For better or for worse, there is no one-size-fits-all method for recovery from getting floxed. Some people are helped by supplements, others can’t tolerate them, or even feel worse when taking them. Some people are helped by acupuncture, others think acupuncture is a waste of time and money. Some people are helped by physical therapy, others aren’t. Some people are helped by specific diets, others feel better when they don’t restrict what they eat. Some people are helped by nutritional IVs, others aren’t – and some people have even been hurt by them. As of right now, there is no right way to get through fluoroquinolone toxicity. There is no single supplement, or diet, or exercise, or practice, or IV, or food that cures everybody.
Even though we are lacking a specific cure for fluoroquinolone toxicity, there are people who recover. Each recovery journey is different, and the differences between the various recovery journeys can be hopeful or frustrating, depending on your perspective. The recovery stories on Floxie Hope (59 stories have been published so far) offer a tremendous amount of insight and information, and, more importantly, they offer hope. They let people know that recovery is possible, and hearing that other people have recovered is important for those currently going through the “flox bomb” going off in their body.
Because there is so little research into cures for fluoroquinolone toxicity, the information in the recovery stories and the support group forums is often seen as the only advice and guidance available to floxies. Though the recovery stories and comments on Floxie Hope (and the FB support groups) are intended to be helpful, and it is hoped that what helps one person can help another, it should be noted that everyone’s journey through fluoroquinolone toxicity is different, and what works for one person may not work for another. We all have different genes, different microbiomes, different hormone levels, different toxin loads, different viral loads, different liver function, different tolerances for each treatment, etc. There is no one-size-fits-all solution for fluoroquinolone toxicity, and what helps one person may not only not help another person, it may actually hurt them.
I encourage you to approach any and all remedies for fluoroquinolone toxicity with caution, thoughtfulness, and guidance from someone with an outside perspective or, even better, medical expertise.
Many floxies distrust doctors. It’s reasonable to distrust them – doctors played a role in poisoning each of us, then many people face denial and derision from doctors post-flox. But if you can find a doctor who you trust, who is open-minded, and who is willing to run multiple tests for you, his or her guidance can be incredibly valuable.
This disclaimer is posted at the bottom of each story on Floxie Hope:
** 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.
People typically pay little attention to disclaimers, but I really want people to read and heed that one when they read the stories on Floxie Hope.
There is a lot of wonderful information on Floxie Hope, and each story is the 100% true story of the person who experienced/told/wrote it. They each shared their story to help others. But, for better or for worse, their story is not your story. We’re all different.
I certainly don’t want to discourage people from trying things that they think will be helpful in their recovery journey. I just want people to realize that we all react differently to different remedies, and that invasive and/or risky remedies should not be taken lightly.
The recommendations for fluoroquinolone toxicity recovery that people give can be broken up into three general categories–things that can’t hurt, things that are unlikely to do harm, and things that have some risk and can potentially do harm. It seems excessive to say that you need medical advice before doing the things that can’t hurt – like meditation or having a positive attitude. Likewise, for the things that are unlikely to hurt you, like changing your diet in a non-drastic way or taking epsom-salt baths, asking a doctor first is probably not necessary (in my opinion, but feel free to consult a doctor if you feel differently). But, for things that some people have reported being hurt by (and other people have reported that these things have helped them too – there’s that side as well) like nutritional IVs, essential oils, and even supplements, it’s probably best to consult with a doctor before going forward with those remedies.
Just…. be careful, my friends. We all want to get better, and it breaks my heart a bit when someone reports feeling worse after trying something mentioned on Floxie Hope. We’re all trying to get better and/or help others. Please just approach the remedies that have risk associated with them with caution…. and consult your doctor when necessary.
All of the recordings for The Anxiety Summit are available for purchase. I am one of the interviewees. 🙂
I am a person that has been hurt by a glutathione iv. There is a body of thinking that says it can chelate mercury. Please use natural methods if at all viable. All of the many reports across the very many sites on the ‘net that refer to glutathione in my view need a clear bold warning that includes the word ‘potential harm’. Prior to the glut iv, I think there was a good chance of recovery, now there is little prospect. Where do I go now? You can heal without invasive treatments.
This is a fantastic post, and I think the information it contains is ESSENTIAL for people to know. You’re SO right, Lisa. With so many “disclaimers” and “warnings” around, people do start to ignore them.
I was floxed in pre-Internet times…well, let’s just say very little information was available. Even so, I healed. Did I try some things that worked? Yes. Did I try some things that didn’t? Yes. Fortunately, they only made things temporarily worse.
I love how you broke the treatments down into levels of risk – and I hope that people will try the less-invasive first. As someone who did experience relief from Klonopin and Neurontin, I wish I had heard other’s advice about giving it time, trying MBSR and meditation, and eating healthy (including limiting caffeine and alcohol). I didn’t do those things early in my treatment. I was anxious and scared. I wanted relief and had to get back to work, just like everyone here.
Hindsight, right?
Thank you for taking time to restate this!
For those of you out there suffering, please know that many of us do heal. I did! I have some lasting and recurring symptoms, but I love my life and plan on dealing with whatever lasting effects I have by reading up on current practices in pain management (without drugs…such as Less Pain Fewer Pills which I will be getting in the mail tomorrow!) and practicing mindfulness/meditation, exercising (lightly and every day), eating healthy, and not catastrophizing because stress/anxiety makes it worse.
Also, I had two “meh” experiences with neurologists, but my new neurologist didn’t rush to meds. She found some vitamin deficiencies, and we’re treating them. She listens, even if she doesn’t buy into the Levaquin. I don’t have to convince everyone. I just want to feel better and did from taking the supplements that she said were low.
Sorry if you all read this and your eyes just fell out!
Best healing to all of you!
Good post, Lisa. It is also worth noting that many experienced floxies on FH and on the FB group feel that time and patience is the best weapon against FQT. I have read all the FH stories again and again, and I still believe that most people heal over time, not because of a particular supplement or treatment, but because of the time the body needs. I know there are exceptions. I myself have continued to try things despite this belief and despite almost no results from previous treatments. These previous treatments include IVs of glutathione and C (up to 60 grams), physical therapy, massage (ongoing for about 60 sessions), yoga, stretching and foam rolling, exercise, magnesium, B12, other Bs, D, ALA, ALCAR, folate, whey protein, NAC, electrolytes, gua sha, TENS, acupuncture, and probably a few others I’m forgetting.
I have collected, through my wife, hundreds of stories of recovery over the past while, and the overwhelming trend is not a quick fix of magnesium or C or IVs, but of time and fighting and struggling to get better. As you say, Lisa, everyone’s story is different. When we attempt therapies, we have to be aware of risks. I have become less concerned about the negative effects of these treatments as time has passed, simply because I am more willing to take chances and care less about hurting more. I think it’s particularly important to be cautious in the early and acute phase- our bodies are so out of whack then and I think that a negative reaction to treatment is not only more likely, but also more difficult for the person to handle. I was an emotional wreck for the first 6 months. When I reacted negatively to B12 (and couldn’t figure out the cause), it actually was worse than my flox symptoms in some ways!
Thanks for the post. I feel Debs has reiterated your message many times on FH. Be careful. Just because something made one person feel better doesn’t mean it will work for you or is harmless.
Well said, Lisa.
Yes an important article and note that people DO get hurt by “taking epsom-salt baths as well”, this should be in the “risk category”. FOOD has the power to hurt, most people (and even Doctors) don’t realize this and don’t know which ones have this power but it happens ALL the time.
There is no one cure, and what works for one may not work for another, every case has to be looked at separately etc just as you noted and people have to deal with their own specific problems and find things that work for them as well as address the usual culprits that most Floxies end up with like a HUGE Magnesium problem, GUT issue etc.
Linda do you remember when you said, “If anyone is going to figure this out, you can”? Drum Roll please……..Tada! 🙂 Okay so I don’t have every single answer, but I do believe I have most of them at this point (and more than anyone else out there no matter who you talk about) and I am comfortable in saying that, and I have been helping people to recover for quite some time now one-on-one (unfortunately once my wife left I was not able to do it for free any longer).
Indeed I did, & I am STILL trying to get back to my already debilitated ‘ normal ‘ from that train wreck & THIS reaction happened way back in the Autumn of last year . Since then I have also been diagnosed with Glaucoma ( I suspect FQs having a part to play in this too ) . I have on top of ‘epsomsalts-bathgate ‘ ( At least I don’t have fluoridated water, & my own ADR to epsom salts I feel has a lot to do with adrenal fatigue issues, ) subsequently been negatively affected from both the dilating drops AND the eyedrops, both preservative AND preservative free versions prescribed for this glaucoma . It has unfortunately sent me on a further downward spiral, particularly I feel in regards to the degenerative effects of the FQs on my connective tissues, & to be honest re treatment for my glaucoma I don’t right now know where to go from here, as for some conditions there is of course no natural effective treatment.
On top of this, I recently picked my cat up, & I thought I heard a pop. I am now in a lot of pain & I have a sneaking suspicion that my shoulder is now not doing too well either.
I have to date avoided tendon rupture, In fact I did not actually experience tendon issues / pain noticeably until my most damaging floxing, however I am now wondering if due to just a few doses of glaucoma eyedrops, combined with ‘ epsomsalts-bathgate’ last year, perhaps my good luck re this particular ADR might just be running out.
Please be very careful with ANYTHING you wish to try, be that natural or otherwise. Keep in mind the FQs inhibition of the Liver P450 enzyme pathway, which can not only affect the metabolising of the various allopathic drugs , but some substances also , & most important of all, ALWAYS keep in mind that depending on your own unique biological make up, what can really help one or even many people, instead might injure YOU.
Thank you Lisa for all your help & advise. You’ve helped time & again. Almost 2 years since being floxed, still dealing with flare ups that just appear at their own whim but I AM getting better each day & I WILL get better. I’m better than I was 2 years ago & I’m better than yesterday!
Is a cortisone injection into joint (thumb) not a good idea either? I have tendinitis in both Achilles and both thumbs/hands, right side worse than left. I had a cortisone injection in left thumb (trigger thumb) 2 weeks before Cipro. After Cipro right thumb/hand went ballistic and is so extremely painful. I wonder if the Cortisone prior to Cipro precipitated the reaction or it’s coincidental. But since I already have arthritis and compromise to my thumb on right I wonder if it will get better.What to do, what to do…..
Hi everyone it’s been 4 months since I’ve been poisoned by cipro, and unfortunately I haven’t seen much improvement if anything my arms feel weaker then before..going from a happy 33 year old male to a depressed cripple it’s unbelievable really. I’ve had many blood tests since then and my doc wants to give me testosterone therapy (testosterone enanthate) however I’m afraid this could make me worse and going from the way I feel now even kill me does anyone know if it’s safe or not?
Another article in relation to the above . I think that it is SO VERY important to research anything we may wish to try, as so many of us react to things differently now, this applies to both things we have tried in the past & also new things,.. ALWAYS keep in mind that something can potentially help but it can also potentially harm depending on a persons biology & other variables. I have always found research to be my best friend. Time passing by is imho the one biggest thing which will show a difference in respect to noticing improvement followed closely by eating a simple organic as possible diet , whilst avoiding as many of those chemicals in our poor poisoned world as humanely possible whether they be ingested, injected, applied, or environmentally acquired. & by seeking out the little things in life, nature, humour, & avoiding stress as much as we can do so .
http://thepowerofozone.com/glutathione-dangerous-show-science/
So to those who are looking for clinical hope, I I was healed from severe mitochondrial and oxidative stress damage. At the time I did not understand that phytonutrients and polyphenols could repair the cellular damage. I can share the abstracts conducted by major universities. At the time I had 2 frozen shoulders, tendonitis, bursitis, a torn meniscus, neuropathy, brain fog and depression. The first time I was Floxed was in Jan 2015 for cellulitis which returned again in March of 2016 when I had bloodwork drawn.
My CRP was 21 in June 2016 and went down to 5 by Dec 2016. Note 1 is normal.
My liver enzymes and AIC and LDL all returned to normal levels. I was blessed and now offer hope to others as a Certified Health Coach and Chaplain. My number is 301 996 4887. I will freely share the anti-inflammatory protocol to any Floxie survivor.
Lisa, do you have an article with the most common Cipro side effects with medical links?