Antibiotic Fluorine Toxicity: To be Floxed

It has come to my attention that Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics are being prescribed locally in the Qualicum Beach and Nanaimo area for acute bacterial infections such as Sinusitis, Chronic Bronchitis and Urinary Tract Infections⁴.

I’m going to begin by listing the most common Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics³:

Cipro (Ciprofloxacin)

Levoquin (Levofloxacin)

Floxin (Ofloxacin)

Lariam (Mefloquine- used for malaria)

Enoxacin

Fleroxacin

Gatifloxacin

Lomefloxacin

Norfloxacin

Pazufloxacin

Sparfloxaciin

Tosufloxacin

And any chemical that has “floxacin” or “Floquine” in its Scientific Name.

 What are Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics?

Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics are synthetic antibiotics derived from quinine and usually contain a fluorine atom. Floxed is the term used to refer to the persistent, long-term, debilitating symptoms that appear after taking even just one pill.⁵ Symptoms can be felt immediately and amplified when combined with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Symptoms commonly appear after the drug has finished being taken and get progressively worse and far-reaching over the following 90 days.^{1, 5} Symptoms can persist for years and are often treated with an antibiotic, with these new prescriptions (sometimes multiple prescriptions) being another Fluoroquinolone Antibiotic, which does deeper, long-term damage.⁵

 What do Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics do to your body?

1. Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics are nerve toxins. They damage nerves throughout the body, including the Central and Peripheral Nervous Systems and the brain. These drugs were designed to penetrate membranes, which is a weak function of safe antibiotics, so they can more easily penetrate the brain or resistance DNA membranes.^{2, 3}
2. They destroy connective tissue throughout the body especially tendons and this symptom can be identified by snapping and cracking felt and heard at connective points in the body such as elbows, knees, hands and feet.^{1, 4}
3. These toxins inhibit the action of the Neurotransmitter GABA. GABA is the primary inhibitory transmitter that regulates the entire Nervous System and without it your nervous system becomes completely unregulated, which results in immediate acute anxiety, then trouble sleeping, relaxing or feeling quiet, then neuropathy (nerve damage) and lastly amplified pain throughout the body because there is no GABA to regulate the response. With the attack on the entire Nervous System, along with the suppression of GABA that could help to control the problem, you basically have a system that controls everything, out of control and quickly deteriorating. ^{1, 3}
4. Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics kill bacteria by interfering with DNA replication. When these drugs were released the manufacturer claimed that they only disrupt the DNA of bacteria and do not affect human DNA.⁵ We now know that this was not true. In a 2013, FDA pharmacovigilance report and a test conducted by Song et all, 2016, it was revealed that these toxins cause the loss of sections of mitochondrial DNA, which result in respiration dysfunction and growth arrest in cells. In other words, a cell that cannot fully form or undertake the functions that are required of it. This discovery is now being linked with Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's, which is drastically on the rise and maybe in US cases the delayed result of exposure to the drug in the Gulf War.^{2, 5, 6}

 Symptoms:

All combined Fluoroquinolone poisonings appear uncannily like radiation exposure, where immediate symptoms are mild, but over time become progressively more severe and possibly life threatening as cells attempt to reproduce and complete their functions.⁴

Individuals who are suffering from being “Floxed” are commonly diagnosed as having Anxiety Disorders with severe Somitization (emotionally caused physical symptoms) and are dismissed as hypochondriacs and mentally unstable.⁵

Common Symptoms^{4, 5}:

Panic attacks that can last hours and days

Constant state of anxiety and terror

Depersonalization/Derealization

Insomnia

Numbness or loss of sensation

Heart rhythm abnormalities

Loss of language ability

Burning pain and soreness in muscles and joints

Sharp stabbing pains in the chest

Thinking impairment

Popping and clicking sound in the joints

Extremely stiff and painful joints

Vertigo

Suicidal thoughts

Constant ringing in the ears

Auditory and visual distortions

Depression

Sensation like your skin is on fire

Memory impairment

Physical tremors

Muscle twitching and jerking

Declining vision with the inability to focus, presence of floaters and after images

Altered mental states

Extreme long-lasting fatigue

Sense of impending doom

Tingling sensations throughout the body

Sensation like bugs are crawling on your skin

Akathisia- Agitation, constant turmoil, pacing back and forth with suicidal thoughts

Extreme weight loss

Chemical sensitivity especially to caffeine

Sensitivity to light and sound

 Problems breathing

Facial recognition problems

Slow wound healing

And more less common symptoms

 When did the FDA know?

As early as 2001, the FDA was aware of the dangers associated with Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics. ⁶ No steps were taken to inform the public until 2008, when they posted a warning on the label about possible “tendon ruptures”.⁴ Doctors for the most part remained uninformed until 2013.⁴ In 2011, they added “Neuropathy” to the label and in 2016 “muscle, joint and Central Nervous System” damage, but continued to promote the drug, especially for acute bacterial Sinusitis, Bronchitis and Urinary Tract Infections.^4,5 In 2018, another label update was made to include damage to “Mental Health” and “Low Blood Sugar”. Yet, in 2023 doctors are continuing to prescribe this Neurotoxin that is shown to cause long-term physical and mental debilitation, Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and extensive Mitochondrial damage.^{2, 4, 5, 6}

Stay informed and spread the word!

References

1. Brynildsen, M.P. Timing Of DNA Damage Responses Impacts Persistence To Flouroquinolones. National Academy of Science USA., July 3: 115(27): E6301-E6309. Doi: 10.1073/pnas. 1804218115. Epub. Jun 18. 2018.
2. Song, M., Wu, H., Wu S., Ge T., Wang, G., Zhou, Y., Sheng, S., Jiang, J. Antibiotic Drug Levofloxacin Inhibits Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis of Lung Cancer Cells Through Inducing Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Oxidative Damage. Biomed Pharmacother., Dec. 84: 1137-1143. Doi: 10. 1016/j.biopha. 10034. Epub Oct 22. 2016.
3. Kim, J., Ontani, H., Tsujimoto, M., Sawada, Y. Comparison Of The Convulsive Activity Of Combinations Of Twelve Flouroquinolones With Five Non Steroidal Anti-inflammatory (NSAID) Agents. Drug Metab Parmacokinet., 24(2): 167-174. 2009.
4. FDA. 3.3.2 Possible Mechanism of Action: Mitochondrial Toxicity. FDA Pharmacovigilance Review. 4/17/2013.
5. Furman, J. The Dangers of Flouroquinolone Antibiotics. USA Health Watch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gclD4WjBMRo&ab_channel=HealthWatchUSA, 10/25/2018.
6. Principi, Anthony. Secretary General, US Veteran’s Affairs Announcement. 12/10/2001.