Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic Health Dangers

*The following is an individual’s story of surviving fluoroquinolone toxicity. It is not medical advice. Please see the disclaimer at the bottom of the story. Thank you, and please be cautious with all treatments. 

I wanted to give an update here (10 1/2 weeks post Rx) to give other people hope – as I check in often to see if there have been any new stories posted.

To let you know where I was just weeks after my prescription: I had what I can only describe as peripheral neuropathy, pains in my arms and legs that would crop up and disappear many times throughout the days. I had pain in the tendons of both forearms, and in my pointer finger after “exerting” it. I had pain in the top of my foot when I walked and in my calf, as well as achilles. Even while sitting, I could feel the tendons in my thighs hurting. They would ache at times when I walked. Lots of anxiety, and I cried easily every single day and very foggy minded. The insomnia- I could only sleep about 4 hours a night (with night sweats and nightmares). There were two occasions where when doing simple movement of my legs, I felt something ‘pulling/tearing’ inside, a sensation I had never felt in my life. It was not painful, but the next day I would feel the pain or on and off for the next few weeks. One was the side of my knee, the other was the back of my thigh. One of my saggital bands (top of the knuckle where the finger meets the hand) suddenly started to slide off my knuckle and to the side. It was not painful. My appetite was gone, and I lost 13lbs in one months because I didn’t want to eat, and I didn’t have 13lbs to lose, so this was disconcerting.

I am a college student in my final year and had to dropped two courses due to the pain in my forearms and I did not want to make them worse. I’m a fine arts major, a lot of hands on work. Luckily, I’m still full-time and I will still graduate on time, though next semester will just be much more work than I anticipated.

The good news: I have not had any pulling or tearing sensations in any part of my body for over 8 weeks. It seems that my body, at least, was most frail in the following couple weeks after taking my Rx. The saggital band is still the same, but has not worsened nor do I feel pain here. The neuropathy has mostly subsided, with only occasional fleeting pain. This is usually when I am very, very tired. The insomnia has also subsided, with only one night in the past 4 weeks where I awoke and could not fall back asleep (and no more night sweats!). I no longer feel very anxious nor depressed, but I do have days where I have that fogginess. I hear this eventually passes, so looking forward to that! The pain in my calf and foot have subsided with hints of an ache on occasion. Some days the achilles acts up, but it is very manageable. No more tendon pain in my legs from just sitting. My forearms ache at times, but not near to the point they did initially. It is passing and very tolerable. I also have my appetite back! And the weight! I know that my body is healing, just comparing myself to where I was only 8 weeks ago.

When I was most desperate for sleep, I never took anything to help me fall back asleep. No anti-histamines, melatonin, prescriptions, etc. Nothing. I wanted my brain to eventually work it out on its own (though every site you may find will tell you insomnia doesn’t go away on its own, I refused to believe this). Instead, I walked some everyday (always outdoors) and made sure I was in bed at the same time every night. Eventually, it regulated.

I stretch every single day, every part of my body. It is worth the extra time it takes me every morning. It has been so helpful, even if I have pain in an area, I stretch it, though gently.

I don’t take anything for pain, not even tylenol. I have also cut out caffeine, but have coffee as a treat sometimes. I don’t drink much alcohol now. One night, I had a bit too much fun with friends, and let’s just say I was paying for it the next week instead of just the next day! Mostly mental fogginess, but I did notice neuropathic pain reappeared as well as some tendon pain.

Starting the semester being recently floxed was very hard. There were times where I wanted to give up, or not get out of bed or get dressed, or just not continue with life. That was not me. What added to this hopelessness was reading stories about worst-case-scenarios in which the author declared to me that my life was officially over.

No matter what, I always got out of bed, got dressed, put on my makeup, and went where I needed to be, again, no matter what. Continue with life. Do something that counts and makes you feel good. Your life is not over. I thought mine was just weeks ago, and now I am very excited for my future again. I’m walking three miles everyday, easily, and have three art exhibitions coming up, have completed many paintings, started an internship, am in school full-time and work part-time. Every day is not perfect, but before being floxed, every day wasn’t either. Life is good, and we will be okay.

** The story above is truthful, accurate and told to the best of the ability of the writer. It is not intended as medical advice. No person who submits his or her story, nor the people associated with Floxie Hope, diagnoses or treats any illness. The story above should not be substituted for professionally provided medical advice. Please consult your doctor before trying anything that has been mentioned in this story, or in any other story on this site. Please also note that people have varying responses to the treatments mentioned in each story. What helps one person may not help, and may even hurt, another person. It is important that you understand that supplements, IVs, essential oils, and all other treatments, effect people differently depending on the millions of variables that make each of us unique. Please use appropriate caution and prudence, and get professional medical advice.