Saturday, July 30, 2011

A Tragic Levaquin Story

Levaquin User Files Shareholder Proxy for Johnson & Johnson's Next Annual MeetingIn 2007 Cahan bought one share of Johnson & Johnson's (J&J) stock so that he could attend the shareholder meeting and ask shareholders to:

1. Have J&J sales representatives discontinue the incentive program for selling Levaquin and Floxin so they can tell the truth about its toxicity to doctors.
2. Add to the Levaquin label that permanent delayed reactions can lead to chronic pain and the medication must be stopped at the slightest sign of reaction.

At the end of his speech, Cahan (who was in a wheelchair) asked William Weldon, J&J CEO, to "stick with your company credo—to help people," and he was given a standing ovation. "At the reception, the chairman of their pharmaceutical group came up to me and said she wanted to help me," says Cahan. "She asked me to sign up as a research candidate and said, 'My people will get back to you; these drugs should never be used for common infections.' I wrote to the board of directors and phoned several times, but I heard nothing back from her or anyone else at J&J."

A few years ago Cahan bought more J&J shares so that he could file a Shareholder Proxy for Johnson & Johnson's next Annual Meeting for shareholders—in April 2011. "I want them to vote on forcing the company to put a warning on the Levaquin label, stating it can cause permanent tendon and nerve damage, with permanent pain, differentiating it from the type of tendon injury that can heal when brought about externally by way of a sports-type injury. Internal damage that causes this much cellular destruction is permanent, and shareholders will hopefully have a chance to force the company to be honest and upfront about this information…"

Since 1998, Cahan has suffered permanent damage from taking Floxin, Levaquin's predecessor, which he took for just 10 days. "My calves and ankles became increasingly swollen to the point where every step hurt," Cahan says. "I saw a number of doctors but no one was aware of these drug reactions, although one doctor admitted that the swelling was from Floxin and he prescribed anti-inflammatory meds. He also told me to avoid stairs.

"About a month later, both Achilles tendons ruptured—a complete fraying of the small tendons. I was on disability for about four months, at home in a cast. I returned to work on crutches but was still in so much pain that one day I broke down and cried. I didn’t want to lose my job; I didn't know what was going on with my body. I was given prednisone; I was going to physical therapy and taking lots of sick days. This went on for years. Instead of using stairs on the subway I had to take a taxi; I had to prop up my legs at meetings and during the day I had to elevate them. It was a desperate time of my life.

"The problem was that doctors didn't know how to stop the inflammatory process and pain. (Science doesn't know how this happened so there isn't a cure—so far.) Quite honestly, I became suicidal. I couldn't sleep from the pain. I got help online and found through discussion groups that many other Floxin and Levaquin users had the same problems. I met John Fratti online and then in person; like me, John also bought J&J shares and went to a shareholder meeting."

Levaquin sufferers are counting on people like Paul Cahan and John Fratti to help them take this dangerous drug off the market. And they may help others, including prescribing doctors, to only take quinolone antibiotics as a last resort.

"Once a label is changed, it opens up the statute of limitations," adds Cahan. "People who have fallen through the cracks like me could be eligible for compensation. If [the drug manufacturers] have to change the label, thousands and thousands of injured people will then be able to join a class action lawsuit."


Levaquin Legal Help

If you or a loved one have suffered losses in this case, please click the link below and your complaint will be sent to a drugs & medical lawyer who may evaluate your Levaquin claim at no cost or obligation. [Click here for a free lawsuit evaluation]

I Am Smiling Again; Foot Pain is to a Minimum

I am amazed at the length of time that it has taken me to recover from the muscle, joint and tendon pain that occurred after I took the antibiotic Cipro. Fifteen months have gone by, but now I am smiling again. A friend of mine from Texas recently came for a visit. I knew that something about her had changed, but I just couldn’t quite put my finger on it. Finally, I just had to ask her what was different. She told me that she had taken a trip into the San Antonio Texas Dentist office to have her teeth cleaned. After seeing several patients walk in and out of the office with beautiful smiles, she asked her dentist how all of those people had such beautiful smiles. He told her that they had veneers on their teeth. Before leaving that day, she made another appointment to have veneers put on her teeth. I must admit that the change in her appearance is staggering; her smile is dazzling!

Now that I am smiling again, I wonder if I should make a trip to the San Antonio Texas Dentist and see what he could do about my smile. I could literally kill two birds with one stone; visit my friend and come home with a whiter, brighter smile! The San Antonio Texas Dentist office offers many dental procedures; they have a full spectrum of services. They not only improve your smile, they ensure that you have healthy teeth as well.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Body Scrub Used to Treat My "On-Fire" Skin

One of the most annoying side effects from my Cipro poisoning is my sore, to the touch, skin. It isn’t always present but when it is, I feel as though my skin is on fire. I mostly notice it after extended sitting, on the back of my thighs.

I have found that the soap that I have been using, from the grocery store, is no long working for me. It now leaves my skin dry and itchy. My skin seems to be much healthier and hydrated, since I have learned how to exfoliate my skin with a body scrub. After the body scrub, I like to use a body butter to moisturize it.
One of my very favorite body scrubs comes from an online source; Body Wash Supplies. It is the Mandarin Vanilla Spice Body Sugar Scrub. I have found that the salt scrubs tend to burn my already sensitive skin, but the sugar scrubs seem to soothe it. I know that the words “body scrub” don’t actually sound pleasant to already “on fire” skin; but honestly, the sugar scrub really does help to soothe my skin.

I like to follow up my body scrub, skin exfoliating, experience with one of Body Wash Supplies, Body Butters. My favorite, of course, is the Mandarin Vanilla Spice Healing Body Butter, but the Spicy Pumpkin Anti-Inflammatory runs a close second. Since I began using these products on a regular basis, I have to admit that my overly sensitive skin has improved; maybe it’s the organic ingredients or maybe it is simply the fact that I like these products so much that I am taking better care of my skin! Anyway, just though that I would share a little secret; to hopefully help other of you out there, like me.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Muscle Stimulators and Pain Reducers

For all of us that have been affected by a floroquinolone; with muscle, tendon and joint pain, I thought that I would pass on the benefits of LG-TEC Dual Combo TENS Unit and Muscle Stimulator. It appears that TENS Units, Muscle Stimulators, and Ultrasound Units are used for Pain Relief and Rehabilitaion.

I wish that I had found LGMedSupply when I was first crippled by Cipro. I feel certain that if I had discovered them sooner, my recovery would have been quicker and my excruciating pain lessened. The pain that I endured literally prevented me from walking for weeks and continued to stunt my everyday activities for 11 months. I wish that I had found the TENS Units and Muscle Stimulators in the beginning, however, I am going to be trying one of their units now; to hopefully restore the muscles and tendons to their pre-Cipro poisoned state.

Visit LGMedSupply Online for additional information and be sure to check out their online customer blog

Love Those Funny Scrub Hats!

Five months ago, when I was in the hospital, after being diagnosed with Leukemia, I very firmly stated that under “NO” circumstance would I take a floroquinolone. My night time nurse, the one with the pink set of scrubs, told me not to worry, she totally understood because when she was in the hospital with breast cancer, she had gotten an infection and they had given HER Cipro; she couldn’t walk for months, just like me. She said that she wore her “pink” scrubs to remind her that she was a breast cancer survivor.

The next morning, I was sent down to have a port put into my chest for chemotherapy. Once again, I encountered another Cipro victim. This time it was the radiologist with the coolest looking scrub hat. She said that she wore them to entertain her patients. I asked her where she gets her scrub hats, as I was soon to be bald and would need to cover my head. She told me that she got them at  http://www.blueskyscrubs.com/.

Since returning home, I have looked up the Blue Sky Scrubs and the have the greatest fabrics for scrub hats! I still have some of my own hair and I managed to fulfill my hospital stay without one floroquinolone crossing my lips!
Love this design!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Enjoying the sights and sounds of Harry Potter World

Guest post written by Tommy Peters

I've been looking forward to going to the Harry Potter Wizarding World about as much as my kids have. I've been the one to take them to all of the movies over the years and even though I've never read a word of the books, I'm almost as into the series as they are. I thought that it would be especially good for us to go to it before the final movie came out.

Even though we just got back from the trip, I'm still so excited about it and have been writing reviews about different things in the park online. As I was doing that one night this week, I saw the site www.ClearWirelessInternet.com. After I read through it, I decided to sign up for one of the internet packages that I saw on there.

I was pretty excited to try the butter beer there. I had wondered what it would taste like and it was pretty tasty after all. I think that I used up all the memory on my phone taking pictures of the scenes and of the kids too. I can't wait to have a bunch of them developed!

Monday, July 25, 2011

Typically when I compete, it is at 8:00 am, with warm ups at 7:00 am. Luckily at this competition we didn't need to be in the ballroom until 9:30, which was a huge relief. I slept well and woke up feeling OK. I had actually managed to finish sewing and stoning my new costume and I thought that it was going to be a great day. Wrong!

By the time that I got to the ballroom, I had that achy, fevery feeling, so I took an Ibuprofen. We had also decided to delay my daily dose of Sprycel (Dasatinib) until later in the day. Joe actually came up with this brilliant theory; if I take Sprycel at my “normal” time, 10:00 am; I usually start feeling crappy around 3:00 pm, about five hours after I take it. Usually, I start feeling better around 9 or 10 pm; so, he suggested that I try to start taking it at 10:00 pm, right before I go to bed, that way I would sleep through the “yucky” part. Worth a try, right?

Anyway, back to the ballroom; besides feeling a bit achy and extremely tired, I realized that I had left my brain back in bed, still sound asleep. I was present in body, but not in mind. It was the strangest feeling; it was as though my head was completely vacant .I actually felt a bit like I feel when I need a shot of Neupogen. The only other time that I have experienced that vacant-ness was when I was actually in the hospital going through chemotherapy. I was very odd and disconcerting.

I seemed to do alright during warm up’s, despite not having a brain and I remember walking out onto the floor for our first dance. I remember hearing the music, starting the dance and then all I remember was turning and turning and turning, thinking why in the world isn’t he picking up my hip! I knew that I must have blown out of the routine, yet I hadn’t a clue of when or where. Somehow, being the Pro that Joe is, he managed to pick me up, get us back into the routine and finish the dance with no one, the wiser. I apologized profusely and wondered how the rest of the day was going to play out. It was not a great start to the morning!

The next dance is a Polka, which ought to get the nerves out and wake me up, right? Nope, just as vacant as the last dance but fortunately I only had one mis-step and it was an easy, no-brainer fix. The day continued on this way for another two dances; a friend of mine then offered me a sip of that five hour energy stuff in a small bottle. I was a bit reluctant so I only took a small sip after making sure that there was no grapefruit in it.

Waltz was our next dance. It began with the same empty brain, but somewhere near the end I actually felt like myself. I knew where I was and I knew what I was doing. It was a miracle; a short lived miracle, but a miracle nonetheless. The clarity came about quite suddenly and left just as quickly. I spent the remaining part of the competition and the rest of the entire day in a foggy, I just don’t feel good, daze.

Now, for the topper of the entire day; After the competition, I approached one of my judges to ask for constructive criticism. I expected some sort of dance related tip, but instead, she asked me; “What in the world is up with those black panties???” Great, right?

Now, let me explain; if you remember, I had previously bought material and a TON of rhinestones, a bathing suit pattern and some elastic. I put my imagination to work and made my own costume. The short skirt was almost to my knees so I thought that it was long enough to NOT show my panties. It actually has a full bathing suit/body suit underneath the outer costume, so there was absolutely no reason for my “black dance panties” anyways; I had actually put them on without even thinking about it, as I had worn them in all of my other previous competitions.

As it turns out, the bottom couple of inches of the black, dance panties were sticking out below the leg of the orange ( in recognition of leukemia), body suit. Mind you, I had previously asked four different people if my skirt was too short, or went up to high when I turned. “Did everything look ok?” Every one of them said, “No, it didn’t go up to high and everything looks just fine.”

Thanks guys, for NOT mentioning the black panties!!  I am now, and forever will be; “The Black Panty Girl!” A perfect ending to a not so perfect day! It seems as though I gave many dancers’ something to talk about for the entire weekend.

Despite my complete out of body experience I finished second overall; more importantly I danced better than I did at my last competition and managed to compete in all eight dances instead of only five. Nowhere to go but up, right?

Be sure to watch for the Black Panties!!