts at Cleveland Clinic and Lansing and Grand Rapids Michigan and now the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. I have been hospitalized quite a few times. My biopsies have been sent to many places such as the Mayo Clinic and Chop.
A few Doctors think this is connected with Cipro which we know it is. If the Cipro does it at the cell level or if it causes an autoimmune response. All I know is my body is not healing.
I am on Prednisone and Entocort and now they have me on Tacrolimus to try to stop my immune system from attacking my intestines.
I am just taking one day at a time and focusing on my recovery have to let everything else go. You can not focus on what you can’t do and focus on what you can.
Anyway hang in there everyone.
Michael Teeter
Michael, What I began doing quickly after all the joint pain, muscle spasms and twitching began was to make liposomal Vitamin C. It’s easy if you have the time, and it helped me to slow down all the roving joint pain that would hit a different set of joints every few days. My cousin explained it to me like this: Your immune system is detecting an enemy that has settled in your soft tissues (your joints) and is sending out white blood cells to attack that foreign body, but it starts attacking your joint tissue too. The Vit. C, along with lots of magnesium, chlorella, and boron that appears to help get the fluoride out of your system, really helped to slow the progression. I’ve also been taking a probiotic that is enteric coated so it makes it through the stomach acid all the way down to the intestines. I’m 14 months out and don’t have nearly as much of the joint pain I had a year ago! Whew! This is scary stuff. I hope some of this might help you, too!
I am just extremely enraged whenever I stop in here to see So many more Newly Floxed People , I am Ten Years out ….. 3/19/2007 I can say I had a horrible first few years, because I had absolutely No Idea what was happening to me, Lawyers were telling their Clients Not To say anything……I was given 750 mg of Levequin for ten days, I actually didn’t associate it with any of the “Symptoms” I was having Tremors, horrible nightmares and especially unbearable pain in my left shoulder that way back in 2010 , I believe this hits you the hardest after you completely Stop taking it, I took it six separate time prior to ANY WARNINGS. I worked out 5-6 days weekly and walked miles afterwards. I had lost 70 lbs and was planning on having knee surgery to repair an old injury that had gotten worse, thus the dedication of losing weight and getting strong. I finally saw an advertisement in 2011 about tendon tears and to call an Attorney, long story short I was taken on as a Client and after 3 years dropped as soon as it turned into a Class Action Suit. The less clients the more they make, I was told ” I was to young to have tendon Tears,” by this time the Brain Fog was starting to hit me badly, the depersonalization , the chronic Fatigue it was to a point I could no longer drive because I would ACTUALLY FALL ASLEEP WHILE DRIVING. I pretty much slept for Three years , aware of what was happening in my surroundings but as if watching my LIFE through a Camera lens. I did what I had to do, pay bills and feed my dog and cats, I even kept up on housework somewhat, except for the PAPERWORK 😦 From what I have learned through this entire process is everyone is DIFFERENT, some thing may help one of us and do nothing for someone else. I totally agree with the magnesium, and essential Vitamins especially C , E D A and several others, I was Deficient in almost every Vitamin we have…. I had a Thyroid issue which has since straightened itself out , how I don’t know, perhaps I am finally getting what I need for my body to function as well as possible. I Do have severe Endocrine issues I believe it was because of my non existent eating habits of which consisted of mostly Juices and water, I had absolutely No Hunger what so ever and ten years Out I am just beginning to feel Hunger Pangs slightly , I KNOW I was hurt so much worse then I should have been because I had absolutely no information about this at all, until 2011 and still nothing really helped ME, again I was in a terrible Brain Fog. I Thank God for finding this website and for Lisa’s selfless act of documenting her own journey because I actually really started healing only 17 Moths ago, yeah Fifteen Months ago, after over 8 plus years of suffering, and fighting with Doctors, thinking I was absolutely Crazy out of my mind. Thank you Lisa for everything. I became an everyday searcher, thanking as always joanneg and Linda or L for all of their suggestions, I popped in a few weeks back to inform you all of an accidental discovery that really took A LOT of the Neuropathy Pain Away, its been ( Brain Fog again ) at least eight weeks and amazingly the pain Hasn’t Come back ? This Biotin is made with Coconut oil and also contains magnesium and SILICA ( something I have always thought was poisonous because of those little gel packets that say Do Not Eat ! ) apparently that is because its a gel and if moistened could cause a chocking hazard , who would of thought We actually have Silica in our Bodies already and its main job is to Help rebuild Connective Tissues and Keep the nervous System healthy …. I took a few capsules and chewed them wanting as much as possible to get into my blood stream sublingually though the insides of my cheeks, I was like a Crazed person, a child in a candy store a monkey with bananas, I was completely UNABLE to STOP eating these Capsules, I actually had to go put them up in another room up high as far away as possible, that is how much MY BODY WANTED TO INGEST THESE CAPSULES. apparently I am/ was excessively deficient in Biotin ( Vitamin H its called ) and also I am thinking Silica , these are two supplements/ vitamins that I have NEVER been tested for as far as I know in my Life. I get complete bloodwork ( 24) Tubes Every Six Months for the past two years. It has also relieved a lot of my shoulder pain ( Torn Tendons in both ) knee pain and my hair skin and nails are growing like crazy. I also take unflavored Collagen Peptide powdered each morning and later during the day something called GREEN FOOD , its a powder also because I am still not eating correctly that generally is just ME trying to get as much vitamins back into my system as possible it consists of a Food Blend all greens ,antioxidant blend EPA Fiber Blend ( Flax Seed & Apple pectin ) and a Digestive blend of enzymes and pre & Pro biotic Blend , all of this in a glass of 8oz water or a smoothie up to three times a day, I also take my Life Changing Colostrum LD ( thank you joanneg) which is what Actually brought me back from what I thought was the end of me. I apologize for taking up so much space ,I just wanted to Share with you all . I also want you all to KNOW THAT I AM NOT A DOCTOR, I AM NOT ASSOCIATED WITH ANY COMPANIES SELLING ANY OF THESE PRODICTS I HAVE MENTIONED , I ONLY KNOW these have helped me more then I have could EVER EXPECTED , being that I was poisoned over Ten Years ago. My Only Hope is that these products may help you to heal as much as possible, praying they ever heal you completely being these effects are hitting Now, hoping you can get a head start on them and wipe them out. I would also like to take another minute of your time and mention a man who also helped me Tremendously , a Doctor who had been injured himself by these terrible Drugs, and fought So hard for all Floxies Dr J.S Cohen who tragically passed away Two years ago this past December. He was a pioneer into this uncharted World, exposing exactly what WOULD HAPPEN TO EACH OF US , Not what MIGHT HAPPEN. His book is my Bible , I read it over & over & over again and I always seem to discover something I had missed ? Its called HOW WE CAN HALT THE CIPRO AND LEVEQUIN CATASTROPHE. The Worst Medication Disaster In U.S History. How to Protect Yourself and Your Family From the Massive Overuse of the Six Antibiotics That Can Destroy Your Life. JAY S. COHEN, MD Critically acclaimed Author of Over Dose The Case Against the Drug Companies. I would highly recommend this book to Anyone floxed or not, it has several peoples documented journeys throughout, showing how these drugs actually change our DNA ! Thankfully these have been Pulled off of the Prescribing Go To List , but we ALL need to be vigilant , because there were SEVERAL WARNINGS THAT THE FDA HAD PUT OUT and DOCTORS just Ignored them ! That first 750 mg of Levequin I took, was ALREADY KNOWN to cause Neuropathy FORTY YEARS BEFOR I INGESTED IT ! I am as I said Ten Years out and had more Doctors paid attention to their patients and Read the Updated Side Effects of these Six Drugs, they could have saved So many people from going through this Nightmare . I still tell anyone who will listen, post on Social Media even though these cant be given unless ITS a LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION. I have said it before and I will say it again, had I not begun to Finally start feeling somewhat normal again, I certainly would have taken My Chances with a Sinus Infection. I am certain it would have cleared on its own . Ooops 1 more thing oil of Oregano and a Good Pro biotic will clear up most Viral, bacterial and or Fungal infections NATURALLY WITH NO HARMFUL SIDE EFFECTS Unless your Allergic to Oregano. Just Start taking it as soon as you feel as if your getting a cold or virus. I discovered it by researching naturally healing No Side effects about Five years ago, it cleared up a sinus infection completely within 5 days, just take it with food, or belching is unpleasant, and not before sleep, Its like eating pizza before bed Ugggh.I have So much more I want to share, and I will how to clean out lymph nodes etc . all naturally. No side effects KNOWN. Allergies are Here and Borage Tea is the Best, I have been using it for several years I start drinking it in April and I have absolutely no allergies to the Trees or Flowers, I started late this year, well lots of rain in NJ , and I have a massive Pressure Headache, so I’m going to have a cup and look up if it contains Fluoride or not, that’s another thing, Fluoride from the earth or Fluorine a known carcigen that’s a by product of other chemicals, Bio Hazard that should have to be carted away and disposed of properly, instead our idiotic States Towns Pay for the crap to be put into our water Supply, its Good for Us ?? No It IS POISON. Hoping and Praying for Each Of YOU to Get as Close to Perfect Health As Possible, Because It is Possible ❤ NEVER EVER GIVE UP HOPE 🙂 Always keep searching ………..
Hey Michael,
Your situation sounds a lot like mine. Even though I never received a proper diagnosis (and at this point I don’t care to since I know what Cipro and Clarithromycin does to the body and its’ organs), I’m certain that I have a similar if not exact condition as you since I experienced and continue to experience the same issues that you described. I lost a lot of weight since this all began and have been having trouble putting it back on. It’s as though my digestive system is broken down and cannot absorb/process food. It’s brutal since disease loves an environment that is acidic and having organs that are unable to perform their jobs is more of an uphill battle. These brutal drugs also attacked my brain first. It’s been 2 1/2 years and I’m just now starting to come around mentally, though I sometimes wonder if my brain will ever be 100% recovered.
These drugs should be nicknamed the ‘Life Destroyers’ because that’s precisely what they do to people’s lives.
I refuse to give up though. Like you said, all we can do is take it one day at a time and hope for the best down the road.
I just wanted to say I like you am Ten years out, I still have severe Gut issues no signals to use the toilet. I have gained weight which is opposite of everyone else it seems, I initially lost but I was working out 6 days weekly & walking 2 MILES DAILY. I just wanted to ask if you have tried using Colostrum LD, that helped me immensely, been using it for 17 months, I still have issues, I am So very very Sorry you are going through this horrible ordeal. There are absolutely No tests to show we have been Poisoned. I on the other hand had a FULL BODY SCAN six months before taking Levequin. I was petrified of getting Cancer, because I was losing my sister to it, My Doctor ordered this Test to show and Assure me that I did Not have any Type of metastatic Diseases. It showed my back issues and knee issues nothing with ANYTHING ELSE. I am hoping this will be a Break through that will Actually Prove what these Drugs WILL DO not may do and How devastating they are to the Human Body. Michael have you read about or heard about something called Stool Implants ? This is something that has been happening for I would think at least 2-5 years ( Brain Fog have time period issues) But So many people were actually helped using this procedure , they have extremely healthy Screened individuals Donate their Stools which are then put through a process that makes them into a viable way to transplant into the ill person, they have been using this initially for people with Severe weight loss due to Colitis Chrons several types of GUT RELATED ISSUES that have left people unable to Heal their Own Gut themselves by no matter what Means they have tried, I am serious about this, and from what you have written it seems your situation is dire, taking medications as you know to well only aggravates the situation. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE get in touch with a Teaching Hospital I believe it was in Boston and ask about this. It is becoming a pretty standard procedure and is as easy as getting a colonoscopy in and out same day, and ALL the people who received these transplants have MADE Complete Recoveries , Michael Please ask about this new innovative procedure, it just may save your life , living day by day wondering has to be so very hard for you. I wish you the best of Health, I just Know I stopped in here so very early for a reason, and I believe it was to tell you about this. God Bless and Praying for your Healing.
Hi Lisa M, can you post exactly which biotin supplement you are taking? I would like to try it, and thank you for letting us know how you’re doing 🙂
One of the things that scares me most is that I find so few descriptions that seem to reflect my experience. 7-8 months in, whenever a drug causes a reaction (I was given a antidepressent 5 months in that reacts with levofloxacin, even after I warned the doctor not to prescribe anything with such a reaction- I was not allowed access to google when given the drug- since then other drugs that interact with the antidepressant but not levofloxacin cause levofloxacin reactions, even a month after I stopped taking the antidepressent!) Localized areas of my connective tissue become highly fragile and prone to injury- to the point where using stairs or speaking can cause an injury- over a couple of months, the fragility goes away, but any injuries incurred while it was present linger, and can re-injure even months after they stopped being noticeable- the ones in my hamstrings feel like they could be permanent..
I have very little pain or inflammation- the pain only comes when I injure a locally weakened area by trying to use it normally. I’ve had minimal problems with noise sensitivity and coldness in my feet and hands- but this has never lasted more than a month.
My only real problem is connective tissue damage. When it initially weakens an area (knees, feet, groin) it feels hyper fluid and like the region is hardly there at all. I can feel the initial reaction happening, it feels like the area is spasming, vibrating, pumping something through the local area- afterwards the area is just weak,and fragile. Does anyone have any insight to offer/ a similar physical experience? I’m hoping for some kind of reference in what I can expect
* I should clarify, when a weakened area is used and injures, it can get inflamed, but it’s not the huge immobile swelling out of nowhere other people describe, The local tendon just gets really weak and sensitive.
I have a question about prevention and not sure if this is the right place to ask. I am on the 3rd day of 5 day Levofloxacin for kidney infection. The Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Solution ebook seems to have so much good common sense health info that anyone could benefit from. I’m already gluten/dairy free, very little sugar, etc. Would there be benefit from trying to follow the protocol for a month or so after I take the last pill, to help deal with any dna damage that might occur? Does damage always occur or just for the people who start getting all these painful health issues. I know it can show up months later. Just curious. I’m 61. I had to take it 2 years ago for a kidney infection and am very grateful no problems that time. This time when my dr. was going to give me Levofloxacin for kidney infection I asked for an alternative. I was amazed she said ok and prescribed Sulfamethoxazole. But my fever went up for 2 days & didn’t get better. I had fear of hurting my kidneys and when she thought Levofloxacin would definitely help, I went for it out of fear. I am finally feeling better, although still very tired.
If it were I, I’d ask for an alternative ASAP. There must be other antibiotics you can try that aren’t in the Fluoroquinolone family. Of course kidney infection must be treated by abx, but Levaquin can ruin your life.
Hi Ellen,
In this post you will find some supplement suggestions that might mitigate the harm from FQs. https://floxiehope.com/2016/02/25/mitigating-fluoroquinolone-damage/. I hope that helps!
Regards,
Lisa
Thanks so much for the information Lisa! I need to re-read it to get it all, but on the medical paperwork that comes with this horrendous drug, it didn’t say you couldn’t take magnesium, calcium, etc., it just said that less than 2 hours before or after this drug. So maybe tonight I will start taking a dose of magnesium, because it will be hours away from my pill. I will also look into NAC.
A couple suggestions from dr jay cohens book would be to take magnesium 4 hours away from the Levi ( I know it says don’t take mag but mag depletion is a huge reason for so many problems. Oh you take it 4 hours away it shouldn’t interfere also supplement with vitamin e. If it were me I would request a non-fluoroquinolone. Typing on a small phone so sorry about typis
Thanks for your suggestions! I will look into Jay Cohens book and info re: Vit. E and also magnesium.
Yes, I regret responding from fear. It’s just that the 1st alternative didn’t work, so I ended up having fever for at least 4 days, going up to 103. Just didn’t want to risk damaging my kidneys, by “trying out” another one that may not work. That’s why I’m trying to find out if following as much of the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Solution ebook right away for a couple of months, could minimize possible problems. I send out healing thoughts and prayers to all who are going through this.
Hello everyone. I am thinking about going to a herbalist but am thinking about homeopathic treatment too. I have booked an appointment for next week. I don’t know which one will be more relevant and beneficial to my cause. I hate living like this.
I hear you. I actually saw dramatic improvement with an ND (Dr of naturopathy and IV treatment which was very expensive…but what is the alternative. I did also get some help from an acupuncturist who also used Chinese Herbal Medicine. I was not even able to use the latter though until the former got me well enough to move around on my own.
Lisa, have you seen this? I found it on Amazon recently–talk about outdated dogma.
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
I tried to leave a comment on the book but it would not submit.
This beggars belief. I have left a review and submitted it, but I dont know if it will be accepted or not.
I went to amazon and found it and wrote this (which is being reviewed): “This is dangerous information. Cipro is a failed chemo drug. Even the FDA after much outcry stated it should NOT be used for UTIs and other simple infections. More than 300,000 people have died and millions more have had their lives devastated from this class of drugs that destroy DNA, mitochondria, collagen, bone…wreak havoc on all systems and organs. There is NO CURE if you are injured, and side effects are thought to be cumulative, so even if you have used Cipro before, it does NOT mean you are safe to use it again. The author of this book is not only doing a great disservice to the public but may be putting himself in legal jeopardy.” I encourage others to do the same. (There was already another one star review. Too bad you can’t do zero stars.)
I noticed too that if you do a search, the book directly below is Dr Jay Cohen’s “How We Can Halt The Cipro & Levaquin Catastrophe: The Worst Medication Disaster In U.S. HistoryOct 25, 2015” 🙂
L…that one star was me. I have sent a copy to Lisa. They accepted my review, I only wrote…this stuff is poison, take it at your peril. It devastates lives. I didn’t write more because I did not think they would accept it. So hopefully lots of floxies will also write a review. It’s disgusting how someone is making money out of thus crap.
They wouldn’t post mine! I got this: “Your review could not be posted.
Thanks for submitting a customer review on Amazon. Your review could not be posted to the website in its current form. While we appreciate your time and comments, reviews must adhere to the following guidelines:
http://www.amazon.com/review-guidelines“
L….I think you have to choose your words and also title. Thats why I kept mine short. But also the title was …..devastated lives. Somehow they didn’t pick it up. Try again, read mine and try to do the same sort of vein. Good luck xx
Sorry….the title was called ….The destruction of peoples lives.xx
Hello everyone! My name is Heather, I am a 29 year old very active travel ER nurse. I received a script for Cipro for a kidney infection almost a week ago. On June 13,14 and 15 I took 500 mg twice a day. I was not informed that there were concerns regarding tendonitis from the PA or the Pharmacist who filled my script. In any event…I ran 4 miles on the 13th (my 29th bday) and 4 miles on the 14th. I developed Achilles tendon pain in my left leg. I was also having some insomnia and headaches. The next day I realized that my tendons were hurting badly, a run half marathons and salsa dance regularly and have never had any pain. I researched cipro and was horrified with what I found. I discontinued it immediately. Since the 15th I have slowly developed inflamed tendons. My neck and shoulders are hurting, lower back and hands. I am currently at work in the ER and my neck is burning. I have been reading articles and just ordered $211 worth of supplements to try to combat this. Does anyone have any advice for me? Should I not exercise anymore? I am extremely active and exercise is my life!!! 😦 I am supposed to work a nursing contract in the virgin islands starting July 31st. What should I do? Please help!!
– Heather
I was floxed 4 years ago aND have been through it all. I don’t know what you think about homeopathy but when I have used it for years. When I was floxed I heard there was a homeopathic cipro but I could not find it. Just recently I found a doctor in CA that has it, Dr. Mueller at Homeopathic Associates. He said if I had gotten it soon after taking the cipro it could have potentially recovered quickly. There was one post I saw that said it helped them. They take cases over the phone. In the mean time I would start taking magnesium and calcium. Cipro depletes magnesium massively and calcium chelates cipro. Your body cant stand any extra stress I would definitely stop exercising for now. I thought I was recorded eyed 6 months after floxing climbed up on a roof and relapsed. Find an ND who can give you nutritionall IV’s. Try not to panic but it will take awhile to recover. Take Epson salts baths but don’t get the water too hot. Believe me it could be worse. I think you will be OK but stop pushing your body. IT needs rest. Check out Dr. Mueller. He does a free conference call.
I would stop exercising, load up on probiotics, magnesium, vitamin E and avoid fluoride and GMOS, gluten, anything nonorganic, esp meats that could contain antibiotics. There are many good posts regarding what helps, if you scroll back. For me personally, the lifesavers were nutrient IVs (high dose vitamin C, H2O2, Meyers and phosphatidylcholine and glutathione. Others have been helped by ozone therapy. I also, over a year later, had prolozone injections in both knees because of torn menisucus. Sadly, the fluoroquinolones eat through all connective tissue. The Achilles seem to be especially vulnerable.
We have all been in your situation. I had to stop performing because body wide side effects from Cipro. These drugs are incredibly toxic, and it’s not just connective tissue. They can affect every organ and body system. The good news is, you learned rather quickly what was going on. There is a book by a doctor who passed away last year, dr Jay Cohen: “How We Can Halt the Cipro and Levaquin Catastrophe: The Worst Medication Disaster in US History,” that you might want to get (online). He covers all the supplements he believes help.
Like Bob I recommend you find a good ND that does IVs (or integrative doctor…I actually have found both.) I am afraid most allopaths will not be very helpful.
Take magnesium supplements, the topical spray helps tremendously and soak in magnesium baths. Avoid ALL pharms, nsaids, and steroids which will make you way worse!! I use all forms of magnesium, probiotics and colostrum. I’ve tried many supplements, these are the ones that seem to give “me” the most help. Everyone seems to respond differently from supplements. But the majority are helped the most from magnesium. Good luck, I certainly hope you have a mild reaction. And never take this class of antibiotic ever again.