*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.
Following is Lynn’s story, written by Lynn:
At the of beginning of March, My daughter had contracted 5 th disease and I began displaying symptoms and had swollen lymph nodes. My doctor put me on Arithromycin. The whole month was nothing but bowel issues that led to painful swollen pain where I was unable to have a bowel movement. The doctor had then prescribed Ciprofloxin 500 mg. I took this pill for 2 days. 4 pills total. After the 4th pill I awoke at about midnight shaking, tremors, heart pounding, chest tightness, tingling arms and legs and an extreme sense of doom. My husband took me to the ER with our kids and I kept breathing deep as to not pass out or die (as I thought). He dropped me off at the front door as I was losing feeling in my hands and mouth. I ran in and had the pills in hand and told them I needed assistance. They gave me a shot for a panic attack and sent me home even though my heart was still pounding and my skin was still sore and shaking.. Something was extremely wrong.
The next couple of days/weeks, I was in the ER 7 times with Palpitation’s, burning skin, tremors, metallic taste in mouth, EXTREME dry eyes and mouth/skin,weakness, heightened senses, felt like everything I was seeing and doing was just overload. I could not follow a movie or a conversation. I would break down while shopping because the lights and people would overwhelm me. Trying to pick out food was a joke. I would come home from shopping crying and hyperventilating. This was not me. I am normally very laid back and this all seemed to stem from this antibiotic. My kids became extremely overwhelming to me as there constant need for their mommy was just more than I can take. I can tell you that this was the worst part of this whole experience is when a mom realizes she is no longer sane/strong enough to handle her kids. I nearly dropped my then 6 mo old down the stairs due to extreme muscle weakness in my arms and could not bend over to pick her up due to my extreme back pain.
I wanted to die and thought of ways to end it. Not having the guts to do it myself, I would think of doing stupid things in the hope it would lead to death like running in front of a car. I became extremely paranoid and if our family pet would look at me I would think it could sense my time was running slim and I was going to die. I always felt like something was out to get me and had so much energy from my adrenaline rushes that I just wanted to pull my hair out. I ran away in the woods several times and just wanted to stay there to die. I hated my family seeing me this way and no one knowing what was happening. I was obsessed with the computer after the 7th unsuccessful ER visit that I started seeing if I was alone with this reaction. To my surprise, MANY were experiencing almost the same textbook reaction. I was angry but relieved that I did not probably have a new deadly disease. How was anyone going to help me if these people had no help? I had bouts of extreme anxiety followed hours later by crying, depressive episodes. Everything seemed hopeless. Life itself seemed pointless. The thoughts that went through my mind were so scary and disturbing but none the less, they stayed for a long time. I worried about all diseases, could not read the paper or watch the news as any sad story would set me into deeper depression and anxiety.
I had vertigo an horrible muscle aches, A pain in my upper abdomen almost like butterflies but worse.. just a spinning nauseous feeling kind of like I was being chased and running feeling. The ER kept saying it was IBS, fibromyalgia and dismissed it. I suffered for months with severe diarrhea which had a horrible deadly smell even though I barely ate. I also had this horrible phlegmy cough develop and had black specks coming out of my stools and my phlegm. My urine smelled like ammonium. I had a horrible pressure behind my left side of my neck and cranium. I startled very easily from loud noises and had horrible hallucinations.
Bottom line. Here are some of the symptoms I had and on a scale from 1-5 how bad they were and how long about they lasted.
Symptom/ADR
How bad ( 5 being worst)
How long it lasted
What I did
What I felt really helped
Pain now
Notes
Anxiety/Panic
5
Worst was about 6 mo
Inositol, valerian root, melatonin lemon balm, kava, catnip, passionflower, Vit B 5, Gaba, buspirone,
*Inositol, Kava, valerian root/ passionflower, melatonin , B5, buspirone
1 sometimes
Tried many prescription anxiety meds and it only made things worse. Buspirone by far was the best prescription for me but took as needed at beginning.
Depression
5
Worst about 6-8 mo.
St Johns Wort, DHEA, Sam E
St Johns , DHEA
1 sometimes
Sam E gave me more anxiety, Dhea I only used on really bad days but helped tremendously, St johns wort I took for about a year and noticed if I didn’t take it, in a couple days my severe depression would surface.
Horrible Vision changes
5
Very bad for about 8 mo but getting better. It has been a process as I lost my field of vision and peripheral which is coming back just with time
Vision supporting supplements that they use for Macular degeneration. Any brand, vision therapy with eye doctor
TIME..
2 but getting better
The vision therapy helped a bit but my vision would get slightly better for a couple days, only to get horrible the next couple days.. So I do not believe anything really worked as it just came and went
Depersonalization
12-13 months
5
Gingko, Dhea, Ginseng
Tremors/burning skin
3-4 mo
5
Chinese acupuncture, magnesium
Chinese acupuncture worked great to rid of the tremors
This also I believe would have left with time although acupuncture helped it faster. Took about 9 sessions and they diminished to the point I didn’t notice them
Chest tightness
5 mo
5
Grapeseed extract, any heart supporting herbs, supplements
Nothing.. time
This went away after a couple months but was scary.. especially with the thick mucous
Stomach issues
14 mo
Fluctuating from 2-5
Siberian Pine nut oil, probiotics, glutamine, stomach supporting herbs, supplements, aloe vera, colonics, coffee enemas, fiber, silver, low sugar diet, wild oregano oil, Manuka honey, Manula tea from online, digestive enzymes, acv, lemon, ph balancing, eliminating offensive foods.
*SiberianPine Nut Oil, digestive enzymes, colonics, coffee enemas, fiber from chia seeds found at natural health store, oil of wild oregano, low to no sugar diet, colloidal silver
1 sometimes
During this ordeal, it was diagnosed with H Pylori bacteria. I refused antibiotics for treatment and went the natural way. I believe at this point it is gone mainly from the Siberian pine nut oil which is a godsend for stomach problems but would have to confirm with another test. I also take a bunch of digestive enzymes a day.
Back Pain
Came on strong at about 3 mo lasted till about 12 mo
Some days 0.. others a 5
Msm sup with all the joint supporting supplements, fish oils, borage oils, flax oil, magnesium( calm you mix in water), topical ointment, Epsom salt baths, stretching, chiropractor care, stretching, meditation, hypnosis, tapping, whey shakes, vit d, warm, cold compresses
Magnesium, vit d ( liquid), topical ointment, warm/ cold compresses, *chiropractor care, tapping, meditation and stretching
1 sometimes
This pain felt like kidney pain or some organ pain in my left side. I could not walk very long or stand as the pain was unbearable. It is gone now
Dry Eyes/ Skin/Mouth
5
4 mo
Preservative free eye drops, eye vitamins, dry mouth toothpaste, rinse, gum, plugs put into my tear ducts
Some of the stuff helped however I believe the plugs worked great for my eyes but really it was just time. One day I felt the waterworks turn on in my mouth and I was producing saliva again, I remember the exact moment. My eyes came back as one day I cried and actually produced tears.
I developed periodontal disease since this happened I believe due to the extreme dry mouth. It has gotten better with treatment from my dentist.
Extreme Fatigue
5
12 mo
Rest, Ginsing, Green Tea
Time and Rest
These episodes usually followed detox or an anxious episode so took it as my bodies way of dealing with repairs.
Tendon swelling
4
4 mo
Resting, Epsom baths, accupuncture
Resting, Epsom baths, accupuncture
Totally gone
Extreme Headaches
5
4-5 mo
1 Excedrin Tension headache
Excedrin
These were horrible along with scalp tingling, visible veins on eyes, felt like eyes would pop out.. I called them vascular headaches.
Vibrating sensation in body
5
Starting getting less and less after about 4 mo. Gone after 8 mo
Acupuncture
Acupuncture helped minimize these a lot but still took about 8 months for them to completely disappear
Cough with Phlegm
5
Still ongoing but less severe
NAC, Histablock, Nettle, any respiratory herbs, supplements, irrigation, digestive enzymes for acid reflux as can contribute to phlegm
Irrigation helped a lot and sinus meds, digestive enzymes so think Cipro increased my sinus problems, acid reflux.
2
Getting better but not gone. May
Insomnia
5
1-2 mo were the worst
Anything sedating. Melatonin, valerian, Kava.. all that I used for anxiety plus ..
Melatonin would give me at least a couple hours a night until I would jolt up
Sleep like a baby now.
Crazy muscle jerks
5
4 mo
Nothing.. scary
Nothing.
These were crazy as they were sporadic and especially happened in the middle of what little sleep I was getting although it happened while awake too
These are some of the ones I can say were MAJOR to me.. although I had many weird things happening to my body..
- Neck swelling
- Furry tongue
- Breathlessness
- Breakouts
- Intolerance to many meds previously taken with no problems
- Tingling in all weird spots on body
- Easy bruising
- Ext Naseau
- Anorexia/weight loss ( lost 50 lbs in 2 mo)
- Feeling faint/dizzy all the time
- Heavy legs
- Halo’s/ squiggles in my vision- gotten so much better. Was really bad the whole time
- Ear pressure
- Loss of movement in Toes
- Loss of feeling in scalp
- Leg giving out while walking
- Fingers swelling in middle of night where could not get rings off/cut off circulation
- Extreme sensitive skin ( blood pressure machine left line for an hour on my skin.. thought was going to die while it was closing on my skin)
- Constant urination
- Shaking hands for hours after weekwacking
- Swollen on back of knees
- Sore temples
- Memory loss
- Night sweats
- Arms would fall asleep sporadically like I was resting them on something.
- Deja vou
- Yawning a lot
- Urine leakage
- Hand pain
- Blurry vision
- Nightmares
All of these symptoms have gone but were very scary!!
I began seeing a natural doctor who practices muscle testing and confirmed that my adrenals were hit. From what I believe, it damages your sympathetic nervous system which controls your sensory receptors. Everything was amplified almost like I was taking in too much info all day long. She worked on adrenal support to keep my adrenals up which helped a lot and I believe got me on recovery from the anxiety/ palpitations. She also has me on iodine to support my thyroid and I have always been on magnesium and vit d which were low after the floxing. Every time I go off these, my levels plummit . We are now working on my stomach issues which are so much better. My stomach actually feels better than before this happens and most days my mind feels better than before this happened. It is going on 15 mo and overall I feel fantastic.. Quite a miracle from where I was.. I limited sugar and tried various diets in healing ( low carb, no wheat, no milk).. i did not notice that this helped much with the exception of the low sugar. I only eat antibiotic free meat now and eat as organic as possible which i did before this all happened. I continue to detox little by little with some benonite clay, milk thistle, chloraphyll internally .. i have to watch this as if i try to do too much detox, i get a reaction of a flare of some symptoms.. Little by little is best and is pulling any remaining crap out.. Through this whole thing, i had “episodes”.. days of symptoms increasing to days symptoms minimized. I never know how long or where the episodes would hit in my body. I still do the coffee enemas if i feel sluggish and still take magnesium, vit d, iodine, the benonite clay once a mo and only 1/4 tsp with lots of water that day and my stomach supplements.. but that is it..I also did a heavy metal detox and use Cilantro daily like salt to pull metals from the body.
Desperate things i tried that did nothing:
- Neurofeedback
- A natural healing from the church
- I smoked a ton of cigarettes through this reaction although i was only 2 days into quitting when this happened. I am sure this was horrible for recovery but did not care as i was out of my mind.. since then i am able to cut back and on the road to quitting again. I learned you cant be too hard on yourself with this whole reaction. I indulged once in a while.. some alcohol, some ” bad foods” but it made me feel normal if just for a moment.
This is to give hope to everyone effected by these drugs that there is hope.. Things may be better than you obviously can imagine right now.. You have to hang on and listen to your body. Keep busy if you can. Work with the symptoms as they will pass and beat this thing.. It is very possible but if you would have told me last year the same thing.. I would have laughed in your face. I still talk to many that have recovered too!!. Stay positive. i now eat regular meat when traveling and at restaurants and have not reacted.. i still eat chocolate as i am a huge chocolate lover..
I promised myself a trip to Jamaica if i made it through the year.. It was a great relaxing time and everything for the most part is back to normal.. better than normal because i cherish life so much more.. and i think all that detox and supplements did work to get rid of years of toxins.
Wish you all a fast recovery.. this too shall pass!. God Bless.
Ps.. sorry for spelling and grammar errors.. just trying to get this out in a hurry help you all out and give hope..i may have forgotten a lot of little details but was trying to get to the big stuff. Trust me it was severe and by far the worst thing i have experienced and i will hopefully ever experience. When death looks good, you know its bad. I was you a year ago and am SO glad i held on because life is better than i ever expected!
** 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.
This was a window into my life last year….hard to believe it is over for the most part. Would love more info on what brand of bentotite clay you use and your regime with that. I have A LOT of sensitivity to different antibiotics now….wondering if this would help. I usually need an antibiotic every spring due to strep throat (I’m a teacher).
I think any benonite clay would work.. I picked one from my heath food store. I do have to share since it has been a long time since I posted.
I am now 3.5 years since that nightmare. I can honestly say that with the exception of some bursitis I am left with, I am completely better!!. Things were going ok with a majority of my symptoms gone but I was left with my tolerance for stress was at 0 for the longest time as well as horrible derealazation,depersonalization… I began taking a supplement I purchased for my father who was diagnosed with terminal cancer in may called flora essence.. It detoxs on a cellular level and is promising at curing cancer patients.. I have to say that after my first dose, I felt like the last remaining issues were fading fast.. Now i am completely normal, as if it was a horrible nightmare.As I read more into this supplement I found it has been used for toxicity also with great results. I wanted to share that as perhaps this can be a huge tool for the newly floxed to eliminate this horrible reaction.
As far as antibiotics.. I use oil of wild oregano with great success for sinus inections.. I use garlic, Echinacea, sovereign silver, Oregon grape, and grapefruit extract in place of antiobiotics now. I have had some pretty bad Infections and 2 surgeries treated without antibiotics.. Pretty scary at first but once you rid an infection on your own, you get more confidence it works.. Of course i am no hero and give myself a week of home treatment before i would probably see a dr however knock on wood, it has never come to that. Be sure to check interactions with some of these natural antibiotics as some can interact with prescription meds.. I call my local pharmacist..
Anyway, i hope this helps.. And god bless
Hi Lymn,
Can you please tell me what you did with the oil of wild oregano regarding the sinus problems?
Thanks,
Mark
Hello Lymn, could you tell me if your depersonalization is finished ? thank you for your recovery storie, it gives me hope
Hi Lynn,
I will like to find out regarding your neck swelling. I have neck swelling, face and eye swelling which I can feel but is not too visible. On occasion, I feel suffocated too. There is a immense pressure behind my left side of my neck, cranium and face. What can I do to to help with healing and how long did this take to go away for you?
I lost the sense of hunger but still force myself to eat three meals a day as normal. Is there something I can do to help heal this too? Thanks for your advise in advance.
Lynn, my question is about the Flor essence detox you did. I was floxed almost 5 months ago and have minimal problems with tendon and muscle problems (thank goodness). My main problems have been anxiety, brainfog, ringing in ears, eye problems, insomnia, weight loss ( 20 lbs), feelings of hopelessness, can’t handle stress, overwhelmed easily. Things are getting better but like everyone have been roller coastering. I went out and bought the detox and am hesitating in taking it. Right now i see chiro for acupressure for my adrenals, acupuncture, taking lots of herbs and I take charcoal every night to drawl this crap out. Can u give me any further info on flor essence ? Called the company and they never heard of this condition. Thanks!!
How is your insomnia now? (I have same thing)
Hi Tina, I was floxed 2.5 months ago and also have minimal tendon issues. Main problems have been head and neck pressure, visual problems, tinnitus, cognitive issues, dizziness, anxiety, insomnia. Did you end up taking the Flor Essence?
Hi Carol. Yes I began taking it and I’m not having good results. Seems like a lot if my old symptoms are coming back. Pounding heart, insomnia, anxiety etc. I am doing it slowly, but unsure if I want to continue. I felt like I was kicking this thing and thought the detox would be the final thing I could do, but now not sure. Have u tried it or have heard anything about his detox? Any info would greatly be appriciated.
Hi Tina, please advise how you are doing now and whether the anything made any difference to the brain fog?
Sorry Tina. I haven’t tried it and don’t have any info about it. The only thing that seems to have helped me feel better so far is Sunflower Lecithin (and only with feeling a little less spaced out). I sure hope your renewed symptoms go away soon or at least that they mean the detox is working. Also, a symptom I’m having and haven’t noticed anyone else commenting about is the inability to yawn. I can make myself yawn sort of half-way, but it isn’t satisfying at all and the sensation is completely different from how it used to/should be. Taken with my other symptoms (neck pain that radiates inside my head to behind and above my eyes + eye focusing problems, etc.), it seems to me to suggest occipital nerve inflammation/damage. Neurologist was no help, referred me to neuro-ophthalmologist (but first available appt is September!). If anyone has any insight into this random yawning symptom or any suggestions for my excruciating head/neck pressure, I would be grateful.
Tina how are you doing now I have alot of the same symptoms as you? What did neurologist say? Let me know if you can. I’m newly floxed
I meant that message to Carol. Sorry
Sounds like you have Ramsey hunte syndrome. Bowen therapy helped him recover after only a few sessions. He lost 20 lbs, had extreme vertigo, ringing in ears and sharp pains on skin and scalp. He went to emergency countless times with no diagnosis. I had to do the research myself and we self diagnosed him. Please try bowen therapy, it works!,,
I wanted to let everyone know that you all have been an inspiration to me in getting better. We met this guy in the health food store today who says some type of mushrooms help cleanse your DNA. I am sure you guys heard if it I know I have I would need to get the info from my hubby. Lisa I read your story again and I know I will make it. Thank you guys for all your support and I know we will get better soon.
Chelation went well today. Only issues now are the joints but think I have that under control with the msm supplements. Gut issues enzymes. Trying. Dgl again but different brand helps. L glutamine vit c and zinc carsino. Hubby making bone broth for tomorrow I’m so excited never has it before
I am starting to feel like my old self morning back pain is not so fun but the rest of the day is pretty good have a wonderful night guys . God work in mysterious ways … Met two ppl today who really want to help us and didn’t look at me with this confused look but truly understood and believed this is cipro poisoning.
Hi Sheryl. Could you tell me what your gut issues are and what you’re doing for them? I see you’re taking DGL. Are you also taking digestive enzymes? Are the L-glutamine, vit c, and zinc carnitine also for your gut?
I really enjoyed your post. Being able to see your symptoms, the severity, the healing process, and what assisted healing is a tremendous help. I’m almost 4 months out and the tremors/vibrations/shaking drive me crazy. The worst is when I feel them in my head (if I walk or move a lot). It makes it difficult to focus or concentrate. I have gut issues and I tend to wake up at 2am & 4am every night but I can deal with that if the shaking would go away. I’ve done 4 sessions of accupuncture and will definitely continue!
Hi Tia, I came across this post and your comment and I’m wondering if you’ve gotten better with respect to the internal tremors/vibration/shaking and the insomnia. I am about 4 months out and am continuing to experience these symptoms as well. I am currently seeing an accupuncturist who thinks I have “Liver Wind” and am hopeful that she can help me. But anyways, if you’ve gotten better I was curious as to what might have helped.
Thanks,
John
My symptoms matched almost word for word in 2010. I got better for 3.5 yrs and now having a relapse and back to square one. I read this story often and just hope I can get better again. I didn’t take anything to get better because I only found out this year what had happened… I just got better so praying I make a recovery this time. I believe a work out program I started this yr set off the relapse.. I cant be sure but its the only thing I was doing differently.
Anyways.. this and a few other stories help me to stay sane. Its horrific to go through it once never mind twice.
Hi! Quick question that’s totally off topic.
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Appreciate it!
Lynn, Not sure if you check this anymore, but I wanted to thank you for posting this. I was floxed about 2 months ago (with a secondary antibiotic setting off more symptoms) and it’s been very tough for me, physically and very much emotionally. I’ve been re-reading this for hope, as I get those series of days where things seem to regress as opposed to progress and it’s so tough mentally to deal with it. I’m obviously not leading a normal life at this point and get so scared of what’s in store. I’m trying to maintain some normalcy but it can get super overwhelming.
I hope to be able to set up some detox programs n addition to all the supplements I’ve been taking.
Just wondering how you’re doing Bee, I too am newly floxed April this year, I can’t quite believe what is happening to me and that these adrs have been known about for years. Are you progressing now?
Hi
I would really like to get in touch with Lynn or Bryean, their stories are similar to mine and have a very positive attitude which I could do with right now as I am terrified, has anybody got any contact details. Lisa?
Thank you x
Lynn,
Oh my goodness thank goodness you listed your symptoms. I too suffer mostly from tight chest and mucous and anxiety!!! Oh my its debilitating.It is constant 24 hours day it never lets up. I am so scared. My pulmonologist cant find anything wrong. Says he has nothing left for me. Every time I’m in the ER my O2 is normal BP is normal. But I cannot breathe or sleep with out being jolted awake by breathlessness.
Hi. I want to ask about the headaches i had cipro ADR. I have digestive problems bloating five months now but the main thing bothering are the worst persistant non stop 24/7 headaches. Please comment on headaches. I am dysfunctional because of them. I had numbness initially but thats gone but headaches are not improving. Better days but sometimes go worst all over again but they are persistant.
Fahd, I had that too around month 2-6. They were intense all day everyday . Drank lots of water when they would come and Took tylenol. they were Like cluster headaches but they are gone now. Never had migraines before, but after cipro I developed sensitivities to oatmeal and chocolate. I cut out the oatmeal and no more headaches. Find out of if something you are eating is setting them off.
Caroline, i am very grateful for the reply. I was prescribed cipro for a stomach infection, on day 2 of taking the medicine (500mg x 2) i developed terrible numbness on the left aode of the body, including left side of the head, left arm and left leg. My left eye went red too. I did not know this is because of the medicine so i continued to take it for 8 days and it was terrible. The worst time of my life. Than went to so many doctors but no answers headache was there at day 1 due to the stomach infection. Suddenly after two weeks horrible visiom changes started, tremors, body shaking extreme anxiety and worst headaches, i had many tests including brain mri etc. now almost six months on these headaches are better but still there, i cant function….dint know this medicine is so so terrible !
Beware everyone this might become the biggest nightmare. I hope and pray from God that i get well soon. Post 6 months. I have had tons of panadol tablets but no effect of that.
Also, make sure you take probiotics for your stomach. I mainly use VSL #3. I order them from online. Very important, don’t skip past this supplement.
Hi Joanneg,
What is the name of the cbd oil you took? Thanks
Hi, i was improving with days (six months)…but in the seventh month i started taking seroxat (prescribed by doctor). I started feeling better but after another month one odd day terrible vertigo extreme nausea 24/7 came back total loss of apetite panic attacks all are back just the way they were initially when i was floxed. What should i do? I’m terriffied please guide anyone?
Dear Fahd, the only thing i know helps is magnesium I take 100mgs every 4 hrs of chelated magnesium glycenate It will take a good week to ten days of taking it then i will start to have more steady relief from anxiety vertigo musle and joint pain And whenever i stop the magnesium i will be good for days so i think well i dont need it but within a month every symptom gets extremely way worse So please try this and i pray it helps you get some relief
Hi Fahd, I don’t know if you still read here but I was just going over this again and I looked up the seroxat that you were taking and it has fluoride in it !!! If you are still taking it you need to stop!!. Fluoride poisoning is thought to be one of the reasons for the adverse reactions to the fluroquinolone antibiotics. Please if you read this look it up and take the necessary steps to get off of it ASAP ! It is probably definitely what caused you to get worse again
I do my dear. Maybe you are right. But this medicine itself is a torture i leave it and i feel terrible and have to start it all over again. I wish i get well soon i am in a terrible state due to these medicines. I am grateful for your helo ill reduce my seroxat dose and try my best to get of this deadly drug.
I’m in Pakistan, and here doctors cannot understand this and not even a single doctor after visiting almost 15-17 different doctors including herbal, alopath, homeopath is agreeing that this is because of ciproxin, i was all good before this, doctors are now refering me to paychatrist and say ‘its all in your head’ that you think all day thats why you are feeling this way but my point is why would i? If i am okay they way i was why would i think, nausea headache bad vision and lack of energy are all i face every day till today even while writing this i am having nausea and head pressure sort and burden on head, exertion increases heart rate and i am dysfunctional i am 27 and have a job but i skip days on and off which is now becoming embarassing for me at work, i hate and curse the people who made this drug. I dont know will it ever go away and what should i do i have no idea. Here in Pakistan, not much supplements are available around the corner so i got a supplement magnesium oxide and just after one tablet immediately after 10 minutes my heart started to race and severe anxiety hit me i took a lexotanil which i keep in my wallet all day for all this. I read oxide is not a good form of magnesium i dont know where to get cylenate magnesium….feel v low all day….but i hope from my God that good days will come…….
Hi Fahd, just wondering how you are doing? I also wanted to to tell you I’m 19 months out from being floxed/poisoned and have dealt with the extreme vertigo and racey brain the whole entire time. Yesterday my sister gave me some CBD oil capsules to try. I opened the capsule and poured about 1/4 of it under my tongue. It helped immediately and lasted about 4-5 hours. So I took another 1/4 cap and I was good the rest of the day. If this continues to help this good I will be sooo excited that I’ve finally found something to significantly help with this debilitating symptom! I know she ordered them from online but, I don’t have that information yet. I will post it when I get it. I really hope you get this message, and I hope you’re able to buy some because this didn’t just ease my vertigo and crazy brain it took it completely away. Also if you can’t buy supplements try Epsom salt baths they help me a lot,eat a lot of greens, broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, and colorful fruits and vegetables, fish, grassfed meats and organ meat at least once a week, avoid all toxins and pharms as much as possible.
Good luck,let me know how you’re doing 🙂
My dear joanne,
Its very kind of you, i’m very grateful for your best wishes and positive gestures. That’s pretty god if you finally got some relief, these oil capsules are basically meant to fix the hangovers for marijuana and other serious drugs, it must be effective, its great to know that you got some relief and i pray that it helps you. I am on seroaxat, its withdrawl symptoms are horrifying, even if i miss a single dose the anxiety and panic attacks come back with slight vertigo and head pressure all day. I have been badly affected in my GI, i dont feel hungry lost loads of weight, still cant eat properly, the moment i eat a little more than i should, terrible head pressure nausea and heart racing starts. Ciproxin has done damages to my brain and GI mainly, i wasnt hit with pain in tendons etc. But it mainly affected the brain, stomach and eyes (vision is still very bad) due to which i got these sewere headaches for almost 7 months, they started improving but the head pressure and head heaviness is still there all the time. I am scared of he panic attacks, it can come anywhere anytime no obvious reasons. I keep a lexotenil in my wallet and take it during that time. Overall, i agree its a life altering illness caused by ciproxin and recognised by none of the medical institutes. I dont know how to accept this, i have my marriage and i am delaying it because of this, i really cant accpet all this. I always try to stay positive and pray that it goes away and may my life be the way it was.
Apart from this, i got chest pains initially, back pain upper and lower both, for a very longer period of time, upper back pain in the middle comes on and of even now. I tried alot of medicines but nothing helped really. I dont know what it really does to your system. I cant go to my office, i cant go with friends, i cant go anywhere with family because of the fear of a panic attack (the panic attack is the worst thing, nausea extreme, vertigo heart racing hand sweating and passout feeling ehich lasts for sometimes hour or so) its very difficult.
I dont know what to suggest, my religion helps me alot, lexo helps me to an extent but there is nothing as such which i can say as a magic bullet.
Thanks for all the replies and suggestions. Kindly tell me about these capsules i’ll try finding them here 🙂
Best wishes
Plus please guide me on probiotics. I have stomach issues, i cant eat its been ten months now, nausea is always there, head pressure, the moment i eat slightly more i start feeling upsetting and have breathing issues as well. I was a healthy eater before floxing and now i cant eat even the half of the amount of what i used to. What are probiotics for? Should i consult a doctor for this?
Hi fahd
I also have this awful headpressure and headaches. Its like your head Being mashed. Its terrible, i have had this for 3 months now, i have it all day, i cant do anything because of it. I also have numbness and tingling in the head and face. Up on The back, its hurting terrible two. And i even feel it in my teeth. Also have dizziness 24/7, and ear pressure.And this terrible anxiethy and panicattacks, vision problems, nightmares, fatigue and insomnia and more . Have you find anything to help you with your headpressure?
Sorry for my bad english.
Regards Ann
Hi Ann,
Thats terrible i can understand i am 10 months out and still facing these issues. The only thing that helps is water, take lots of water and the second thing that helps is keep yourself busy, whatever you are facing try doing something, indulge yourself in any activity, i feel better when i do that. Thirdly, you can try dates on empty stomach in the morning, lexotenil and deep breathing for panic attacks. For the attacks, first thing is accept that you are going to have one, breath in from your nose count 4, keep the breath inside and count 7 and take it out from yor mouth and count 8. This will help you relax. In this panic situation, the anxiety reaches it peak as to what is going to happen which make things worst. Accept it and let it go. For head pressure and headaches, i have tried everything but not of very good help 😥 try doing what i mentioned. It ll help you for sure. Wish you a speedy recovery. Best wishes
Thanks fahd
Sorry for my bad english
Yes im doing The breathing thing when The panicattacks comes. Sometimes that Will work, sometimes not. But when it happens i lay down and try to relax. Im also doing accupuncture, that helps a bit.
This headpressure is awful. Im trying to do things, but i cant function at all. I also have dizziness all day and off balance. Im so sorry you have had this headpressure for 10 months. Its awful. Havent that improved anything? I hoping that this Will go away every day. Im drinking a lot of water. I also have pressure in the teeth, ears, nose, and The back and spinn. I also wish you all The Best.
I am on seroxat that helps a bit on panic attacks. Head pressure and headaches are still there the intenstoy is less but there 24 hrs. I cant dunction necause of it as well. Sometimes i think what the hell is this is this really cipro
i dont know what to do honestly. I tried almost everything……
Hi again fahd
Okay so you take medication for your panicattacks? Im thinking of that to, but im so scared of medication now
No.. im scared to death actually.
This headpressure and headaches are from hell. Do you also have tingeling and numbness?
But Thats a good sign that the intensity has lessen. Mine havent, just getting worse and worse.
I have also Tried everything, almost. Not medication, but everything else.
Have you done an brain scan or mri? I have had an brain scan and that showed to little cerebrospinal liquid. I wonder if that can be the cause? The liquid is There to protect the brain, and now i have to little. So im doing an mri soon.
Hi…hmmm yes you should go for the scan soon. When did you take cipro? Is it the reaction? How much time you are out of antibiotic? We can chat in provate on whatsapp or email, i can share my email id if you want. Best wishes
Hi fahd
Yes we can change e-mail if you want to? To continue talk about this. How can i get your e-mail?
I didnt took cipro, i took flagyl, also an awful antibiotics, and People are so Hurt by that antibiotic to. Im 12 1/2 weeks out. I Ended up in ER, and was so sick, and I have only got worse. Did you take cipro? Was it 10 months ago? Regards Ann
My dear u can email me at writetofahd@gmail.com
Best wishes
Hi Lynn,
Thanks for your story. It gives me a lot of hope. not sure if you check this anymore but here goes.
I was recently floxxed in July and am experiencing the symptoms you describe.
I wanted to ask you about a particular symptom to do with my vision. Basically it feels as though my eyes don’t line up straight. When i read or look at the TV my vision is very weird and I cant stand to look at it. Which is really bad as my main job involves computing all day and I loved to watch the tv and play games as a hobby and now i cant even look at the screen. Seems trivial now though…
If I look at a person or try to have a conversation i can focus on a persons face but the surroundings appear all trippy blurry and spaced out, making me feel really anxious and uneasy, which triggers my anxiety its a vicious circle…. 😦
Did you or anyone else that still comes to this thread experience these symptoms? Did they ever go away? How long did it take for your vision to return to normal…
Thanks so much for your reply.
tarkonis- I find on days where my eyes are “goofy” if I dim the brightness on my computer screen, it really helps. I definitely know what you mean about the coordination and blurriness….
When my eyes get weird and my anxiety is high I don’t wear my contacts or glasses. This way I don’t try to focus too hard on anything. A blurry world keeps my stress level down…
(Used to wear my contacts up to 18 hours a day before being floxed.)
Hi tarkonis
Did your vision improved? I also have it like that with my eyes. Its like my eyes cant take in what i see. Feels like i see everything in 3d or something. I have had this for The last 3 months. Sorry for my bad english
Regards Ann
Thank you for your story. I’m at the 7th month mark and my story mirrors yours almost identically – even wanting to run into the woods! It’s been a rough week with CNS issues. I’ve been in bed for three days straight and missed all my children’s activities this weekend. This is so hard! I almost went to the ER, but knew they’d put me in worse shape. I can thank them for this “gift!” I’m more hopeful right now after reading your story that the torture will end and I’ll find myself again!
I have the same symptoms. Started a year ago after steroids and then continued after being floxed 7 months ago. Unnerving and I hope it goes away! I can’t read or watch tv. It’s like extreme visual ADHD!
This happened to me. Briefly it cleared up from the eye perspective after a few weeks.
Hi Lynn
Did your furry tounge go away?
Regards Ann
Hi, I’m trying to post all over this site to let EVERYONE suffering from this horrific, debilitating affliction know that I think I found my CURE!!!
Go to homepage (located at top of page) and read my posts starting on Feb. 2nd and the ones following.
It’s too much to write again
For those searching for Joanneg’s treatment, she posted on Feb 2nd on the home page commentary that she discovered the product Colostrum which has helped her leaky gut symptoms that in turn have improved other issues she was dealing with. She says, “my stomach isn’t wrenching, and even my joints are sooo much better. Not only that, my mind feels bright and happy. It took that ugly depression and doom and gloom away. And I know it’s the Colostrum because I stopped everything else.” From another post she states that she’s “been using Immune-Tree Colostrum 6” as her preferred colostrum product.
Others have had some improvement with this product as well, but the results seem to vary. Colostrum doesn’t appear to be a magic bullet, but another tool in fighting this toxicity. The consensus among many floxies is that fixing a leaky gut will allow one’s body to repair itself much more efficiently, and theoretically, colostrum is a product that can be beneficial in fixing leaky gut. Even if you don’t feel you have digestive problems, treating the gut with good food seems to help many floxies. I’m still new to all of this myself, and I’m not one who posts much, so I’d recommend that other new folks to this site post general questions on the home page commentary, as there are many wonderful people with much more experience in all of this than I who check that page daily to see what they can learn or how they can help others.
Joanneg, I am trying to find your story? Recently floxed and do not know what to do?
Thank you for the wonderful information and hope, I have had some side effects as well and could not put my finger on what could possibly be causing such an array of symptoms. I do know that I was on Cipro about a month ago when it all started.
Please suggest me some supplements and guide on coq10, is it tolerated i am scared to take any supplements.
But the problem is i am 13 months out but still have many issues anxiety panic head pressure all the time vision is v bad i dont know how to come out of this nightmare. Please guide me.
Hello Fahd,
I sent you an email.You should try cbd oil.Its medical marijuana.I am searching how to get a good product.I have the same issue with head pressure.
Fahd, i tried coq10 and i had a generalized itchiness with no rash. Mind u i was taking other supplements as well, so worth trying. Magnesium us well tolerated and if it does not help, it will not harm. B12, biotin are good for the nervous system , but take them in the morning. How is yr dizziness?
can you please send me your recipes because I am having a lot of the symptoms , nausea, muscle waste , extreme dry mouth , extreme fatigue, ear pressure etc.
and this was after 4 days of Cipro 500 mg twice a day
Lynn – is there a way I can contact you? I have all of your symptoms and a few more, and mine – instead of getting better with time – are getting worse. Might we be able to speak? Might you be able to help me?
Hi Lynn.. I really couldn’t have more hope after reading your story.. The problem with me it’s my chest and back spasms.. Seems like anxiety but makes me afraid.. I see that you use some heart herbs would you like to share what herbs are so we can enforce our heart!! I really couldn’t appreciate.. I know we all can recover just we need to stay positive and have faith in God!!
Hi everyone.I feel here is the best place to leave my comment.I took doxycycline 3 months ago and it left me with increased intracranial hypertension (IIH) a.k.a pseudo tumor cerebri wich is a condition where the brain doesn’t drain the cerebro-spinal fluid normally leading to extreme high pressure in the brain and papilledema (optic nerve swelling leading to blindness).This condition is considered chronic and without cure and requires lumbar punctures and diamox(a drug with awful side effects)When I felt the symptoms I went to the doctor who told me that it was a side effect of the drug.After reading numerous medical article showing how serious this condition was I decided to take care of it naturally without the horrible conventional treatments.1 weeks after stoping the drug I discovered this website and kept coming here for hope even though I believed our symptoms were different.But I noticed many of Floxies symptoms where similar to those having IIH.Long story short I want to become a natural health practitioner and have years of research under the belt so I researched all the natural alternative for reducing brain water content.I tried the plant horse chestnut for 3 weeks without success.I started to have some doubts so I was thinking about having a lumbar puncture.I went on many forums and found out that many people got their longterm disease after taking cipro and tetracyclines.None of them have tried the natural route and keep doing barbaric surgical treatments.Its official.I am in the same boat with cipro victims.I became depressed and though about suicide for 5 days thinking how this drug destroyed my life.Finally yesterday I decided to research about the etiology of IIH and why it affected obese woman and those who took mirena and depo-provera.I was shocked to find that a woman cured herself on curezone.I won’t discuss this case here but it motivated me to find how doxy and cipro could cause this.I remember on doxy I developed extreme thirst dry eyes full of veins and horrendous head pressure.Many cipro victims experienced this dehydration symptoms.This lead me here on this recovery testimony.Linn is not aware that she may had IIH and if her symptoms of head and eye pressure she may have done something that cured her.Please Lisa I need help.Can you contact Lynn to know how she is doing ?My intensive research lead me to discover something I believe can help for joint pain also.I will stay there since this website is my only hope.
Hi Kevin.D,
I just wanted you to know that I had the severe head pressure and it lasted long, about 15 months, but it did go away.
My only steady supplement then was magnesium and epsom salt baths.
Thank you Joanneg,
It gives me a little hope that with Time it may resolve on its own.How are you with your recovery?
Best regards
Hey Lynn,
Thanks for your story. How much iodine did you take?
Thanks,
Andy
Hello Lynn,
can you please describe what you exactly mean with “halos” in the vision?
Like blurry blobs?
Tank you
Stefan
So dhea helped?!…I thought steroids were supposed to make us worse?? Or is it just some people? I might have to take steroids for my adrenals and I’m terrified
Thank you for your story. I’m at the 7th month mark and my story mirrors yours almost identically – even wanting to run into the woods! It’s been a rough week with CNS issues. I’ve been in bed for three days straight and missed all my children’s activities this weekend. This is so hard! I almost went to the ER, but knew they’d put me in worse shape. I can thank them for this “gift!” I’m more hopeful right now after reading your story that the torture will end and I’ll find myself again!
keep the faith tara me too, i have sleepless night and i when i got into sleep I wake up early in the morning. I dont know how, when will it last, i am also suffering from diarrhea(watery)
Tara,
How are you feeling now?
Sorry, I don’t check back often. I’m in my 11th month. A lot of the symptoms have gone or diminished, but my vision issues remain and I am really tired right now. I recently had a sinus infection and a nerve conduction test. I also had flagyl with the Cipro which causes neuropathy in hands and feet so I wanted a test to see if there was any detectable damage or at least to get a baseline of functioning on record. Between the test- which is painful- and being sick, I had a rough week. It was like being floxed all over- vision issues ramped up, brain fog/cognitive decline/poor memory/word retrieval issues are up, anxiety increased, extreme fatigue again, etc. I had been doing OK. I’m hoping that this was a detox or herx reaction of some kind. I had a couple weeks stretch where I was doing better, but with the start of school for my kids and working full-time in a school, I think I was just hit too hard with multiple stressors that I am not yet able to handle- which I could without a problem before. Maybe a little tired here and there, but not like the fatigue where you can sleep for days if able to do so.
Detoxing from an infection,is difficlut, hydration ( unless and even with water rention). Harsh relaities we face when going to the Dr. makes on feel like there epoisode of “House”. The ones in which they took for freaking ever to tell you😥opps diagnosis your condition.
Been through it, as you it gets better
Had all of that and more. One reason for the phlegm. Is perhaps that cipro activates your mast cells which release histamine. I am dealing with thus again three years down the road
Hi L I’ve been chatting with you here and there. I have a huge problem . I’m 8.5 months out and I wake up like someone is strangling me around the throat. Can’t bresthe nose will also feel stuffy throat closing tight chest. What things help with this I’m sick and tired of calling 911. Does this ever fully resolve . Please help desperate for help on this symptom it’s frightening and I can’t sleep. Can you even call ? 310-432-3381 thanks
as far as the choking sensation, mine eventually resolved. I can’t say for sure what helped. I was getting a lot of phosphatydilcholine IVs which are supposed to help with mito and nerve damage, and I suspected mine was nerve damage. You might also try R-alpha lipoic acid and the b vitamins and bentfotiamine. As for the congestion, I am dealing with that myself, unsuccessfully, and have tried many things. I only just was hit by this after being 3 years out. Have ruled out allergies asthma, perhaps mast cell disorder but that is so hard to diagnose. I suggest you find a good ND or integrative MD. I would not have come as far as I have without one.
But my stuffy nose doesn’t feel like it’s stuffed up from being “sick” or with a cold . It comes and goes . It feels more like a stuffy nose from an allergy . Does yours feel like that as well ? Also did you have and severe weakness and fatigue and food allergies ? Did they resolve if you have them?
my issue is stuffed nose, CONSTANT post nasal drip, stuff in throat, and eventually it drops to my lungs and I can’t breathe, and can’t cough it out, even with a lot of water and expectorant and a dozen other supplements. I am on allergy drops (like shots) that should start to take effect in another 4 or 5 months, but I honestly don’t think this has anything to do with allergies at this point. I even though maybe it was silent reflux, which can congest you, so I went on supplements for that and a diet without any coffee, tea, wine, tomatoe, anyting acidic. No change. I feel like I have ruled everything out. Doctors are stymied.
yes, I had severe fatigue. Actually, I was so damaged, I found it hard to believe somene could feel like I did and still be alive. In addition to all my 30+ mental and physical side effects, I felt far worse than when I had double pneumonia years ago. I could barely shuffle the few feet to the bathroom. I felt like I was an out of shape 100 year old. And I was in great shape before all this. I have had over 100 IVs, thousands of dollars worth of suupplemtns and energy wise I feel almost back to normal. Except this current issue wears me out from trying to breathe.
Also had the food problems early on, but I seem pretty ok now. I avoid gluten, dairy, and any meat that is not organically raised.
Ok so it sounds like you’re 99 percent healed . Thank the lord. How long would you say for you to feel not “disabled “ or crippled ? I have all your side effects just so you know.
it varied. I had indescribable searing in-the-bone pain in my back. That was one of the first things to go (bear in mind I have had 100 nutrient IVs!) Also the spasming fingers went away fairly quickly. The gasping-for-breath got better after a few months and went away after about 1 year or so (different from the current issue). Energy around 2 1/2 years. but I still have vision problems, numb toes, fluid around my heart, ocassional phantom scents and tinnitus. The crippling anxiety took around 1 1/2 years
Your story has truly given me hope. I’ve read so many dissurging ones. I related to a lot that you were saying about the ups& downs. It’s just been a few months for me since I took this awful drug, and pray I’ll have as good as recovery as you have had. I watch my diet, use the supplements that I feel are helping. I see a chiropractor regularly, get massages, magesnium topical cream has been a blessing. Thank you for sharing your experience.
Hi Lynn..i live in Canada and cannot find a doctor that will understand..Lisa gave good advice to me but still feel alone at this point!!
Hi Naina, Three years ago when I was severely damaged by Cipro, I was desperate for help. I scoured the internet and I would try to contact doctors and researchers whose names I found in articles. I came across this video from Canada. I would suggest watching it, taking down the names of doctors and other specialists who are mentioned, and try to find contact info for them online. Then you can call them and ask for suggestions. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Scyd59nUG7s
Hi L does the depersonalization and derealization leave for people? Did you have that? I also still have breathing issues. Any advice would help.
All the mental stuff left me. Some of it was terrifying, and I wonder at times how I got through, but yes it did. Trust that it will. Mentally, the thing that took the longest to leave was the anxiety. That was with me for over year…maybe even closer to two; but even that finally went away. As for the breathing thing, I have had several different “options.” The hardest to deal with was very early on. A specialist suggested it was mitochondrial damage to the heart muscle, which made sense. I have had asthma, and it was nothing like that. the only way I can describe it is, is it was like I would start to take a breath, and a little door with slam shut and stop it. Not like with asthma, where you struggle to breath, and maybe there is wheezing, here you just could NOT breathe. Hands down the worst side effect for me, and I had some really bad ones. I wish I had an answer for you for how to deal with it. I just had to tough it out.
Unfortunately, at the same time, when the breathing issue first began, I also had total insomnia. Add to that, I would on occasion get a sensation of being strangled…nerve damage I assume. So I was getting zero sleep. I would not recommend this to anyone, but I had to take sleeping pills. It was the only sleep I got. Even at that, I would last maybe one to two hours before I would jolt up either gasping for breath or feeling like I was choking. So for weeks, that 1-2 hours was all I was getting. As soon as I started breathing better (not normaly, but better) I cut down the pill in half and did that for a couple weeks, then 1/4 and then stopped. It took months before my breathing was close to normal, and I would say a full year before it was normal.
Now given that it likely was due to mitochondrial damage (if your breathing is as I described), some things you might want to try are supplements that help boost the mitochondria (in addition to the magnesium I assume you already take) , eg, coq10 (ubiquinol if you are over 40); alpha lipoic acid; pqq, acetyl L-carnitine. There are others. I have read that phospholypids help, and interestingly, I got over 40 phosphatidycholine ivs. maybe that was what helped so much with my over all improvement. You might just want to try something like MitoQ which is a form of coq10. I think it helped me in retrospect, because when I stopped it, I felt my energy sink.
Your amazing . Ok my breathing wakes me up gasping for air. It’s weird it’s like someone choking me . Other times it’s my chest. Feels like I literally stop breathing chest heavy wake up gasping. I’m 31 afraid I’ll die in my sleep. Thank heavens this goes away along with the fog depersonalization. 🙏🏻
yes it can be terrifying. I honestly don’t know how I made it through those few month like that…esp since I was also having the choking, the asphyxiation from everything, major vision issues, dozens of other side effects, and I felt like death. But if you can just weather this phase, you will be fine. I didn’t think I would last 5 minutes when it first started. It was like being suffocated. But it ended up being several months. I do believe, as this drug expert told me, it was mitochondrial damage to the heart muscle. My other thought was nerve damage to the CNS, since I had so much other nerve damage.
It’s really amazing what we can get through. Now I will see someone post on facebook that they have a headache, or they show a finger with a splint on it, and they’re really complaining about how awful it is…..and I think “you have no idea how bad it can be!” As for that sensation that I am being strangled…that too went away. I do on occasion feel a light bit of pressure there, which makes me think that WAS nerve damage, but it’s no big deal, other than a reminder of worse times.
Sorry but I couldn’t help but laugh at your comment. My sister told me her toe hurt the other day she stubbed it …, I laughed . If only she knew hehe ok really tho glad to know it leaves . What about depersonalization. 8 months passed and it feels like 8 days. I’m living in a weird fog ? I can’t even explain it . My sanity is intact find whatever . I do get occasional anxiety and depression but I think it’s from the depersonalization. It makes me feel weird and disconnected . Hmmm any thoughts ?
You know I had so much going on mentally, I MAY have experienced depersonalization. I was so out of it —like I was strung out on something, and the anxiety was so over bearing, who knows what else was going on?
This is how bad the paranoia was at one point. Someone called me, whose number I didn’t recognize, wanting to meet me, and it was from the DC area. I had recently written a scathing letter to the fda, and thought they had sent someone out to get me. I was so paranoid that I went to the local police station and talked to an officer. In retrospect, he probably thought I was insane. (Turned out to have a an entirely reasonable explanation for the call.)
But the anxiety for me was the worst. I felt like I was “being chased by a bear” 24/7. While it lasted about a year, it did tone down a bit after around 6 or 7 months. I imagine your mental stuff will slowly dissolve as well.