Saturday, August 1, 2015

An unwilling expert

Hello friends, my intention was to follow up every month regarding my progress recovering from getting floxed, but I missed the July update due to a variety of challenges and setbacks. If you have been following my recent posts, you have read about my devastating reaction to the generic equivalent of the fluoroquinolone antibiotic Levaquin, levofloxacin. Other common antibiotics in this class include:

Cipro (ciprofloxacin)
Avelox (moxifloxacin)
Tequin (gatifloxacin)

Today marks 82 days since my reaction to levofloxacin. Twelve weeks, and I have had only minimal improvement. Some days are better than others, and some are so bad I wish I could crawl into a hole in a cave on the moon to escape.

During this time, I have become somewhat of an unwilling expert on the subject of fluoroquinolone antibiotics and their effects. It's not something I ever could have planned for, but it's something I am trying to embrace (albeit bitterly, on occasion) in an effort to feel more in control of my health and my choices.

In the beginning of this floxie journey, I mentioned that I would be documenting successes as well as setbacks. As many victims of fluoroquinolone toxicity syndrome can attest, there is no one-size-fits-all cure to recovering from floxing. It is largely a "try, try, and try again" type of approach for most of us. However, here are a few things that have helped to alleviate some of the symptoms for me:

Magnesium

I can't stress this enough. Magnesium is your friend. Even before getting floxed, I am sure I was low in magnesium, as many people are. Magnesium deficiency can cause a variety of symptoms, including headache, fatigue, nausea, and loss of appetite. You can read more about the effects of magnesium deficiency here and here.

I have added magnesium through an oral supplement combined with calcium for better absorption, and a topical magnesium oil that I rub on sore muscles, or on the bottom of my feet when I go to bed at night. I find that if I miss even one day, my pain is greatly increased the following day. It certainly isn't a magic cure, but it does make a significant difference.

Tart cherry juice

There has been quite an increase in information recently about the health benefits of tart cherry juice, especially in regards to pain relief for condition such as gout, joint pain, urinary tract infection, and insomnia. From Prevention magazine to the Huffington Post, media all over the world has picked up on the many beneficial properties of tart cherries.

There are a couple down sides to tart cherry juice that I have found. First, it's terribly expensive, at least for me. It's hard to swallow (pardon the pun) a $16 price tag for a bottle of juice. Second, personally, the taste of the juice is quite strong for me. I mixed it with cranberry juice and it's actually pretty delicious that way. I have noticed when I make a point to drink a small glass every day, my pain level is noticeably reduced.

Tai Chi

Exercise, of any kind, is typically not advised during the acute phase of fluoroquinolone toxicity. Because of the damage caused to the tendons, ligaments, muscles, and fascia, adding any strain, however slight can potentially result in devastating injuries, including ruptured tendons (commonly in the Achilles tendon, and rotator cuff). For the last 12 weeks I have been essentially on bed rest by my doctor: no lifting, no bending, no squatting, no twisting, no stairs, no walking for long distances, no swimming, and no exercising.

Don't get me wrong, I certainly wasn't the most athletic person even before getting floxed, but being completely restricted from all movement, even normal activities such as doing laundry, or washing dishes, has been extremely difficult. Not only do  my joints and muscles hurt, but I am weak. I have trouble moving a jug of milk from the refrigerator to the kitchen counter. So, finding something that allows me to move without straining anything is a challenge, to say the least. I turned to tai chi, which I do by following along at home via YouTube, and it has been a good start to heading off some of the atrophy and loss of flexibility that comes from being restricted from normal activity for so long.

I look forward to updating this blog in the future with additional helpful treatments and therapies for recovering from fluoroquinolone toxicity syndrome. This is absolutely one of the most difficult health challenges I have ever faced. There have been dark days, when I felt myself close to a point where I may have given up. But every time I got that low, I looked at the faces of the people around me that are fighting this with me every step of the way, and I know I can't let them down.

It's important to reduce your stress as much as possible, surround yourself with loving, compassionate family and friends, and forgive yourself for your limitations. YOUR body didn't let you down. A toxic medication did. Sending you all love and light and hope, and quick healing!

...and of course, here is the disclaimer:

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