My cold turkey and floxed story.

[[Buddie]]

[...], thank you sir for the update.

Sounds like you're doing well for yourself.

[...].

[[Buddie]]

Lol [...],
i burst out laughing when you said you went RETARDED... i thought i was the only one who went FULL RETART to quote tropic thunder! Yes i went to rehab after my first rapid detox from 4 mls of xanax and started talking and behaving like someone who was infact RETARDED which was scary as hell for me becuase i thought i was intelligent, and got to thinking that behaving that way is probably my last defence in confucing situations and protects me. No more overwhelming rehab for me , but a nice slow taper! Thanks for the laugh
lin!

[[Buddie]]

I went back and edited the original post.  Somewhere around month 10 I got another whacking.  It lasted for a couple of months but no where near as severe as in the beginning.  I'm now almost 16 months out and doing really well.  I might get some dizziness throughout the day but it only last for maybe a half hour.  The tinnitus is the only symptom I can't shake. 

[[Buddie]]

Lol [...],
i burst out laughing when you said you went RETARDED... i thought i was the only one who went FULL RETART to quote tropic thunder! Yes i went to rehab after my first rapid detox from 4 mls of xanax and started talking and behaving like someone who was infact RETARDED which was scary as hell for me becuase i thought i was intelligent, and got to thinking that behaving that way is probably my last defence in confucing situations and protects me. No more overwhelming rehab for me , but a nice slow taper! Thanks for the laugh
lin!

I actually think the RETARDED feeling was the worst symptom.  It kept me from thinking straight and I was sure I'd be stuck that way. 

[[Buddie]]

Count me as another one that took Xanax and Klonopin to combat the anxiety and CNS damage that Levaquin left me. 

I am so glad to hear that you have seen and are continuing on a trend towards improvement. Every day is still a struggle for me, but I do have a few moments where I remember what life was life before this.

[[Buddie]]

I went back and edited the original post.  Somewhere around month 10 I got another whacking.  It lasted for a couple of months but no where near as severe as in the beginning.  I'm now almost 16 months out and doing really well.  I might get some dizziness throughout the day but it only last for maybe a half hour.  The tinnitus is the only symptom I can't shake. 

[...] I am so glad to hear you are doing much better at 16 months out! Congrats!!!! Thanks for giving us an update.  I wish you much continued healing and success!

[[Buddie]]

[...],
Thank you soo much for sharing your story...and sharing important information regarding cipro etc...
I have been dealing with horrible peripheral neuropathies since about '08 and searching for reasons why this is happening and possible solutions.
I have been to several neurologists and docs, and OF COURSE, none have asked about med history or suggested them as the cause.  (I was on cipro several times during that time frame.)
I am trying to get my med records to try and figure this out...and your post gave me new insight. I cannot thank you enough.
Blessings,
[...]

[[Buddie]]

I'm having an awful flare-up right now myself, but your post gave me the first laugh I've had in days. "Still believed I was retarded and would repeat this to anyone who would listen"

Rolling. On. The. Floor!

Thank you [...], and best wishes

[[Buddie]]

Dear [...],

thanks for sharing your success story.  I was "floxed" also..  I had taken it for many years due to frequent UTI's as I'm allergic to Sulfa drugs like Bactrim which is what they usually prescribe - I found out I was allergic because one day in my late 20's I broke out in hives.

So for many years I took Cipro - at least 2-4 times a year for almost 15 years for my UTI's.  Then I had a cold turkey w/d from Ativan in Jan 2008.  I was coping the best I could about 4 weeks into it - my Mom was in the hospital and I was visiting her everyday with my Dad.  One day I woke up with a UTI and called my Mom to tell her I wouldn't be in to see her because I felt pretty awful (fever, pain, etc.) so I take my Cipro, curl up on the couch and don't let the guilt get the best of me for not visiting my Mom and figured I recuperate on the couch, get comfort food and watch movies all day. 

Within an hour I felt like I was losing my mind - my heart started to beat out of my chest, I started to sweat, anxiety over the top (remember I'm into a 4 week c/t) and I started to become almost psychotic with the anxiety.  I called my doc and she said, "oh, yes, I've heard Cipro can do that" and she switched me to Macrodantin.

I wonder how much the Cipro for so many years and what I took in my c/t have contributed to now long term pain issues (muscle/ligament/tendon, neuropathic pain) and other CNS problems because the cold turkey and the Cipro I took.

Didn't mean to turn this into a discussion about the "floxins" but so many other people seem to be sharing the same experience.

You've overcome so much and your success story gives me feeling of hope and comfort - thank you so much for posting it.

Sara

[[Buddie]]

A few members on here have asked me to post what I went though after my cold turkey off 4 mg clonazepam of 10+ years and how I am doing now for encouragement to others.

I wish I could have started a journal of my journey but I was way to messed up for a long time.  I want to warn anyone thinking about going cold turkey that it is no way shape or form is it an easy way out. There is a reason why the Ashton manual warns against taking fluoroquinolone antibiotics (Levaquin, Cipro, Avelox etc).  It down regulates the gaba receptors and throws you into withdrawals.  I want to add my own two cents here about these antibiotics.  They can cause some serious side effects of their own wether your on benzos or not.  I had taken them in the past with no problem.  Each time you take them you are playing russian roulette.  I had some serious tendon and joint problems and went through a few surgeries.  If your wondering what floxed is, it's what people call themselves when they get hit by these drugs.  They even have forums.  I also had many CNS problems which I contribute to benzo tolerance for close to a year.  I went to many specialist trying to figure out what was going on with my body and each one was stumped.  They all had my prescription history and not one made the connection.  I finally shared what was going on with a retired physician who lives down the street from me.  The first question after telling him my symptoms was are you on any benzo's?  He had seen the symptoms before and advised me to wean myself off them.  I was stupid and decided I wanted off right then and there and did my cold turkey. 

The timeframe may be a bit off.  Basing this off memory.  I'm sure I also have missed other symptoms.

So New Years Eve 2009 was my last dose.  The nightmare really began.  

 
I was lucky if I got more than 2 or 3 hours of sleep.
I couldn't speak coherently or understand conversations.
Throat and chest felt constricted and had a hard time swallowing or getting a deep breath.
Bladder felt numb.  Hard a hard time starting to urinate and once I finished I would dribble pee for an hour or two.
Tinnitus
Muscle spasms and cramps
Muscle twitching
No appetite
Blurred vision
Rapid heart beat and blood pressure would drop
Sweating non stop and smelt of ammonia.
Huge boils in left armpit
Acne
Coughing up mucus
Limbs felt heavy

February
Lived on the couch watching T.V. with heating pad.
The only real change was bladder control returned

March
Started getting windows of relief at the beginning of the month.  And thought the worse was over.
Appetite returned after losing close to 20 pounds
Slept better
Started to venture out of the house
Started having clay or white colored bowel movements
Towards the end of the month started to get a few stomach issues.

April
*I had bad muscle spasms in my back and couldn't stand straight up.  Had a number of cortisone shots.  Pretty sure this sent me back into withdrawals.*
Started getting severe stomach pain and bloating.  Kept me up at night pacing. Couldn't eat solid food.  Lived on protein shakes. Pain moved to my lower left side.  Doctor sent me to hospital for G.I. series to rule out appendicitis.  Ruled out appendicitis but discovered mass in large intestine.  They wanted to admit me and do exploratory surgery.  Very apprehensive about this and they kept offering me benzos even though I told them this was what got me into this mess by doing a cold turkey.  Got the heck out of there against their advice.  Followed up with gastroenterologist.  Put me on two different antibiotics (non fluoroquinolone) after a few more test.
By the end of the month almost all my withdrawal symptoms returned with a few new ones.
Vertigo-Either the room was spinning around me or I felt like I was falling forward even when I was laying down.
Forehead feels super tight mostly on left side.  Feels as though my face is distorted.
Confusion
Gravity effect- don't know what to really call this one.  Laying down I would fell like I was being sucked into the bed, sitting down felt like I was being sucked into the chair, standing up I would fell super heavy.

 

May
No windows
I know this isn't politically correct but was for sure I made myself retarded.  Anyone who called me I would tell them I was retarded.  Couldn't understand anything I watched on television.
Prayed I would die in my sleep.
I was for sure I would never ever get better and would live forever with protracted withdrawals.
I wanted to reinstate and try tapering.  People on the forum in chat told me I was to far out and it was a bad idea.

June
No change except I could eat
Still was for sure I was retarded and would repeat this over and over to anyone who would listen.
Finally towards the end of the month started to get great windows.

July
I call this my night and day month.  It seemed as though the past months was just a really bad nightmare.  I knew the worse was over.  The only symptoms that were lingering was a slight tightness in my throat and tinnitus.  The gravity effect was lifting.  I started back slowly doing cardio and lifting weights.

August
It just keeps getting better.  Getting days where the tinnitus is gone.  Throat symptoms gone.  Once in awhile a slight boaty feeling.

September
The few days here and there when I do get flare ups are a cake walk for me.  I have days where there is no tinnitus.  I consider myself at least 90% healed.  I am actually loving life again.  

I had to come back and edit this.  Shortly after writing this symptoms came back and lasted for a few months.  Once I got close to a year off I noticed major improvements.

Thanks for posting this.  Do you have any advice for me?

[...]