Below you will find a list of things that I have done to combat my Cipro Poisoning. It has been two and a half years since my last poisoning and while my feet and legs are much improved, I am currently having issues in my arms and hands.
Are these new issues relate? or not?
I am NOT a doctor, these are just what I am trying. A lot of what I will be eating and taking are to remove as much as the toxin as I can. He suggested that I eat 1 cup of mixed brussel sprouts and broccoli and 1 whole red beet everyday. These should be steamed and the red beet should be steamed whole. It is the "red" in the beet that is supposed to thin the bile from the liver that can become thicker after Cipro poisoning.
In addition to those veggies I am "drinking" Green Vibrance. It has 25 billion probiotics per dose. It is also used for detoxification.
I am taking 3-4 Magnesium Malate (1250mg) per day, 2000mg of Vitamin C per day, 1 tablet 4 times a day on an empty stomach (be sure to eventually wean yourself down to a normal dose if you take this much Vitamin C). Bromelain, 2 capsules, 4 times a day between meals. Fibrozym, 3 tablets in the morning. Vitamin D and Calcium. These are all in addition to my "regular" everyday vitamins!
By the time I am through sucking down all of these pills and eating those veggies, I think I might just explode!
He also suggested epsom salt baths and light massage. Movement , especially in a pool, and to not push to the point of damage. He also pressed on tendon connections and did something like spreading the muscle tissue. None of this was painful.
Today is day 12, since the side effects began. Last night was the first night that I did not wake up in the middle of the night an hour or two BEFORE I could take Ibuprofen. I actually woke up one hour AFTER I was supposed to take it. I am taking 600mg every 6 hours. My "other" Dr. recommended that as it IS an anti-inflammatory. It helps me tremendously. I seem to be moving a bit faster, at the moment! Hoping for a good day.
Showing posts with label Floroquinolones. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Floroquinolones. Show all posts
Thursday, November 29, 2012
The Dangers of Cipro
I am writing this article based on my own personal experience. I am hoping to bring awareness of the side effects of the antibiotic Cipro or Ciprofloxin. I understand that Levoquin and Avelox have the same side effects.
I will preface this article with the knowledge that I have been dancing regularly, 4-5 times a week for 3 years and that dancing is not a new activity for me.
On April 19th, 2010 I awoke with the same pain, plus additional hip pain. I just kept thinking that something was really odd and that this leg pain could not possibly be from dancing. That evening I started getting sharp, stabbing pains in my left leg. I began to wonder if I could possibly have a blood clot, so I went to the internet to look up the side effects of Cipro. While I was pleased to realize I didn't have a blood clot, I was appalled that my muscle, joint and tendon pain was a side effect of Cipro. I stopped taking the drug immediately and contacted my doctor and two pharmacists.
My doctor was shocked and claims he has never seen this side effect and offers no management, treatment or prognosis. The pharmacists are more aware but have a "it might get better, it might not " attitude. After hours of research I have found that Cipro has landed many in wheelchairs and walking with canes. It can hit your body while taking it or months later. For some it seems that the side effects reverse themselves as soon as the medication is out of their bodies, for others the suffering lingers for years. You can develop symptoms months after you stop taking the drug. If you have or have had unexplained muscle, joint and tendon pain, or ruptured tendons or been diagnosed with fibromyalgia or rheumatoid arthritis and have taken Cipro, be sure to alert your Dr. and never take it again.
I believe that the percentage of incidences that the drug companies report are way understated. It occurred to me, after this episode, that one year ago I suffered from a popped tendon in my right foot. It took 7 months for that injury to heal. I confirmed the dates and sure enough, I was on Cipro when the injury occurred. I never put 2 and 2 together to make the correlation of the injury as a side effect to the antibiotic. I know know differently and have reported my side effects to the drug manufacturer and the FDA.
Friday, April 6, 2012
Another Dangerous Side Effect Linked to Cipro and Other Floroquinolones
Thanks to a reader for sharing this information: This is yet another reason to avoid taking the antibiotics Cipro, Avelox and Levaquinn. These are very powerful antibiotics that are listed as a "not first drug or choice" yet are prescribed like candy for urinary tract infections, bladder infections, prostatitis and respiratory infections. They are very powerful and have extremely severe side effects associated with them. Often these side effects linger on for many years after ceasing to take the drugs. PLEASE be careful and request an alternative antibiotic if you are prescribed a floroquinolone.
A common class of antibiotics was linked to a higher risk of so-called retinal detachment -- when the light-sensitive tissue in the eye separates from gel that fills the eyeball, in a new Canadian study.
People treated by ophthalmologists for the emergency condition were five times more likely to be taking drugs known as fluoroquinolones, which include ciprofloxacin (marketed under names including Zoxan, Proquin and Cipro) and levofloxacin (Levaquin, Cravit), than those who didn't have retinal detachment.
"We know that these drugs are toxic to connective tissue and cartilage," said Mahyar Etminan, the study's lead author, noting past studies linking fluoroquinolones with damage to Achilles and shoulder tendons.
"We wanted to see whether this damage also may translate in the eye, because there's lots of connective tissue in the eye," Etminan, from the Child and Family Research Institute of British Columbia in Vancouver, told Reuters Health.
Retinal detachment, which starts as the appearance of lines, dots or "floaters" across the eye, can cause permanent blindness in some cases if it's not surgically treated within a few days.
Etminan and his colleagues used data from doctors' treatment records for everyone in British Columbia who saw an ophthalmologist between 2000 and 2007 -- almost one million patients. That included about 4,400 people diagnosed with retinal detachment when they were an average of 61 years old.
Prescription records showed that one out of every 30 patients with retinal detachment was taking a fluoroquinolone at the time, most commonly ciprofloxacin. Most antibiotic users were taking the drugs for respiratory or urinary tract infections.
Among a similar group of patients who visited an ophthalmologist but didn't have retinal detachment, just one in 167 had been recently prescribed the antibiotics.
The researchers couldn't be sure why the drugs were tied to an increased risk of retina problems, but said the most likely explanation is that they damage fibers and connective tissue attaching the retina to the eye's vitreous gel.
There have been "lingering concerns" about the possible effects of fluoroquinolones on the eye for a while, said Dr. Terrence O'Brien, from the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.
He told Reuters Health the new study suggests an association between fluoroquinolones and retinal detachment, but doesn't prove that everyone on the drugs will be at extra risk.
For example, it may be that people who are already prone to tendon problems -- such as older patients -- will be the ones who could be affected by certain drugs, said O'Brien, who wasn't involved in the new study.
The extra risk due to the antibiotics was small. Etminan and his colleagues calculated that 2,500 people would need to be taking fluoroquinolones for any reason for one to have retinal detachment.
Another class of antibiotics that includes penicillin wasn't tied to more retina problems, the researchers reported Tuesday in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Non-drug risks for retinal detachment include a past cataract surgery, being nearsighted or having an eye infection.
Retinal detachment is rare, Etminan concluded, "but because the condition is quite serious, I don't think it would hurt to let someone know... if you notice these flashes of light or floaters, be sure you get it checked out."
O'Brien agreed. "This study should alert both patients and physicians to the possibility of retinal detachment, and any patient developing symptoms or signs of retinal detachment while taking a fluoroquinolone would be urged to seek immediate ophthalmic care," he said.
"It's not something where you'd want to wait or defer seeking attention."
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/04/04/common-antibiotics-tied-to-eye-emergencies-study-says/#ixzz1rIVALndr
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Taking antibiotics ruptured my tendon: The hidden dangers of everyday drugs we assume are harmless
Thank you to:
Taking antibiotics ruptured my tendon: The hidden dangers of everyday drugs we assume are harmless
By JO WATERS
Last updated at 3:43 AM on 7th February 2012
'The pain was so sharp I felt like I'd been shot or kicked,' said Judy Thomas
When Judy Thomas was prescribed a strong antibiotic to shift her chest infection, she didn’t think twice about it.
‘It was a few days before Christmas and I was just relieved to get something before the holidays,’ says Judy, 59, a housewife from Ferndown, Dorset.
‘It was a high dose of 500mg of ciprofloxacin twice a day for five days. My GP didn’t mention any possible side-effects.’
Three days later, Judy woke up with an all-pervading tight feeling in the backs of both calves.
‘I could barely walk; I thought the tendon was going to snap,’ she recalls.
‘Ten days later, when I was standing making tea in the kitchen, something did seem to snap in the back of my left calf.
'The pain was so sharp I felt like I’d been shot or kicked, and I blacked out for a few seconds. Afterwards, I was in excruciating pain.’
Next day, she went to A&E with her husband, Geoff, 64, and her left leg was put in plaster because doctors suspected a ruptured Achilles tendon.
‘I was baffled because I hadn’t been doing any exercise and it’s something I thought you only got with running or sport,’ says Judy.
‘It was my sister Sally, a retired nurse, who Googled it later that evening and discovered tendon rupture can be a side-effect of taking ciprofloxacin.
'Imagine my horror when this was confirmed by my GP the next day.’
It can take six months on average to get back to normal activities after an Achilles tendon rupture, but in some cases much longer. A month after taking ciprofloxican Judy is still incapacitated.
‘I’ve been left unable to walk properly,’ she says. ‘I can’t bear weight on it and have been confined to the house.
'Now I’m terrified the tendon in my right leg will rupture, too, as the doctor I saw in A&E said it was showing signs of severe damage.
‘I’ve got pins and needles in my left arm and shoulder, too, which started at the same time. I’m worried this is also connected to the antibiotics, and might be permanent.’
One in six of all prescriptions in the UK is for antibiotics, with the drugs given for everything from ear infections to sore throats.
But what many patients don’t realise is that like all drugs, antibiotics can cause side-effects.
Amoxicillin, the most commonly prescribed antibiotic in the UK, can cause rashes and diarrhoea, but also nausea, wheezing, itching and a swollen tongue.
One in six of all prescriptions in the UK is for antibiotics, with the drugs given for everything from ear infections to sore throats
Another antibiotic, Flucloxacillin, can cause diarrhoea and nausea, and in rarer cases breathing difficulties, jaundice, bruising and abdominal pain.
And erythromycin, used to treat middle ear and throat infections, cannot only cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea and a rash, but less commonly temporary deafness, skin blisters, jaundice and fever.
‘There’s been a perception that antibiotics are a bit like vitamins in that it won’t do the patient any harm to take them, even if it’s not absolutely certain they do have an infection,’ says Dr Kieran Hand, consultant pharmacist at Southampton General Hospital and a spokesman for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
‘We are realising antibiotics are not completely harmless, and prescribing them is not a decision to be taken lightly.’
This is particularly true for a class of powerful broad spectrum antibiotics called fluoroquinolones, which include ciprofloxacin (the drug Judy was prescribed), levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, ofloxacin and norfloxacin.
Just under a million prescriptions for these drugs were given out in the UK in 2010 for conditions such as chest infections and urinary tract and gastro-intestinal infections.
Some of the alarming side-effects listed for fluoroquinolines include inflamed or ruptured tendon, chest pain, rapid heart beat, black outs, swelling, hot flushes, sweating, pancreatitis (inflamed pancreas) and tinnitus.
It’s only the fluoroquinolone group of antibiotics that have been linked with tendon problems and other muscolo-skeletal issues.
These may start immediately after taking the drugs, or months later.
As a result, doctors and patients often fail to make the link with the antibiotics.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the UK’s drug safety watchdog, received reports of 2,269 ‘suspected’ adverse reactions associated with fluoroquinolone antibiotics, including 67 deaths, since January 2000.
Four years ago, concern about the potential side-effects led to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration telling manufacturers to add a ‘black box’ warning to fluoroquinolones.
This is the most serious warning, short of pulling a drug from the market, and indicates that it carries a significant risk of serious or life-threatening adverse events.
In the UK, the British National Formulary, a prescribing guide for doctors and pharmacists, added a specific warning about fluoroquinolones in 2009, stating they should be used ‘with caution’ in patients over 60, those taking corticosteroids, and patients with a history of epilepsy or tendon disorders.
But Judy says she had none of these risk factors.
Nor did Rebecca Robinson, a 44-year-old self-employed hairdresser from Bristol, who was prescribed five courses of ciprofloxacin over a 12-month period after developing cystitis and then a kidney infection in 2006.
Five years later, she is still suffering persistent lower leg pain and other unexplained symptoms, including pain and burning in her lower legs, cervical dystonia (neck spasms), tinnitus and muscle twitching — some of which are recognised side-effects of ciprofloxacin.
‘The reaction started immediately after the first dose: I felt giddiness, back pain and needed to pass urine frequently,’ she says.
‘But it felt just like the kidney infection coming back, so I was prescribed more of the drugs.
‘I’d never felt right since I took those antibiotics but doctors told me there was no connection.
'After three years of tests and no answers, I went online and discovered there were thousands of other people who had taken ciprofloxacin and had similar side-effects to me.
'I have lost half my customers as I have balance problems and find it difficult to stand for long periods.
'I’ve never claimed any disability benefits and always worked to support myself, but what happens if I get worse?
Doctors stress that we must finish a course of antibiotics and don’t mention adverse reactions, so people continue taking the drugs, not realising they are causing them damage.
Philip Howard, consultant pharmacist and a specialist in antibiotics, says although ciprofloxacin has been around for 25 years, it’s only in the past ten years that more side-effects have emerged.
‘When ciprofloxacin was first introduced, it was one of the first broad spectrum antibiotics which could be given as a tablet, so patients didn’t need to stay in hospital.
'That was a major advantage but also came to be one of its major failings, because it then was over-prescribed.
‘As with all drugs, the rarer side-effects sometimes don’t become apparent until large numbers of people have been treated with them.’
He says there are few reasons why ciprofloxacin should still be prescribed by a GP except where there is no alternative, such as where the patient has an allergy to penicillin or where other antibiotics haven’t worked.
‘There is this assumption that antibiotics have no side-effects, but all drugs carry risks. I’d say that unless you need treatment, don’t take them.’
Neal Patel, pharmacist with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, says serious side-effects from antibiotics are rare, but patients should be aware of the risks.
‘If patients notice anything untoward while taking antibiotics they should seek advice from their GP or pharmacist as soon as possible.’
A spokesman for Bayer, manufacturer of ciprofloxacin, said the drug has been used in millions of patients worldwide and has a well-established safety profile.
It added: ‘The product information includes information about tendinitis and tendon rupture, which are recognised but very rare adverse drug reactions.’
Judy Thomas, though, remains convinced ciprofloxacin is the most likely explanation for her ruptured Achilles tendon and pins and needles.
‘I feel very strongly that there should be more prominent warnings on patient information leaflets,’ she says.
‘Antibiotics are something that all of us take without thinking, but we all need to be aware that they have risks as well as benefits.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2097415/Taking-antibiotics-ruptured-tendon-The-hidden-dangers-everyday-drugs-assume-harmless.html#ixzz1lvz7dbpO
Taking antibiotics ruptured my tendon: The hidden dangers of everyday drugs we assume are harmless
By JO WATERS
Last updated at 3:43 AM on 7th February 2012
'The pain was so sharp I felt like I'd been shot or kicked,' said Judy Thomas
When Judy Thomas was prescribed a strong antibiotic to shift her chest infection, she didn’t think twice about it.
‘It was a few days before Christmas and I was just relieved to get something before the holidays,’ says Judy, 59, a housewife from Ferndown, Dorset.
‘It was a high dose of 500mg of ciprofloxacin twice a day for five days. My GP didn’t mention any possible side-effects.’
Three days later, Judy woke up with an all-pervading tight feeling in the backs of both calves.
‘I could barely walk; I thought the tendon was going to snap,’ she recalls.
‘Ten days later, when I was standing making tea in the kitchen, something did seem to snap in the back of my left calf.
'The pain was so sharp I felt like I’d been shot or kicked, and I blacked out for a few seconds. Afterwards, I was in excruciating pain.’
Next day, she went to A&E with her husband, Geoff, 64, and her left leg was put in plaster because doctors suspected a ruptured Achilles tendon.
‘I was baffled because I hadn’t been doing any exercise and it’s something I thought you only got with running or sport,’ says Judy.
‘It was my sister Sally, a retired nurse, who Googled it later that evening and discovered tendon rupture can be a side-effect of taking ciprofloxacin.
'Imagine my horror when this was confirmed by my GP the next day.’
It can take six months on average to get back to normal activities after an Achilles tendon rupture, but in some cases much longer. A month after taking ciprofloxican Judy is still incapacitated.
‘I’ve been left unable to walk properly,’ she says. ‘I can’t bear weight on it and have been confined to the house.
'Now I’m terrified the tendon in my right leg will rupture, too, as the doctor I saw in A&E said it was showing signs of severe damage.
‘I’ve got pins and needles in my left arm and shoulder, too, which started at the same time. I’m worried this is also connected to the antibiotics, and might be permanent.’
One in six of all prescriptions in the UK is for antibiotics, with the drugs given for everything from ear infections to sore throats.
But what many patients don’t realise is that like all drugs, antibiotics can cause side-effects.
Amoxicillin, the most commonly prescribed antibiotic in the UK, can cause rashes and diarrhoea, but also nausea, wheezing, itching and a swollen tongue.
One in six of all prescriptions in the UK is for antibiotics, with the drugs given for everything from ear infections to sore throats
Another antibiotic, Flucloxacillin, can cause diarrhoea and nausea, and in rarer cases breathing difficulties, jaundice, bruising and abdominal pain.
And erythromycin, used to treat middle ear and throat infections, cannot only cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea and a rash, but less commonly temporary deafness, skin blisters, jaundice and fever.
‘There’s been a perception that antibiotics are a bit like vitamins in that it won’t do the patient any harm to take them, even if it’s not absolutely certain they do have an infection,’ says Dr Kieran Hand, consultant pharmacist at Southampton General Hospital and a spokesman for the Royal Pharmaceutical Society.
‘We are realising antibiotics are not completely harmless, and prescribing them is not a decision to be taken lightly.’
This is particularly true for a class of powerful broad spectrum antibiotics called fluoroquinolones, which include ciprofloxacin (the drug Judy was prescribed), levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, ofloxacin and norfloxacin.
Just under a million prescriptions for these drugs were given out in the UK in 2010 for conditions such as chest infections and urinary tract and gastro-intestinal infections.
Some of the alarming side-effects listed for fluoroquinolines include inflamed or ruptured tendon, chest pain, rapid heart beat, black outs, swelling, hot flushes, sweating, pancreatitis (inflamed pancreas) and tinnitus.
It’s only the fluoroquinolone group of antibiotics that have been linked with tendon problems and other muscolo-skeletal issues.
These may start immediately after taking the drugs, or months later.
As a result, doctors and patients often fail to make the link with the antibiotics.
The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, the UK’s drug safety watchdog, received reports of 2,269 ‘suspected’ adverse reactions associated with fluoroquinolone antibiotics, including 67 deaths, since January 2000.
Four years ago, concern about the potential side-effects led to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration telling manufacturers to add a ‘black box’ warning to fluoroquinolones.
This is the most serious warning, short of pulling a drug from the market, and indicates that it carries a significant risk of serious or life-threatening adverse events.
In the UK, the British National Formulary, a prescribing guide for doctors and pharmacists, added a specific warning about fluoroquinolones in 2009, stating they should be used ‘with caution’ in patients over 60, those taking corticosteroids, and patients with a history of epilepsy or tendon disorders.
But Judy says she had none of these risk factors.
Nor did Rebecca Robinson, a 44-year-old self-employed hairdresser from Bristol, who was prescribed five courses of ciprofloxacin over a 12-month period after developing cystitis and then a kidney infection in 2006.
Five years later, she is still suffering persistent lower leg pain and other unexplained symptoms, including pain and burning in her lower legs, cervical dystonia (neck spasms), tinnitus and muscle twitching — some of which are recognised side-effects of ciprofloxacin.
‘The reaction started immediately after the first dose: I felt giddiness, back pain and needed to pass urine frequently,’ she says.
‘But it felt just like the kidney infection coming back, so I was prescribed more of the drugs.
‘I’d never felt right since I took those antibiotics but doctors told me there was no connection.
'After three years of tests and no answers, I went online and discovered there were thousands of other people who had taken ciprofloxacin and had similar side-effects to me.
'I have lost half my customers as I have balance problems and find it difficult to stand for long periods.
'I’ve never claimed any disability benefits and always worked to support myself, but what happens if I get worse?
Doctors stress that we must finish a course of antibiotics and don’t mention adverse reactions, so people continue taking the drugs, not realising they are causing them damage.
Philip Howard, consultant pharmacist and a specialist in antibiotics, says although ciprofloxacin has been around for 25 years, it’s only in the past ten years that more side-effects have emerged.
‘When ciprofloxacin was first introduced, it was one of the first broad spectrum antibiotics which could be given as a tablet, so patients didn’t need to stay in hospital.
'That was a major advantage but also came to be one of its major failings, because it then was over-prescribed.
‘As with all drugs, the rarer side-effects sometimes don’t become apparent until large numbers of people have been treated with them.’
He says there are few reasons why ciprofloxacin should still be prescribed by a GP except where there is no alternative, such as where the patient has an allergy to penicillin or where other antibiotics haven’t worked.
‘There is this assumption that antibiotics have no side-effects, but all drugs carry risks. I’d say that unless you need treatment, don’t take them.’
Neal Patel, pharmacist with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society, says serious side-effects from antibiotics are rare, but patients should be aware of the risks.
‘If patients notice anything untoward while taking antibiotics they should seek advice from their GP or pharmacist as soon as possible.’
A spokesman for Bayer, manufacturer of ciprofloxacin, said the drug has been used in millions of patients worldwide and has a well-established safety profile.
It added: ‘The product information includes information about tendinitis and tendon rupture, which are recognised but very rare adverse drug reactions.’
Judy Thomas, though, remains convinced ciprofloxacin is the most likely explanation for her ruptured Achilles tendon and pins and needles.
‘I feel very strongly that there should be more prominent warnings on patient information leaflets,’ she says.
‘Antibiotics are something that all of us take without thinking, but we all need to be aware that they have risks as well as benefits.’
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2097415/Taking-antibiotics-ruptured-tendon-The-hidden-dangers-everyday-drugs-assume-harmless.html#ixzz1lvz7dbpO
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Cipro Poisoning Sucks!
So, I guess there are two things bothering me today:
1. Cipro poisoning SUCKS! I know that I should be grateful for the improvements that I have made, and I AM however, I am still so irritated that my body has been so compromised by Cipro. The fact that they continually dispense this drug without informing the patient of the potential side effects is criminal!
Of course, my small improvement of being able to slightly bend my toes caused me to test my limits and try to walk and dance like a normal person. That would be USING my toes and pushing off with my toes as opposed to walking and dancing on my heels. That unfortunately led to a bit of a toe injury on my right foot, yup, the BIG TOE! Ugh, wonder how long it will take that to heal?
2. I hate the inflammation underneath the skin that causes the skin itself to be so tender that you don't want to sit or lie on it. The back of my thighs are killing me today, thank God it seems to be an intermittent side effect. It is so strange because een the slightest touch makes them feel as tough they are on fire! It has been long 5 months now.
So that being said, I hope those of you that have never been effected by Cipro, Levaquinn, Avelox, or any other floroquinolone, take my advice and steer clear of this poison! For those of you in the same boat or worse off, my best wishes to you and I hope you are having one of those "good" days!
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Floroquinolones Destroyed My Mother's Life!
 |
| My Beautiful Mother! |
While recently reviewing my mother’s medical history, due to
the ulcers on her leg, I
am 100% convinced that floroquinlones have destroyed the past eighteen years of
her life. Eighteen years ago my mother suffered from a torn rotator cuff. I
thought that it was odd that she had a torn rotator cuff since she did not ever
“overuse” her shoulders. She did not golf; play tennis or regularly life heavy
objects. She was fit and in great shape. I chalked it up to a fluke. Shortly
after she had surgery on her right shoulder, her left rotator cuff tore
requiring a second surgery.
No one found this odd except for me. When she returned twice
more for additional tears in each of her rotator cuffs, I was appalled at the
lack of interest as to “why” my mother suffered from four torn rotator cuffs,
which required surgery. I had no idea “why” it happened; I just knew that it
was not “normal” and that there must be a “reason.”
As my mother’s shoulders continued to heal, she began to
suffer from an all over the body pain and achiness that would not subside and
could not be controlled with medication. She saw doctor after doctor and they
treated her with many drugs including mass doses of cortisone. She was
monitored closely while on the cortisone (prednisone) and was eventually weaned
from mass doses, to a therapeutic dose after suffering from the side effects from
the mass amounts of cortisone that she had been given.
Since she was in such chronic and excruciating pain, the
doctors continued to try medications and remedies, including intravenous
Remicade (Humira). She was “loosely diagnosed with first, Fibromyalgia and them
poly-myalgia-rheumatic. Yes, they were convinced that she had an auto-immune
disease and Rheumatic Arthritis. She was often in so much pain that I would
hear here crying and chanting, in private, praying for relief from the pain.
I remember her trying to describe the pain, in her feet, to
me. She said that they felt as though they were on fire; like she was walking
on broken glass; that even the air hurt her feet so badly that she could hardly
breathe. It wasn’t until I suffered the same pain in my feet ,that I realized
that what she was describing was floroquinolone poisoning.
I immediately asked her if she had taken Cipro; of course
she had, many, many times; and Levaquinn and Avelox, for years and years. I
expressed my theory and of course was met with doubt. She cannot even fathom
that it is possible that her entire condition was not only caused by floroquinolones,
but exasperated by the continual usage of them, combined with her cortisone
treatment.
It was the ulcers
on leg that led me to her medical records and the confirmation that she has
been prescribed all of these antibiotics throughout this slow and painful
destruction of her life. I am 100% convinced that this has been the cause of
all of her pain and suffering. I literally took 6 bottles of Levaquinn out of
her medicine cabinet the last time that I was there. I have called her doctor
and told him of my suspicions. After almost causing her death, from a near
heart attack while on Avelox, they have finally listed floroquinolones as an “allergy”
on her chart.
I do not know how I will ever “prove” all of this, but what
I do know, is that it is a crime that not once, has a medical professional ever
even considered that her rapid and painful deterioration might have been caused
by one of their “cures.” The over use of these drugs, is criminal.
I was very lucky that it only took me one ruptured tendon in my foot and 15 months of rehabilitation from crippling pain to realize that my conditions were due to Cipro, so fortunately I will not suffer her fate. I am so infuriated that it has stolen my mother's life and I shall continue with my crusade to warn others.
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Helpful Suggestions Post Cipro Poisoning
I will share the regimen that he has suggested to me. I am NOT a doctor, these are just what I am trying. A lot of what I will be eating and taking are to remove as much as the toxin as I can. He suggested that I eat 1 cup of mixed brussel sprouts and broccoli and 1 whole red beet everyday. These should be steamed and the red beet should be steamed whole. It is the "red" in the beet that is supposed to thin the bile from the liver that can become thicker after Cipro poisoning.
In addition to those veggies I am "drinking" Green Vibrance. It has 25 billion probiotics per dose. It is also used for detoxification.
I am taking 3-4 Magnesium Malate (1250mg) per day, 2000mg of Vitamin C per day, 1 tablet 4 times a day on an empty stomach (be sure to eventually wean yourself down to a normal dose if you take this much Vitamin C). Bromelain, 2 capsules, 4 times a day between meals. Fibrozym, 3 tablets in the morning. Vitamin D and Calcium. These are all in addition to my "regular" everyday vitamins!
By the time I am through sucking down all of these pills and eating those veggies, I think I might just explode!
He also suggested epsom salt baths and light massage. Movement , especially in a pool, and to not push to the point of damage. He also pressed on tendon connections and did something like spreading the muscle tissue. None of this was painful.
Today is day 12, since the side effects began. Last night was the first night that I did not wake up in the middle of the night an hour or two BEFORE I could take Ibuprofen. I actually woke up one hour AFTER I was supposed to take it. I am taking 600mg every 6 hours. My "other" Dr. recommended that as it IS an anti-inflammatory. It helps me tremendously. I seem to be moving a bit faster, at the moment! Hoping for a good day.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Check Out This Video Exposing Floroquinolone Damage
Finally a report that recognizes the potential dangers of floroquinolones: Cipro, Avelox and Levaquinn are among the front runners of this class of antibiotics. I have personally been floxed by Cipro on two occasions. I, like many, did not even have a clue the first time that i was floxed. I was given Ciprofloxcin for a urinary track infection. On the fourth day of my treatment, I ruptured a tendon in my big toe while dancing. I heard and felt the "Pop" and wondered what on earth had happened. I continued to take my prescription of Cipro without ever realizing that it was what had caused my tendon rupture.
Fast forward eleven months; my ruptured tendon was finally healed. I was "healthy" for exactly five weeks before I contracted another UTI. Once again I was prescribed Cipro. I willingly took the prescribed drug as it had alleviated my bladder infection the year before. On the second day of ingesting Cipro, upon awaking, I went to step out of bed and nearly collapsed onto the floor. My feet felt as though they were on fire and that I was stepping on broken glass. I could not bend my toes, ankles, knees or hips. The pain was excruciating and I needed assistance just to walk to the bathroom.
I did not know what was wrong with me and I continued taking the Cipro. It wasn't until the following day that the pain intensified so much that I began to wonder if the Cipro was causing blood clots or some other reason for the pain. This sent me to the internet where I saw the "Black Box Warning." I immediately stopped taking the Cipro and called my doctor.
I began a fifteen month journey full of pain and frustration. The amount of people that I have met who have suffered from the same symptoms as I have, are staggering. The most staggering realization of all is that very few of them correlated their pain and suffering to the antibiotic. It is my belief that the supposed 1% of people affected by these antibiotics is grossly under-reported simply do to the fact that affected people simply cannot even begin to imagine that they have been crippled by an antibiotic that was intended to cure them.
The below video is one of the first videos that I have seen that acknowledges the possible dangers of floroquinolones.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Health Fairs
Recently I was dropping my son off at the mall when I noticed
a sign for a Health Fair.
Being that I have interest in the health industry as a whole, for a whole list
of different reasons, I decided to go in and check it out. What I found were a
bazillion different vendors; all peddling their wares. Of course, “their” wares
were all better than their neighbors’.
My question to all of the different vendors is, “How do I
know that your product really is better than the one further down the aisle?” I
suppose that anytime that you visit a health fair,
you can expect to be inundated with information and advice. My advice to you is
to take information only on the
products that you truly are interested in. Once you get home, review the
information promptly; as if you do not, it will likely end up in that pile. You know the pile; it’s the
one where we all put the “stuff” that
we intend to get to “someday.” I hate
that pile and I hate the clutter. I am relatively certain that I have some
pretty great information in that pile, but just looking at it is so
overwhelming that I rarely get to it.
Anyway, the health fair
was interesting and since I refrained from dragging home a whole bunch of literature,
I will consider it a success!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Healthy Living is a Plus!
When you live in chronic pain you may often be viewed as a whiner,
complainer, or hypochondriac. Having lived through the excruciating pain caused
by Cipro, I can totally relate with people that have and live with chronic
pain. Being sympathetic to a person with intangible pain can often be a
difficult task for family members, friends and co-workers. They seem to think
if they cannot see it, then it must not hurt. Life for the person in chronic pain
is not only difficult from the physical aspect, but the emotional one as well. Having
your life stolen from you is frightening, devastating and frustrating. There
are many reasons that people live in chronic pain, mine just happened to result
from taking an antibiotic.
I think that regardless of the reason, one of the best
things that you can do for yourself is to take care of yourself. Devise a health
plan and stick to it. Exercise as much as you possibly can, eat well, get
plenty of rest. Healthy living will probably not cure your pain, but it will
help to prevent other health issues that may arise from an unhealthy lifestyle.
There are many things that we all can do to improve our overall health.
Healthy living literally means taking care of yourself;
body, mind and spirit. The last thing that any of us that live in chronic pain
needs is to have any other health issue crop up and cause additional health
issues.
Poisoned by Cipro; Now I am Unemployed!
So, just what does one do when their injuries stem from
ingesting an antibiotic? I know many, many florquinolone sufferers that have
lost their jobs due to the debilitating side effects from Cipro, Levaquinn or
Avelox. I can relate with both the employer and the employee. It really sucks
to have a great job and not be able to get out of bed in the morning; to
suddenly be unable to walk or function like you did the day before.
Just how many days can you expect your employer to keep your
job available for you when every medical professional that you consult gives
you the same answer: “Gee, I have never seen this before and no, I do not have
any idea how long it will last, or what I can do to help you.” How comforting
do you suppose that is for your employer? He has a business to run and chances
are that you were a crucial piece of that wheel.
Occupational health professionals must keep records of
employee health information regarding workplace injuries and illnesses, but
just how do they record a side effect? What is a side effect and how could that
possibly prevent you from doing your job? How do you explain that one day you
were perfectly healthy and mobile and now you can barely even walk? And how do
you explain that there isn’t a doctor out there that has an answer?
So, here we are incapacitated, often under insured and now
unemployed. Sure seems to me that someone ought to take some responsibility
here. Floroquinolone toxicity SUCKS!
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Collagen And Cell Extracts; Could They Be An Answer To Our Prayers?
 |
| I believe my dear mothers' downward spiral began with Cipro! |
There has been quite a lot of controversy over exactly just
what Cipro does to damage a body’s muscles, joints and tendons. There seems to
be even less known about what can be done to reverse the damage. I believe that
all involved agree that floroquinolones can damage and destroy collagen. I also
believe that Cipro may destroy the sheath that surrounds your muscles and
tendons.
I wholeheartedly believe
that Cipro caused the padding on the balls of my feet to completely disintegrate
and that at one time, I was literally walking with the bones of my feet
directly against the floor. It was extremely painful to take even one step.
After taking 2000 mg of Vitamin C every day for four to five months, I began to
notice some improvement. I understand
that Vitamin C can promote collagen production and I often wonder if that has
been what has helped to restore at least some of the padding on the balls of my
feet.
While searching for more information on collagen production,
I ran across this site that produces cell extract
for a variety of uses. I have heard the term cell extract
in the past, relating to laboratories actually growing skin from cells, to use
on patients with extreme burns or other injuries. I do not know their
effectiveness in rejuvenating the collagen, inside of our bodies, due to the
damage sustained by the side effects of floroquinolones, but I certainly wish
that someone would begin to research this avenue since no one in the medical
field seems to have any suggestions, remedies or protocol on just how to handle
the thousands of us that have been either permanently or temporarily crippled
by this class of antibiotics.
Maybe someday, someone will have an answer for all of us
that have been inadvertently damaged by antibiotics that are labeled as “not a
first drug of choice”: oddly enough the two times that I was prescribed Cipro,
it was not only a first drug of choice, it was the only choice given to me. I
was not warned of the damaging side effects, despite the current black box
warning attached to Cipro. Come on medical professionals, start abiding by the
guidelines that have been given to you and stop handing out Cipro, Avelox and
Levaquinn as though they were candy.
Friday, September 9, 2011
Accelerated Aches and Pains
Aches and pains are part of everyday life.
From what I understand, they seem to increase with age. For those of us that
have taken a floroquinolone, these aches and pains can arrive abruptly, without
warning. I literally woke up after three doses of Cipro in such pain that I could
not walk or sit. My muscles, joint and tendons were on fire and it felt as though
my knees and hips would explode if they were bent, and that my tendons would
pop if I used them. The pain was so excruciating that even the air hurt my toes
and feet.
I never
consulted a pain management specialist, but often wondered whether or not they
would have been able to help me. Unfortunately, my insurance is very limited
and does not cover the cost of a pain management specialist; as a matter of
fact, I have a very high deductible and my insurance only covers treatment if I
am hospitalized. I wish that the drug companies offered some sort of
compensation or solution to those of us that have been damaged by their drugs. These
drugs have a black box warning and are listed as a “not first drug of choice” however;
these drugs are given freely and often. I am certain that pain management specialist have many, many patients that have unexplained pain that do not even
realize that the possibility exists that their pain may have resulted from the ingesting
of an antibiotic.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Living with Chronic Pain, Sucks!
Living with chronic pain does not only affect your body
where the pain is located, it affects you entire life and well-being. It causes
you to be chronically fatigued and often short tempered. It affects your
ability to think clearly and to stay on task. Chronic pain robs your quality of
life and can make you wonder whether or not your life is worth living.
I often wonder if a Pain Care Center, such as Pain Management NJ, would be able to help
those of us that have been poisoned by a floroquinolone. Cipro, Levaquinn and
Avelox have left thousands of people in constant chronic pain. If Pain Management NJ were able to help those of
us in pain through their therapeutic treatment options, they could educate
others on their methods thus helping the thousands of us that suffer from the
muscle, joint and tendon pain that we all live with on a daily basis.
Pain Management NJ has
helped many patients with neck and back pain due to injuries resulting from
injury, deformity or degenerative conditions. Do you suppose that our muscle,
joint and tendon pain and ruptures would be classified under the “degenerative conditions”
category? Or, do you suppose that our pain is simply categorized as “other”
with no help at all? I would like to hope that someday, someone, somewhere will
have an answer or regime that will help all of us to regain our previously
healthy lives.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Excellent Video Exposing Floroquinolone Side Effects
Finally a report that recognizes the potential dangers of floroquinolones: Cipro, Avelox and Levaquinn are among the front runners of this class of antibiotics. I have personally been floxed by Cipro on two occasions. I, like many, did not even have a clue the first time that i was floxed. I was given Ciprofloxcin for a urinary track infection. On the fourth day of my treatment, I ruptured a tendon in my big toe while dancing. I heard and felt the "Pop" and wondered what on earth had happened. I continued to take my prescription of Cipro without ever realizing that it was what had caused my tendon rupture.
Fast forward eleven months; my ruptured tendon was finally healed. I was "healthy" for exactly five weeks before I contracted another UTI. Once again I was prescribed Cipro. I willingly took the prescribed drug as it had alleviated my bladder infection the year before. On the second day of ingesting Cipro, upon awaking, I went to step out of bed and nearly collapsed onto the floor. My feet felt as though they were on fire and that I was stepping on broken glass. I could not bend my toes, ankles, knees or hips. The pain was excruciating and I needed assistance just to walk to the bathroom.
I did not know what was wrong with me and I continued taking the Cipro. It wasn't until the following day that the pain intensified so much that I began to wonder if the Cipro was causing blood clots or some other reason for the pain. This sent me to the internet where I saw the "Black Box Warning." I immediately stopped taking the Cipro and called my doctor.
I began a fifteen month journey full of pain and frustration. The amount of people that I have met who have suffered from the same symptoms as I have, are staggering. The most staggering realization of all is that very few of them correlated their pain and suffering to the antibiotic. It is my belief that the supposed 1% of people affected by these antibiotics is grossly under-reported simply do to the fact that affected people simply cannot even begin to imagine that they have been crippled by an antibiotic that was intended to cure them.
The below video is one of the first videos that I have seen that acknowledges the possible dangers of floroquinolones.
Fast forward eleven months; my ruptured tendon was finally healed. I was "healthy" for exactly five weeks before I contracted another UTI. Once again I was prescribed Cipro. I willingly took the prescribed drug as it had alleviated my bladder infection the year before. On the second day of ingesting Cipro, upon awaking, I went to step out of bed and nearly collapsed onto the floor. My feet felt as though they were on fire and that I was stepping on broken glass. I could not bend my toes, ankles, knees or hips. The pain was excruciating and I needed assistance just to walk to the bathroom.
I did not know what was wrong with me and I continued taking the Cipro. It wasn't until the following day that the pain intensified so much that I began to wonder if the Cipro was causing blood clots or some other reason for the pain. This sent me to the internet where I saw the "Black Box Warning." I immediately stopped taking the Cipro and called my doctor.
I began a fifteen month journey full of pain and frustration. The amount of people that I have met who have suffered from the same symptoms as I have, are staggering. The most staggering realization of all is that very few of them correlated their pain and suffering to the antibiotic. It is my belief that the supposed 1% of people affected by these antibiotics is grossly under-reported simply do to the fact that affected people simply cannot even begin to imagine that they have been crippled by an antibiotic that was intended to cure them.
The below video is one of the first videos that I have seen that acknowledges the possible dangers of floroquinolones.
Watch the full episode. See more PBS NewsHour.
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
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, May 31, 2011
Missing Cipro Victim
I am just passing it along; feel free to either email me or leave a post if you have any pertinent information.
http://www.gazette.net/stories/04202011/damanew221203_32544.php
Dear All,
Sorry for all the pain and suffering that this medication has caused everyone. My best friend has suffered the same symptoms that all of you are reporting. He even actually posted a comment in this thread back in late 2010. Unfortunately he has gone missing since back in April 2011 and I was reaching out to this community to see if anyone has had any interaction with user James @ jer2rom@yahoo.com? His Mom, Dad, Sister, Fiancé, and all of us, are extremely worry about him and are pleading for any information that may lead us to finding him. If any of you had any communication with him, please reply back and I will be truly grateful!
Best regards to all,
Abraham
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)