16x9 - Bitter Pill: Side effects of Fluoroquinolones 

I was disabled by Avelox in 2001, missing at the least 15 years of working for retirement. I couldn’t get dissability money because no doctors could give a diagnosis of my adverse reactions. I went to 27 doctors over the years to find out I finally developed severe neuropathy. I was a very healthy 50 year old with no diseases and taking no medicine, an active athlete living on a natural foods diet since the early 1970’s. No sugar, white bread, fried food, or sodas. My social security payments are about 60% of what they should be. The pain is still horrible after all these years. The doctors finally believe I have pain and gave me some medicine after seven years. Sick of it. Some commit suicide. Some want to. My prayers to all suffering of this crippling disease.

well said, i totally agree: "these people are criminals, they belong in prison for the rest of their lives." Yes they are!

I wish that I had known about these risks. I was given Cipro many times in my teens/early twenties due to re-occurring UTI's which I now know were probably probably caused by endometriosis, contributed to by estrogen dominance, due to use of oral contraceptives and poor methylation because of MTHFR deficiency. Around the time that I given Cipro repeatedly, I developed Optic Neuritis in my right eye. My physicians didn't know what caused it. They told me "It probably won't get worse but it probably will never get better." So now I have partial loss of vision in my right eye, I also get pain in the nerve behind that eye which causes anywhere from a dull to a stabbing pain in the back of my head on that side. I also was given Levaquin the first time a few years ago. My doctors gave it to me because other antibiotics made me so sick (upset stomach, vomiting) that I couldn't finish taking a full course. Around the same time that I was given Levaquin I also mysteriously developed Achilles Tendinitis in my left tendon. It was so bad that I had to wear an air cast and couldn't work for a few days. Even though I developed it around two years ago, I still wear a brace on my ankle when I work now so that I don't irritate it enough to make it so that I can't work again. I really wish that our medical system would address the root cause of issues instead of throwing prescriptions on top of them and causing more health problems. Most of my health issues now have been greatly reduced through proper diet. My Optic Neuritis will never get better though, and it doesn't seem like my tendon will ever be back to normal either.

Sept 2013 I was injured by Ciprofloxacin given to me for a suspected UTI infection. Nearly seven years later, I have come a long way, but I still have muscle weakness, fatigue, serious digestive issues, kidney damage, permanent optic nerve damage with optic migraines and a prognoses from my Optometrist that I will eventually go blind. All this from an antibiotic! Had I been told that my health might be adversely affected, had I been warned...I would not have taken this drug.

Crime against humanity , 23 years ago and I am still suffering

Let's clarify something here. This video was published a decade ago. And these news organizations are often a couple of years behind the actual story, which adds up because the warning for tendon rupture was added 4 years before this video. Right around the time of this video is when they added permanent nerve damage and retinal detachment. In 2016 they added aortic dissection and in 2018 they added CNS symptoms. So as you can see the majority of the symptoms we the medically untrained, and news anchors have known about for OVER A DECADE. So when your doctor the "expert" says he's "never heard of this before", or these drugs "don't cause these side effects", you are being gaslit. You are the victim of a cover up and a real life conspiracy. You are now a liability and they are covering up their malpractice and calling their attorney and insurance company the moment you get off the phone. Either the doctors are maliciously crippling people on purpose, or if they truly don't know, they are unfit to treat an amoeba. Either way, you should fire that doctor immediately and BLAST your experience on internet reviews to protect others and also inform your state medical board (don't expect them to do anything, it's nothing but a good ol' boys club.) Really we're past the point where it's acceptable to "not know". Doctors should be doing prison time for assault with a deadly weapon and felony battery for giving this drug in the event of anything other than a serious, life threatening infection in the intensive care unit.

I am one of the people in the interview and I'd like to mention that its now almost been 6 years and my life is ruined still, and no hope of ever having one again.... I lost everything...

This drug is deadly and should be taken off the market as soon as possible. Don't let it totally destroy more people lives like it did mine~!

Ive had numerous prescriptions of these drugs through the years. I was given it intraveniously in 07 for sepsis and again a second bout of sepsis in 2015. Both stemming from kidney stone blocks n stents infected. Ive had all over pain and told fibromyalgia. In 2015 I woje from surgery w swollen hot achilles heels...took awhile to calm down but still flares uf I walk far. Now....in 2020...woke w shoulders feeling as if their dangling n knee popping ...so much pain everywhere!!! Its adversely effecting my life these days! I keep praying its a flareup and will calm, but more and more pain is making me nervous!!!!!!!

I was given Cipro and Levaquin 5 years ago and not one word was spoken to me about any kind of side effects. The first 2 years following was a nightmare as I ran from doctor to doctor, expensive specialists about pain, heart palpitations, tendon issues, trembling etc and among the 14 doctors and therapists, not one of them made the connection to the medication. I was in perfect health until this was given to me for sudden gastrointestinal issues. I believe the issues and pain I still suffer are permanent.If people were properly warned, not many would accept it. And that would be a loss for the pharmaceutical companies. I was told that as long as it continues to save lives, there is no reason to stop it. But in the meantime, millions of lives continues to be ruined by these medications.

Great educational video with information we all need to know before taking any drug prescribed. The public is becoming more and more aware that we need to check out these drugs and not just take our doctor's word that it is perfectly safe. I have been guilty of this in not asking them enough or any questions about what is being prescribed. Thank you for sharing.

I was given Cipro in 1998, 3 different times, and it has RUINED my life!! My body physically rapidly declined since taking it. I had now been 20 years and I have nerve pain, muscle and bone pain from head to toe which I have to take pain medication if I want to even move or do anything. I also have to take medicine for tachycardia (rapid heart rate). I also have severe neuropathy. If I had known then what I know now I would have NEVER taken it!!! Back then it had just come out and was “supposedly” a “wonder drug” that would knock out anything. It did all right…my entire life as I knew it. I went from a vibrant, health, active teen to a shell of what I used to be. I feel like I’m trapped in a 90 year old body and I’m only 36.

I got permanent peripheral neuropathy from 2 doses of Cipro that i was given for a UTI

These drugs are poison!

Back when I was a smoker, I routinely came down with bouts of bronchitis. During one of these bouts, I was prescribed amoxicillin, but after taking it for a few days, I wasn't improving at all, but rather getting worse. So I went back to the doctor. He gave me a prescription for levaquin. I knew nothing about the drug at the time, so I took the script over to the pharmacy to get it filled. They told me that they don't normally keep levaquin in stock, that it would have to be ordered special and I would need to wait until tomorrow for it to come in. That was fine. During the wait, that night I got online and began reading about it. Needless to say after finding out what the side effects were was enough that I wasn't going to touch those things with a 10 foot pole. Imagine, the doctor prescribing this drug, meant for people with life threatening infections that haven't responded to other antibiotics to someone with a chest infection that wasn't even cultured, so they had no clue if it was even viral or bacterial. That is, they had no idea whether antibiotics would even work on it, because they don't do anything for a virus, nor did they try to find out if it was bacterial, what kind of bacteria it was, so they could prescribe a more specific antibiotic for it with fewer side effects.

How many of these people would have gone along with their doctors recommendation even if they were told about the possible side effects..? I would think the Majority if not All, after all we Trust our doctors, and we Expect the doctors to Know what will be Best for us!

I'm glad I did my research, I was prescribed it last night in the ER (Levoflaxin). They even gave me a dose there before sending me home. Not a single word was said about any side effects or dangers. I googled it when I got home and was quite shocked. Of course I am not taking any further dose and will be seeking another antibiotic. Even from the one dose I felt dizziness, fluttering in my chest and extreme fatigue. Just 1 dose! This is quite simply poison.

I took Levaquin back in 2009. If it wasn't for an Integrative Doctor who knew to give me Intravenous Glutathione and magnesium I would not be here. The drug manufacturers are corrupt and liers and do not care about the health of the people they are responsible for. I am outraged.

I can't imagine what it feels like. Those people at those drug companies and some doctors should be tought a lesson.

This world is... rotten.

ALOT OF MEDICATION TAKEN OFF THE MARKET IN THE USA BECAUSE OF THE HARMFUL SIDE EFFECTS AND DEATHS ARE STILL READILY PRESCRIBED AND AVAILABLE TO PATIENTS IN CANADA. YASMIN BIRTH CONTROL IS STILL PRESCRIBED TO TEENS IN CANADA BUT WAS TAKEN OFF MARKET LONG AGO IN THE USA, OR AT LEAST RE NAMED. WHY THE HELL DOES THIS HAPPEN. Please stay safe, healthy, kind, strong and happy, peace and much love sent from Ontario, Canada.

It’s true that most patients never report an adverse reaction. I never did. What good does it do? I had nerve damage to my legs that made it very difficult to walk and had to use a cane. That was 5 years ago. Up until then I was very healthy. The damage is still there and while I can walk without a cane it’s still very difficult. My life and health were turned upside down by Cipro and I will never be the same.

Second day on this antibiotic and Today i have constant anxiety, usually I have anxiety for a couple minutes and I have coping skills that help it go away, I don’t usually have it all day without it relenting.

I think that it should be against the law to prescribe any floraquinalone as a first antibiotics. Other antibiotics should be used first. My body was harmed 7 years ago, after I was given a floraquinalone intravenously after an appendectomy. I have very limited activity and much pain ever since.

I have been off and on these two ( cipro andf levaquin) for yrs and am now dealing with multiple specielists ( nuerologist,GI,cardiologist,endocrinologist,orthopedic) and have been diagnosed with "dysautonomia" My heart refuses to slow down and wont match my activity.. need a pacemaker thanks to the cipro caused dysautonomia >:(

Well done.

my mom was given cipro for almost 4yrs by a specialist- she experienced many many difference side effects- including 2 mini strokes last year - and now she is diagnosed with dementia with hardly any testing- they should take into consideration this drug -

I took Cipro for a kidney infection when I was 19 - I had leg tendon inflammation and couldn't walk for more than 10 minutes without having to sit down from the pain, and then had intermittent sharp knee pains until I was 25. Eventually healed but it took years. I think I NARROWLY escaped snapped tendons. Given with no warnings whatsoever, casually. So scary.

This man should be allowed to sue them . There should be a warning label on them. I have taken this antibiotic many times and never was told it was dangerous.

Reporting is the same for vaccine injuries and deaths. Take reported numbers and multiply by at least 100.

This terrifies me

PBS does. They covered this story a couple years ago.

levo ruined my shoulders, cipro give me tachycardia, ringing ears, irritable foggy fatigue chills headache

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CIPRO pretty much killed me and almost did. slowly recovering after the worst year of my life. Will I ever be the same?

There are places that fix Ciprofolaxcin poisoning but you need good amounts of cash there is one in los Angeles

An economic system that rewards greed over people is at the root. The greed of the pharmaceutical industry is resulting in an understandable distrust of doctors. There are warnings that these drugs should only be used when there are no other alternatives, literally as a last resort.

I am one of these people. I have for 12 yrs had to deal with these side effects that are permanent

I was just prescribed this for a UTI but I'm not going to take it. Everything I have read says it should not be taken for a UTI if another antibiotic such as Amoxycillin is available. The side effects listed for CIPRO should scare the crap out of any physician who reads the Medication Guide included with CIPRO.

Has anyone had anaphylactic shock from this..like instant poison pill?? I have and I can't be the only one.

This drug destroyed my life. I’d rather be dead but of course I didn’t even need it. It is 2024. This report is 11 years old.

You can do a juice fast with colon cleansing formulas for diverticulitis. Antibiotics are not always necessary

Dokters swore an oat to not poison their patients. Yet they do it all the time. Quackers.

8:21 is my cousins :O

This is SIN

😢

Used properly, fluoroquinolones are excellent antibiotic​s and are used successfully and effectively by MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of people without significant side effects. Yes, they are prescribed too often and for the wrong types of infections. They are very powerful and should never be used first. Don't blame the drug, blame doctors who misuse antibiotics.