levaquin side effects

Don’t Take Cipro, Levaquin or Avelox If….

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Lisa Bloomquist flouroquinolone antibiotics

There is a huge range in how people react to fluoroquinolone antibiotics (Cipro/Ciprofloxacin, Levaquin/Levofloxacin, Avelox/Moxifloxacin and Floxin/Ofloxacin). Some people take fluoroquinolones repeatedly and never experience an adverse reaction. Some people are left bed-bound after one pill, or one prescription. Some people take a full fluoroquinolone prescription without incident at one time in their life, then, when they take a second (or third, or fourth) prescription, their body goes hay-wire. Some people have a sudden and severe adverse reaction, where they are unable to move or think after previously being fine, and other people have a gradual onset of symptoms where they damage tendons or develop neuropathy slowly, over time.

What determines how a person reacts to fluoroquinolones? The black box warning label on fluoroquinolones states that, “risk (of tendinitis) is further increased in older patients usually over 60 years of age, in patients taking corticosteroid drugs, and in patients with kidney, heart or lung transplants.” But people who fit into those categories aren’t the only people who are hurt by fluoroquinolones. I didn’t fit into any of those categories. I was 32, athletic, strong, not on any medications, etc. when I was sickened by Cipro. I was healthy. But fourteen 500 milligram pills of Cipro (half taken in 2009 without incident and half taken in 2011 with a sudden severe adverse reaction) were enough to cause my body and mind significant harm.

I must have had risk factors that made me susceptible to fluoroquinolone toxicity though, because Cipro made me quite sick. I’m honestly not sure what those factors are (no one knows – or at least they aren’t publishing papers about it if they do). Perhaps those who are hurt by fluoroquinolones have depleted liver enzymes and therefore they aren’t able to metabolize drugs like people who have more robust supplies of drug metabolizing enzymes. Perhaps people who suffer from fluoroquinolone toxicity are depleted of cellular magnesium, as magnesium has been shown to have protective effects on cells that are exposed to fluoroquinolones. Perhaps the microbiome of those who are hurt by fluoroquinolones is depleted of good bacteria and an overwhelming number of bad bacteria in the gut leads to many of the symptoms of fluoroquinolone toxicity. Perhaps there are some people who are genetically predisposed toward having an adverse reaction to fluoroquinolones. As with everything, there is a mix of genetics and environment that goes into how the body reacts when faced with a chemical onslaught. Human bodies are unbelievably complex and multifaceted; once individual differences are considered, the complexity becomes mind-boggling.

Customizing medicine is difficult. The entire human genome, though sequenced, has not yet been mapped out. We are not at a point yet where we can easily and inexpensively test genes and interpret the results of genomic tests.

Genes aren’t the only things that determine how a person reacts to a drug. The microbiome also plays an important role in determining drug metabolism. Per an article entitled, Role of Intestinal Microflora in Xenobiotic-induced Toxicity, “individual differences in the intestinal microflora may result in individualized xenobiotic (a chemical or substance that is foreign to an organism or biological system) toxicities.” The differences in the bacteria in our gut make a difference in how drugs are metabolized. As the microbiome is changed, through drugs – especially antibiotics, the reaction of the individual patient to formerly well tolerated drugs, can change.

Until customizing medicine to the individual becomes feasible, what are doctors supposed to do to prevent their patients from having a dangerous adverse reaction to a drug? Drugs with potentially devastating adverse effects could be avoided entirely unless they are necessary to save a life. This is the policy that I would like to see applied to fluoroquinolones. (The cellular damage that fluoroquinolones inflict make their use inappropriate for infections that are not life-threatening.) Unfortunately, prudence in regards to prescribing fluoroquinolones is not the current trend. In 2011, 23.1 million prescriptions for fluoroquinolones were written in the U.S., and despite the 43 page warning label that comes with Cipro/Ciprofloxacin, fluoroquinolone toxicity is denied by many physicians. As much as I would like to cut the number of fluoroquinolone prescriptions by 90%, the entire medical establishment is not yet listening to me and others who are screaming about the pain and suffering caused by fluoroquinolones. To reduce the number of people hurt, either a study or news story must induce a paradigm shift enabling all doctors to see that fluoroquinolones are vastly more dangerous than penicillin, or patients (especially those in the risk categories listed below) must ask their doctors to not prescribe them.

Though the true risk factors for fluoroquinolone toxicity (genetic, enzyme and microbiome markers) are not yet established, there are some groups of people who are at higher risk of an adverse reaction than others. They should never be given fluoroquinolones. Those groups are:

  1. People who have had an adverse reaction to a fluoroquinolone in the past. Despite the fact that all of the warning labels for fluoroquinolones state that they should not be given to people with a history of hypersensitivity to fluoroquinolones, the recommendation that they be avoided is often ignored. This is the case because people often don’t realize that they are having a mild adverse reaction to a fluoroquinolone. Who would think that muscle twitches, insomnia, urgency when urinating or loss of endurance would be related to the administration of an antibiotic? The connection is so bizarre that it is often not recognized. A list of warning signs that your body has reached its threshold for fluoroquinolones can be found here: Warning Signs of Fluoroquinolone Toxicity.
  2. Athletes. It is well documented and known that fluoroquinolones degrade the structure of tendons. They “exert a toxic effect not only on tendons but also on cartilage, bone, and muscle,” per a Mayo Clinic affiliated article entitled Musculoskeletal Complications of Fluoroquinolones: Guidelines and Precautions for Usage in the Athletic Population. Further information about why the Mayo Clinic researchers note that, “Athletes should avoid all use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics unless no alternative is available” can be found here: Deciphering the Pathogenesis of Tendonopathies: A Three Stage Process.
  3. People on steroids. Steroids are contraindicated with fluoroquinolones. As is noted in the Cipro/Ciprofloxacin warning label, people who are on corticosteroids are at an increased risk of tendonitis when administered fluoroquinolones. In addition to the increased risk of tendon damage, the combination of steroids and fluoroquinolones can increase the risk of development of a deadly glabrata fungal infection.
  4. People who need to take NSAIDs regularly. NSAIDs, and other drugs that contain a carboxylic acid molecule, are contraindicated with fluoroquinolone toxicity. Patients suffering from fluoroquinolone toxicity have reported adverse reactions to NSAIDs even weeks or months after they have stopped taking fluoroquinolones. The adverse interaction between fluoroquinolones / fluoroquinolone toxicity and NSAIDs is likely because of the formation of poisonous acyl glucuronides. Articles describing this process can be found on Fluoroquinolone Links and Resources.
  5. Immunocompromised individuals. Fluoroquinolones, and other broad spectrum antibiotics, kill good bacteria along with harmful bacteria. When the good bacteria in the gut are wiped out, they can no longer keep the bad bacteria, or fungal infections, in check. Fungal infections can take over a person’s body and they can be deadly. This can happen with people who have healthy immune systems. For people with already compromised immune systems, vulnerability to fungal infections may be increased. Per an article in Life Extension Magazine, “Anyone can acquire a fungal infection, but the elderly, critically ill, and individuals with weakened immunity, due to diseases such as HIV/AIDS or use of immunosuppressive medications (such as corticosteroids), have a higher risk.”
  6. People with mitochondrial dysfunction. Per an article entitled Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species Control T Cell Activation by Regulating IL-2 and IL-4 Expression: Mechanism of Ciprofloxacin-Mediated Immunosuppression, “ciprofloxacin was also shown to deplete the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) content, thus leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and retarded cellular growth.” Ciprofloxacin and other fluoroquinolones damage mitochondria. Those with preexisting mitochondrial dysfunction will suffer more as their mitochondria are further damaged.
  7. Children. Fluoroquinolones have been shown to degrade cartilage in juvenile animals and, for this reason, are generally considered to be contraindicated in the juvenile population. Unfortunately, children are still prescribed fluoroquinolones by pediatricians who are unaware of the severity of adverse reactions to fluoroquinolones.

Until medicine is more individualized and every factor that makes a person more or less susceptible to experiencing an adverse reaction to a drug can be tested before that drug is administered, everyone who takes a fluoroquinolone is at risk of experiencing an adverse reaction. The best way to protect oneself from fluoroquinolone toxicity is to not take a fluoroquinolone. Though there are some risk factors that make some groups of people more susceptible to experiencing a severe adverse reaction to fluoroquinolones than others, there is no guarantee that not fitting into one of those groups will ensure your safety. With that noted, the people who fit into any of the seven categories listed above should avoid fluoroquinolones whenever possible.

Information about Fluoroquinolone Toxicity

Information about the author, and adverse reactions to fluoroquinolone antibiotics (Cipro/ciprofloxacin, Levaquin/levofloxacin, Avelox/moxifloxacin and Floxin/ofloxacin) can be found on Lisa Bloomquist’s site, www.floxiehope.com.

Participate in Research

Hormones MatterTM is conducting research on the side effects and adverse events associated with the fluoroquinolone antibiotics, Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox and others: The Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics Side Effects Study. The study is anonymous, takes 20-30 minutes to complete and is open to anyone who has used a fluoroquinolone antibiotic. Please complete the study and help us understand the scope of fluoroquinolone reactions.

Hormones MatterTM conducts other crowdsourced surveys on medication reactions. To take one of our other surveys, click here.

To sign up for our newsletter and receive weekly updates on the latest research news, click here.

What Else Can I Do To Help?

Hormones MatterTM is completely unfunded at this juncture and we rely entirely on crowdsourcing and volunteers to conduct the research and produce quality health education materials for the public. If you’d like help us improve healthcare with better data, get involved. Become an advocate, spread the word about our site, our research and our mission. Suggest a study. Share a study. Join our team. Write for us. Partner with us. Help us grow. For more information contact us at: info@hormonesmatter.com.

To support Hormones Matter and our research projects – Crowdfund Us.

This post was published previously on Hormones Matter in January 2014.

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Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic Dangers: Why Didn’t They Tell Me?

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Lisa Bloomquist

Hundreds of articles about the harmful effects of fluoroquinolone antibiotics (Cipro/ciprofloxacin, Levaquin/levofloxacin, Avelox/moxifloxacin and Floxin/ofloxacin) have been published in medical and scientific journals, yet most of the articles have been ignored by the medical community and downplayed by the FDA. I can only surmise that the ignorance around the dangers of fluoroquinolones is because they are used as antibiotics and antibiotics are “supposed” to be safe and only damage bacteria, while leaving human cells unscathed. Or maybe it is because of the constant repetition of the baseless statement that fluoroquinolones have an “excellent record of safety and tolerance;” a statement that is only true if delayed reactions, tolerance thresholds and epigenetic effects are not taken into consideration.

Regardless of the motivations of those who are ignoring how destructive fluoroquinolones are, valuable information about the safety (or rather, the dangers) of fluoroquinolones as a class of drugs, have been ignored. Warnings about the toxicity of fluoroquinolones have been noted in journal article after journal article, yet they are still some of the most popular antibiotics prescribed.

Caution, prudence and thoughtfulness should be exercised when prescribing drugs that are as dangerous and destructive as fluoroquinolones. Fluoroquinolones are chemo drugs that are being mis-prescribed as antibiotics. Before filling a prescription for a fluoroquinolone to treat a sinus infection, or to use prophylactically for traveler’s diarrhea, or putting in your child’s ear to treat an ear infection, I encourage you to note the cellular destruction done by fluoroquinolones. Neither the FDA nor the average doctor is properly warning patients about the dangers of fluoroquinolones. Unfortunately, it is up to patients to inform themselves and gain proper warnings about the consequences of these dangerous drugs.

Fluoroquinolones Damage DNA

Back in 1992, when fluoroquinolones were first gaining popularity, Scientists raised concerns about their safety in an article published by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States:

“the interaction (of fluoroquinolones) with DNA is still of great concern because of the possible long-term genotoxicity of quinolone compounds, which are increasingly adopted as first-choice antibiotics for the treatment of many infections, and because it addresses the real mechanism of action of this class of molecules.”

Fluoroquinolones are topoisomerase interrupters, meaning that their mechanism of action is described as, “The bactericidal action of ciprofloxacin results from inhibition of the enzymes topoisomerase II (DNA gyrase) and topoisomerase IV (both Type II topoisomerases), which are required for bacterial DNA replication, transcription, repair, and recombination.” (Cipro warning label).

Very little, if any, concern over the possible genotoxic effects of fluoroquinolones were expressed to the public as they gained popularity and uses were expanded in the early 1990s. The warnings and concerns expressed by the scientists quoted were ignored.

It is noted in Molecular Pharmacology, “Delayed Cytotocicity and Cleavage of Mitochondrial DNA in Ciprofloxacin Treated Mammalian Cells” that fluoroquinolones “cause a selective loss of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)” and “The loss in mtDNA was associated with a delayed loss in mitochondrial function.” Additionally, it is stated that “ciprofloxacin induces reversible double-stranded breaks in nuclear DNA.” Studies have shown that both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA is adversely affected by fluoroquinolones, yet those studies have not gained traction in the medical community and have effectively been ignored.

The intergenerational effects of depleting DNA with fluoroquinolones is unknown at this time (I surmise that this is because these studies have been ignored, intergenerational studies are difficult to do, and funding for them is hard to come by). However, it is known that, “a number of human mitochondrial genetic diseases that are clinically discreet are being diagnosed at unexpected rates” (source). Additionally, in an article published in Nature in 2013 entitled, “Topoisomerases facilitate transcription of long genes linked to autism” it was noted that, “Our data suggest that chemicals or genetic mutations that impair topoisomerases, and possibly other components of the transcription elongation machinery that interface with topoisomerases, have the potential to profoundly affect the expression of long ASD (autism spectrum disorder) candidate genes.” Fluoroquinolones are topoisomerase interrupting chemicals.

Thus far, neither the increase in mitochondrial genetic diseases nor the link between topoisomerase interrupting drugs and autism have been acknowledged by the medical community, the FDA or the general public.

Fluoroquinolones Damage Mitochondria

The deleterious effects of fluoroquinolones on mitochondria have been noted repeatedly in journal articles, and even by the FDA.

In Science Translational Medicine, “Bactericidal Antibiotics Induce Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Oxidative Damage in Mammalian Cells,” it is noted that bactericidal antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone, “damage mammalian tissues by triggering mitochondrial release of reactive oxygen species (ROS).” Even the FDA acknowledges that fluoroquinolones cause mitochondrial damage. In their April 27, 2013 Pharmacovigilance Review, “Disabling Peripheral Neuropathy Associated with Systemic Fluoroquinolone Exposure,” the FDA notes that the mechanism for action through which fluoroquinolones induce peripheral neuropathy is mitochondrial toxicity. The report says:

“Ciprofloxacin has been found to affect mammalian topoisomerase II, especially in mitochondria. In vitro studies in drug-treated mammalian cells found that nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin cause a loss of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), resulting in a decrease of mitochondrial respiration and an arrest in cell growth. Further analysis found protein-linked double-stranded DNA breaks in the mtDNA from ciprofloxacin-treated cells, suggesting that ciprofloxacin was targeting topoisomerase II activity in the mitochondria.”

Fluoroquinolones are very, very bad for mitochondria. As the engines of our cells, healthy mitochondria are very necessary for healthy cells. Mitochondrial dysfunction is connected with many chronic diseases, including autism, CFS/ME, fibromyalgia, Alzheimer’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease,multiple sclerosis, etc.

Fluoroquinolones Alter Neurons

Fluoroquinolones downgrade GABA-A receptors and can lead to a variety of CNS related symptoms of fluoroquinolone toxicity such as “dizziness, confusion, tremors, hallucinations, depression, and, rarely, psychotic reactions have progressed to suicidal ideations/thoughts and self-injurious behavior such as attempted or completed suicide,” as well as “nervousness, agitation, insomnia, anxiety, nightmares or paranoia” (Cipro warning label).

It was concluded in an article in The Journal of Neurophysiology in 1991 that, “in the presence of an anti-inflammatory agent, the quinolone antibiotics decrease the affinity of GABAA receptors, the result being induction of epileptogenic neurotoxicities.”

GABA receptors
Copyright 2009 Pharmacy Weekly, Inc. Printed with permission.

An article in Pharmacology Weekly that was published in 2009 notes that fluoroquinolones “modulate the activity of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-A receptor” leading to the CNS side-effects of fluoroquinolones that include “tremors, restlessness, anxiety, confusion, paranoia, insomnia, etc.” and that “the presence of an NSAID or NSAID metabolite can significantly augment this effect and result in an even greater inhibition of GABA-A receptor activity” and lead to seizures, in addition to the other CNS effects listed. But, in 2015, people still are not systematically warned about the possibility of fluoroquinolone induced “nervousness, agitation, insomnia, anxiety, nightmares or paranoia” and NSAIDs are still prescribed concurrently with fluoroquinolones, despite documentation that the combination of fluoroquinolones and NSAIDs downgrade important neurotransmitters.

Though the symptoms that arise when GABA-A receptors are downgraded are noted on the warning labels for fluoroquinolones, nowhere on the warning label does it say that these effects can be long-lasting, or even permanent.

Generally, the effects of fluoroquinolones on neurotransmitters are ignored, and ensuing anxiety, insomnia and psychiatric illnesses are assumed to have nothing to do with the antibiotics that were prescribed for a sinus or urinary tract infection. The research and the warnings, have been ignored.

Fluoroquinolones Damage Cells

In The Journal of Medical Microbiology it was noted that:

“Dougherty & Saukkonen (1985) showed that inhibition of DNA synthesis by nalidixic acid, a DNA gyrase inhibitor, results in morphological changes consistent with a loss of membrane integrity and leakage of intracellular components. Similar results were presented by Wickens et al. (2000), who noticed a decrease of both membrane integrity and membrane potential after exposure of E. coli to CIP. One of the proposed explanations of this finding is that, as a result of processes induced by inhibition of DNA replication, cells lose their capacity to synthesize necessary components and to maintain the proper membrane structure (Dougherty & Saukkonen, 1985).”

Naladixic acid is the root component of all fluoroquinolones.

In case it needs to be said, cellular membrane integrity and keeping intracellular components inside cells, are important. It is important for cells as a whole, and for organelles within cells such as mitochondria. As the importance of the microbiome is being uncovered, the importance of the bacteria in our guts maintaining cellular integrity is slowly being realized as well.

Fluoroquinolones are Dangerous Drugs

The FDA warning label for Cipro/ciprofloxacin is 43 pages long. The serious and severe adverse effects listed on the warning label are due to the cellular destruction done by Cipro. Other fluoroquinolones (Levaquin and Avelox are popular) have similar safety/danger profiles.

Though no antibiotics are without consequence, the cellular destruction done by fluoroquinolones makes them far more dangerous than other antibiotics. Fluoroquinolones should be categorized as chemo drugs along with all other topoisomerase interrupters. Please be wary and cautious with fluoroquinolones, and don’t use them unless it is absolutely necessary.

Information about Fluoroquinolone Toxicity

Information about the author, and adverse reactions to fluoroquinolone antibiotics (Cipro/ciprofloxacin, Levaquin/levofloxacin, Avelox/moxifloxacin and Floxin/ofloxacin) can be found on Lisa Bloomquist’s site, www.floxiehope.com.

Participate in Research

Hormones MatterTM is conducting research on the side effects and adverse events associated with the fluoroquinolone antibiotics, Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox and others: The Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics Side Effects Study. The study is anonymous, takes 20-30 minutes to complete and is open to anyone who has used a fluoroquinolone antibiotic. Please complete the study and help us understand the scope of fluoroquinolone reactions.

Hormones MatterTM conducts other crowdsourced surveys on medication reactions. To take one of our other surveys, click here.

To sign up for our newsletter and receive weekly updates on the latest research news, click here.

What Else Can I Do To Help?

Hormones MatterTM is completely unfunded at this juncture and we rely entirely on crowdsourcing and volunteers to conduct the research and produce quality health education materials for the public. If you’d like help us improve healthcare with better data, get involved. Become an advocate, spread the word about our site, our research and our mission. Suggest a study. Share a study. Join our team. Write for us. Partner with us. Help us grow.

To support Hormones Matter and our research projects – Crowdfund Us.

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Shades of Grey – The Good and Bad of Fluoroquinolones

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Lisa Bloomquist flouroquinolone antibiotics

A friend of mine recently commented on one of my posts about fluoroquinolone toxicity, “I totally appreciate these articles and my heart goes out to those suffering, but are there people who have benefited from these antibiotics? I’m not trying to stir the pot, I’m curious as I would think many readers would be.”

I really appreciate the inquiry, and I’m sure he’s right in thinking that many people have the same question. Here is my response:

Yes – absolutely – lives have been saved by fluoroquinolone antibiotics (Cipro/ciprofloxacin, Levaquin/levofloxacin, Avelox/moxifloxacin and Floxin/ofloxacin). They are powerful, broad-spectrum antibiotics and, as such, they have saved the lives of people who are suffering from severe, life-threatening infections.

Unfortunately, fluoroquinolones come with severe side-effects that include cellular damage. They have been shown to deplete mitochondrial DNA and induce large amounts of oxidative stress (also known as reactive oxygen species or ROS). Both mitochondrial damage and oxidative stress have been linked to many chronic, multi-symptom diseases, including chronic fatigue syndrome / M.E., Alzheimer’s, diabetes, Parkinson’s, fibromyalgia, autism, Gulf War Syndrome, and many others. Fluoroquinolone toxicity syndrome is a multi-symptom, chronic illness that is often misdiagnosed as fibromyalgia, CFS/ME, an autoimmune disease, etc. Fluoroquinolones have been shown to cause destruction of tendons, cartilage and muscles, as well as permanent peripheral neuropathy and severe central nervous system reactions.

Fluoroquinolones are being used Inappropriately

Because of the severity of the side-effects of fluoroquinolones, it is inappropriate for them to be used when other, more benign, antibiotics will effectively fight an infection. They are only appropriate for use in situations where more benign antibiotics have failed, and a person’s life is threatened by an infection.

Unfortunately, many people are given Cipro/ciprofloxacin, Levaquin/levofloxacin, Avelox/moxifloxacin or Floxin/ofloxacin for sinus infections, urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, and prostate infections. Fluoroquinolones are even prescribed when no infection is present for suspected infections (they are often prescribed prophylactically for travelers’ diarrhea).

Think of Fluoroquinolones as Chemo Drugs – They Are

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics should be thought of as anti-cancer chemo drugs. In fact, they have been investigated for their cancer-fighting / tumor killing properties. Chemo drugs can save lives – there is no doubt about that. But, because of the harm that the drugs themselves do, it is not appropriate to give them to people unless they have cancer or are in a life-or-death situation. Similarly, it’s not appropriate to give people fluoroquinolones for simple infections that could be treated with more benign antibiotics.

The Hippocratic Oath and Informed Consent – Forgotten Bedrocks of Medicine

Despite the fact that fluoroquinolones have severe side-effects, very few people are advocating for their removal from the market. When they are needed to save a life, they should be available. What most people (myself included) are advocating for is sensible, appropriate use of fluoroquinolones. Neither Cipro/ciprofloxacin, Levaquin/levofloxacin, Avelox/moxifloxacin nor Floxin/ofloxacin should be prescribed to people who can be helped by a more benign antibiotic. (Adherence to the Hippocratic Oath should prevent this from happening, but it’s not). Fluoroquinolones should not be given to people without a warning about the severe cellular damage that can be done by these drugs. (Informed consent is important.) In order for fluoroquinolones to be thought of and administered appropriately, both physicians and patients need to be aware of how dangerous fluoroquinolones are, and how severe their adverse effects can be.

Through people telling their stories of how fluoroquinolones hurt them, awareness of the dangers of fluoroquinolones will come. Hopefully, sensible and appropriate use of these powerful, dangerous drugs will follow.

Fluoroquinolones can do good, but they can do harm too. Categorizing things in terms of good or bad is the natural inclination of most people, but it’s never that simple for drugs. All drugs can do good, but they can do harm too – hence the list of side-effects that comes with each prescription. We can’t yet ask for drugs to only do good, and never do harm – that’s not the way the world works. But we can ask for dangerous drugs to be used appropriately. It is ONLY appropriate for fluoroquinolones to be used in life-or-death situations when other antibiotics aren’t effective. To use them flippantly, and when they aren’t entirely necessary, is inappropriate and a violation of the Hippocratic Oath.

Information about Fluoroquinolone Toxicity

Information about the author, and adverse reactions to fluoroquinolone antibiotics (Cipro/ciprofloxacin, Levaquin/levofloxacin, Avelox/moxifloxacin and Floxin/ofloxacin) can be found on Lisa Bloomquist’s site, www.floxiehope.com.

Write for Us

Patient stories are important. Help spread awareness. Write for us.

Participate in Research

Hormones MatterTM is conducting research on the side effects and adverse events associated with the fluoroquinolone antibiotics, Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox and others: The Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics Side Effects Study. The study is anonymous, takes 20-30 minutes to complete and is open to anyone who has used a fluoroquinolone antibiotic. Please complete the study and help us understand the scope of fluoroquinolone reactions.

Hormones MatterTM conducts other crowdsourced surveys on medication reactions. To take one of our other surveys, click here.

To sign up for our newsletter and receive weekly updates on the latest research news, click here.

What Else Can I Do To Help?

Hormones MatterTM is completely unfunded at this juncture and we rely entirely on crowdsourcing and volunteers to conduct the research and produce quality health education materials for the public. If you’d like help us improve healthcare with better data, get involved. Become an advocate, spread the word about our site, our research and our mission. Suggest a study. Share a study. Join our team. Write for us. Partner with us. Help us grow. For more information contact us at: info@hormonesmatter.com.

To support Hormones Matter and our research projects – Crowdfund Us – Buy an Unsubscription.  

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The Doctor Said Not to Worry About Levaquin Warnings

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Patty Ireland

I was floxed on October 8 of 2012. I was given Levaquin while on high dose of prednisone as a prophylactic measure during an asthma flare. I had been on a 10 day course of 60mg/day prednisone, was off a week, and then had to go back on for an asthma flare. The asthma doctor gave me Levaquin as a “prophylactic measure” because she was afraid I would pick up some kind of infection at work. I had no infection at the time.

When I filled the prescription, the pharmacist warned me about the tendon issues with Levaquin, especially since I was over 60, and on prednisone. He said I should drink plenty of water and I should be fine. The scrip came with a 7-page patient medication guide. On the first page was “What is the most important thing I need to know about Levaquin?”  It included the warning about tendon issues.

I called the doctor back and said I didn’t think I should take the drug.

She said they use it this way all the time and no one ever really has a problem. So I took the first pill and went to bed.

My Levaquin Reaction

I woke up 4 hours after taking the first pill, with tremors, ringing in my ears that sounded like I was in a tent full of cicadas, and audial hallucinations that sounded like the soundtrack to Rosemary/s Baby (the evil Roman chanting). I was also seeing things out of the corner of my eyes. I called the doctor the next day to report the symptoms.

She said, “Oh it can’t be the Levaquin, it must be the prednisone. It can make you jumpy.”

I replied that I have been taking prednisone all my life, and never had anything like this. I took the second pill that night, anyway.

The side effects got worse and I finally read all 7 pages of the patient guide. I realized that I was suffering the CNS and peripheral neuropathy issues, and decided I would quit the Levaquin. I called the doctor the next morning and she wanted to give me another antibiotic.

I said “but I don’t actually have an infection, right?”

She said, “yes.”

I said no more antibiotics.

The Next Few Weeks Post Levaquin Toxicity

The audial and visual hallucinations went away after two days, but the tinnitus and the tremors remain to this day.

Eight days later I left for a long-planned trip to Florida for wildlife photography. I woke up in the middle of the night in a hotel room 1100 miles from home with my whole body on fire, pain in my neck, shoulders, elbows, wrists, hips, knees and ankles feeling like they had hot pokers sticking through. I had burning electrical sensations in my hands and feet, a ring of electricity running around the top of my head. I could barely walk. My thighs felt like I had tried to run a marathon with no warm up and that they were going to collapse under me at any moment. Prior to this, I was used to hiking all day carrying 25 lbs of photo equipment through forests, swamps, etc.

Post Levaquin Insomnia and Sleepwalking

I won’t even try to describe the next 10 days in Florida before I could get home, but needless to say I did not do a lot of wildlife photography that trip. I also developed insomnia. I could not sleep more than 1-2 hours at a time, and I would have very vivid dreams. I found myself sleepwalking, and having nightmares, which continued when I returned home. I would find myself in the kitchen making coffee at 1:30 AM because the dream that the alarm had gone off was so vivid. One night, I woke up on my deck in my underwear and barefoot at 2 AM in below zero weather (with snow on the deck) smoking a cigarette, because I was dreaming I was back in Florida at the non-smoking condo. The side effects of fluoroquinolone antibiotics are worse than the symptoms of the illnesses for which they are prescribed. This is not appropriate.

In the year since my reaction, I have been through neurologists, rheumatologists, physical therapy, and psych/neuro testing for the loss of memory and brain function. I have been diagnosed with essential tremor and fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis, with brain fog, reduced cognitive functioning, insomnia, high blood pressure, to name a few. I also have ongoing stomach issues. Here too, the medications that have been prescribed for the adverse effects of Levaquin – the antidepressants, anti-seizure medications, benzodiazepines and pain killers – have side effects far worse than what I experienced post Levaquin reaction and do nothing to heal my body. They only mask my symptoms and don’t even mask them that well.

Going Forward Post Levaquin Toxicity

I use turmeric extract 3 times a day for pain management. The pain never goes away totally, but the turmeric keeps it down to a dull roar. The hot poker sensation that I once felt, is now less frequent. I always have pain though. The sensation of imminent collapse in my thighs never goes away, even though I am  back to  walking 3 miles a day. The tremors have actually progressed. The tremors and the brain fog (memory loss, loss of words, losing track of what I am doing, loss of ability to multi-task ) have kept me unable to work since May of 2013.  And, I still can’t sleep more than 2 hours at a time or with sleep aids 3-4 hours. Here, in December of 2013, I am still disabled. My GP is also certified in Functional Medicine, and we are working with a course of supplementation based on blood tests for oxidative stress and dietary changes. We are following Dr. David Perlmutter’s Grain Brain Diet to improve neurological issues. We are both researching all of the possibilities we can, and hoping each day for some kind of breakthrough for this incredible illness.

Participate in Research

Hormones MatterTM is conducting research on the side effects and adverse events associated with the fluoroquinolone antibiotics, Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox and others: The Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics Side Effects Study. The study is anonymous, takes 20-30 minutes to complete and is open to anyone who has used a fluoroquinolone antibiotic. Please complete the study and help us understand the scope of fluoroquinolone reactions.

Hormones MatterTM conducts other crowdsourced surveys on medication reactions. To take one of our other surveys, click here.

To sign up for our newsletter and receive weekly updates on the latest research news, click here.

What Else Can I Do To Help?

Hormones MatterTM is completely unfunded at this juncture and we rely entirely on crowdsourcing and volunteers to conduct the research and produce quality health education materials for the public. If you’d like help us improve healthcare with better data, get involved. Become an advocate, spread the word about our site, our research and our mission. Suggest a study. Share a study. Join our team. Write for us. Partner with us. Help us grow. For more information contact us at: info@hormonesmatter.com.

To support Hormones Matter and our research projects – Crowdfund Us.

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The Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic Side Effects Survey

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Side effects

Introducing the fifth in our series of crowdsourced health surveys and our first to include men and women: The Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic Side Effects Survey.

At Hormones MatterTM we have read the stories about the adverse reactions associated with the fluoroquinolone antibiotics, Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox and have been struck by the depth, breadth and life long nature of these symptoms. We are concerned by the lack non-industry sponsored data, and so, we created this survey, the first in a series of studies on this topic, to begin the process understanding fluoroquinolone side effects.

About the Fluoroquinolones

Individual reports abound about the dangers of the fluoroquinolone antibiotics. After over 30 years on the market, it is only recently that the FDA issued issued its black box warning about the risks of tendonopathies. We think this is too little too late and aim to determine the real breadth of reactions by going direct to you, the patient, the recipient of the fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Since the fluoroquinolones represent the most frequently prescribed antibiotics in the US, likely elsewhere too, and 39% of those prescriptions may be unnecessary, we think it is especially important to collect comprehensive and objective data about the risks and range of adverse reactions.

We need your help to gather these data. Please take this survey and share it with your friends, colleagues and anyone you know who has been given a fluoroquinolone antibiotic. Please post on your Facebook pages and share on Twitter, Linkedin, Reddit and other social media. We will need thousands respondents. That requires crowdsourcing. And since we are an unfunded venture, feel free to contribute to this research too, by clicking Crowdfund Us.

Purpose of the Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic Side Effects Survey

Patients and their physicians need more data about the side-effects of the fluoroquinolone antibiotics. There is a lack of data about who is at risk for adverse events and whether certain pre-existing conditions increase one’s risk for an adverse event. There is also a lack of data about the long term health effects of these antibiotics. The purpose of this survey is to fill that data void; to learn more about the risks for and nature of adverse events associated with each of the fluoroquinolone antibiotics, Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox and others. This will be the first of a series of studies on fluoroquinolone reactions.

Who Should Take the Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic Side Effects Survey

Anyone who have been given one of these medications, whether a reaction developed or not, and/or the parents or other family members of children too young or patients too incapacitated to take the survey for themselves.

How Long Does the Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic Side Effects Survey Take?

This is a long survey. We felt it was important to assess the full depth, breadth, onset and severity of adverse reactions in order to give patients and physicians the data they need to make informed medical decisions. This necessitated a longer than desired survey. We estimate it will take approximately 20-30 minutes to complete the survey.  We hope, given what is at risk, survey respondents will take the time to complete the entire survey.

Is the Survey Anonymous and Secure?

Yes. We do not collect personal identifying information and the survey is hosted with SSL encryption using a verisign certificate Version 3, 128 bit encryption.

How Will the Data be Used?

To inform future research and health decision-making.

Who is Conducting this Research?

Researchers from Lucine Health Sciences and Hormones MatterTM. For more information on Lucine Health Sciences, click here. For more information about Hormones MatterTM , click here.

Take the Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic Side Effects Survey Now!

What Else Can I Do To Help?

Our organization is completely unfunded at this juncture and we rely entirely on crowdsourcing and volunteers to conduct the research and produce quality health education materials for the public. This study, and many of our studies, are driven by patient requests and patient involvement.

If you’d like help us improve healthcare with better data, get involved. Become an advocate, spread the word about our site, our research and our mission. Suggest a study. Share a study. Join our team. Write for us. Partner with us. Help us grow. For more information contact us at: info@hormonesmatter.com.

To support this or other research projects – Crowdfund Us.

To take one of our other surveys, click here.

To sign up for our newsletter and receive weekly updates on the latest research news and opportunities, click here.

Thank you in advance for your help.

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