I am a 49 year old male and took a 14 day course of Cipro for a U...

Hello. I am very sorry you are going through this but know that you are not alone. It sounds like you have been doing your homework about the dangers of fq antibiotics. I took Levaquin in December and am still experiencing some problems but to a degree than in the first 3-4 months. I take many of the supplements that you are going to start taking. It's hard to say whether they're helping or not. There are many good websites you may be interested in. fqvictims.org, fqresearch.org, fluorquinolones.org, noquinolones.proboards58.com/index.cgi. There are also support groups on yahoo health. Good luck to you. I hope you have a speedy recovery.
Rose

Hello, I was in the very same place you are in as were so many others. I am 2 1/2 years into this. I took 750 mg Levaquin for 6 days in Feb 06. Be very careful taking NSAIDs as they worsened my reaction. In my 3 inch thick notebook of research I found studies that concluded that NSAID drugs contributed to damage in the cartilage and tendons in joints and that is the daily pain I live with. I have nerve damage in my R achilles tendon that feels like a knife slicing across my heel and depending on my level of activity worsens or doesn't happen at all for days. I hobble out of bed and feel each and every tendon and joint in my body. I was lucky in one respect that my Dr. recognized that Levaquin was the culprit but didn't know about the NSAIDs. Keep doing what you are doing with the supplements, but what you will undoubtably find is that no one in the medical community can tell you if it will get better. They will however offer to treat your various problems, with more drugs. I am more educated about more drugs than I ever wanted to be, but now will not put anything into my body without first understanding exactly what it might do to me. A hard lesson, but one I make sure I pass along to anyone who will listen. Keep your head up and know that you are not alone, not crazy and defintely not BEAT! Find what keeps your spirits up and don't let yourself get depressed, although it's easy to just give up and wallow. My 12 yr old boy and family and wonderful friends support me and keep me going. Take care!

Hi, concerning the question of nerve damage, I know that it is certainly possible to reverse diabetic nerve damage by the use of a substance called gamma linolenic acid (GLA) which is found in Evening Primrose oil,obtainable over the counter. If you take about 3 grams per day, there will probably be some improvement, especially as you are no longer taking the damaging agent, and in the case of diabetes the reversal of damage occurs in spite of continued excessive glucose level, which is the damaging agent in diabetic neuropathy.There are other substances which also may help eg Vit B6 and benfotiamine. Dr Rob Johnston docrob44@tiscali.co.uk

I just heard about this problem with Cipro on the news last night... I tried to explain this to many Drs. and they all tried to steer me in other directions.....

I took cipro about 4 months ago and suffer with joint pain in many places still today. When I went to my Dr. he said that it wasn't from the cipro even though it started while on the medication and at that time he told me to stop taking it. I took 2 rounds of cipro 500 mg and ran into the problem to a point that I couldn't stand it anymore in the last 2 days. I was very determined to complete the medication even though I struggled so because I wanted to get rid of the infection I had.

I hear about many people complaining but not much on what i can do to get back to normal. I am very active and have been slowed a lot from this. I want to be active but not to the point of rupturing something. My biggest problem at this time is my right elbow and left knee. I have many other areas hurting (bottom of feet, left heel, wrists,etc)....

What has worked for you....what have you found best to take and not take...how long is the healing process....?

Thanks for any help...

Mike