Fluoroquinolone toxicity
Did anyone on this forum take cipro levaquin or avelox around the time their neuropathy began. If so, you probably suffered an adverse reaction to the drug. These fluoroquinolone antibiotics are well know for causing bad neuropathies, tendon damage and psychiatric issues. Check your medical records.
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Neuropathy Support Group.
What kind of Psych issues? Thanks
I was searching "Doctors who treat FQAD" online and I saw many there. Most of them work with muscles but not with hypoglycemia which I have. Search online and you will find one doctor who can help you. I think I got mitochondrial disorder after Cipro drug. I have only one pathological gene for MCADD but I experience severe hypoglycemia and chest pain from palpitations at night. Now I also have high blood sugar probably due to liver or pancreas dysfunction.
New to the group. To be honest I’ve stayed away from these sites mostly for my mental health.
In June of 2017 I was poisoned with Cipro; was extremely sick for 7 months. Couldn’t find a doctor that believed Cipro was responsible even given the fact I was on my last dose when the issues began. And the symptoms were text book. Painful knees, painful lower back, feet and especially toes were on fire, ligament issue in one of my knees. I was literally told to leave an Immediate Care Center.
So I did my research and basically treated myself. It took large doses of transdermal Magnesium, around 700mg daily. I knew my body was starved and in need more because I would get body spasms. Once I took the right amount the body the spasms would end. I had issue with my eye sight joint pain in my knees and wrist. I would spray the magnesium and it would have an immediate effect. I kept detailed notes to what I took and how much. My wife thought I was losing my mind. She believes me now.
I finally found doctors at the VA that believed me, but had zero recommendations. So I continued my treatment. My D3 was low so I took large amounts and used a local lab to monitor my levels. Finally got the D3 stable.
Long story short. Today I still have Neuropathy in both feet but my feet feel normal unless I drink alcohol or eat anything with more than 8g of sugar. Which I never do. I have by accident and my feet can hurt from days to weeks.
I never ever take NSAIDS. I’ve had two surgeries and the anesthesia did not bother me. I took Tylenol Arthritis for pain without issue. So it’s my go to pain for pill. I used until this week large doses of Tumeric for an anti inflammatory. But my bilirubin has increased so I’ve stopped that. I took it for a bad neck and back. Worked great. I’m sure it helped with the Cipro issue too.
Drugs I’ve taken
Amoxicillin without issue
Doxy caused minor symptoms. Won’t take.
Lomotil. Cause minor issues for about 3 days.
Never take steroids.
Pneumococcal 13 ? And it caused major pain in my feet for about a month.
I take vitamins D3, C, probiotics, and transdermal magnesium 200mg daily.
Fish oil.
I never take Vitamin B as it seems to aggravate my neuropathy.
I credit the transdermal magnesium for getting to where I am. I would say I’m at 95% pre being floxed.
One of the good side effects. Because I can’t eat sugar my cholesterol and triglycerides are unbelievably good for a 62 year old.
I recommend to people something someone else posted once on another site. Figure out a good course of action, do it and stay off the sites until you’ve grasped mentally what’s happened. Some day I would actually like to see a doctor that works with Cipro toxicity patients, but haven’t found one yet. Here in KY there’s no one as far as I know.
I would really like to find an anti inflammatory that I can take, but it might be a bridge too far. If anyone has taken anything that’s been effective let me know.
Best of luck.
On 5/26/23 I was put on a regime of 10500 mg of Ciprofloxacin, I was 59 years old, had NO infection (charted as such), was taking NSAIDS . Within three months the same medical group gave me five Prednisolone injections. I suffer from severe Peripheral Neuropathy in my hands and feet. I developed carpal tunnel syndrome within 12 hours of first dose. Tendonitis (everywhere) and frayed Achilles Tendon. Mental confusion, brain fog, memory lapse. Overall, lack of energy. I was in the middle of applying for disability due to lifelong orthopedic issues/surgeries etc.. So, I did not connect the Cipro usage and my symptoms immediately having already been a pain patient for a few years. However, when symptoms increased 10x in a relatively short period of time, I began searching for answers, and shortly discovered the connection, but not until I had finished the full course, and been injected with steroids. The Neuropathy has subsided a little. The tendonitis has stayed about the same, and I have developed "brain fog" i.e. mental confusion, memory loss. etc.
Sorry you have experienced such side effects. I avoid all fluoroquinolone antibiotics (Levaquin, Cipro, Avelox, numerous others) because I experienced a tendon injury after every time I took it. Big pharma and drs say the threat is only while you are taking it, but many patients disagree, particularly about how long the threat of injury lasts beyond finishing the prescribed dose. There was/is a massive class action suit by people who took Levaquin. And July 26, 2016, the FDA issued a news release updating warnings, including tendon and nerve injuries. Go to fda.gov
and either search by that date or fluoroquinolone. The press release lists all the ones in that family. I keep a list with me whenever I visit a dr. and make sure fluoroquinolones are listed as an allergy in my medical histories. There are lots of alternatives that can be prescribed. In the past, I was told, ortho surgeons believed (probably still do?) that Cipro did the best job of protecting against infections after joint/bone surgeries.
A related topic of research is how long drugs stay in a particular person's system. After disastrous experiences with anesthesia (couldn't wake up; constant vomiting even while still unconscious) following my first two knee operations, I insisted on meeting with the anesthesiologist before the next one. She gave me only a tiny dose of propofol and kept me overnight and monitored how long that and the pain meds stayed in my system. She said the meds she monitored were gone from most people's bodies after about 90 minutes. I still showed traces after 19 HOURS!!!! So it is worthwhile researching one's particular system and tolerance when considering an appropriate dose.
I hope your symptoms have subsided. Good luck.