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Dean
10 years ago
So glad to have found this website!
4 days ago I stopped taking 500mg of cipro twice a day for 10 days. It was to treat a suspected urine infection.
Yesterday evening I noticed a slight pain in my knees which I took little notice off until today I started to get a pain in my achiles. The pains are not constant, they come and go and when the pains do occur they are not severe. I can still walk fine, today I must of walked for 3 miles. One other thing I have noticed is my veins on my ankle/foot seem much more prominent than before.
I am 20 years old and have had a no health issues throughout my life so far. I am currently in Asia travelling so this is an unwanted distracton which is causing me a lot of distress. Im really worried my symptoms will worsen and I will have to abandon my trip.
I have read through most of the posts on this site and I think its a great idea how we can all share our experiences about this cruel drug.
Hope to hear from some of you soon!
Best wishes to you all
Dean
A lot of good information in the comments. Following!
Dean
10 years ago
Anything else anyone can recommend I have been eating foods high in magnesium like roasted almonds and bananas. I have also been taking a calcium and magnesium supplements aswell as glucosamine pills. I have been drinking lots of water and fresh orange juice (high in Vitamin C right?) Any more tips would be amazing!
Sandy
10 years ago
Hello everyone. I’ve posted a couple of times but no response. Hope that means people have recovered. I was wondering for those who have taken modified citrus pectin how they have been feeling? I ordered some but haven’t taken it yet.
Dean
10 years ago
Yeah im from the uk originally. I bought liver detox tablets too. I know im strong enough to overcome this its just frustrating in the meantime. I walk a lot however I will refrain from jogging or sport for the time being as that may help speed up recovery! I do get moments of severe depression where I wonder why it happened to me but im foccused on recovering asap and moving on with my life!
One question, has anyone had any problems with caffeine? Im a big coffee lover and have stayed off it for a couple of days since being floxed.
I’m not an expert – but I’ve read that chelated magnesium is better for absorption (maybe also magnesium citrate). Also when I was first floxed I used topical magnesium in the form of a spray which is called Magnesium Oil – but is actually Magnesium Chloride from the Zechstein Sea.
Over months I kind of recovered enough to wonder if I should tell my story – but recently fell ill and seem to have been re-floxed. I have clicking joints again – which went away the first time. Now it feels more permanent….I’m wondering about prolotherapy to help my ligaments return – sounds expensive but it may be my only hope. My knees feel like old man knees.
I was recently reading that stress (read cortisol) depletes magnesium – it makes sense that my body was depleted of magnesium pre-floxing – as I had been highly stressed for two-three years prior. (Which also lead to burnout and poor decision making of taking cipro to begin with).
I initially felt my body was having a toxic overload when I was floxed and seeing an excellent chiropractor helped as he was able to open the channels for my body to detox (or so it felt to me). He used these devices that kind of pounded on me (and made me laugh)
to open ducts in my internals.
A good diet made my energy levels go up — however after this second time being floxed my energy levels remain low. I would take deadly serious when people say to eat organic meats not treated with anti-biotics – as I think that was the beginning of this second battle with cipro poisoning – when I had a roast beef sandwich at an airport.
Lastly I never tend to write on forums, and I have freaked myself out by reading some of the stories out there – but here is a link to a story that gave me some hope. I don’t have the same symptoms, but I could relate to the changes necessary for healing to occur.
Is it necessary for floxed people to stop using standard toiletries/shampoos etc? I’ve cleaned up my diet and use fluoride-free toothpaste, but should I also be using more natural washing products and cosmetics too?
Actually I came on here more looking for suggestions than really having any. I kind of did the things that other people have. Took magnesium (oral and spray) – tried eating better – but I didn’t completely cut out sugar or flour/starches.
I decided I needed to see a chiropractor that could do muscle testing – because I was going nuts with this supplement and that trying to “fix” what cipro had done. At least muscle testing would indicate what my body was needing. I had adrenal fatigue as a big issue (which I think was an issue pre floxing) and adrenals are also connected to ligaments in the body as a quick search can show eg http://drandreabradshaw.com/adrenal_glands ). So I took a bovine gland supplement to help my adrenals that my chiropractor gave me. I researched what people do to help adrenal fatigue. It’s an issue that takes time to recover from – destressing and resting.
My gut flora was also thrown out of balance – for which I’ve taken a few things like stomach acid and enzymes and also took and still take probiotics and pro-biotic foods.
It could have been imagination – but when I was outside on a hot day working in the garden and I sweated quite a bit – I suddenly felt I was stronger.
I recently had new issues crop up of peripheral neuropathy, eye floaters, blurriness, dryness. Also after I had a bad flu I lost more muscle and ligaments have deteriorated – so I have more clicking everywhere.
I never have experienced numbness so I don’t know what could cause or help that unfortunately.
I think as Lisa says there isn’t one protocol for getting better from this so we’re left to ourselves to find answers. It seems to effect people in such a wide range – that’s why that previous link I put up where the person changed their thinking and things started to get better is maybe the only one size fits all solution. I also liked reading the story that Lisa has of the guy that said “fake it till you make it”.
Everyone is different. It sucks. It would be really nice if something helped all of us. The only thing that seems to help everyone is time. As I noted in my story, beets made me feel better. But they made a floxie friend feel worse. So, even a suggestion as seemingly generalizable as “eat beets” can’t be applied to everyone. Everyone on here – thank you very much for noting what has helped you and what has hurt you! Your input is greatly appreciated! I hope that my story can steer people toward something that helps them, and I hope that the other stories on here can also help people to find answers and to find things that work for them. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a formula that works for everyone though – at least not yet.
Searching, seeking answers, looking for solutions and experimenting with yourself shows that you are hopeful. I thoroughly believe that hope is helpful. Keep hoping.
Of course, try not to drive yourself nuts or hurt yourself.
Sorry to be trite, but hang in there – you all can do this. You can. Try to believe it.
Best regards,
Lisa
Laura
10 years ago
I everybody. I am looking for someone from Europe. I am from Italy (sorry, my english is not perfect 🙂 . Can someone of you please reply and maybe have a chat together? I feel quite alone in this condition here 🙁 and know there’s someone close to me it’s making me feel a bit lees upset (I know it’s not good you have to pass through this nightmare….).
Laura.
Melinda
10 years ago
I too have been using chelated magnesium and calcium, Vit C, E, iodine and liquid Zeolite. I still go up and down with FTS but the symptoms are getting better. I am getting a little more serious about my diet and looking at the molecular structure of all my meds other products and I’m lucky to live where medical marijuana is sold legally. I wish you all the best. Thanks for the great tips. I’ll stay tuned.
Catherine
10 years ago
Hi everyone
I have a question about loss of cognitive function and memory, which I find is getting worse as the months go by. Has anyone tried anything that has helped with this? Is it something which eventually gets better? At times I am worried that I am developing Alzheimer’s, and I just wonder how bad it is going to get.
Would be grateful for any advice!
Thanks
Catherine
I thought I might mention that focusing on healing one’s gut might also help one cognitively. I think my initial feeling of being wrecked was due in part to the loss of gut flora. A lot of info out there about our second brain being in our gut – there are neuro-transmitters etc. Here is a link talking about the subject of our microbes affecting our brains.
I kind of have incorporated some of the Gaps diet into my diet (without cutting out the no-no foods) – which includes fermented foods (yoghurt, kefir, and kim chee/sauerkraut) and I continue to take probiotics. The probiotic I take the most is called Prescript-assist – the nutritionist I spoke to recommended it as it’s been shown to contain the species of soil-based bacteria in it, whereas many probiotics you buy in a supplement store may not have the counts of bacteria that are on the label (they may be there at the time of manufacture but not when you buy it).
I have also taken magnesium more or less … since I was floxed. There are so many things that being low on magnesium is linked to – including Alzheimer’s. I read about magnesium being used to treat depression. I’d have to wonder if the suicidal feelings that people report post flox (including myself) are due to being low on magnesium. One thing I wonder though is if my impaired digestion affects my ability to absorb magnesium.
Lastly here is some advice I found on a board talking about healing from anti-depressants :
“Gentle exercise, like walking at least .5 hour a day, can help the body and brain repair itself. Also, keep regular hours — get up at the same time, go to bed at the same time every day. This helps reset your internal clock. Cut out sugar, processed foods, junk food, etc. Concentrate on giving your body high-quality fresh food so it has the materials it needs for self-repair. This does get better with time. For about 8 months, I felt like my head was stuffed with cotton balls. But it cleared up. ”
That struck me as I remember reading about the benefits of walking on the brain, eg
Now I’d better get off the internet and go for a walk!
kind regards,
Paul
Lane
10 years ago
Hi Lisa,
I recently received my 23andMe genetic test results; I was lucky to have ordered them before the FDA blocked the health information. Do you have any recommnedations on how floxies can use this data?
Thank you,
Lane
Lori
10 years ago
Hi everyone,
I wondering if anyone is able to tolerate NSAIDS (Advil, Alleve or ASA) at any point after
fluoroquinolone toxicity? I feel that my relapse was most likely caused by taking motrin for
several days when starting a mild exercise program using the stationary bike even though it was 5 or 6 months after my original cipro toxicity. I had heard that steroids and NSAIDS should be avoided in quinolone toxicity but all my doctors felt since my symptoms had mostly resolved that it would be fine to take it. Big Mistake!
I originally took cipro 250mg bid for 3 days for a suspected UTI this past August. I developed bad peripheral neuropathy both sensory and mild motor right before taking my last pill. My symptoms were bad for about 4-5 weeks- unable to walk up stairs, difficultly walking for more than a few minutes, and pins/needle and burning throughout my body. I ended up improving slowly by taking chelated Magnesium, probiotics, vit C, vit D, alpha lipoic acid, multivitamin and better eating . After about 2months I felt close to my old self except that I didn’t attempt conventional exercise. I made the mistake under other the advise of my doctor to take some Advil for mild inflammation and also started exercising very mildly. About 3 days later all my PN symptoms returned as well as some myalgias.
Thanks,
Lori
Chris
10 years ago
I’m almost 2 years out from being floxed with Levaquin. A couple of pharmacists told me that the medicine can remain in my system up to 3 years (not good!). My legs were first swollen/painful after finishing 5 days of the medication. I couldn’t walk. My tendons were popping, I had wide-spread pain, etc. Currently, I still have some hip pain, tendon pain, popping joints, etc., but the worst now is that my memory has been harmed. I have brain fog, but also I’m starting to disconnect from follow-up things that I need to do. For example, I have rolled down the window on the car, and forget to roll it back up after it starts raining. Likewise, I may forget to turn off the modem after working on the computer, etc. Has anyone found something that truly helps with memory after being floxed?
Some mentioned MCP, but I take supplements, and the MCP slows the absorption of the supplements that I feel I need in my system. Has anyone noticed a change in supplement absorption when taking MCP?
Your responses are appreciated. Chris
Das
10 years ago
Homeopathy, Nux Vomica 200C 3 pills three times a day will rid your body of all the toxicity.Please look up homeopathy for relief from flouroquinolone toxicity.
Homeopathy is wonderful and nux vom is a great remedy, but it’s not a cure for FQ toxicity, though it helps to deal with some aspects (mainly digestive.) There’s no point in taking three pills – one or three would have the same effect. 200c is good guess at a suitable potency, but for everyday symptoms 30c is usually adequate. Personally, I don’t agree with ‘three times a day,’ as one normally stops taking a remedy when it starts to work, which could be after one dose.
I sometimes use a potency as high as 10M when taking arnica (for shock) or my personal remedy.
joanne
10 years ago
Hi I have had terrible symptoms for over two years pain in joints and foot numbness and pain/ leg pain and muscle weakness and lack of balance to walk I took cipro four times in two years I am diabetic but they say diabetic neuropathy it came on strong and fast and continues to get worse
So glad to have found this website!
4 days ago I stopped taking 500mg of cipro twice a day for 10 days. It was to treat a suspected urine infection.
Yesterday evening I noticed a slight pain in my knees which I took little notice off until today I started to get a pain in my achiles. The pains are not constant, they come and go and when the pains do occur they are not severe. I can still walk fine, today I must of walked for 3 miles. One other thing I have noticed is my veins on my ankle/foot seem much more prominent than before.
I am 20 years old and have had a no health issues throughout my life so far. I am currently in Asia travelling so this is an unwanted distracton which is causing me a lot of distress. Im really worried my symptoms will worsen and I will have to abandon my trip.
I have read through most of the posts on this site and I think its a great idea how we can all share our experiences about this cruel drug.
Hope to hear from some of you soon!
Best wishes to you all
Dean
A lot of good information in the comments. Following!
Anything else anyone can recommend I have been eating foods high in magnesium like roasted almonds and bananas. I have also been taking a calcium and magnesium supplements aswell as glucosamine pills. I have been drinking lots of water and fresh orange juice (high in Vitamin C right?) Any more tips would be amazing!
Hello everyone. I’ve posted a couple of times but no response. Hope that means people have recovered. I was wondering for those who have taken modified citrus pectin how they have been feeling? I ordered some but haven’t taken it yet.
Yeah im from the uk originally. I bought liver detox tablets too. I know im strong enough to overcome this its just frustrating in the meantime. I walk a lot however I will refrain from jogging or sport for the time being as that may help speed up recovery! I do get moments of severe depression where I wonder why it happened to me but im foccused on recovering asap and moving on with my life!
One question, has anyone had any problems with caffeine? Im a big coffee lover and have stayed off it for a couple of days since being floxed.
Best wishes and a quick recovery to everyone
Dean
Also what magnesium do you suggest?
I have seen magnesium oxide tablets, any good?
Dean
I’m not an expert – but I’ve read that chelated magnesium is better for absorption (maybe also magnesium citrate). Also when I was first floxed I used topical magnesium in the form of a spray which is called Magnesium Oil – but is actually Magnesium Chloride from the Zechstein Sea.
Over months I kind of recovered enough to wonder if I should tell my story – but recently fell ill and seem to have been re-floxed. I have clicking joints again – which went away the first time. Now it feels more permanent….I’m wondering about prolotherapy to help my ligaments return – sounds expensive but it may be my only hope. My knees feel like old man knees.
I was recently reading that stress (read cortisol) depletes magnesium – it makes sense that my body was depleted of magnesium pre-floxing – as I had been highly stressed for two-three years prior. (Which also lead to burnout and poor decision making of taking cipro to begin with).
I initially felt my body was having a toxic overload when I was floxed and seeing an excellent chiropractor helped as he was able to open the channels for my body to detox (or so it felt to me). He used these devices that kind of pounded on me (and made me laugh)
to open ducts in my internals.
A good diet made my energy levels go up — however after this second time being floxed my energy levels remain low. I would take deadly serious when people say to eat organic meats not treated with anti-biotics – as I think that was the beginning of this second battle with cipro poisoning – when I had a roast beef sandwich at an airport.
Lastly I never tend to write on forums, and I have freaked myself out by reading some of the stories out there – but here is a link to a story that gave me some hope. I don’t have the same symptoms, but I could relate to the changes necessary for healing to occur.
http://www.benzobuddies.org/forum/index.php?topic=60296.0
Is it necessary for floxed people to stop using standard toiletries/shampoos etc? I’ve cleaned up my diet and use fluoride-free toothpaste, but should I also be using more natural washing products and cosmetics too?
Hi Jarene
Actually I came on here more looking for suggestions than really having any. I kind of did the things that other people have. Took magnesium (oral and spray) – tried eating better – but I didn’t completely cut out sugar or flour/starches.
I decided I needed to see a chiropractor that could do muscle testing – because I was going nuts with this supplement and that trying to “fix” what cipro had done. At least muscle testing would indicate what my body was needing. I had adrenal fatigue as a big issue (which I think was an issue pre floxing) and adrenals are also connected to ligaments in the body as a quick search can show eg http://drandreabradshaw.com/adrenal_glands ). So I took a bovine gland supplement to help my adrenals that my chiropractor gave me. I researched what people do to help adrenal fatigue. It’s an issue that takes time to recover from – destressing and resting.
My gut flora was also thrown out of balance – for which I’ve taken a few things like stomach acid and enzymes and also took and still take probiotics and pro-biotic foods.
It could have been imagination – but when I was outside on a hot day working in the garden and I sweated quite a bit – I suddenly felt I was stronger.
I recently had new issues crop up of peripheral neuropathy, eye floaters, blurriness, dryness. Also after I had a bad flu I lost more muscle and ligaments have deteriorated – so I have more clicking everywhere.
I never have experienced numbness so I don’t know what could cause or help that unfortunately.
I think as Lisa says there isn’t one protocol for getting better from this so we’re left to ourselves to find answers. It seems to effect people in such a wide range – that’s why that previous link I put up where the person changed their thinking and things started to get better is maybe the only one size fits all solution. I also liked reading the story that Lisa has of the guy that said “fake it till you make it”.
I hope you get better soon too.
Best wishes,
Paul
Everyone is different. It sucks. It would be really nice if something helped all of us. The only thing that seems to help everyone is time. As I noted in my story, beets made me feel better. But they made a floxie friend feel worse. So, even a suggestion as seemingly generalizable as “eat beets” can’t be applied to everyone. Everyone on here – thank you very much for noting what has helped you and what has hurt you! Your input is greatly appreciated! I hope that my story can steer people toward something that helps them, and I hope that the other stories on here can also help people to find answers and to find things that work for them. Unfortunately, there doesn’t seem to be a formula that works for everyone though – at least not yet.
Searching, seeking answers, looking for solutions and experimenting with yourself shows that you are hopeful. I thoroughly believe that hope is helpful. Keep hoping.
Of course, try not to drive yourself nuts or hurt yourself.
Sorry to be trite, but hang in there – you all can do this. You can. Try to believe it.
Best regards,
Lisa
I everybody. I am looking for someone from Europe. I am from Italy (sorry, my english is not perfect 🙂 . Can someone of you please reply and maybe have a chat together? I feel quite alone in this condition here 🙁 and know there’s someone close to me it’s making me feel a bit lees upset (I know it’s not good you have to pass through this nightmare….).
Laura.
I too have been using chelated magnesium and calcium, Vit C, E, iodine and liquid Zeolite. I still go up and down with FTS but the symptoms are getting better. I am getting a little more serious about my diet and looking at the molecular structure of all my meds other products and I’m lucky to live where medical marijuana is sold legally. I wish you all the best. Thanks for the great tips. I’ll stay tuned.
Hi everyone
I have a question about loss of cognitive function and memory, which I find is getting worse as the months go by. Has anyone tried anything that has helped with this? Is it something which eventually gets better? At times I am worried that I am developing Alzheimer’s, and I just wonder how bad it is going to get.
Would be grateful for any advice!
Thanks
Catherine
I thought I might mention that focusing on healing one’s gut might also help one cognitively. I think my initial feeling of being wrecked was due in part to the loss of gut flora. A lot of info out there about our second brain being in our gut – there are neuro-transmitters etc. Here is a link talking about the subject of our microbes affecting our brains.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2013/11/18/244526773/gut-bacteria-might-guide-the-workings-of-our-minds
I kind of have incorporated some of the Gaps diet into my diet (without cutting out the no-no foods) – which includes fermented foods (yoghurt, kefir, and kim chee/sauerkraut) and I continue to take probiotics. The probiotic I take the most is called Prescript-assist – the nutritionist I spoke to recommended it as it’s been shown to contain the species of soil-based bacteria in it, whereas many probiotics you buy in a supplement store may not have the counts of bacteria that are on the label (they may be there at the time of manufacture but not when you buy it).
I have also taken magnesium more or less … since I was floxed. There are so many things that being low on magnesium is linked to – including Alzheimer’s. I read about magnesium being used to treat depression. I’d have to wonder if the suicidal feelings that people report post flox (including myself) are due to being low on magnesium. One thing I wonder though is if my impaired digestion affects my ability to absorb magnesium.
Lastly here is some advice I found on a board talking about healing from anti-depressants :
“Gentle exercise, like walking at least .5 hour a day, can help the body and brain repair itself. Also, keep regular hours — get up at the same time, go to bed at the same time every day. This helps reset your internal clock. Cut out sugar, processed foods, junk food, etc. Concentrate on giving your body high-quality fresh food so it has the materials it needs for self-repair. This does get better with time. For about 8 months, I felt like my head was stuffed with cotton balls. But it cleared up. ”
That struck me as I remember reading about the benefits of walking on the brain, eg
http://sharpbrains.com/resources/2-the-4-pillars-of-brain-maintenance/physical-exercise-why-aerobic-exercise-enhances-neurogenesis-and-neuroplasticity/
Now I’d better get off the internet and go for a walk!
kind regards,
Paul
Hi Lisa,
I recently received my 23andMe genetic test results; I was lucky to have ordered them before the FDA blocked the health information. Do you have any recommnedations on how floxies can use this data?
Thank you,
Lane
Hi everyone,
I wondering if anyone is able to tolerate NSAIDS (Advil, Alleve or ASA) at any point after
fluoroquinolone toxicity? I feel that my relapse was most likely caused by taking motrin for
several days when starting a mild exercise program using the stationary bike even though it was 5 or 6 months after my original cipro toxicity. I had heard that steroids and NSAIDS should be avoided in quinolone toxicity but all my doctors felt since my symptoms had mostly resolved that it would be fine to take it. Big Mistake!
I originally took cipro 250mg bid for 3 days for a suspected UTI this past August. I developed bad peripheral neuropathy both sensory and mild motor right before taking my last pill. My symptoms were bad for about 4-5 weeks- unable to walk up stairs, difficultly walking for more than a few minutes, and pins/needle and burning throughout my body. I ended up improving slowly by taking chelated Magnesium, probiotics, vit C, vit D, alpha lipoic acid, multivitamin and better eating . After about 2months I felt close to my old self except that I didn’t attempt conventional exercise. I made the mistake under other the advise of my doctor to take some Advil for mild inflammation and also started exercising very mildly. About 3 days later all my PN symptoms returned as well as some myalgias.
Thanks,
Lori
I’m almost 2 years out from being floxed with Levaquin. A couple of pharmacists told me that the medicine can remain in my system up to 3 years (not good!). My legs were first swollen/painful after finishing 5 days of the medication. I couldn’t walk. My tendons were popping, I had wide-spread pain, etc. Currently, I still have some hip pain, tendon pain, popping joints, etc., but the worst now is that my memory has been harmed. I have brain fog, but also I’m starting to disconnect from follow-up things that I need to do. For example, I have rolled down the window on the car, and forget to roll it back up after it starts raining. Likewise, I may forget to turn off the modem after working on the computer, etc. Has anyone found something that truly helps with memory after being floxed?
Some mentioned MCP, but I take supplements, and the MCP slows the absorption of the supplements that I feel I need in my system. Has anyone noticed a change in supplement absorption when taking MCP?
Your responses are appreciated. Chris
Homeopathy, Nux Vomica 200C 3 pills three times a day will rid your body of all the toxicity.Please look up homeopathy for relief from flouroquinolone toxicity.
Homeopathy is wonderful and nux vom is a great remedy, but it’s not a cure for FQ toxicity, though it helps to deal with some aspects (mainly digestive.) There’s no point in taking three pills – one or three would have the same effect. 200c is good guess at a suitable potency, but for everyday symptoms 30c is usually adequate. Personally, I don’t agree with ‘three times a day,’ as one normally stops taking a remedy when it starts to work, which could be after one dose.
I sometimes use a potency as high as 10M when taking arnica (for shock) or my personal remedy.
Hi I have had terrible symptoms for over two years pain in joints and foot numbness and pain/ leg pain and muscle weakness and lack of balance to walk I took cipro four times in two years I am diabetic but they say diabetic neuropathy it came on strong and fast and continues to get worse