Fluoroquinolones

When I was inappropriately prescribed Levaquin and Cipro, nobody warned me about the serious and often permanent adverse reactions. Black  Box warnings didn’t exist back when I took them.

Luckily there are some Black Box warnings issued by the FDA in recent years.

Despite clear warnings, unfortunately, fluoroquinolones are still  commonly prescribed and warnings are not reaching their intended  audience. More needs to be done to educate patients and physicians.  Doctors rely on the FDA to determine if a drug is safe and effective.  The FDA feels that doctors and patients should educate themselves. There  is an obvious disconnect and that needs to be bridged. Passing the buck  or saying “well, we just didn’t know” harms patients. This is something  all patients need to be concerned about because sometimes the “cure” is  worse than the illness. Take me for example: I had a cough. And ended  up disabled. This not only happens to me, but countless others globally.

FDA Warning Communications

• December 20, 2018- FDA warns about increased risk about aortic ruptures with fluoroquinolones 
•  July 10, 2018- FDA Reinforces labeling changes about low blood sugar and mental health issues 
•  July 26, 2016- FDA updates warnings for fluoroquinolone antibiotics 
•  July 26, 2016- FDA updates warnings for oral and injectable fluoroquinolone antibiotics due to disabling side effects
•  April 17, 2013- FDA Report Linking Fluoroquinolones to Neurodegenerative Disorders
•  February 2011- Risk of Fluoroquinolone-associated Myasthenia Gravis Exacerbation 
•  July 10, 2008-Stronger Warnings Requested for Fluoroquinolones 

Fluoroquinolones are one of the most commonly prescribed classes of  antibiotics. They are very powerful medications often wrongly given as a  first line of defense against a wide variety of routine infections.

All antibiotics have side effects. What differentiates this class of  antibiotics from others is its ability to cause severe adverse reactions  that can disable patients and even cause death.

For some, adverse reactions to fluoroquinolones can occur immediately  from as little as one pill. For others, reactions can occur weeks,  months, or even longer after stopping the medication. Often, patients  and even medical professionals do not suspect that these antibiotics  could be the cause, as symptoms can often mimic other medical  conditions.

Approximately half of the fluoroquinolones that were once on the  market have now been removed from clinical practice due to their severe  toxicities. Although warnings and cautionary information exist, doctors  continue to prescribe this class of antibiotics for infections they were  never intended to treat. As a result, many patients continue to  unnecessarily suffer devastating disabilities.

• Tendinitis
• Tendon rupture
• Ligament rupture
• Meniscus tear in knee
• Joint pain/popping
• Muscle atrophy/weakness/pain
• Degeneration of spinal disks
• Peripheral neuropathy/nerve pain/nerve damage
• Fatigue
• Dental pain
• Facial pain/numbness
• Muscle twitching/involuntary spasms
• Tremors
• Insomnia
• Brain fog
• Anxiety/depression
• Impaired memory
• Speech/aphasia
• Suicidal ideation
• Seizures
• Visual/auditory hallucinations
• Non-allergy itching
• Poor wound healing
• Swallowing deficit
• Persistent gastric problems
• Mouth sores
• Food/chemical sensitivities
• Dry/itchy eyes
• Lack of tear production
• Visual changes
• Retina tears
• Vertigo
• Tinnitus
• Palpitations/arrhythmia
• High/low blood pressure
• Dysautonomia
• 
  

• Avelox (moxifloxacin)
• Cipro (ciprofloxacin)
• Factive (gemifloxacin)
• Levaquin (levafloxacin)
• Noroxin (norfloxacin)
• Baxdela (delafloxacin)

• Besivance (besifloxacin)
• Cetraxal, Ciloxan (ciprofloxacin)
• Iquix, Quixin (levofloxacin)
• Ocuflox (ofloxacin)
• Vigamox (moxifloxacin)
• Zymar (gatifloxacin)
• Moxeza (moxifloxacin)

• Cetraxal, Ciprodex (ciprofloxacin)
• Floxin (ofloxacin)
• Xtoro (finafloxacin)

• Quinsair (levofloxacin)

• Dicural, Vetequinon (difloxacin)
• Advocin, Advocid (danofloxacin)
• Floxasol, Saraflox, Sarafin (sarafloxacin)
• Ibaflin (ibafloxacin)
• Marbocy, Zeniquin (marbofloxacin)
• Orbax, Victas (orbifloxacin)
• Baytril  (enrofloxacin)
• Pradelex (pradofloxacin)