I just discovered a webpage with an article that totally shocked me.
FLUOROQUINOLANE ANTIBIOTICS can cause all kinds of problems.
The article is on a webpage called mercola.com
I can't repeat everything here, that would be way to much but I urge you all to read it.
I was shocked to realize that I took one of those antibiotics in June of 2012 called Ciprofloxacin which is
banned in most countries because - among other things - it can cause neuropathic problems.
About 2 or 3 months after I had taken that prescribed medication I had my first EM symptoms and I pretty much think, that that pill was the cause of me having EM. There are several reports of people whose lifes have been destroyed from such medications.
There is even a Class A lawsuit about this somewhere that I may look into later on.
Whether I am right or wrong with my assumption doesn't really matter. I just think it would be a good idea to become aware of what *Big Pharma* is doing to us.
I came across this too through my journey's on the various message board. These antibiotics can actually cause neuropathy. I understand it is a pretty rare side effect, but definitely a real one! My Dad actually attributes his Raynaud's to antibiotics he took for pneumonia.
It wouldn't surprise me that your Dad is right. It is absolutely irresponsible or even criminal what this country is doing as far as our medications and our food supply is concerned. The FDA is a farce - in bed with *Big Pharma* , Farmers and even doctors. If it wasn't for the Internet (Google) and some people/doctors who have dared to speak up we would still be totally in the dark about all the crap that is offered for health related problems or put on our table for consumption. Most countries simply ban a lot of things that are allowed in the US and then they wonder why the statistics show that we are in a low position as far as overall health is concerned.
I had almost chronic UTI's several years ago and took Cipro many, many times after I developed a life-threatening allergic reaction to Macrobid after taking it for years. I'll have to read this article. Thanks for the info!
Thanks for pointing this out. I haven't thought about where my EM came from but have been told its a secondary disorder. I don't like taking antibiotics anyway because they always mess up my immune system so much that I end up catching everything for months afterwards. I once spent about 18 months with one thing after another after I had intensive IV antibiotics for serious infection. I know I needed then because the infection was going into my bloodstream but still realise how damaging they can be to my immune system. I haven't heard of that antibiotics but it might be dif name in uk.! Good luck on your search for answers. Keep us posted.
I wrote about this in September. Since then I have found a Dr in Indianapolis that treats fluoroquinolone (FQ) toxicity. I saw him in November and he put me on magnesium. It is supposed to pull the toxins out of my system. From what I've read, it can take months. This doctor thinks all of my odd problems since 2012 are related to FQ toxicity. I have tendon damage and neuropathy that was diagnosed as EM last April.
I have a follow up appointment in January. I told my neurologist about all of this and we both have a "wait & see" attitude about what will heal and what is irreversible. I read the same article as Domina and I have an intermediate toxicity. It may take 5 years to know how this will end up but at least I know where it all started. I am trying to get the word out to as many people as possible because most doctors are unaware of these dangerous side effects.
Hi Kim, thanks for your response. There was a link included that allowed me to file a report via Internet to voice my opinion that Cipro caused me to have EM. Did you see that link, too ?
I have sent 3 reports to the FDA. I am a nurse and when our patients would have a drug reaction, we were to report it to the FDA, so I looked at reporting it on myself - and you can. I reported the initial bursitis in my shoulder that I figured out was related to levaquin after I started having weird symptoms - like EM in April 2012. My second report was in June 2012 after I had exercised, both ankles' tendons were swollen and purple for 3-4 weeks. The third report was in August after the FDA made peripheral neuropathy a "black box" warning. Funny thing is, my husband is a doctor and he didn't know of these side effects and neither did I until I researched..
My son is in medical school and he was taught about the tendon problems but not the neuropathy. He knows now!! The doctor who treats me is a Clinical Pharmacologist and really doesn't "see" patients, but does research and sees people related to his research. He was delighted that I was local and could return to his office. He sees people from all over. He asked if I'd be willing to talk to others and I said YES! I don't know what it'll be.
My neurologist is watching me carefully too now, to see if the treatmnet plan works. I can only hope.
Some European countries won't allow fluoroquinolones to be given to people! Elsewhere they are used as chemotherapy drugs. lauraflora1 said:
Thanks for pointing this out. I haven't thought about where my EM came from but have been told its a secondary disorder. I don't like taking antibiotics anyway because they always mess up my immune system so much that I end up catching everything for months afterwards. I once spent about 18 months with one thing after another after I had intensive IV antibiotics for serious infection. I know I needed then because the infection was going into my bloodstream but still realise how damaging they can be to my immune system. I haven't heard of that antibiotics but it might be dif name in uk.! Good luck on your search for answers. Keep us posted.
Thanks Kim, it is amazing, that doctors don't know what's going on. I filed my report but I don't remember where it went to. If it's the FDA I have no hope that anything will be done, unless the deaths of a lot of people can be linked to these antibiotics. Like I said before - it's a crime what's going on in this country and the FDA is a part of it and for one reason only - MONEY. By the way, what exactly is a *Black Box* warning? That was given twice about Cipro but it didn't keep my doctor from giving it to me and I was not in any kind of critical condition - I just went to her because of a strange belly ache. From now on no medication will enter my body (if I can help it) until I have searched to web seven ways from Sunday about it.
A black box warning is in bold letters and bordered in black (box) that is supposed to call your attention to those side effects because they have occur more frequently in people who have taken the drug and reported their side effects. When you report a reaction, it goes into a database about that drug that researchers can look at if they need to. I don't know how the FDA monitors these reports or what would trigger a research study but I do know that I will never put another pill in my mouth until I thoroughly research it. By the way, these reactions that are black boxed for fluoroquinolones are only 2% of the people who have taken them according to the doctor who treats me. I think people don't know that there's a way to report it!
Thank you Kim - is this black box warning on the pill bottle visible to the consumer/patient? My bottle has all kinds of instructions, warnings about dizziness, to avoid sunshine, blah, blah blah but no black box and a warning supposedly came out in 2011 to give this medication only as a last resort. I got the pill in June of 2011 so maybe it overlapped.
Of course I didn't know where to report side effects to except my doctor - I always thought that was good enough - I sure know better now. Well - it's live and learn I guess.
Ok, I looked up my last levaquin sheet from the pharmacy. There was no box but the first thing under the name of the medication was WARNING in bold black letters telling of tendon damage and achilles tendon rupture when using levaquin, especially when taken with steroids.
The doctors have NOT been re-educated about the dangers of fluoroquinolones bc the drug companies want to keep selling them. I was warned to stay out of the sun. I read that pharmacists do not tell you about all of the side effects bc people would never take their medicine.
When only 2% of the people taking it get the horrible side effects, the numbers are not on our side to have anything done. I plan to report to the FDA MedWatch site every 6 months until I feel better. The second black box warning was about peripheral neuropathy. I haven't taken any drugs since this warning was mandated by the FDA in August 2013. A friend of mine was given levaquin to treat bronchitis last September. She noted the warning about tendon damage bc she heard my story. She got bronchitis again in November and was given levaquin again. She noted that the pharmacy sheet had changed since September but didn't say what changed.
I hope to recover from the tendon problems I have AND the EM, but only time will tell. Some damage is permanent.
Thanks again for your info - it is scary out there in *Pharmacy Land* , considering that the people who are supposed to help you are doing the opposite so they can stuff their pockets. Good luck to you.