Was Sprycel Keeping My Peripheral Neuropathy at Bay?

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In April of 2010, a little more than three and a half years ago, I suffered extreme side effects from an antibiotic called Cipro, also known as Ciproflaxin. This antibiotic is in a class of antibiotics called floroquinolones; Levaquinn and Avelox are also in this class of antibiotic. Apparently in 2010 there were over 20 million prescriptions written for Cipro, and its’ popularity has increased.

Cipro was designed as a powerful, last drug of choice, antibiotic to be used in extreme bacterial infections that did not respond to prior treatment; it has become a first choice antibiotic for many, many physicians and dentists, despite its’ Black Box Warning status.

So, what’s the big deal? It’s an antibiotic, right? All antibiotics come with some risk and side effects, right? If you’re sick, you need an antibiotic, right? While all of these answers may be “yes” I will tell you what three doses of this antibiotic have done to me; they have apparently caused a permanent, peripheral neuropathy; with my feet being the hardest hit.

I suppose that I probably take in excess of 10,000 steps each and every day; imagine excruciating pain every time that you put weight on your foot; that is 10,000 jolts a day. And imagine that after you experience the jolt, your feet just throb in between each jolt. That is what Cipro did to my feet. I had/have many other issues as well, but my feet are my greatest challenge.

Fast forward eleven months from my second floxing; I was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukemia. During my initial treatment I received a chemotherapy drug called Cytarabine. Within days of receiving these chemo treatments, my foot pain began to subside; eventually it became almost non-existent. I began to be able to walk normally and I began to be able to use and bend my toes, my knees and my hips without pain. I was ecstatic! I had found a golden lining to having leukemia; my daily pain was much improved; I began to move, and dance like my old self. To me it was miraculous; to the doctors, they simply shrugged and said that they often heard that people’s RA and other peripheral neuropathy improved after chemotherapy.

I cannot tell you how happy and excited I have been without this daily pain. I was released from the hospital and began a daily medication called Sprycel. Sprycel is a drug used to treat CML. Apparently it also has kept my peripheral neuropathy at bay, because for two and a half years, my pain level has remained stable.

That is until I developed pleural effusion, a side effect of Sprycel, and had to stop my treatment for three weeks until the PE resolved. During this time, the pain in my feet has returned. It began slowly but has continued to progress; it is depressing and I swear I would go in and have a round of chemo if I knew that it would help. I am hoping and praying that by resuming my Sprycel treatment the pain will begin to subside once more, but I also wonder if the Sprycel was strong enough to hold the peripheral neuropathy at bay, but not strong enough to stop it. 

Something to ask at my next doctor's appointment....

Taking antibiotics ruptured my tendon: The hidden dangers of everyday drugs we assume are harmless

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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

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'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

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!

Helpful Suggestions Post Cipro Poisoning

Yesterday I saw Dr Leland Carrol, he is a chiropractic Kinesiologist He has studied extensively to learn alternative healing techniques to help patients with their individual needs. My only and I say that in jest, problems are muscle, joint and tendon pain in my legs.

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.

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.

Dancers': Beware of the Antibiotic 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 16th, 2010 I started taking Cipro for a bladder infection. On April 17th, 2010 we taught a 4 1/2 hour dance workshop, something we do every other weekend. On April 18th, 2010 I could barely walk. Upon getting out of bed, my feet felt as though I were walking on razor blades and the joints, muscles and tendon in my legs were in excruciating pain. As the day progressed, the pain remained and I was puzzled as to how the workshop could possibly be responsible for my inability to walk. I continued taking Cipro.

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.

Cipro Damaged; Good Nutrition Cannot Hurt

Good nutrition is extremely important for those of us that have been “floxed,” “poisoned’” or whatever other term that the medical doctors choose to apply to our side effects from floroquinolones. While I am not very pleased with the fact that Cipro has caused me great pain for a total of 26 months, I DO count my blessings that I have seen quite an improvement over the past few months and am now able to walk and dance with much less pain. I know that there are others out there that are much less fortunate.

I do attribute a portion of my recovery upon the many suggestions from my chiropractor. He recommended probiotics and a plethora of supplements to me shortly after I was floxed. I am trying to use more organic products and am continually trying to eat a well-balanced diet while also supplementing the vitamins and minerals that may help me to regain what the Cipro destroyed.

I try to stay hydrated and nourished while traveling and competing at dance events. I always have a bottle of water, with minerals, and a protein bar with me. I am not sure whether the exercise, nutrition or just my plain old stubbornness has gotten me as far as I am in the healing process, but whatever it is, I am grateful to be walking again. Hobbling around like a 95 year old woman in excruciating pain is no fun. It is a crime that so many people suffer from the side effects of these antibiotics.  

It truly amazes and disgusts me that taking an antibiotic for such a short period of time (3 days) can have such a long term effect on your body. It has now been 7 months since I was floxed by Cipro and I can honestly say that I am doing much better, however the continual up and down of the muscle and tendon inflammation and pain is really depressing.

As a competing dancer the foot issues are the most troublesome. Every time that I feel as though I am able to actually "Dance" I suffer for it for days. The balls of my feet and my toes still haven't recovered from my Trick or Treating escapade and I have another competition in three weeks! The big toe on my right foot just isn't happy. I felt a slight pop underneath it last night while I was dancing. Wonder how long this will last.

Ugh, how do you send your body from foot to foot when it is difficult to just put your foot on the floor and land on it.

My question and concern is: Just how far can I push myself through the pain and am I just how much risk am I taking by doing so. I can dance through the pain, but I am terrified of a tendon rupture. Damn those pharmaceutical companies that ignore all of the people that they have injured and just continue to do so!!

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.

Watch the full episode. See more PBS NewsHour.

A Tragic Levaquin Story

In 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]

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!

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!!

Question and Answer Update!

Question: I hate to bother you. I see you some how made it out of this crap storm and still manage to dance. I am currently trying to get my pain under control in my legs. Burning, stabbing, muscle pain and weakness. It sounds like it good be fibromyalgia or some muscle disease. Did you ever take any strong pain medicine or have any treatment? Sounds like your really upbeat and motivational. 

Answer:  The pain in my feet, legs and hips was beyond any pain that I have ever 

experienced. In the beginning especially. After one month had gone by, I decided to attempt to dance again. Dancing is my passion and my

profession. I took precautions with braces on my knees, ankles and then taped my feet and toes to help protect from 

any tears. It hurt like hell but made my heart feel good.The next day I was pretty much down for the count, but the following

day I was back to my "regular" hobbling. I feel as though my moving and exercising  helped in my recovery. I found that 

being immobile made me really stiff and it more painful to move.

I know a lot of people on this board poo-pooed the supplements I took and the foods I ate, but that is when I started seeing an improvement!

It has been 14 months and I am much, much better with the exception that I now have leukemia.

I swear, life is never easy! It is very easy to become depressed when you are in constant pain. I highly doubt that you have Fibromyalgia. My pain traveled thorough out my 

body.

The ONLY help I received is from my chiropractor. He was instrumental in giving me back my legs!

I did take mass doses of Ibuprofen. I took three tablets every six hours, It did give me much relief, especially when I was dancing.

Hope this helps and feel free to contact me anytime.

Cipro verses Leukemia

This has been a pretty good week; the bronchitis seems to have finally found its’ was out of my body. The coughing is minimal and the low grade temp is gone. I finally have enough energy to start dancing again. This is a good thing as we have three brand new routines to learn and five additional dances to work on for our next dance competition at the Portland Dance Festival, in July. God willing, I will be well enough to keep practicing and to compete.

As we were practicing the other day, I had a surprising realization; it is much easier to dance with leukemia than it was when I was poisoned with Cipro. Cipro is an antibiotic in the floroquinolone family. It is a very powerful drug that was originally used to treat anthrax. They currently prescribe Cipro, Avelox and Levaquin at an astonishing rate, despite black box warnings and severe side effects. At the very top of the black box warning it states that Cipro is “Not a first drug of choice.” With the rampant illnesses floating around out there, I thought that now would be a good time to throw this information out there. I am not a doctor; only a victim.

It seems as though doctors and pharmacists alike do not “believe” the damage that is actually occurring to patients. They can be life changing and permanent.  They often state that the side effects are very rare. Truth be told, “Reported” side effects are very rare. Few people taking the drugs correlate a ruptured tendon or extreme all over muscle pain to their antibiotic. Many people are diagnosed with Fibromyalgia when in fact there pain was caused by their antibiotic; they just don’t realize it.

For me, it was a yearlong battle that was nearly crippling for several months with continued excruciating pain throughout a years’ time. Oddly enough, after going through chemotherapy, the muscle pain in my feet improved drastically. That improvement is what makes dancing easier with leukemia than dancing after being severely debilitated by an antibiotic that I should not have been prescribed unless absolutely necessary. That is the crime in the floroquinoline prescriptions; they should only be prescribed as a last resort, not as an easy fix. The risks just are not worth it. I could not have prevented my leukemia, but the Cipro poisoning could have been prevented. I am still angry about the stolen year of my life caused by that drug. Read more about Cipro poisoning here: Beware of the Antibiotic Cipro

Updating My Update; One Year after Being Poisoned by Cipro

Well, it seems as though I have struck a nerve, with at least one person out there that has also been affected by the antibiotic Cipro. My update was not written to discredit any ones’ pain or suffering from this devastating drug; it was merely written to give hope and to state my current condition one year after being poisoned by Cipro.

Let me state that I am not a medical professional and I am not suggesting that what I have done or what I am currently doing, is or was a “cure” to the side effects that I suffered. If you choose to read and follow my journey, that is up to you. I went to traditional doctors, a chiropractor and a health nutritionist. The traditional doctors did little for me with the exception of saying that I was “rare” and asked me if I wanted pain meds. The chiropractor and the nutritionist gave me suggestions and told me why they were suggesting certain supplements and foods.

I chose to follow their suggestions as I had no others. I was desperate; and willing to try just about anything, with-in reason, in hopes to regain the ability to walk and dance again; like a normal person and without pain. I wanted my old life back. I wanted my body back; I was weary of being in constant pain. I made every effort possible to not allow my pain to rob me of everything that I enjoyed.

I continued dancing through the pain; with knees and ankles braced, and feet taped. I took too much Ibuprofen in order to do so. Was it easy? No, it was not. Did it hurt like hell? Yes, especially after I stopped dancing. My feet and legs throbbed all night long and I often spent an entire day down and out; paying for those few hours of enjoyment. But let me tell you, those few hours of painful enjoyment allowed my spirit to soar, to hold out hope that someday things would be better.

Currently I am growing my own "damn beets!"

One year down the road, some things are better. The pain in my muscles, joints and tendons is greatly reduced. My toes bend again and I can even use them to walk. My knees and hips bend and there is less popping. Is this because I ate red beets? I would say no. Is this because of the supplements? Probably not directly. Is there a magic cure? Unfortunately not. But is there hope? Yes, there is hope and if everything I did and ingested helped me to heal, I am glad that I took the chance. Nothing I ingested was harmful, so what did I have to lose?

We will never know why some people react better or worse to any medication, but I still believe that this is a devastating medication that should not be doled out, like candy, for simple infections. Like the black box warning states; Not a first drug of choice.  I will continue to warn any one that will listen to the life changing side effects of these drugs known as floroquinolines. And I will continue to have empathy to all that have been affected. Cipro stole a part of my life, but it did not steal my soul.

I am on a new journey now; shortly after feeling better from the effects of my Cipro poisoning, I was diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. If anyone out there had been poisoned by these drugs and also has leukemia, I would love to hear from you.

One Year Update after Being Floxed; There is Hope

It has been one year and one month since I was poisoned by the drug named Ciprofloxacin. It is in a class of drugs known as floroquinolones and while it may be a miracle drug for some; it can be a devastating, debilitating drug for other. It is my continued belief that the side effects of these drugs are highly under reported thus allowing them to continue to be distributed freely.

Three days after taking my first dose of Cipro, I was crippled. I walked as if I was an 85 year old woman that had been hit by a train. My feet felt as though I was walking on razor blades or shards of glass; my toes would not bend. My knees were swollen and felt as though they would explode if I bent them. I could not bend at the hip without excruciating pain. Sitting down and getting back up was nearly impossible. Even just the plain air on my feet hurt. I have never experienced such pain before; or since. I also could not stand bright light; it hurt my eyes and it was often noon before I could open my drapes.

You can search my blog to follow my progress and all of the remedies that I experimented with.  I am elated with the progress that I have made with my physical issues. I can now dance with little pain, bend my toes, bend my knees and bend my hips. While my toes are much improved, they still do not bend like they used to, but I am actually able to send myself from one foot to another, instead of having to lift my leg and put it on the floor. I walk like a normal person again. I am able to bend my knees and squat down about half way to the floor. I still cannot put them completely under myself in order to stand from a sitting position; such as getting out of the bathtub but the overall improvement is grand.

My hips are pretty much back to normal. My ankles and Achilles still give me just a little trouble when I dance. Sometimes after dancing for an hour or so I will have to revert back to my ankle braces for some additional support, just to be on the safe side. The light sensitivity is 80% improved and the overall achiness, muscle joint and tendon pain is relatively gone.

The latest development in my health has been my diagnoses of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. I was diagnosed in February 2011. Seems as though someone thought that since I had survived my Cipro poisoning so well, that I needed another challenge! So forgive me for not keeping you all informed and updated on the poisoning from Cipro, but I have been busy fighting cancer; Go Figure!

Anyway, I know that we are all different and we all deal with pain and illness in different manners; but for me, I pushed myself every day since I was floxed.  After the first three to four weeks, when I literally was bound to my bed or sofa, I pushed myself more and more every day. I started dancing again; knees, ankles and feet braced and taped. I took too much Ibuprofen in order to be able to do what I loved; even if it was just one or two dances at a time. Dancing fed my soul and helped me climb the very large mountain of tackling a poisoning from a drug called Cipro. My best wishes to all of you out there suffering from the side effects of these drugs. I really never thought that the day would come that I would walk normally again and not be in constant pain. I wished the last year of my life away in hopes of feeling better a year down the road. Don’t give up; there is hope for you too.