This is not the kind of article one typically finds on my Word Press. Yet, this is quite possibly one of the most important articles I have written.
Many years ago, I had been treated with Cipro for an infection. After taking the second dose, I noticed that I had intense pain – especially in my knees. I called our pharmacist and he said that I should immediately stop the Cipro and call my doctor.
After speaking with my doctor, I was put on a different antibiotic which was not in the class of drugs as Cipro. I tolerated the other antibiotic without any side effects.
My doctor made a note on my chart that I was very sensitive to Cipro and therefore other fluoroquinolones as well. The antibiotics which fall under this class of drugs are:
- Brand: Cipro Generic: ciprofloxacin
- Brand: Levaquin Generic: levofloxacin
- Brand: Avelox Generic: moxifloxacin
- Brand: Noroxin Generic: norfloxacin
- Brand: Floxin Generic: ofloxacin
- Brand: Factive Generic: gemifloxacin
In 2012 I had surgery to remove a very large cyst from my spine. The surgery was successful, but when I came home, I developed a severe bladder infection. I knew the cause – being catheterized during surgery leaves many women with UTI’s (bladder infections).
Being in pain from the surgery and then from the UTI, after the doctor on call from the hospital prescribed Cipro, I decided to try it again. It was only after the first dose when the pain in my legs was so severe, I spent the night trying to walk off the pain. Sitting or lying down was so brutal; the pain was beyond description.
Anyone who has had this kind of pain knows what I mean by trying to walk it off. My husband called the doctor from the hospital, and he immediately changed the antibiotic to Keflex. To this day, that is the antibiotic my GP prescribes for me.
Being a writer, I am by nature a very curious person; and I have learned how to research a topic and then vet the information I have found. I did this with “Cipro” as I was determined to find out why this antibiotic could cause such horrid pain in my body.
First, I read that this was the strongest antibiotic available. Doctors treated people with Anthrax poisoning with Cipro. But then I read that in certain people, this drug could cause permanent ligament tears. I wondered back then why the pharmaceutical company was not being forced by the FDA to warn unsuspecting patients of the potential and permanent harm from Cipro.
My Good Friend and Sister in Christ
Almost three years ago, my friend, Cindy, (please pray for her) told me that she was in so much pain – she could hardly breathe. She said that she had spasms in her body if she moved certain ways. But her doctor just could not figure out the source of her pain.
I prayed for Cindy every day, as many of us did. It was heartbreaking to hear that she was still in such pain; and that it was worsening.
Recently, Cindy has had a UTI which seems to be resistant to antibiotics. Her doctor has had her on various antibiotics, but the UTI comes right back. She told me that her doctor wanted her to be on Cipro for 3 days.
It was during that course of Cipro when Cindy’s pain raged in her body – worse than ever. When she had told me that it was only for 3 days, I was hesitant in saying too much about what I knew about the drug. The UTI still came back with a vengeance.
Crippled with a Walker, Cane and Wheel Chair
Cindy began to put the puzzle pieces together about the decline of her health and the intense pain. She realized that it was the Cipro (which her doctor had prescribed in the 3-year period) which was the culprit of her suffering. But the damage is done, and Cindy needs the aid of a walker, cane and wheel chair to be mobile.
Big Pharma
It is a CRIME what the pharmaceutical companies are getting away with, and making billions of dollars doing it. Our government should be our advocate, but I suppose that when they get their pockets lined with Big money from Big Pharma, the ones who are unethical keep their mouths shut. Despicable, isn’t it?
Research on Fluoroquinolones
As I began to do up-to-date research on these drugs and how people are being crippled by them, I realized that there is SO much information now; this article would just be too long to site all of the sources. So, I decided to take the most credible sources and give the reader an excerpt and a link to read the rest of the article.
From webMD.com
Fluoroquinolones Overprescribed Despite Dangers
Feb. 7, 2019 — In 2006, Rachel Brummert developed a sinus infection, and her doctor prescribed Levaquin, one of a class of powerful antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. Shortly after she began taking the drug, she went on an errand. While crossing a parking lot, her Achilles tendon ruptured. Her foot went limp. The agony felt unbearable.
Rachel Brummert had her right ankle completely reconstructed in 2017 after a bad reaction to fluoroquinolones. Five tendons were repaired. An MRI showed that the surrounding tendons were torn, too.
“I felt the tendon snap and then ball up,” she recalls. “It was more painful than kidney stones.”
By 2009, she’d had three ruptures. Each required surgery. Her orthopedic surgeon couldn’t understand why this was happening to Brummert, who was otherwise healthy. They began to review her medical history, and he stopped her when she mentioned the Levaquin. The previous year, the FDA had warned that tendon ruptures were a potential consequence of taking this class of drug.
To date, Brummert, who lives in Charlotte, NC, has had 25 tendon ruptures. That’s not all. She also has memory problems, trouble balancing, seizures, and sudden drops in blood pressure. All are rare but known side effects of fluoroquinolones.
“They are completely unpredictable,” Brummert, 48, says of her ongoing symptoms.
FDA adds warnings
In the past year, more concerns about the drugs’ side effects have led the FDA to issue new warnings about their use. In December, the federal agency announced that, in rare cases, the drugs have caused tears or ruptures in the heart, called aortic dissections, which can be fatal. Five months earlier, in July, the FDA updated the safety label of fluoroquinolones to include stronger warnings about mental health side effects like trouble paying attention, disorientation, and memory loss.
The same update also raised concerns about severe drops in blood-sugar levels that could lead to a coma, especially in the elderly and in people with diabetes. Previous FDA warnings included the risk of harm to tendons, muscles, joints, nerves, and the central nervous system, all of which can occur in the same person and may be permanent, as happened to Brummert, who testified before the FDA panel that led to the 2016 warning.
“They are over-prescribed because they are so potent and so easy to use,” says Antonio Crespo, MD, an infectious disease specialist at Orlando Health. “It’s very important that prescribers understand the risks.”
“They are completely unpredictable,” Brummert, 48, says of her ongoing symptoms.
Read rest of article HERE
From forthepeople.com
Antibiotic Nerve Damage Lawsuits
People may have developed peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage affecting the arms and legs) after taking Levaquin, Cipro or any other brand-name antibiotic that falls under a class of drugs known as fluoroquinolones. In 2013, the FDA published a safety announcement stating that the labeling on these drugs would be updated to include clearer warnings that the medications may cause early-onset, potentially permanent nerve damage. It has been alleged that the makers of the drugs knew for years that patients taking these antibiotics could develop serious nerve damage, yet failed to adequately warn patients and doctors about this risk.
FDA Requests Label Updates Over Fluoroquinolone Nerve Damage Risk
In 2013, the FDA required the labels and medication guides for all fluoroquinolone drugs, including Levaquin and Cipro, to be updated to include clearer warnings about the potential risk of nerve damage in patients taking or being injected with these medications. The FDA made this decision after reviewing dozens of adverse event reports describing the development of peripheral neuropathy in patients taking these antibiotics.
The FDA concluded that that the “potential rapid onset and permanence” of this side effect was not adequately described in the drugs’ labeling and required that statements describing the condition as “rare” be removed. The agency advised that those exhibiting symptoms of peripheral neuropathy should immediately seek the attention of their healthcare providers.
- As early as 1992, studies linked fluoroquinolone drugs to peripheral neuropathy.
- These companies knew or should have known about several studies that linked fluoroquinolone drugs to peripheral neuropathy.
- Despite these findings, the companies continued to market their drugs as safe and effective.
- The companies failed to disclose that nerve damage could develop quickly and may be permanent.
- The companies failed to issue “Dear Doctor” letters related to the label updates in 2013, leaving doctors and patients uninformed about the serious side effects highlighted in the new warning.
Read rest of article HERE
From medicineplus.gov
IMPORTANT WARNING:
“Taking ciprofloxacin increases the risk that you will develop tendinitis (swelling of a fibrous tissue that connects a bone to a muscle) or have a tendon rupture (tearing of a fibrous tissue that connects a bone to a muscle) during your treatment or for up to several months afterward. These problems may affect tendons in your shoulder, your hand, the back of your ankle, or in other parts of your body. Tendinitis or tendon rupture may happen to people of any age, but the risk is highest in people over 60 years of age. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had a kidney, heart, or lung transplant; kidney disease; a joint or tendon disorder such as rheumatoid arthritis (a condition in which the body attacks its own joints, causing pain, swelling, and loss of function); or if you participate in regular physical activity. Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are taking oral or injectable steroids such as dexamethasone, methylprednisolone (Medrol), or prednisone (Rayos). If you experience any of the following symptoms of tendinitis, stop taking ciprofloxacin, rest, and call your doctor immediately: pain, swelling, tenderness, stiffness, or difficulty in moving a muscle. If you experience any of the following symptoms of tendon rupture, stop taking ciprofloxacin and get emergency medical treatment: hearing or feeling a snap or pop in a tendon area, bruising after an injury to a tendon area, or inability to move or to bear weight on an affected area.
Taking ciprofloxacin may cause changes in sensation and nerve damage that may not go away even after you stop taking ciprofloxacin. This damage may occur soon after you begin taking ciprofloxacin. Tell your doctor if you have ever had peripheral neuropathy (a type of nerve damage that causes tingling, numbness, and pain in the hands and feet). If you experience any of the following symptoms, stop taking ciprofloxacin and call your doctor immediately: numbness, tingling, pain, burning, or weakness in the arms or legs; or a change in your ability to feel light touch, vibrations, pain, heat, or cold.
Taking ciprofloxacin may affect your brain or nervous system and cause serious side effects. This can occur after the first dose of ciprofloxacin. Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had seizures, epilepsy, cerebral arteriosclerosis (narrowing of blood vessels in or near the brain that can lead to stroke or ministroke), changed brain structure, or kidney disease. If you experience any of the following symptoms, stop taking ciprofloxacin and call your doctor immediately: seizures; tremors; dizziness; lightheadedness; headaches that won’t go away (with or without blurred vision); difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep; nightmares; not trusting others or feeling that others want to hurt you; hallucinations (seeing things or hearing voices that do not exist); thoughts or actions towards hurting or killing yourself; feeling restless, anxious, nervous, depressed, memory changes, or confused, or other changes in your mood or behavior.
Taking ciprofloxacin may worsen muscle weakness in people with myasthenia gravis (a disorder of the nervous system that causes muscle weakness) and cause severe difficulty breathing or death. Tell your doctor if you have myasthenia gravis. Your doctor may tell you not to take ciprofloxacin. If you have myasthenia gravis and your doctor tells you that you should take ciprofloxacin, call your doctor immediately if you experience muscle weakness or difficulty breathing during your treatment.
Talk to your doctor about the risks of taking ciprofloxacin.
Your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer’s patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with ciprofloxacin. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. You can also visit the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) website (http://www.fda.gov/Drugs) or the manufacturer’s website to obtain the Medication Guide. Read rest of article HERE
From FDA.gov
FDA updates warnings for fluoroquinolone antibiotics on risks of mental health and low blood sugar adverse reactions
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today is requiring safety labeling changes for a class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones to strengthen the warnings about the risks of mental health side effects and serious blood sugar disturbances, and make these warnings more consistent across the labeling for all fluoroquinolones taken by mouth or given by injection.
“The use of fluoroquinolones has a place in the treatment of serious bacterial infections — such as certain types of bacterial pneumonia — where the benefits of these drugs outweigh the risks, and they should remain available as a therapeutic option. The FDA remains committed to keeping the risk information about these products current and comprehensive to ensure that health care providers and patients consider the risks and benefits of fluoroquinolones and make an informed decision about their use,” said Edward Cox, M.D., director of the Office of Antimicrobial Products in the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
FDA-approved fluoroquinolones include levofloxacin (Levaquin), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), ciprofloxacin extended-release tablets, moxifloxacin (Avelox), ofloxacin, gemifloxacin (Factive) and delafloxacin (Baxdela). There are more than 60 generic versions. The safety labeling changes the FDA is requiring today were based on a comprehensive review of the FDA’s adverse event reports and case reports published in medical literature.
Across the fluoroquinolone antibiotic class, a range of mental health side effects are already described in the Warnings and Precautions section of the drug labeling, but differed by individual drug. The new class-wide labeling changes will require that the mental health side effects be listed separately from other central nervous system side effects and be consistent across the labeling of the fluoroquinolone class. The mental health side effects to be included in the labeling across all the fluoroquinolones are disturbances in attention, disorientation, agitation, nervousness, memory impairment and delirium.
Additionally, the recent FDA review found instances of hypoglycemic coma where users of fluoroquinolones experienced hypoglycemia. As a result, the Blood Glucose Disturbances subsection of the labeling for all systemic fluoroquinolones will now be required to explicitly reflect the potential risk of coma with hypoglycemia.
Today, the FDA also published a drug safety communication about safety information regarding hypoglycemic coma and mental health side effects with fluoroquinolones.
The FDA first added a Boxed Warning to fluoroquinolones in July 2008 for the increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture. In February 2011, the risk of worsening symptoms for those with myasthenia gravis was added to the Boxed Warning. In August 2013, the agency required updates to the labeling to describe the potential for irreversible peripheral neuropathy (serious nerve damage).
In 2016, the FDA enhanced warnings about the association of fluoroquinolones with disabling and potentially permanent side effects involving tendons, muscles, joints, nerves and the central nervous system. Because the risk of these serious side effects generally outweighs the benefits for patients with acute bacterial sinusitis, acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis and uncomplicated urinary tract infections, the FDA determined that fluoroquinolones should be reserved for use in patients with these conditions who have no alternative treatment options.
The patient Medication Guide that is required to be given to the patient with each fluoroquinolone prescription describes the safety issues associated with these medicines.
The FDA, an agency within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, protects the public health by assuring the safety, effectiveness, security of human and veterinary drugs, vaccines and other biological products for human use, and medical devices. The agency is also responsible for the safety and security of our nation’s food supply, cosmetics, dietary supplements, products that give off electronic radiation, and for regulating tobacco products. source
On Facebook I found this page: DO YOU KNOW THE RISKS?
The Facebook page is a support/educational site for those who have been left crippled from Fluoroquinolones.
Did You Know That Fluoride is Toxic?
From fluoridealert.org
FLUOROQUINOLONES: THE DEADLIEST ANTIBIOTICS ON THE MARKET?
In a 2001 study by Dr. Jay Cohen, the following reaction rates were documented: 2
- Nervous system symptoms occurred in 91 percent of patients (pain, tingling and numbness, dizziness, malaise, weakness, headaches, anxiety and panic, loss of memory, psychosis).
- Musculoskeletal symptoms in 73 percent of patients (tendon ruptures, tendonitis, weakness, joint swelling)
- Sensory symptoms in 42 percent of patients (tinnitus, altered visual, olfactory, and auditory function)
- Cardiovascular symptoms in 36 percent of patients (tachycardia, shortness of breath, chest pain, palpitations)
- Skin reactions in 29 percent of patients (rashes, hair loss, sweating, intolerance to heat or cold)
- Gastrointestinal symptoms in 18 percent of patients (nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain)
In a letter to his Congressman, he wrote:
“These severe reactions are occurring in patients who are usually healthy, active, and young. Most often, the antibiotics are prescribed for mild infections such as sinusitis, urinary or prostate infections. Most reactions occur very quickly, sometimes with just a few doses of the fluoroquinolone antibiotic. Reactions are acute, severe, frightening, and often disabling.
Read rest of article HERE
I will devote the topic of fluoride in our water, and how toxic this is to us in the next article.
In the meantime, PLEASE pray for our sister Cindy. Also do NOT let a doctor prescribe Cipro or any of its sister drugs!
Tell the doctor that you don’t want it. Trust me when I say that he/she will understand perfectly WHY you refuse this drug!
Doctors get kickbacks from Big Pharma for prescribing their most expensive drugs!
And one more thing to ponder: Have you ever wondered why there are so many diagnoses for “Fibromyalgia?” I always tell my friends that is a doctor’s way of saying, “I don’t know what is wrong with you.” Could it be that all or most of these people seeking out help for their pain may be due to Cipro and other Fluoroquinolones?
Shalom b’Yeshua
MARANATHA!!
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