Free-floating, often severe, anxiety is a common symptom of fluoroquinolone toxicity.
Fluoroquinolones thoroughly mess up GABA neurotransmitters, and GABA “plays the principal role in reducing neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system.” Here are a few articles that describe how fluoroquinolones negatively affect GABA – Article 1, Article 2, Article 3.
To put what fluoroquinolones do to GABA neurotransmitters into a framework, they basically throw people into protracted benzodiazepine withdrawal. People who have gone through benzodiazepine withdrawal at any time in life should NEVER take a fluoroquinolone. See “Benzodiazepine tolerance, dependency, and withdrawal syndromes and interactions with fluoroquinolone antimicrobials” for more information about how fluoroquinolones affect people who have a history of benzodiazepine use and withdrawal.
The things that help people through protracted benzodiazepine withdrawal may be helpful for floxies too. GABA neurotransmitters and receptors have been iatrogenically damaged by both drugs, and they need to heal. From what I understand, the Ashton Manual has a lot of good information in it about healing from benzodiazepine withdrawal. Support sites like www.benzobuddies.org may also be helpful.
A very interesting review of supplements to treat anxiety (specifically benzodiazepine induced anxiety, but the advice is applicable to floxies too) can be found through this link –
http://www.longecity.org/forum/topic/54028-treating-anxiety-safely-effectively/
Additionally, Ruth has researched and written extensively about fluoroquinolone induced anxiety and I suggest reading her story – https://floxiehope.com/ruths-story-cipro-toxicity/ and listening to her podcast – https://floxiehope.com/2015/01/07/the-floxie-hope-podcast-episode-6-ruth-young/. She also wrote some very interesting and insightful comments on my story starting about June 9, 2015 – https://floxiehope.com/lisas-recovery-story-cipro-toxicity/comment-page-13/#comments.
Ruth mentions supplementing uridine in her story:
I also have found that uridine works really well when I get that horrible insomnia and nothing else is helping. Uridine has it’s own receptors in the brain, so maybe it is a way floxies can bypass GABA receptor damage. I cannot prevent a relapse with it. I take it after the relapse starts, 500-750 mg with a fish oil capsule to help it work better. It’s something to have in reserve for those times you just want to crawl out of your own skin and you need to get some rest. Taking it every day did nothing for me. It has to be timed just right, at the moment that every time I’m starting to fall asleep symptoms are getting more intense and now I’m standing there by my bed with my skin just burning, knowing I am not going to sleep. A couple uridine and I’m out within thirty minutes.
It has recently come to my attention that uridine helps to reduce epileptic seizures and that increases free GABA, thus it has a calming influence. I have found it to be useful.
The things that helped me to get through cipro-induced anxiety are: 1. Acupuncture, 2. Meditation, 3. Stress reduction – especially flox related stress – that meant getting off the internet.
I went through a recent period of pain that induced anxiety. Kava helped me a lot. The longecity article recommends against kava, and I think that their concerns are valid. It is only for short-term use and it probably isn’t best for people who have had a history of benzo withdrawal. Personally, I’ve never had a benzo and I only needed to use kava for a short period of time. It was a life-saver during the time I used it. Be careful with it though.
There is a vicious cycle when it comes to fluoroquinolone toxicity symptoms and anxiety. Fluoroquinolone toxicity symptoms lead to stress and anxiety (it’s a pretty reasonable to be stressed and anxious when you’re suddenly in pain, you can’t move but when you do you tear tendons, you lose your memory, and suffer from chronic insomnia – to name just a few symptoms of fluoroquinolone toxicity), stress and anxiety negatively affect the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and lead to dysautonomia, ANS damage leads to more fluoroquinolone toxicity symptoms, which leads to more stress, and so on, and so on.
I don’t think that fluoroquinolone toxicity is “just” anxiety, but I do think that anxiety makes every symptom of fluoroquinolone toxicity worse. I also think that there is nothing to be trivialized about anxiety. It’s not a choice. It’s the central and autonomic nervous systems going completely hay-wire, and both stress and anxiety can lead to serious health problems.
I know that anxiety makes you not want to do these things, but I also suggest trying really hard to do the simple things that make you healthy and happy. Sleep plenty. Enjoy your food. Laugh a lot. Be social. Hang out with a pet and/or children. Those things are healthy and they are healing. They’re easier said than done, but they’re certainly worth a try.
In my opinion, it’s imperative for floxies to get stress and anxiety symptoms under control. Neither stress nor anxiety are easy things to control, and, like I said earlier, it’s not a choice – it’s GABA neurotransmitter damage – but anything that can be done to reduce stress and anxiety will help the GABA neurotransmitters to heal, and will help the ANS and CNS to normalize.
Fluoroquinolone induced anxiety can be crawl-out-of-your-skin horrible, but it does get better. Hang in there, my friends.
Lisa, thanks for your continued updates. Are you still taking the iron? I am just so wiped out most of the time. I did do a little swim before church yesterday. I am really depressed and I have a bottle of Celexa in my kitchen cabinet, but have not started it yet. I am worried it will make my mouth drier and it is really dry now. Also don’t know if I will be able to get off of it. To top everything off, I think I may have to have my gallbladder taken out! I wonder what anesthesia will do with floxing. Legs are still popping in the morning and yesterday the back was doing it as well, even though I am taking magnesium. I just play it day by day. Today I am going to try to eat lunch with some friends and hopefully will find something on the menu I can tolerate! Hugs to everyone on their journey through this nightmare. Kris
Oh Lisa you are so right about the effects of anxiety: “I don’t think that fluoroquinolone toxicity is “just” anxiety, but I do think that anxiety makes every symptom of fluoroquinolone toxicity worse. I also think that there is nothing to be trivialized about anxiety. It’s not a choice. It’s the central and autonomic nervous systems going completely hay-wire, and both stress and anxiety can lead to serious health problems.” I notice it especially in regard to my breathing problems. When I feel myself getting stressed, I can actually FEEL the nerves in my neck and chest press in, and because the breathing issue is not lung related, but rather related to nerve damage in the heart muscle and/or autonomic nervous system damage, it just exacerbates it. (Like you I have also used something on the “no” list—had to use xanax to get through a dental appointment during all this, and it seemed to have no adverse effects, as a one time aid.)
I must say this symptom (aside from the chronic shortness of breath) has to be the worst in dealing with all of this. I have been to the ER 7 times in 3 months short of breath chronically and unable to sleep. Every time I get to sleep I’m jolted awake over and over unable to breathe. It’s odd because I was put on these drugs to treat the bad breathing in the first place so I’m not sure what I’m dealing with exactly. Sleep apnea, lung infection, virus or just being floxed now? It’s all a big jumble. A chaotic mess. I hate these thoughts I’m having. They’re hopeless thoughts.
When I had an allergic reaction to ciprofloxacin, they began to insomnia. I had to tomat Lorazepam to sleep, and was in my opinion the key to recovery, because sleep is as important as eating. Sorry my english.
There are two critical details missing here for me.
1. Gaba balances Glutamate – Floxies need to avoid Glutamine, Glutamic Acid and the 50+ sources of MSG in which many of them are hidden in foods under other names (google hidden sources of MSG). ALL of these will very likely cause Floxies with Gaba damage issues, I know they did me and that was WITH this knowledge, restaurant food, acciedently in some supplements etc
2. People can take GABA. Now foods sells it, many others do too. Helped me out a jam several times. Of course there are some other good supplements too but Gaba was what helped me. If I had high strung anxiety (I did not) then I am sure I would take several things
Taking Gaba goes against what this article suggests linked above http://www.longecity.org/forum/topic/54028-treating-anxiety-safely-effectively/ and I don’t agree with some other things it mentions either from all the research I have done, and my own and other people’s experiences.
Ruth seems to indicate that flooding the receptors with too much Gaba could be bad, which could likely be true I’m unsure of this (too much of anything is usually not good though) but I don’t see how taking chemicals is a better solution. Time will likely heal them, in the meantime you need a bandaid fix, my money goes to “natural” ways to do this, Gaba, Magnesium, L-theanine, Melatonin, Seratonin, Valerian Root, and many more proven to help anxiety, where as chemicals are proven over and over and over again to cause cancer, tons of side effects, dependency, and all kinds of other issues, no thanks
There was another important omission here too (though the more I think about it, the more I come up with but this one is a biggy) that just came up in my discussions with Ruth:
CAFFEINE
Here are excepts from a couple of my responses to Ruth:
Caffeine is EXTREMELY harmful, in MANY ways! Yikes. I just made some recent posts on this too. First of all, it is almost the absolute WORST thing for anxiety, worst, to the point people need to avoid chocolate if they have anxiety (I suffered years ago and know first hand, love chocolate too, however there are numerous studies on it also). Caffeine all by itself for some people can cause anxiety, will heighten someone’s anxiety, panic attacks, now add in the whole Floxie induced anxiety and we are talking Atom Bomb. Debs has posted many times that due to the damage done to the Liver 450 function many people end up sensitive to Caffeine, and a lot more things. I’m actually starting to wonder if Caffeine also has the ability to cause cycles/relapses much like I know Fluoride does
Caffeine is a drug, and messes with NT’s in the Brain. Yes, there are some reported benefits, but here again the cons outweigh the pros in many many experts opinions.
Stimulants won’t be good for many with anxiety or adrenaline issues for obvious reasons
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A little more on Caffeine, Anxiety, and GABA, that some people don’t realize, there are much better sources and studies for this, but I’ll put this here since I found it responding to Charles below:
http://flatulencecures.com/coffee-digestion
Quote “Elevates Stress Levels and Interferes with GABA Metabolism
How Caffeine affects Digestion. Coffee elevates the stress hormones cortisol, norepinephrine and epinephrine (adrenaline) that increase heart rate, blood pressure and activate the body’s ‘fight or flight’ response.
Hormones like adrenaline are supposed to trigger when we are in danger and need to respond quickly. They are not meant to be ‘on’ all the time in the way drinking coffee can make them. Is that jittery rush caffeine gives us really energy? Wouldn’t a better word for it be anxiety? (ME=> YEP, how it feels for me and many)
This increase in stress hormones can also inhibit the process of digestion, particularly in the stomach. This is due to the way the body takes blood and resources away from the digestive processes in preparation for a potential threat. A threat that never comes (though indigestion, bloating and flatulence problems may well).
Coffee and the caffeine in it also play havoc with the metabolism of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA is found in both the brain and the gastrointestinal tract. In the brain, GABA plays an important role in regulating mood and stress management. In the gastrointestinal tract, GABA provides a calming effect on the whole system.
Both of these functions are important for healthy digestion and indeed overall health and well being. Unfortunately, caffeine interferes with the way GABA binds to its receptors to provide that calming influence on both the brain and the GI tract (Ever tried slowing down and being very calm after a strong cup of java?).
As a final parting shot to your stress levels, coffee can also cause an increase in the excretion of B vitamins, which are central to relaxation and stress management.”
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This bears repeating for Floxies: “Unfortunately, caffeine interferes with the way GABA binds to its receptors to provide that calming influence on both the brain and the GI tract”
This is just the tip of the Iceberg too. Absolutely one of the worst things a Floxie can do if they have anxiety, probably often from Gaba receptor damage, which unfortunately many do.
Be careful with Green Tea for a few reasons, Caffeine of course, here are more stressing the importance of knowing ones Genes:
http://www.siliconvalleyfit.com/blog/bid/150580/Anxiety-Adrenal-Fatigue-Green-Tea-Effects
Quotes: “There is some clinical evidence that Flavonoids in green tea inhibit COMT and increase androgenic tone (e.g. norepinephrine), says Dr. Kelly Heim”
“Those who have symptoms of anxiety or sympathetic tone (e.g. increased heart rate) are not likely to suspect green tea as a culprit.”
“Another potential problem with green tea is that it is clinically shown to decrease folate levels, and if you happen to have genetic defect of MTHF-R, then green tea will have an even larger effect on decreasing folate levels.”
“Green tea contains a component called epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is an abundant pholyphenol in green tea and has been found to inhibit COMT.”
“Research from the Department of Chemical Biology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, at Rutgers University shows that green tea inhibits the enzyme COMT (Catechol O-methyltransferase). COMT is an important enzyme which degrades the excitatory neurotransmitters dopamine, epinephrine and norepinephrine. In simple terms, if you ingest a substance that inhibits the enzyme COMT, you will have higher levels of the neurotransmitters responsible for increasing anxiety.”
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Notice the article is citing “clinical evidence” and “research”. Note too that some of these Gene expressions are very common, including COMT.
Folate depletion is VERY bad for folks with MTHFR and Methylation issues, which is HALF the population, and in my estimation a much greater % of Floxies, I won’t get into it here but have shared info on why Methylation is critical to health in some past posts
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There are in fact many causes for anxiety where Caffeine is just but one, though an extremely well documented one, there are hundreds if not thousands of studies on Caffeine, a very extensively studied subject (for a change, and yes some show benefits for sure). Then there are Hormonal imbalances like Cortisol, Adrenaline & more, Mineral & Electrolyte imbalances, Gene issues, Neural Transmitter imbalances, other Psychology issues, Candida & Leaky Gut and many more, just showing a small example why some things work for some people, and not others. Green Tea itself, too, is another, this info shows just a few reasons why, other than the just the caffeine. People can even react badly to L-Theanine, but in this case they are one of those exceptions since studies and thousands of anxiety users have found it helpful.
Without some tests, its really hard to know what will work for someone, and even then there are no guarantees, we are all a little different and therefore trying things slowly one at a time, to make sure they are tolerated, don’t cause bad reactions etc is usually a good rule of thumb. Once something is deemed to help and/or not harm, often working the dose up is necessary as when someone is deficient in something small doses often are not going to yield the desired effect. At this point too if they are natural products often times an additional one can be added to test, as bad interactions amongst natural products themselves is very uncommon, and sometimes more than one product is needed to help with a strong case in something like Floxie Anxiety.
The first thing I did when I had anxiety, was cut off all the potential ‘triggers’ of it
Diet can play a BIG role here (and almost always will in someone’s Health) for example getting enough protein can help, because quote “insufficient intakes of L-tryptophan, L-phenylalanine, or L-tyrosine are associated with increased symptoms of anxiety (Hood 2010; Toker 2010; Beacher 2010; Roiser 2008). Supplementation with L-tryptophan or 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) has been shown to elevate brain serotonin levels and enhance both mood and one’s sense of well being (Hood 2010; Toker 2010; Feurte 2001)”.
Supplementing with those things can be a tricky business (and require some B Vitamins for proper conversions etc), and is not something I necessarily suggest, they work for some people, and again not for many others including myself, but getting them naturally in diet is something I try to do. Taurine is another Amino that many users have reported helps, but it too may not be without caveats at least for longer term use. Same goes for actual Gaba itself too, can help, long term could be questionable. Same goes for L-theanine.
Many of the B Vitamins have been shown to help with Anxiety, my wife bought a product from Sisu called “B-Calm”, its not the best product with the best forms but not bad, and she finds it does help her but note it too has Rhodiola. Here is a little article on Niacin http://www.doctoryourself.com/niacin.html Note that some people can have very bad reactions with some of the B Vitamins due to Gene issues like MTHFR so once again caution is needed.
Speaking “calm” again, Natural calm Magnesium has helped many people, Magnesium is needed for over 300 processes in the body, and Cipro is none to rob the body of Magnesium. Ancients Minerals Magnesium Oil is a great product that many people have been helped by, and absorbing through the skin is an excellent way to absorb Mag. I took about 7 different forms of Mag when I was Floxed, not all at the same time but several in rotation taking somewhere around 500-600mg/day
Ah yes, I knew I was forgetting something else, though the focus has been on Gaba receptor damage since we know Cipro does that, here is another consideration:
http://nancymullanmd.com/mthfr-lithium-dopamine-and-you-who-is-in-the-drivers-seat-around-here/
If you have a mutation in the MTHFR C677T gene, you are also more likely to have anxiety and mood fluctuations. Lithium has been known for years to be useful for mood disorders.
Despite all that is known about lithium’s impact on biochemical pathways, no one has described why lithium has its impact on mood. It is likely to be an effect on multiple pathways, since there are a number of enzymes in the body that are impacted by lithium.
Lithium comes together with the MTHFR enzyme and methylation at COMT, the enzyme catechol-o-methyl-transferase. COMT uses methyl groups to do its job, and MTHFR is important in the production of methyl groups. COMT’s job is deactivating the catecholamine neurotransmitters, dopamine and nor epinephrine. Dopamine is a critical neurotransmitter
for pleasure seeking motivation, focus and attention. Nor epinephrine is involved with modulating the impact of stress. (ME => see above for COMT, your adrenaline just keeps running keeping you anxious)
Lithium increases the transport of B12 and folate into the cell. B12 and folate are pivotal substances in the production of methyl groups, which happens inside the cell.
Lithium increases B 12 and folic acid transport into the cell which supports the production of methyl groups. Lithium may also increase the production of COMT, which then uses these methyl groups to deactivate dopamine.
Dr. Amy Yasko noted that a number of adults and children using her protocol have low lithium levels,which may act to unbalance dopamine. Certain SNPs are associated with excess lithium excretion. These mutations are MTHFR C677T +, MTR+, SHMT+, and CBS+.
You may have low lithium levels if you have one of these mutations. Lithium is an essential trace element. You must get it from your diet. The average intake of lithium from the diet
should be up to 3100 mcg, or 3.1 mg, per day. What it takes to increase your serum lithium levels into the normal range can be significantly more.
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Note the Lithium the medical world would give you IS toxic, full of NASTY side effects, and not a recommended course of action for anyone IMO. I take 5mg Lithium Oratate from Swanson Health Products, which is a much more safer, natural and well tolerated form of Lithium.
Note however, if someone has some of the Gene issues, it is not so easy as just taking some Lithium most if not all of the time
https://www.pointofreturn.com/gut_health.html
Tying together Gut Health, Gaba receptors, Adrenaline, Anxiety, Sleep, and much more
Here is yet one more point of contention and complication.
People with the CBS Gene mutation, which apparently is a fair number of people, are typically sensitive to Sulfur products. Taking Sulfur products for these people, can elicit a stress response in the body all by itself (I can attest to the accuracy of this, palpitations, constant Adrenaline and Cortisol, awful). Glutathione really important, is also a Sulfur product. Taurine, ALA, MSM, NAC, SAM-E, Milk Thistle, Epsom Salts, these are all great things and most naturally occurring, but once again will NOT be good for everyone, especially when you add Floxing into the equation.
Here is a quote from one of Amy Yasko’s book’s about it, there are many more implications but this is the most relevant to Anxiety:
“The net effect of excess CBS activity is to take sulfur
groups and nitrogen groups that are complexed in the
methionine cycle and free them up. Having relatively free
sulfur and nitrogen moieties has downstream consequences.
Sulfur is able to directly activate the stress/cortisol response
which can lead to elevations in adrenaline and depletion of
dopamine and nor epinephrine. A constant state of “flight or
fight” as a result of chronic high levels of sulfur can also cause
sympathetic versus parasympathetic overload. This cortisol
response has a wide range of secondary effects in the body,
including changes in magnesium/calcium, decreased levels of
serotonin and dopamine, effects on the methylation cycle via
phosphatidylserine levels, changes in gaba and glutamate as
well as potentially depleting G6PDH and causing blood sugar
issues.”
Here is one good article for Anxiety with a lot of great tips on how to deal with it (less the drugs ones, of course):
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/generalized-anxiety-disorder-gad.htm
Never mind if you have GAD or not, these are great for anxiety of all types in my opinion.
It sounds cliche and it’s very easy to say rather than do but its just very true and critical that “worrying” about things with anxiety, will only make the anxiety worse (I know I suffered anxiety myself for a few years). Focus on and read positive stories of healing, concrete things you CAN do and do not bother with the worse case scenario type posts or thinking, you can only do what can, just make sure you are doing that, anything else is out of your control you just can not worry about it. As long as you are being proactive (which in this case means you have a lot of reading to do) you are doing all you can.
If you have faith all the better, as faith is a huge way to deal with fear and fear=anxiety, so strengthen your faith if you have it, pray, and along with being proactive put yourself in his care. Whether someone has faith or not, the Serenity prayer (which can be adapted for someone not having faith) is an extremely valuable tool for anxiety and much more. “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference.” This can definitely help with anxiety for some people, in the case of Floxies, just make sure you are doing what you can.
EFT has reportedly helped MANY people with Anxiety and many other ailments, here is one comment from Jodi on this website back in July:
Jodi July 16, 2015 at 8:51 pm
“I am a 49 year-old woman who was floxed in 2013. I was given 2 rounds of Cipro and 1 of Levaquin in a 6 month period, I was hit hard during the second round, and the Levaquin really did me in. After, I was riding the rolling coaster — as soon as I would start to feel better and think maybe I was out of the woods, I would crash again. Mostly a lot of pain in my achilles tendons and hamstrings. Skin itchy and suddenly weird spots everywhere — dermatologist just said it was my age, but why all of a sudden? Tinitus, extremely low energy, brain fog, dizziness, vision seemed to be getting worse, exercise intolerance (just getting my heart rate up a little would turn my face bright red and I’d feel like I was going to faint.) Chronic diarrhea — made worse by taking so many supplements — especially magnesium — to try to get better. My doctor would acknowledge it, but she had no idea what to do, My naturopathic doctor was focused on fixing the things that caused me to take the fluorquinolones to begin with. She also acknowledged that they were bad, and hoped the liver support, hormonal support, etc. that she was giving me for my chronic UTIs would help with this also,
Reading a lot of what people have written on the internet, I started taking lots of supplements — nothing particularly different about my regimen than what others have posted. The magnesium threonate is definitely easier on the stomach. I also take Great Lakes Gelatin Collagen Hydrolysate which seemed to help a lot with connective tissue.
I would have highs and lows, but as time dragged on, I was feeling less and less sure about my ability to continue to work. I was beginning to think about going on disability so I could just focus on my health.
Then two things happened. I read a post that really helped me connect the symptoms to the mitochondrial DNA damage which leads to too many free radicals and oxidative stress. Stress also makes this worse, including the stress from having all these side effects from the FQs., So I started focusing on antioxidants, sleep and keeping stress levels low — even the stress that I felt like was “no big deal”.
The next thing that happened was I discovered EFT (Tapping). I saw someone else here mentioned that and I wanted to second it. I had been looking into it actually for other people in my family for their anxiety and chronic pain issues. Then, I woke up one morning with a horrible migraine and was desperate for fast relief because I had a lot going on that day. I decided to try tapping (a bit skeptical, I must say) and after about 15 minutes, my migraine was GONE! I was completely amazed and honestly didn’t think it would work. I told my son about it, and he told me he was having pain in his leg from where he had knee surgery. I did it with him (this is the same morning) and he got some degree of relief, but two days later it was completely gone! I remember hearing that often, the real results occur two days later.
I continued to tap throughout the week, at least once in the morning and before bed, Honestly, I try to remember to do it whenever I go to the bathroom — weird, I know, but hey, I’m just sitting there, alone…so why not make use of it? By the end of the week (and before, really –maybe even that day), I swear virtually every symptom I had was gone. The tendons, the extreme fatigue, the brain fog, dizziness, even my eyesight seemed better, more clear. I felt like myself again – and it is sticking.
This was about a month ago, I keep tapping –on anything and everything I can possibly think of — and it helps a lot. I am becoming ever more aware of the relationship between our energetic body and stress and our physical and mental health. Something about tapping that uses basic techniques from psychology along with the energy meridian points from eastern medicine that is a winning combination –like a kill switch for stress. If you want AMAZING results, try tapping, You don’t have to believe in it for it to work (you just have to do it), and it takes about 15 minutes to learn how to do it. You can go see someone to help you do it, too. It is easy, you feel great pretty immediately, and you can use it for EVERYTHING — panic attacks, anxiety, work stress, weight loss, pain relief, relationships, grief, you name it,
It sounds crazy, but it actually makes perfect sense. Our physical bodies, emotions, thoughts, and the energy system that connects everything are ONE thing devised of multiple, interconnected systems.. If you ignore the emotional and energetic parts of us, it triggers all kinds of feedback loops in our physical body. When you treat everything — this is the way of the ancient medicine practices–you can clear the past life events that still have an emotional hold on you and the stresses that keep you stuck and that your body is constantly reacting to, Our emotions and stress play a huge role in our body’s pain response.
I’m not saying chuck everything else (however I have stopped taking my supplements this week and I still feel good). I’m just saying that this can neutralize a big cause of the stress that leads to the oxidative stress and all the symptoms we experience and especially the pain. Best of luck to everyone.”
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3252722/
Ashwagandha is something I take daily, look at some of the benefits:
Quote” It has a Cognition Promoting Effect and was useful in children with memory deficit and in old age people loss of memory. It was also found useful in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzeimer’s diseases. It has GABA mimetic effect and was shown to promote formation of dendrites. It has anxiolytic effect and improves energy levels and mitochondrial health. It is an anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic agent and was found useful in clinical cases of Rheumatoid and Osteoarthritis.
The available scientific data support the conclusion that Ashwagandha is a real potent regenerative tonic (Rasayana of Ayurveda), due to its multiple pharmacological actions like anti-stress, neuroprotective, antitumor, anti-arthritic, analgesic and anti-inflammatory etc. It is useful for different types of diseases like Parkinson, dementia, memory loss, stress induced diseases, malignoma and others.
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Anti-Stress, mitochondrial health, has GABA mimetic effect and was shown to promote formation of dendrites. Those are HUGE here, never-mind everything else reported in that study
Here is another good article that recommends many of the most popular things
http://www.aviva.ca/article.asp?articleid=10
As usual, a lot of these can have caveats, Kava Kava in particular has VERY conflicted info on it, even studies, and even carries potential documented health risks, yet it does help some people too.
http://scdlifestyle.com/2015/11/histamine-driven-anxiety-attacks-reversed/
Poor guy has histamine intolerance and anxiety, insomnia and other issues, then gets prescribed, you guessed it, Cipro, ouch. Then he ends up with SIBO, and he believes in the end his Gut health WAS the cause of most of his issues from the beginning, which is actually true for many people, myself included. Good read
Another reason to avoid drugs, Debs from this website posted this link before as she suffered from this, I don’t remember if she took these drugs or if it was only the Cipro, but just Cipro can cause it according to this:
http://medicationsense.com/articles/2010/ciproakathisia0210.php
Note that the medications it lists for treatment won’t be a good idea for Floxie, esp Benzos (likely they’re all bad).
Here is a neat little article written in layman terms that shows the importance of just 2 or 3 Gene SNP’s, how they affect Adrenaline, Inflammation, Anxiety, & more. It also shows how these things can affect a Floxie if they have them (like Insomnia can be even worse than usual, Anxiety too, even pain), and how they can just be difficult to live with in general, as I know too well
http://redmountainclinic.com/a-genetic-cause-of-pain-and-anxiety-comt-mao-and-mthfr/
Also lists a few basic do’s and don’ts. This article nails many points for me, and I’m sure some others will identify with things in there as well. I used to be a HUGE worry wort, racing thoughts could not shut my mind off, etc etc and this was all “Pre-Flox”
I’ve mentioned Magnesium 4 or 5 times here but really can NOT stress it enough, most of the World is deficient in the opinion of experts, now imagine a Floxie where we know for a FACT the drug strips the cells in the body of it. What does this show up as:
– Heart Palpitations
– Anxiety & Panic Attacks
– Insomnia
– Constipation
– Muscle and Tendon Pain, cramps, twitching
– Headaches
And much much more. The focus of this article is on FQ Anxiety, and lack of Magnesium (along with Gaba/Glutamate) is a HUGE factor here.
Do NOT expect to take a couple of pills a day of just any Mag here either and have this improve, no way that is going to cut it. I was Floxed in a “relatively minor” way and I was taking around 600mg of Mag in 6 or 7 different forms and I was STILL short at times (forget what blood tests say too that does not show what is going on inside the cells only in the blood itself). Ancient Minerals Magnesium Oil is transdermal and bypasses the GI system, this is critical IMO, also Natural Calm is an Ionic form so another good form to take, honestly not just Floxies with Anxiety (but especially) this is one of the most important things Floxies need to do IMO. I recommend this two AND a pill form or two combined to combat the one going deficiency and the stripping of MAG from the cells that the drug does
Jason,
Stupid me took a pre workout supplement two days ago loaded with stimulants. Since then I’ve experienced heart palpitations, shortness of breath, panic attacks, etc. I through that stuff in the garbage but do you think it robbed me of even more magnesium? Two days out and I still don’t feel like myself and wondering if I should up the MAG.