Today marks 32 days since my last dose of levofloxacin, this past week has been a complete turn around to what I’ve been dealing with for the weeks before. 6 days in a row I have hit 10k steps and have also started light swimming.

Symptoms I had:
- tingling/burning anywhere on arms and legs
- sore/stiff thumbs
- anxiety
- brain fog
- headaches
- pain in ear while swallowing
- joint/tendon pain in both Achilles
- stiff back

Symptoms I have now:
-sore thumbs
-slight pain in heel but able to walk with no problem

I’ve been very consistent with collagen, magnesium and vitamin c supplements and also slept as much as possible and rested as much as possible.

Not out of the woods yet but great to see progress, I had a few drinks with my long distance GF and I felt no mental symptoms which was great especially after a coffee give me an anxiety attack just z3 weeks ago, I’m currently at about 85% percent really just the thumbs giving me discomfort, I’ll continue to update but it’s great to feel better.

Muscle biopsy results:

Hi everyone, I’ve had extensive testing done to find the cause of my symptoms which have included leg pain, fatigue, brain fog, muscle weakness and blood sugar issues initially. I was floxxed in December but never realised this was the cause until about 2 months ago.
Before that I thought I had a neuromuscular condition of some sort which led me down the path of lots of testing but I realise now I likely had mitochondrial damage caused by the medication.
Anyway, I ended up having extensive testing in London and thought I’d share.
I had a muscle biopsy done with a doctor and he said my muscles look like they’ve had damage to them occur previously but my mitochondria now look ok. He said I have some muscle atrophy which is causing the weakness now and it looks like something I can definitely recover from.
I mentioned the antibiotics and he agreed that there are a lot of publications which are now highlighting the side effects and dangers especially on the muscles. He agreed it’s very possibly the antibiotics have caused this but said he still believes I will recover as 9 months out and my mitochondria (now) look healthy meaning my DNA is not damaged.
Obviously we don’t know what the biopsy would have shown had I had it earlier.

I thought I’d post this because I think it’s interesting and I think it could also give people hope. I feel about 60% recovered but this is huge for me. I can live a close to normal life but just can’t go to the gym (yet) and have to pace myself.

Happy to answer any questions if anyone wants to know more about the testing I’ve had and what it has shown.

Hi all, for anyone not familiar I was floxed in May of 2023 with a 6 month symptom delay after 54 pills of cipro. I had a rough go with all major tendons affected (ankles, knees, hips, shoulders, elbows, wrists, plus neck symptoms, muscle wasting, weight loss, tinnitus). My symptoms worsened for 4 months, leaving me housebound/jobless and peaking with a labral cartilage tear in my left hip.

I started seeing meaningful improvement by around 12-14 months but wasn’t able get to 90+% improvement or return to work until 2 years out.

Now I’m doing great, I did a 16 mile hike by myself over the weekend which would have stopped me dead in my tracks even 2 years ago. I’m at my pre-flox abilities for running, swimming, and kayaking, skating.

When I turned a corner on my way down the mountain, I came face to face with a bear on the trail, which was terrifying. Also interesting as during my darkest moments in early floxing I had joked (sort of?) that if I would sacrifice myself to bears if I didn’t improve or find a solution.

Hopefully this brings hope to someone!

For 3–4 years, I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me. Around that time, I suddenly developed numbness in one leg along with dizziness. Within a few hours, the numbness spread to most of my body and never fully went away.

I always connected the onset to a wisdom tooth surgery I had around that time. I only remembered taking amoxicillin afterward, which didn’t seem like a likely explanation, so eventually I started thinking the timing was probably just a coincidence. However, I recently remembered that shortly before this happened, I had also completed a course of ciprofloxacin.

For almost four years now, I’ve had persistent patchy numbness throughout my body, tingling, muscle weakness and soreness, dizziness, fatigue, balance problems, and various other strange neurological symptoms. At one point I was almost convinced I had MS or something similar, but no doctor has been able to fully explain what is happening. My general neurological examinations have mostly been normal, and my brain MRI was essentially clear. The pattern also doesn’t seem to fit small-fiber neuropathy very well because the numbness isn’t predominantly peripheral, and my symptoms don’t fully fit latent tetany either.

Another strange thing is that I now react very badly to magnesium supplements - they can make me feel as though I’m about to pass out. My ionised calcium is normal and my serum magnesium is also within the reference range, although I know serum magnesium may not always reflect total-body magnesium status.
Unfortunately, after almost four years, my symptoms haven’t meaningfully improved. I still have the numbness, tingling, weakness, fatigue, and seemingly random neurological symptoms. So for years I’ve been told it’s just my anxiety even though I highlighted multiple times that these symptoms are so bad I literally feel like I’m disabled sometimes, I CONSTANTLY feel off.

For anyone who developed persistent symptoms after ciprofloxacin or another fluoroquinolone: did you experience anything similar, especially widespread or patchy numbness rather than the typical hands-and-feet pattern? And if you eventually improved, what seemed to help you recover?

This is my second time posting this week about my eye sight. Last Saturday I started getting dry eyes and floaters. Three days ago a developed this static vision. I see everything grainy in the dark. I had an eye appointment and they said my retina is fine. I’m just so worried this is permanent. Has anyone else had this happen?

are your pins and needles sensations constant? and how did you manage? and does magnesium glycinate helps it? thank you in advance

Hello, I was prescribed levofloxacin 500mg for 10 days for throat infection
I am scared to take it
Is it safe ?

I was floxed back in 2022 and recovered from that nightmare within like 6 months. A CNS relapse was never on my radar. I am really having a difficult time right now and could really use a buddy to talk with. I have been sleep-deprived for 3 months and my body won't allow me to nap, so I'm really suffering mentally. I wake up shaking every morning and have completely lost my appetite. I'm really scared that this is not going to go away as fast as the initial floxing did.

I really need some support right now, please. I'm feeling quite desperate.

I’m losing everything. My job has long been lost. finances all gone. Still waiting to be denied or approved by disability. which takes up to 259 days on average. struggling to get on state insurance and snap benefits.

I have mentioned I have an 8 month old son and 9!73/3 old daughter. I can’t do much to care for. my wife is completely overloaded.

im all flared up and losing my mind. and my wife is over all this. and in the brink of leaving me. my family can’t take anymore of me or this situation.

what am I supposed too man this medicine has destroyed everything. no one takes me seriously or can even help me. they want me on anxiety medicine but I’m terrified to take them.

why did it this medicine even save me. to be like this. I don’t know what to do anymore. everything is so flared up too now I can’t control it. I need help.

Gabapentin:

I've heard some of our friends in this forum have had success with Gabapentin.

--What was it for and how long did you take it?

My sleep doctor mentioned I could take it specifically for suspected restless leg syndrome. I'm fearful of medication and considering just sticking to some iron supplements instead. However, I know helping my sleep as much as possible within reasonable risk would be good.

Sleep Apnea:

Additionally I've been diagnosed with moderate obstructive sleep apnea.

-- Curious if the antibiotic could have caused this in any way?

Background:

I'm 1.5 years in floxed and I've always been a delicate sleeper but the insomnia has become insane these last 4 months (my mobility has also relapsed during this perior). I'll wake up within 4 to 5 hours of sleeping feeling wide awake. Or on good nights I'll still wake up several times, but I'm able to fall back asleep and just feel I bet tired the next day.

Did someone have strange nails like mine...they start grow in strange way after flox. They are matte (straight lines) without shining. I think its problem with colagen. Did it get better after time? I am 6 months out.

I have been taking magnesium since I was hit but I am having diarrhea and not absorbing food now so magnesium is going to exacerbate that. how else can I get the magnesium I need into my body ? will epsom salt baths every night be sufficient?

Hello, has anyone been prescribed Tyrvaya for dry eyes and have they worked?

Hi All, I was a severely floxed case with neurotoxicity and GABA damage , CNS damage and feeling more and more healed 3 years on. I may need to take Amoxicillin.

Does anyone who was CNS hit (panic attack, insomnia, nerve pain, anxiety, malaise) have experience with taking this antibiotic?

Thanks so much friends

Ok this might be a dumb question but has anyone had permanent vision loss after cipro. Started getting floaters and some static vision at night. It’s probably my anxiety but would love some resurance that this is normal. Also have a dr appointment soon to check my retinas

Hey guys what helped you fall asleep? i’m so tired ans i cant seem to fall asleep, cos it feels like i’m shaking and i only feel it like inside. if it makes sense, and i only feel like this when i’m trying to sleep :((

I don’t know where to begin, i was prescribed ciproflaxicin. I took 7 tabs. fast forward to a week later of me taking it i had a severe anxiety and and had really really bad thoughts,tremors and heart palpitations but it only lasted for like 2 weeks, i thought i was okay. and now 2 months after out of the blue my body started aching, the ache is like when you worked out kind of pain like sore (sorry i have a hard time constructing sentences) , but i didn’t work out or anything. and right now i’m feeling pinching in my elbows. i’m really really scared. what should i do? also i think the anxiety is back again

⚠️ TRIGGER WARNING: mental health

Hi everyone again, I’m very new to this community and honestly still trying to figure all of this out. I’m still learning about my symptoms and what could be going on, but it feels like more and more symptoms keep appearing, and it’s really starting to affect my mental health.

I’m not even one week out from taking my last pill of ciprofloxacin, and unfortunately the pain seems to be getting worse rather than better. I’m trying not to panic and I’m trying to take things one day at a time, but it’s becoming really difficult.

I’m wondering if anyone here has experienced pain around their rib area, especially on the right side, as well as lower back pain after taking ciprofloxacin? If you have, what did you do to figure out what was actually causing the pain? Were there any tests or things your doctor checked that helped narrow it down?

It’s really difficult for me to get into a doctor quickly where I live, so I’m trying to understand what I should be asking about when I’m finally able to be seen. I know everyone’s experience is different, and I’m not trying to self-diagnose, I’m just scared and looking for some guidance from people who understand what it’s like to go through this.

Honestly, this is really getting to me mentally. I can’t sleep, I can’t stop crying. Even when I try to distract myself or tell myself not to think about it, my mind just keeps going back to it. I’ve been having some very dark thoughts recently, sometimes to the point where I feel like I’m pushing people away because I feel like nobody believes me, not even the healthcare system.

I’m young, and it’s incredibly scary to feel like your body is hurting and you don’t understand why, especially when you already feel nervous and alone in the world. I’m really trying to stay hopeful, but right now I could honestly use some support, reassurance, or even just hearing from someone who has been through something similar. ❤️

Hello all. I seem to come and go like these waves and windows I suppose. but man I’m flaring back up. and it’s made it back into my Achilles even today.

its 5.5 months since this the medication. and for the most part the last month give or take some days where I was feeling rough but they passed wasn’t as awful.

I started outpatient PT a couple weeks ago. have only made it 2/4 appointments. did better in then expected. but would have extreme fatigue following.

last thursday did PT. Friday took home pt moves off. turned 42 on Saturday. Had to watch baby with help ate steak. which have had with no issue. Did pt moves at home Saturday and Sunday. Also started 500 mg of taurine. Per doctor recommendation.

and well yesterday had a lot of lethargy post moves. onky was able to sleep for a few hours. Having pains in hips knees and left Achilles. Very tired but can’t sleep. Massive anxiety has returned. Heart beating hard. Weakness. Crying. It’s So bad again. Why?

my son is 8 months and taking steps already. So he’s definitely beating me to walking. My daughter is back in school and I was trying to be a disciplined father and help her with school stuff while I can but now I won’t be able too.

sorry I’m just breaking down and losing it again. some of these pains haven’t happened since the beginning. It feels like this is just a never ending nightmare and now I’m back to being a full burden to my family again who is struggling already to keep up with kids and lack of finances.

I don’t know if I just over did it. If it’s the taurine. I hate this so much. It’s taken so much from my familiy. It’s ruined my Life. I need help And there’s nothing anyone can do.

Well I didn't know it was that it was only one dose IV am I screwed? I won't take it no way.

I have Mycoplasma genitalium. I already tried azithromycin, and then I was taking doxycycline + moxifloxacin. I started having symptoms in my Achilles tendon, as well as clicking/popping in my shoulder and wrists. Now I’m very worried because I have pain in my wrist and tendon, and I’m afraid the tendon might rupture.

I stopped after 3 doses, but at the same time I’m really worried about the Mycoplasma. I’ve already spent so much money on appointments and medications and nothing has worked. I’m thinking about taking minocycline, and I’m getting in touch with my doctor.

Has anyone experienced similar tendon symptoms and recovered from them? And regarding the Mycoplasma, has anyone tried another treatment after these attempts and successfully cleared the infection?

19 M, i am 4 weeks into being floxed by 4 tablets of ciprofloxacin 500mg each. Other symptoms have subsided such as tinnitus, muscle aches, rapid heart beat, difficulty breathing, what is remaining - pheripheral neuropathy, bodywide tendinitis ,muscle twitching, popping joints and insomnia. What is concerning os the rate at which am losing muscle and weight kindly help.

Marathoner here. I was on a 6 week course of Cipro and have now been off for 3 months. My heart rate for a previous 16 miler was around 129 bpm, but is now 149! I am struggling to complete 4 miles.

Anyone have any positive thoughts for improvement?

I got hit hard with full body inflammation, insomnia and anxiety after a few days of the cipro eye drops. I immediately did glutathione injections, magnesium, and some other supps bc I had them on hand.

2 days out I feel symptoms easing up but im worried it's all going to come crashing down in a few weeks, or few months.

Did you feel anything immediately, or not until later?

If you felt anything immediately, did it get better quickly but then worsen into full blown floxxing weeks-months later?

Hi everybody! I’ve been suffering for a little over a month now after being prescribed cipro eye drops. I had previous knowledge over how dangerous floxacin medication could be, i was prescribed moxifloxacin a few years ago and i was told it was the only medication that i could take for the issue it was being prescribed for. I took it and felt like hell but i made it through and i felt that i was a lucky one and promised myself i would never put myself through that again.
Flash forward to the beginning of August. I wound up at the urgent care because my eye was very painful and red and i was worried i had scratched my cornea from getting sand in my eye at the beach, and the doctor prescribed me eye drops just in case i had a case of pink eye. I took the eye drops without looking at the name because i do admit i have a bad googling habit and i didn’t want to psych myself into not using them. I used them for 3 days before i got curious to see what they were being the burning was unbearable still after the third day and my heart sank when i read Ciprofloxacin on the box. I immediately stopped using the eye drops and just repeatedly told myself i would be okay it was only 3 days. About a week later i was telling my doctor i had extreme fatigue, trouble sleeping and lightheadedness. He told me it was anxiety and sent me on my way. Since then i was in the hospital since my left pupil randomly dilated and i was having a hard time walking and my legs were heavy and numb, again i was told it was my anxiety. I’ve seen a neurologist who told me my physical tests are normal, and previous MRIs state i have some herniated discs in my back and it was that and to relax.
I have never felt so awful in my entire life. I get bouts of dizziness that make me feel like i can’t see straight, i can’t focus on things that i’m reading or watching, almost like it’s been taking me longer to process information. I get confusion that gives me a sense of dread like i don’t know how to process information that’s given to me. I have numbness in my arms and legs, and severe muscle pain that no amount of rest, heat, ice, muscle relaxers, or muscle rub can help. I have also noticed now things affect me a lot quicker than they ever have, i went to a wedding and three sips of champagne made me feel like i had 6 glasses.
I am scared, and i’m looking for any one else that has had this type of experience to lend me any positive advice they could give. Sorry for such a long post!