*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 want to tell my story of recovery that was a little different from all I read here on the site.
It all started in January 2016 with a persistent throat infection where the doctor in my city prescribed me a course of Levaquin (Levofloxacin) 750mg once daily for 5 days with prednisone for an allergy in my airway. With the second tablet started to realize I was getting anxious, depressive and could not understand what was happening, and could not sleep at night. The next day I woke up worse, anxiety and depression, fear were almost uncontrollable, so I tried the doctor who had passed me the antibiotic and told her what was happening, he told me that the antibiotic was not to blame for what I was feeling and told me to finish the course of it. Still not knowing the side effects of fluoroquinolones, I finished the course with a lot of suffering.
The days went by and I realized that I had not returned to be the same as before, although I was very lucky to have had no other side effects such as nerve problems, neuropathies and tendon problems. My nights sleep was horrible, I had lost interest in everything, was afraid to do the simplest things that I used to love and had no control of my own emotions until I looked on the fluoroquinolones and my world fell with everything I read, I thought I was doomed to live side effects for life.
In February I sought a medical psychiatrist who prescribed me an antidepressant (Escitalopram). It made my anxiety much worse and gave up using it. I started researching and found that using a benzodiazepine also could only delay my recovery then dropped out of conventional medicine and looked into gentle healing methods.
I cut alcoholic beverages, caffeine and tried to keep away from sugar. As I sought acupuncture and yoga to help me endure the side effects until gradually they were becoming less intense. Over the months I started to have good days where I could do pretty much everything that I liked to do before Levaquin, and others where the symptoms were back and I could not do anything, just trying to distract me until the day could pass and that the best days were back. During this time also I avoided any kind of allopathic medicine, especially NSAIDS and steroids. I also took several tests and they all came back normal, including vitamins and minerals. The things that helped me at that time were: exercise (I ask to carefully those who have tendon problems and nerves) breathing exercises, which help a lot in anxiety, reading, yoga, religion (spirituality) is wedded to God me It helped immensely to go through this whole situation that was by far one of the hardest I ever had in my entire life. I tried to let my body recover alone because I thought so would be the best way to get full recovery, without haste, without despair, even seeing that I had horrible days where my mind was going down hill and that it was difficult to believe any recovery.
Well now I’m almost 6 months out and I can say that I am not fully recovered, but I’m on the road today still feel anxiety and occasional fear, I still have some bad days, but I know I will get there. I can now sleep well, I am eating well, I do exercises and I am almost back to all that I liked before. I hope next year be able to return to my studies I had to stop because of problems related to the antibiotic. Stress can be terrible for people who are seeking recovery. Try to look for something to make you well, look for something that brings relief for all those months I tried many things that could help me get some relief in my symptoms, and without realizing I was recovering. I wish you all a great recovery, have calm, have faith and above all do not despair, there is no miracle cure for the problem, I think the best cure is time. Avoid taking everything you read on the internet because what may be good for one may not be for others. Any questions or concerns will be here to help them.
** 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, affect 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.
Marcela, I too was given an FLQ at the same time as a prednisone. The anxiety, depression (suicidal) was nightmarish. I also had about 30 other physical side effects so it was amplified. It is so disturbing that the majority of doctors will say “can’t be the Levaquin/Cipro/etc) without even bothering to research the side effects. Glad to hear you are on the road to recovery.
Marcela, thank you for sharing your story! It’s so good to hear of your recovery and that just giving it time and, using natural techniques, was the answer for you. It’s not appealing to many of us to treat a problem caused by a “medication” with another “medication.” Yoga and meditation has been helpful for me too.
L and you are best of effects caused?
Tammy I’m still not fully recovered, but at least I got back to my routine before being able to exercise me, sleep, study, work, things that for me were impossible in the beginning. I believe that full recovery will only come with time.
Hi Marcela,it certainly is a process and – while I have not made a full recovery either – time did heal a great deal and I’ve been able to really be in tune with my body and even make it stronger than before. There are many, many more great days now than there were when I first took Levaquin. I was not taking very good care of myself before taking Levaquin, and now I make my health my top priority. I know your article will be so helpful to many. Each of us has a unique experience and healing journey. I so appreciate everyone that has shared their stories!
L asked if u managed to recover?
Tammy, I read your story and found it very good healing methods that you used to recover, did not use drugs and I think you’re right, I like you. I’ve always been a very healthy person, doing exercises 5 times a week, did not drink or smoke, it helped my recovery happen faster.
ah…well about 85 %. My breathing ,which was terrifyingly labored, is much better, thought not what it was before. I still have vision issues—large floaters, black spots and blurred vision on and off in one eye, plus light sensitivity. I still have pelvic area pressure as well as pressure around the neck where it feels like my nerves are squeezing and choking me. Anxiety is much improved but still not quite normal. I still get phantom smells too that smell like smoke or dirty ashtrays. Pretty gross. My knee just finally gave out last week, and an MRI showed torn meniscus but I still think it is related since I had started getting these little popping, crackling feelings in the months after I started Cipro.
At my worst, I was barely walking and down 30+ pounds–just very frail, weak, and feeling like death was around the corner. I had horrible insomnia where even with a pill I would get only 1-5 hours, and didn’t sleep at all for the first couple weeks. My GI was trashed, I had olfactory nerve damage so that every single thing in the world was asphyxiating (hard to explain just how horrific this was). All together I had about 30 side effects, so in spite of the remaining problems I have come a long long way. In fact, I had started exercising again, walking on the beach a lot…until this knee thing last week. 🙁
Do you have much time off?
Hey Marcela,
Glad to hear you are recovering. I am 5 months out today and while I am physically better, I still have this sense of doom and gloom constantly…do you have this? I have some mild anxiety that comes and goes but I cannot tell if it is chemically induced or self induced. I want to go out and meet people but I am afraid. How are you mentally these days?
Hi John, I’m going to seven months away and many things I improved, I feel tired, my sleep is nice as well, but I still have anxiety that comes and back and depression, fear, checked my levels of vitamins B12 and Vitamin D are low, I begin to spare, I hope to help me with this
Regarding loss of sense of smell. A neurologist that specialized in taste and smell found I scored very low in smell. At another neurologist’s office I couldn’t identify nutmeg as anything. I found this site below this year. Low zinc levels affect sense of smell. I did the zinc status check and tasted nothing. Just started taking zinc so I can’t tell you if it’s worked. Essential oils have also been helpful. Chemical smells would create anxiety, so I use the essential oils to calm that down
Taken from every woman over 29/Trudy Scott/ zinc status test website:
I, however, find that the majority of my clients with anxiety, pyroluria, depression and/or sugar and carb cravings are low in zinc. I have all my clients do the zinc status test when we start working together and then we retest their levels each week until they have good zinc levels. I use zinc sulfate, a liquid zinc that tastes a certain way depending on zinc levels.
Zinc Status test (also called zinc taste test or zinc tally)
Category 1:
No specific taste or sensation – “It tastes like water” INDICATES GREATEST NEED FOR EXTRA ZINC
Category 2
No immediate taste noticed, but after a few seconds, a slight taste is noticed – ‘stale’, ‘dry mineral’, ‘furry’ or ‘sweet’ INDICATES SOME NEED FOR ZINC
Category 3
A definite mildly unpleasant taste is noticed almost immediately , and tends to intensify with time.. INDICATES LESS NEED FOR ZINC
Category 4
A very strong and very unpleasant taste is noticed immediately – bad enough to need to spit it out.. INDICATES NO NEED FOR ADDITIONAL ZINC, EXCEPT THAT FOUND IN A MULTIVITAMIN
I am guessing it is nerve damage. I had the opposite problem after Cipro. Hyperosmia, where scents are exaggerated. It’ hard to explain just how horrific this is. Had it stayed at the level it was, I would not have been able to go on. (This was in addition to suffocating like breathing and dozens of other side effects.) Everything in the world asphyxiated me…flowers, lotions, food…even a couple drops of diluted dish soap would make me choke. It prevented me from even walking outside because the smell of the flowers was so strong I couldn’t breathe. It was as if I was constantly surrounded by huge vats of bleach—that’s how strong all scents were. After some emails with experts in the field they all concurred it was nerve damage. It is now down to about 10%—scents are still stronger than normal, but bearable. However, it was also replaced by phantom smells—usually a disgust burning smoke or cigarette smell, which again is common for nerve damage.
Hi. I am currently four months in. I am experiencing anxiety, which I never had before. Did you happen to have body tremors during this time? I tremble non stop. This is the most terrible thing I’ve ever experienced. I also have heart palpitations.
Thank you.
I meant no-sleep-at-all insomnia
Hi! I just read your story. I too was prescribed Levofloxacin for 7 days related to a skin infection. I am already on anti-depressant medicine’s but during the course of taking this particular antibiotic things was spiraling out of control, quickly. I was depressed more than usual, anxiety was heightened and insomnia was a repetitive thing. I feel awful! I feel like I’m in a battle for my life every day. Just struggling to be normal again. Thanks for sharing your story and enlightening me that the symptoms and everything I was experiencing was not just in my head .
I had pneumonia a little over 18 months ago. Mild case that was caught early and was treated with Levofloxacin. I am a 59 years old and somewhat of a competitive runner. After being off the meds for a few days, my first short run was met with Achilles problems and calf pain. Waited a few weeks and started the trail back to running Half Marathons again. However, starting about a month after I stopped Levofloxacin, I started having some issues that seemed like anxiety attacks about once a month. Depression was also starting to seep in. The pattern of monthly anxiety attacks continued with different levels. Some mild, some so intense that it took me 10 minutes to recover. 6 months later I was running times far from my pre pneumonia on my 10K and Half marathons. But at least I was making progress. However, I had to drop out during a few races because of the panic attacks. There was never a real reason for them. Just random, nothing seemed to really set them off. Depression started to get worse. Finally went to the Dr., the day after I had 12 panic attacks in one evening/day. 14 months after pneumonia. I was prescribed me Celexa. After 12 weeks of taking that, the side effects were just too much. Intense sweating, dizziness, lack of motivation, laziness, no endurance. I tanked in a couple of 10K’s and find it hard to run even 4 miles as fatigue sets in. Depression is worse than before I started taking Celexa. I am going to wean myself off of Celexa. I have always been an athlete my entire life. Running has been my passion. I was a good runner. A lot of hardware collected over the years. Now, I am a shadow of what I was pre Levofloxacin. Easy to blame I suppose, but I didn’t just get really old overnight. This has been mental torture for me. Levofloxacin is poison.
I got depressed and tired from levaquin. Try to avoid it but had to take it to word off possible pneumonia
Heyy Marcela I’m expierencing the same symtoms after taking lavaquin I’m only 21 yeara old and I’m expierencing a lot of muscle weakness in my back and head pressure its kinda getting better I’m taking NAC vitamin c and magnesium and d3 and a multivitamin I don’t know what to do to recover what supplimenta helped you??? My email is alexandravalencia990@gmail.com
Hello everyone,
My name is Sofia and I may have had negative effects due to Levaquin as well. I have a history of Pneumonia and had it again in June of this year. I was put on Levaquin by a doctor and then received the vaccination in July sometime. At the end of August, my life completely changed. It all started with an episode of severe neck tightness almost like my throat was closing up while I was eating. I panicked thinking it was an allergic reaction and took Benadryl. To make a long story short, after that day I literally went to urgent care twice, the ER twice, my doctors office too many times I can’t count, 2 Different gastroenterologists, an endocrinologists, an ENT, gotten a swallow test done, gotten an endoscopy, gotten a thyroid ultrasound and a thyroid biopsy done (benign nodule), had a food allergy test, many blood tests, so many things I can’t count. I been to the accupuncture, I have tried meditation/yoga, I’ve hired a cognitive behavioral therapist and have been journaling, breathing exercises, etc. I’ve had diagnosis of possible thyroiditis, esophageal spasms, acid reflux, silent reflux, allergies, and yes anxiety. It has been the most dark, frustrating, trying and scary time I’ve ever experienced. The constant throat “attacks” I call them for the past almost 4 months since August have been debilitating. At first my throat was so inflammed I couldn’t even swallow so lost 20+ pounds. Now mind you I am an athlete, very fit, and a fitness expert so don’t have much weight to loose. I’m certain I had some sort of virus going on that probably started all this off in August. But the underlying root cause is something no one doctor could ever tell me. They just kept diagnosing “symptoms.” Now months later after many twists and turns, I am starting to put the puzzle pieces together. Yes I probably had an underlying anxiety going on my whole life but this constant physical manifestation after this viral thing is just not normal. Recently I have been doing my own research and was trying to find something about the pneumonia vaccination and couldn’t find much. Then I came across the link between gut health and brain health and it all started to make sense. When I was put on that antibiotic in mid June, although I was on a probiotic, it probably killed my gut flora among other things. Probably started this anxiety panic attack thing off. I kept getting sick off and on (immunity is also linked to gut health) and after this virus attacked my thyroid/throat, the anxiety from the antibiotic probably set in full force. Since the gut and brain communicate, I probably did have some silent reflux going on, hence why they gave me that diagnosis. I know it’s a far stretch but the puzzle pieces are fitting. The underlying start was that evil antibiotic Levaquin (which I was told was the “Mac Daddy” of all antibiotics). I’m allergic to amoxicillin so couldn’t take that. Because of all the literature and all of your anectodal accounts that Levaquin is linked to anxiety and depression, I am almost certain this is the case for me. It’s normal to have some depressive times and some anxiety throughout your life. But what I have been experiencing is life altering and although it’s gotten better over the past months, I am not the same person I was before. I am fearful, I don’t like to do the same things, don’t like to be alone, I am unmotivated, and constantly having this physical and panic attacks from time to time that literally stop everything. Feels like my throat is closing and sense of doom. At first was purely this throat tightening that felt like someone has their hands wrapped around, like a muscle spasms almost. Just a few things to note: I was given a steroid shot on my behind the day after the initial attack by urgent care, was put on methylprednisone at first for “thyroiditis”, then switched to prednisone by urgent care for “esophageal spasms,” then again put on methylprednisone a month ago again for the thyroid flare up I had yet again. I was on the lower side for magnesium levels so have started taking 400 and working my way up to 800 mg per night. I am also taking an anti acid medicine (protonix) twice per day (my doctor doesn’t want me to stop it until we rule out reflux). I also am taking a probiotic of 30 billion per day (I’m thinking I should increase this to maybe help). I did not take a probiotic from end of August to mid September so have been taking it for almost 3 months consistently. I have an anti anxiety med Klonopin that I WAS taking three times a day in September, 0.5 mg. I slowly tapered down to 2 times per day, then once, then 0.25 twice per day then 0.25 mg once per day, then as needed, and now I only take it when I really need it which is during the big attacks which I have maybe once or twice a month. So I know there’s been progress but I still have this constant physical anxiety pretty much several times a day and I just try to ignore it or deal with it without meds. I am trying to remain positive and optimistic despite the circumstance. Even during the darkest hour of this whole ordeal, I always told myself there is a silver lining, there is a reason this is happening. I am glad I came across this thread and hoping some of y’all can shed some light on my situation. I think maybe therapy for my underlying anxiety I’ve had, magnesium and probiotics, immune boosting foods, and stress/anxiety relieving things such as therapy, meditation, yoga, breathing exercises and journaling will be small pieces to the solution. But if anyone could give me anything else I am missing, I would appreciate it. Thank you so much