Several of the recovery stories on floxiehope.com describe people who are mostly, but not fully, recovered. A lot of the recovery stories are from people who can see the light at the end of the fluoroquinolone toxicity tunnel, but they’re not completely out of the tunnel yet. Even though these recovery stories are not of complete recoveries, I think that they’re still valuable. The show that life can go on through and after fluoroquinolone toxicity, and they describe the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual journey while it is still vivid and raw. Many of the people with partial recovery stories on floxiehope.com continue to improve. Life goes on–sometimes with bumps in the road/setbacks–but often toward continued recovery.
Some people who have read these partial recovery stories have asked, quite reasonably, if there are any people who FULLY recover, and return to their pre-flox capabilities. To this, I answer, “YES, I have fully recovered.” Me – Lisa – the author of the majority of the posts on this site. I have fully recovered.
When I wrote my recovery story in 2013 I was 90-something-percent recovered. I still had some autonomic nervous system issues and the fear and anger that came with getting poisoned by ciprofloxacin lingered. I wrote an update in 2014 that noted some features of my continued recovery.
Since 2014, I have continued to improve. I was physically completely healed in 2014, but the emotional journey has continued. I have worked through a lot of fear and anger since 2014. Both the fear, and most of the anger, have largely gone away.
I have healed.
I write this not to brag, or to diminish the experiences of those who don’t recover (there are some people who don’t recover, and they deserve our sympathy and support), but, as always, to give others hope. A full recovery is possible. I have fully recovered. I hope for the same for all who read this.
I recently (I got home day before yesterday at the time of writing this) visited Australia on vacation and was able to do all the things that I wanted to with ease. I went on a tour of Tasmania with a bunch of 20-something year olds and was able to keep up with them. We hiked to waterfalls and jumped off sand-dunes. It was fun! My feet didn’t hurt and I had plenty of energy to keep up with them. I was able to eat whatever I wanted. I slept decently–even on couches and in hostels. It was a good vacation. It was exactly what it would have been if I had never gotten floxed. I have recovered.
I hope that my recovery, and these pics of my vacation, give you hope that recovery, and a life that is full of activity and adventure, are possible. I posted these pictures, and others, on my facebook wall as I was touring Sydney, Melbourne and Tasmania. Several people thanked me for sharing the photos because they gave them hope that this type of travel is possible post-flox. It is possible. I had a fantastic time, and I hope that you are each able to take a similar journey, or whatever else you desire that indicates a full recovery.
All aspects of my journey through fluoroquinolone toxicity took time. I encourage you all to be patient with yourselves. I couldn’t have traveled through Australia like I did earlier this month when I was first floxed. I can do it now though, and that feels really, really, really good.
great!! so happy for you- good inspiration
That’s wonderful Lisa. Glad you had such a great time.
Thank you so much for sharing your full recovery story and pics of your vacation. I am just recently floxed(going into my fourth month). I am having a rough time but remain optimistic that, one day, I will be able to climb Enchanted Rock to celebrate my full recovery. Peace!
Lisa, thanks so much for sharing your story. I’m trying hard to focus on the recovery stories like yours. I appreciate you taking the time to show us that we should not give up hope.
You are truly an inspiration!
From day 1 when I stumbled upon your website and read your recovery story right through to today’s article on your full recovery, I am still on this planet thanks to you and your unbreakable perseverance. Super stoked that you had a great trip. Congrats on your full recovery and thank you for all you have done and continue to do for us.
Recovery is absolutely possible. I recovered. I was great for 3.5 yrs. I had a relapse in 2014 and thought my life was over. Bedridden for almost a year. I was at 0% as far as functionality.
Now I’m around 85-90%. Back working. I’m a groomer. It’s very physical, but I’m keeping up.
I truly believe I’ll get back to full health. I can do everything I want to do, I just have some Nueropothy lingering and tinnitus. I tire a little more easily but I am almost 58.
When I say tire more easily I mean I might have a down day every 4 or 5 months.
I can only groom 6 dogs max…which is still quite a good amount in any one day.
I push myself and don’t often talk about floxing to anyone around me.
Life goes on. We have to stay positive ????
This is my second go around on this ride and I won’t let it beat me.
Hope you had a great vacation Lisa. It looks like you did !!!
This is so great to read. I too will be writing my fully recovered story sooner than later. I pray God heals us all.
Great to hear Lisa! I am up to 85%. I think in have another year to go to get back to 100% 🙂
This is the kind of inspirational story that drives me to push forward. I have to believe that I can recover, whether that be 80%, 90% or 100% time will tell. You can’t just sit and complain about being floxed and expect that you will suddenly be recovered. Being angry at the system doesn’t fix anything it only weakens your motivation to move forward and get your life back. Sure, I’m angry that a supposed safe medication pretty much turned my life upside down after just a few days and a handful of pills but I can’t change that now. I like many hope that the long term effects of this will be minimal and that the short to medium term issues I now face will eventually decrease and become a memory.
I am already improved in many areas, my PN symptoms are currently 90% better, my sleep is generally 60% improved as I do manage to get some sleep most nights (except now as I have a pesky gout attack going on.. possibly flox related). My main on-going problem is my muscles, tendons and joints which are probably 20% improved. All I can hope is that a gradual increase in light exercise starting with swimming will slowly encourage my body to repair those and strengthen them. I hope I can go from the 15 or so minutes walking I can manage now to walking up the hills in Scotland again. I hope I get to ride my motorcycle from England to the Arctic Circle in Norway again… so many hopes that I am not willing to give up on. I’m almost 12 months out from being floxed and as much as I hate the wait I have to try and realise that I’ve still a way to go but heading in the right direction. I’ll continue to record my fight to health at my blog https://chriscwharris.wordpress.com/ and I hope one day to write my recovery story for Floxiehope!
Thank you so much Lisa for your story! I wish everyone will heal with time!
Congrats!!!
Thanks for giving hope to others… I’ve recovered 80% todate, and I hope 100% … patients, time and finding what works for you. Everyone is different I realize. I am still in search of some other natural products besides the active (live) collagen and lemon and water I did (14 treatments for 2 years)… But of course, the few dozens of many serious damages that Cipro XL the live collagen can’t help all of them, so I am looking for another treatment that can heal the rest of my (hope, minor damages left). 🙂
I will go through what helped you Lisa to consider it too for myself. Thx you so much.
Teri CiproVictim now know as Teri CiproSurvivor 🙂
Your Floxie Canadian Sister
Thank you all for your wonderfully supportive comments! I appreciate each and every one of you! 🙂
Thank you Lisa for you story of a full recovery. I am so thrilled that you are back 100%. I myself am almost there, but hesitate yet to say that I am 100% recovered as I am still fighting to get my ferritin and Vitamin D3 levels up to parr. Have found some new supplements in that regard that I am tolerating really well, and I am full of hope. For those of you who asked about the burning, yes, I had that full body burning sensation for 3 months after I took cipro and flagyl. I think it was 4 doses. The burning sensation would hit most intensely at night and it was the most horrible thing I had ever experienced in my life. It came in waves and was incredibly painful and along with that the insomnia and anxiety was indescribable. I am now able to say the I am now completely free of any of those things which has been a great relief by itself (am 10 months out now). So in that capacity, I feel I have fully recovered, thanks be to God. The only symptoms that I suffer from now are occasional shooting pains in various tendons and cartilage. I just visited my dentist and received a totally clean bill of health. I was also having extreme tooth achiness, sore gums and tooth sensitivity to temperature. I started using a totally organic remineralizing toothpaste that also contains bentonite clay. Two weeks after starting to use that, sensitivity had remarkably decreased along with the tooth achiness. All that is totally gone now. No damage done. Just had a blood test done and my ferritin (stored iron) and Vit D3 and B12 are still really low. I am making sure to take those supplements faithfully now which before I was not. I finally found an iron (iron bisglycinate, aka gentle iron) that I could tolerate and find that some of the lingering fatigue, depression, dry mouth, dry eyes and burning tongue are getting better now. I have also survived a recent bad cold really well. I recovered completely within two weeks which is really good. Before it would have been 3-4 weeks. So there it is. I truly feel that in another months I will be able to say that I am fully healed. If not, I really am ok with where I am now. I am able to exercise, go for long walks etc..again with no problems. I realize that in all likelihood there will be some flare ups, but that they will hopefully be short lived. I am even more careful about eating organic, non gmo, and excluding added flourides whenever possible (I even told my dental hygienist, no flouride). I do however go out to eat at restaurants without worrying too much about it and now problems yet. I am also drinking wine again which I enjoy, and I believe it also helps. Other than that, the probiotics took a while to fully take effect, but I feel that is now balanced as well. There is hope!! I will say at this point, I am 99.5% recovered and I am not afraid of the future anymore. Health and Healing to everyone and God bless you all.
P. S. sorry about the typos. Can’t seem to post anything without those!! LOL!!
Awesome..
I took 50 Cipro..for prostatities..lower back pain was the only symptoms..did MRI for lower back 6month after finishing Cipro took Back injection Esteroid ..and got tons of pain symptoms foot burning knees burning joints..ear noise..not sleeping .. Pravin fog ..especially after Gluten and suger .. All tests came normal negative so they diagnosed me Fibromyalgia!!! Did u hear this kind of story before??do u think all my symptoms from cipro!! I am in pain and do not want to move from bed ..Doctor do not understand..
Thank you Linda, the thing is the fibromyalgia symptoms almost same as floxc symptoms..ear noise, brain fog, pain burn in muscles..problem staing sleep..and in top the lower back pain ..
Also bad memory I am going crazy..
Im poisoned by cipropol+NSAID (prescribed for chronic bacterial prostatitis)
by old doctor wchich was not aware of fluoroquinolone toxity.
I had eaten 14 days of cipro 2x500mg per day.
The fq symptoms was triggered by bactrim 6 monts after.
First 3 months I was dying, now Im 9 months out,
and Im not sure going to be alive now, im only20% recovered now 🙁
Lost health, job, housebound, and cipro and bactrim
not helped my prostate problem.
I deal with prostate pain medical lamp lightmed (without any meds),
few people completly cured using it.
For bacterial chronic prostatitis there is a treatment in Odessa (auto vaccines)
and in Georgia bacteriophages, but doctors knows nothing about this treatment, only antybiotics. Antybiotics doesnt help in chronic bacterial
prostatitis, symptoms will return in most cases.
However there is one doctor in tirana albania and use abx into anus
with anal heater, find him google.
abx into anus is safer than eat abx.
Im very very angry, why?
Because people from USA are poisoned about 30 years,
money big farma are more important than people health???
In europa, poland we treat diseases like in USA,
because we think USA is very progressive country…but
using quinolones is not progressive, its a CRIME.
How is that possible in USA … 30 years of big pharma fq poisoning…unbelievable. its not real.
If fda corrupted, ama/amsa corrupted, government corrupted, … xxx corrupted
please collect 100000 votes and write directly to new president
(donald trump i heard in polish news is a leader).
we are in fq agony, but in the future many people will be in fq agony also.
health is priceless!
When I was in agony I visited many doctors (reumathologists, neurologists, my family doctor, Traditional Chinese Medicine).
I was so weak, I could barely walk, all muscle pain like fire, fasciculities, neuropathy…, long laundry of symptoms, horror. I felt like 100 years old man dying. Now 9 months out I fell like 60years old man, but i have 36.
Most doctors said that that I “imaginate symptoms” and should go to psychiatrist. Doctors were stupid ignorants in my case.
They said cipropol is widely descripted, safe cheap and effective drug!
Im first patient claims cipro side effects…
I had done blood tests against borella (lyme disase), chlamydia trachomatis, pneumunae, ureplasma, mycoplasma and all tests were negative.
Third neurologists prescribed me thiogamma600 (this is ALA acid) and I thinks this helps me, I still eat ala acid 600mg daily.
TCM doctor help me at most, prescribed me Liposomal C vitamin, k2mk7 vitamin, D, b12 and other B complex multivitamin and Milgamma100 (b1+b6) and diet with lots of vegetables and … chicken (natural chicken without abx) soup.
0 sugar, 0 alkohol, 0 coffe by the end of my life.
I had my blood labolatory tests – thyroid hormones were ok but b12 vitamin in blood was very very low, but now its only low.
I eat magnezium also.
Everything (doctors visits, labolatory blood tests) paid from my own money, unfortunaltely not covered by polish national medical service.
I have a dream, we have a dream we will be like before fq floxed some day.
Lisa is doing great job, In my opinion 100 000 votes collected
for this important case and letter to president is good idea.
When USA stop this fq epidemic other countries do the same.
thanks Lisa ,i am in the boston area if you know any docs around here you could suggest that would help
i have got some liposomal glutathione but i have it in the fridge and have not used it yet ,i am afraid to commit to it right now since you have to use it once you open it it says, and i am kind of scared that it may make things worse for awhile,isn’t it a detox as well as an antioxidant? would it start moving around the toxins sometimes?
also i have had what i feel is bad colitis since i got floxed at 1st i could not have a BM it was awful ,my stools are thin as spaghetti or look like the inflammation picture on the stool chart
i went to a gastroenterologist who wants me to get a colonoscopy which i am very reluctant to do because i will not take any more drugs and do not want anesthesia or sedation
and do not want to be awake either , when i went to the ER with the fever i thought it was the diverticulitis again , they did blood and CT but nobody has ever done a stool sample test since this happened these doctors are horrible, i did some research and read the cipro is the number one cause of pseudomembrenous colitis ,but nobody , not my PCP nor the gastro nor any of the ER docs have ever suggested it or suggested i get a stool sample
i swear they are only interested in making money and just want to do the colonoscopy you think when i told them no they would have suggest all other non invasive tests
i have tried some probiotics but there are so many to chose from i have no idea what i am doing i took one 15 billion units one for a month and it did absolutely nothing ,then i tried one that was 50 billion and i took one and had a not so great reaction to it and the next day got a bad nosebleed ,which i never get ,now i am taking some dairy free drink probiotic but i feel like these are too weak and not helping me, but the strong one was too strong
this stuff is not cheap either ,i fell like maybe i would have been helped with treatment for pseudomembraneous colitis ,they treat you with stool from a healthy donor, like a super extreme probiotic, really gross to think of it, but i am willing to try anything at this point
for the insomnia i have tried theanine which helped at 1st but makes my head feel worse in the day, uridine , did not seem to help that much ,and magenese citrate natural calm , helped with BM’s and helped me to sleep for a few weeks but then i noticed it was having a reverse effect so i stopped , i was also taking mag citrate pills in the day too, about 600mg a day and one night i panicked and went to the ER after having palpatation at night thinking i over did it with the mag(also was starting to get watery diarheaa) but my levels were low ,one point over the min range number
i really do not know what i am doing and just trying thing out of desperation i really do need some guidance because i can;t tell what is causing what, what is helping and what is not
The non-invasive test for colon cancer is called Cologuard. I am 74; it is completely covered by Medicare. The test is ordered by the doctor who takes care of all the paperwork. The kit is mailed to you, you provide a stool sample, and drop it off in the original box at any UPS location. As a result of having been floxed and still suffering from the adverse effects and widespread body pain caused by the ciprofloxacin (5 -500 mg pills taken March 13-16, 2015), I am hesitant to have any medical procedure done or take any prescribed pharmaceutical. In short, I will take my chances; nothing could be worse than this. This might seem like a dumb question, Lisa, but as fluoroquinolones alter DNA at the cellular level, does this invalidate the results of the Cologuard (from the DNA)? Would that also mean that ordering ’23 and Me’ or any test dependent on DNA sampling be invalid as well? If there has been anything good that has come of all this, it is this: when people see me struggling to walk with a cane or any evidence of my disability, they smile and offer to help. Seeing this goodness in humanity is very uplifting.