Fluoroquinolone antibiotics are one of the most commonly prescribed antibiotics for a reason, as they have the ability to knock out some of the most intense infections and bacterias. And while antibiotics can be resourceful and save lives, it’s important to know that not all antibiotics are created equal. Some have extremely high risk factors, and fluoroquinolone antibiotics are one of them.
I wish I knew this information a few years ago which is why I’m sharing this with you today. What sets this class apart from your average antibiotic are the 7 black box warnings the FDA has given them due to their potential to cause tendon rupture, acute kidney failure, retinal detachment, central nervous system disturbances, and heart issues, among other widespread problems. Fluoroquinolone Toxicity refers to having an adverse reaction to a Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic and is often referred to as being “floxed”. In some cases, fluoroquinolones can cause disabling toxicity. Fluoroquinolone Associated Disability (FQAD) is when these toxicities are severe and affect several different parts of your body.
Some of these include: Ciprofloxacin (Cipro), Levofloxacin (Levaquin), Moxifloxacin (Avelox), Gemifloxacin, Norfloxacin, and Ofloxacin. For the full list go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Fluoroquinolone_antibiotics
****Between 2004–2010 it was estimated that doctors prescribed more than 236,918,498 prescriptions (source: ****https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4635672/)
236,918,498 prescriptions !!!!
The FDA says they should be used for life and death situations, but what you may not know is that they’re being handed out on the daily because most health care practitioners and doctors are not educated on the severe mitochondrial damage that they are known to cause. They are often prescribed for more “minor” issues like ear and eye infections, and UTIs, when the FDA states that due to risk of reaction, they should only be used in life and death situations where there is no other option.
Fluoroquinolone antibiotics, which are designed to kill bacteria causing an infection, can mistakenly attack your healthy cells and mitochondria. When this happens, it damages the mitochondria, causing them to release harmful substances which lead to oxidative stress, which can cause a range of health issues and is an underlying reason for the symptoms you may have if you take them.
There are a few different studies that I have come across that suggest that Fluoroquinolones can leave behind toxins in the cell that can continue to disrupt vital processes. In my experience, these toxins can react to different things you put in or on your body, even long after you took the fluoroquinolone. It’s for this reason that I believe it is extremely important to pay close attention to what you consume and expose yourself to, to avoid the risk of bringing on more symptoms.
The severity and type of symptoms can vary widely from person to person. Typically, it seems there’s an initial period lasting weeks to months where oxidative stress is high, and will gradually reduce over time. However, the damage caused during this period can lead to symptoms that persist for a longer period. It’s also possible that you can have a delayed reaction, with symptoms showing up weeks, months or even years after you have stopped taking them.
“For the last three decades, Fluoroquinolones have played an important role in treatment of serious bacterial infections… However, due to the possibility of serious side effects, these drugs are not currently first-line medicines and their use has become more restrictive and limited. FQs should be reserved for those who do not have alternative treatment options.”
Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5632915/
Those suffering from fluoroquinolone toxicity often suffer from multiple symptoms simultaneously. Delayed reactions can make it difficult to connect their decline in health to fluoroquinolone antibiotics. People are commonly misdiagnosed with a variety of other ailments, such as a known autoimmune disease like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or M.S., or a mysterious disease like fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, depression, anxiety, POTS, etc.
Dr. Mahyar Etminan, an epidemiologist at the University of British Columbia, said overusing these drugs is like “trying to kill a fly with an automatic weapon.”
Other approved uses of this medication include:
- Skin and skin structure infections
- Bone and joint infections
- Complicated intra-abdominal infections
- Infectious diarrhea
- Typhoid fever (enteric fever)
- Uncomplicated cervical and urethral gonorrhea
- Chronic bacterial prostatitis
- Lower respiratory tract infections
- Urinary tract infections
- Acute uncomplicated cystitis
- Acute bacterial sinusitis
- Acute pyelonephritis
- Acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis
- Acute bacterial sinusitis
(Source: https://www.drugwatch.com/cipro-levaquin-avelox/)
Be very wary of doctors that write off the possibility that you have been floxed. There are many stories online of people going to doctors who say that floxed symptoms are just in their head, and that Fluoroquinolones are perfectly safe and proceed to prescribe more medications such as antidepressants or steroids which can make their symptoms much worse. Adverse reactions to Fluoroquinolones are well documented on the FDA’s website as well as in their Labeling Data. If someone denies that this is true, you have the right and responsibility to advise them to do more research, and to leave and find someone who is more educated on the subject.
What makes someone more likely to experience an adverse reaction?
From what I have learned, this could happen to anyone. However there are a few key points that I have found that I think are worth pointing out:
- People with Genetic Variations such as:
- MTHFR (Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase)
- GST (Glutathione Stransferase)
- SOD 2 (Superoxide Dismutase)
- VDR (Vitamin D Receptor)
- People who have recently taken or are taking NSAIDS
- People who have recently taken or are taking Steroids
- People who have recently taken or are taking Antidepressants
- People who are potassium and/or magnesium deficient
- People who are anemic
- Women
This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it raises the point:
Without genetic tests and blood tests, a doctor cannot tell you if a fluoroquinolone will be “safe” for you to take. Additionally, Some studies indicate that Fluoroquinolones can have a cumulative effect. This means that even if you have taken a Fluoroquinolone in the past and were ok, it does not necessarily mean that you will always be ok taking them. Exercise caution!
Learn more about Fluoroquinolone Toxicity:
I’ve included a few links below if you want to go deeper and learn more from reputable sources. I’ve intentionally not included ALL the links available online regarding FQ toxicity because, like I said, many of them are simply not helpful and rooted in fear. I became informed and did my best to learn what I could to better understand what was going on in my body, but after that I stopped reading about fluoroquinolones and the horror stories — unless it was a success story or something positive.
- Learn more about fluoroquinolones: https://regenerativemedicinela.com/fluoroquinolone-toxicity/
- Fluoroquinolone Toxicity It’s Real and It’s Dangerous – Cipro Side Effects by Dr. Mark Ghalili: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=369&v=OqESDLvPAaE&feature=emb_logo
- Peripheral Neuropathy Lecture: https://regenerativemedicinela.com/treatments/ peripheral-neuropathy/
- Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics and Adverse Effects: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ articles/PMC8542490/
- FDA Warning About Fluoroquinolones and Risk of Aortic Ruptures or Tears: https:// www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-advisory/articles/2019/11/fda-warning- about-fluoroquinolones-and-risk-of-aortic-ruptures-or-tears
- FDA Safety Announcement: https://www.fda.gov/media/114192/download
- FDA Advises Restricting Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic Use: https://www.fda.gov/drugs/ drug-safety-and-availability/fda-drug-safety-communication-fda-advises-restricting- fluoroquinolone-antibiotic-use-certain
- Fluoroquinolone-induced ligament and tendon injuries: https://www.caringmedical.com/ prolotherapy-news/statin-induced-tendon-injuries/
- Treatment of the Fluoroquinolone-Associated Disability: The Pathobiochemical Implications: https://www.hindawi.com/journals/omcl/2017/8023935/
- Floxed at 22: “A bomb went off in my body”: https://www.drugwatch.com/beyond-side- effects/floxed-by-cipro-at-22-a-bomb-went-off-in-my-body/
- FDA Requires Fluoroquinolone Warnings Strengthened: https://www.drugwatch.com/news/2018/07/16/fda-requires-fluoroquinolone-warnings-strengthened/
If you or someone you know has taken a fluoroquinolone or been affected by FQAD, get your free copy of our Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Relief Guide here: https://stan.store/celebratethelittlewins/p/early-access-fq-toxicity-relief-guide
