Been Floxed by Levaquin or Cipro? Maybe Fleeced, too…
January 24th, 2011. By AbiK
Floxed. Sounds so innocuous—or at least like some casually tossed remark about the previous night’s escapades—as in “yeah, I got really floxed up last night”. But to the victims who have come to add the word “floxed” to their everyday vocabulary—and who are a part of the been-floxed wall of photos (aka, Wall of Pain, see pic) on the Facebook page, Fibroquins Levaquin—”floxed” is insiders’ jargon for having gone through serious adverse side effects from taking a fluoroquinolone drug. Getting floxed, therefore, isn’t like picking up a mayor badge over at foursquare—it’s more like a badge of camaraderie that ties fluoroquinolone victims together—better not to have it.
Fluoroquinolones are part of a class of antibiotic drugs—i.e., drugs typically prescribed to treat bacterial infections such as urinary tract infections (UTI), ear infections, bronchitis, inflammation of the prostate, typhoid fever, salmonella, chlamydia, pneumonia, etc…so chances are, either you or someone you know has been prescribed a fluoroquinolone at some point. Fluoroquinolones are more commonly known by some of the brand names that get prescribed: Levaquin, Cipro, Floxin, Avelox, Noroxin, Tequin.
So what is getting floxed all about? How do you know if you’ve been floxed?
In 2008, the FDA added a black box warning to Levaquin, Cipro, Avelox and all fluoroquinolone-class drugs. The black box warning is for risk of tendon rupture and tendinitis—the FDA alert (7/8/2008) stated:
Fluoroquinolones are associated with an increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture. This risk is further increased in those over age 60, in kidney, heart, and lung transplant recipients, and with use of concomitant steroid therapy. Physicians should advise patients, at the first sign of tendon pain, swelling, or inflammation, to stop taking the fluoroquinolone, to avoid exercise and use of the affected area, and to promptly contact their doctor about changing to a non-fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drug.
The Levaquin stories we hear at LawyersandSettlements.com are real and heart-breaking—and for those who have been floxed, they are life-altering—and not in a good way. The victims who’ve started to band together on Facebook share their stories of lives shattered and forever changed: cane-assisted walking, wheelchairs, numbness, burning sensations, cramps and worse.
And those who’ve been floxed are angry—at the FDA, at their doctors, at the pharmaceutical companies. Sure, they can try to file a lawsuit against Levaquin or Cipro—that’s what I’d be doing—but doing so won’t bring back their lives. And as such, one can only wonder if getting floxed is really akin to getting fleeced.
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Dear Da, The same thing helped me too. B12 could also be an issue because of less stomach acid. I felt a lot better in terms of brain fog, stomach, insomnia and tinnitus from eating beef and no grains, but after a while developed more tendonitis, probably from the antibiotics in the meat.
Hello. I”m. John. I. Taken. 500mg. Cipro. In. Sept-Oct. of. 2014. The. Bottle. Of 60 CT . Pills. And. I Had. A. Hernia. Operation. The. Doctor. Removed. 3hernias. From. My. Prostate. Area. In. Dec. 17. Before. Chirstmas. I. Had. Bad. Swelling. Around. My. Ankles. And. My. Tenndons. We’re. Drawled. Tight. At. Different. Times. Sinces. After. I. Stopped. Taken. Cipro. I. Couldn’t. Get. A. Appiontment. With. My. Family. Doctor. Until. In. Jan. I. Went. In. To. See. My. Doctor. Well. The. Doctor. Seen. Where. My. Lower. Part. Past. My. Knees. Was. Swelled. And. My. Feet. Also. Were . Swelled. My. Tendons. We’re drawing. Up. I. Don’t think. But. Something in.my Legs feet. And my arms and. Hands. Felt. Like. I. Was. Pulling webs. When. I. Would. Move. Them. And. Hurt. And. I. Feel. Weak. I. Still today. Have. That. Feel ing. In. My. Body. All. Over. And. Painting. Cramps. In. Calf. Muscles. And. Bad. Hurting. Cramps. In. My. Hands. And. My. Hands. Get. Cold. Feeling. And. My. Feet. Get. Cold. Feel and. I. Have. Numbness in. My. Legs. At. Times. And. From. Elbow. On. My. Arm. To. My. Hand. Goes. Numb. And. Tingoling. My. Legs. And. Feet. Also tingos at. At. Times. I. Can’t. Hold. Things. In. My. Hands. At. Times. I. Will. Drop. What. I’m. Holding. When. I. Walk. At. Times. I. Have. Cornation. Trouble. I. Lose. My. Balance. And. Fall. Over. On. What. Is. There. To. Fall. On. See. I’m. A. Athlete. By. Trade. I. Was. A. Very athletic. Person. When. I. Was. Growing. Up. And. I. Lifted. Weights. Then. Work. Hard. And. Now. Days. Up. To. Since. I. Was. Taken. Cipro. I. Can’t. Do. Like. I. Uses to. Now. I. Have. Headaches. My. Body. Pains. And. I’m. Still. Pushing myself. To. Go. Yet. I. Have. Trouble. Getting. Out. Of. Bed. In. The. Morning. And. If. I try. To. Get up. To. Quick. My. Legs. Cramp. Bad. And. Draw. I’m. A fraid. To. Go. To. The. Doctor. Because. I. Don’t. Like. Taken. Medicine. And. I. Can’t. Pay. Medical. Bills. So. I. Suffer. With. This. Each. Day. A. Person. Can’t. Lawsuit. For. Damages for. What. Happen. To. Me. That. I. Know. Of. Thought. … Does. Anybody. Know. If. Theirs. Any. Cases. In. Court. Against. The. Cipro. Maker. Lately. Well that’s. What. I’m. Going. Thru. Getting worst. I. Feel. I. Don’t. Have. Insurance. For. Doctor. I. Was. Refused. Medcad. So. Does. Anyone. Know. Of. Any. Comps action. For. Injures due. To. Cuprous. ??
I see that in 2016 levaquin can continue to rupture tendons, ( I have ruptured Archilles tendons both feet) and now we who can’t handle big surgeries or through negligence waited to see specalist, have to suffer with no compensation. My life as I know it is over, no more walks, no more site seeing due to pain and difficulty walking. My only choice is a wheelchair
These drugs deplete magnesium as well as B12. Make sure your magnesium levels are okay and use methylcobalbmin B12. It might make a difference.
Cyanocobalamin (cyanide anyone) is harder for the body to use.
Not sure it would help others. I do know if I got floxed, I would try increasing iodine. I think it is chemically related to iodine. Move cautiously if you decide to try it. AND asking your doctor about it is useless. They fear iodine no matter what.
P.S. I refused a fluoroquinolone antibiotic about 6 months ago, thank heaven.
I have been suffering the effects of what I just found out is called floxing, this is after five months of being on all of these antibiotics for getting rid of MRSA that I contacted after having surgery. I did not know that there really is an answer for what I have been suffering with for three years now. please tell me what I should do to make this better. thank you.
I took high dose, long period. Ended up with torn hamstring, then torn piriformis. Tendonitis all through my legs, just freaking miserable with pain. Lots of massage, epsom salts baths, iodine supplementation (fairly high), added magnesium malate and taurate, B vites. Seems to be helping.
I was given Levaquin for a sinus infections. It nearly killed me. When taking it, I felt pressure in my head and chest that was almost unbearable. I felt I was going crazy and might die. After taking it several times, I quit and after time all my joints and tendons began hurting. My knees and ankles have pain and swelling. All my joints hurt pretty much full time. My balance has gotten really bad. I believe Levaquin and Cipro are poison.
I have nothing to help anyone feel better.I was floxed in 2010 would like to share my life of hell when it happened to me I was fighting MRSA for 2 years at the Mayo Clinic.No one at clinic had any what was wrong.I aug of 2013 I saw on T V the signs of being Floxed .It Is a long lonely battle Mayo knows about it now.But Mayo has not reached out to me.After nearly dying on plane of no blood pressure and an ambulance ride to a emergency Hospital and a Chaplin called for my wife.After many falls and my legs vibrating 24 hrs a day and lack feeling in arms and legs if I get cut I do not know it tell I see blood.I have had an attorney since 2013 and still waiting any settlement.Yes I have been FlOXED
Hello all, joining you in 2019 here. i have been on levaquin and cipro on and off my entire life, as i have cystic fibrosis and those drugs are good for being used to treat my lung infections . i had levaquin a different way than i read most do. i have a mediport and have gotten IV levaquin straight. my last round was 4 months long , i just got done with it. and i have a torn tendon in my ankle. i always have leg pain. i definitely think ive been floxed after doing research after being told about this topic. thanks for all of your suggestions . i dont have any as of now.
Went into Hospital Oct 2018, Had UTI and was in sepsis stage, the doctors had me on Cipro IV for 7 days, after I had recovered and was released from the hospital I was given 12 tabs of Levaquin, that is what destroyed my ability to walk!
The pain and the tightness of my tendons and ligaments were unbearable could bare move or walk the first month, I was told I had Tendonopathy! and that it could go away possibly or be permanent! Now after using a walker and a cane all Winter and Spring, I have not recovered the full use of my legs, which was normal before the Levaquin! However I recently read about Vitamin B1 100Mg could help reduce the pain in my legs, ankles, and feet!. I still have swollen ankles calves and knees, but after 3 weeks of B1, Almost all the pain in the nerves has disappeared! I still walk like the Frankenstein monster but I quit taking Tylenol 3 times a day! Cipro saved my life from Sepsis (Blood Poisoning) but if I had not taken 6 days of Levaquin I would be walking perfectly, now I must walk with small stride and have problem with Tinnitus and also my balance!
My ENT Physician gave me Cipro repeatedly for Sinus infections. My husband died 3 years ago and I am totally alone. Ihave broken tendons, peripheral neuropathyin both legs and feet, amd painful cramping in arms and hands. I cannot use my hands other than my thumb and forefinger. I had spinal ablations on my back and neck to releive the pain. It has to be repeated annually, I have pain all over mybody and my feet are n umb which causes me to fall. I am living on a very limited income and in terrible pain. Could I get some financial assistance from a lawsuil. I was never warned and took Cipro over and over for years.
I took 7 high doses of Cipro in April 2020 for a mild UTI and after the 7th dose my heart started skipping beats, pounding all night. An echocardiogram reveals that I now have a leaky mitral valve as well as a mildly leaky tricuspid valve. I still have PVCs and PACs every night, except on the few days I don’t move from the house.