Toxicity Warnings

---

Fluoroquinolone toxicity is profoundly life-altering. It’s not just physical pain—it’s the collapse of systems in the body that no one can see, and few understand. Many who’ve experienced it describe it as more devastating than anything they’ve faced before. When even your cells stop functioning, and your repair systems fail, it changes every part of your life. This condition deserves recognition, compassion, and urgent attention. 

All scientific publications since the 1980’s related to the following fluoroquinolone adverse effects have been largely ignored by the authorities: DNA damage; mitochondrial damage; accumulation of fluoroquinolones in cells; nervous system damage; psychiatric disorders; reproductive issues; chromosomal abnormality, collagen destruction; aneurysms; HIF degradation; multi organ failure due to UGT, SULT and MRP 2 mutations; cytotoxicity; genotoxicity; diabetes; muscle atrophy; cytochrome P450/CYP 2E1 dysfunction. 

Apart from in vitro and in vivo fluoroquinolone studies, one of two known patient studies was done by an early trailblazer in Fluoroquinolone awareness, Jay S. Cohen M.D. 

Dr. Cohen was a faculty member at the University of California San Diego for decades. He was an avid champion on drug safety and his works included numerous articles in top medical journals as well as his book, How We Can Halt The Cipro & Levaquin Catastrophe: The Worst Medication Disaster In U.S. History. In response to Dr. Cohen’s fluroquinolone article published in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy and appearance on National Public Radio, the CDC withdrew its recommendation for Cipro usage for the 2001 anthrax attacks. Dr. Cohen has since passed away, but his work has not gone in vain. A segment of his letter to the Senate Committee in 2014 follows with a link below to its entirety:

…"I have been following these medications for 16 years and have evaluated in person or by telephone consultation more than 300-400 people injured by Fluoroquinolone’s. In 2001, I published an article, “Peripheral Neuropathy with Fluoroquinolone Antibiotics”, in the peer reviewed journal Annals of Pharmacotherapy. This article described 45 cases of severe neurological symptoms such as tingling, numbness, burning pain, twitching, and/or weakness. Moreover, 93% of the subjects manifested symptoms in other injuries to other vital systems: agitation, impaired cognitive function, intractable insomnia, hallucinations, psychosis, acute manic episode, joint or muscle pain, or tendon rupture. In many cases, toxicities also involved the cardiovascular and gastrointestinal systems, skin, and sight or hearing. Overall, ninety percent of my subjects experienced toxicity to multiple body systems. Hence my coining the term Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Syndrome…"

Forty-five subjects in Dr. Cohen’s study reported the following side effects.[1]

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS): Tingling, numbness, prickling, burning pain, pins/needles sensation, electrical or shooting pain, skin crawling sensation, hyperesthesia, hypoesthesia, allodynia, numbness, weakness, twitching, tremors, spasms.

Central Nervous System (CNS): Dizziness, malaise, weakness, impaired coordination, nightmares, insomnia, headaches, agitation, anxiety, panic attacks, disorientation, impaired concentration or memory, confusion, depersonalization, hallucinations, psychoses.

Musculoskeletal: Muscle pain, weakness, soreness; joint swelling, pain; tendon pain, ruptures.

Special Senses: Diminished or altered visual, olfactory, auditory functioning, tinnitus.

Cardiovascular: Tachycardia, shortness of breath, hypertension, palpitations, chest pain.

Skin: Rash, swelling, hair loss, sweating, intolerance to heat and\or cold.

Gastrointestinal: Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain.

Forty-two patients (93%) experienced symptoms involving systems outside the PNS; many experienced symptoms in multiple organ systems. CNS symptoms were reported in 78% of cases; musculoskeletal symptoms, 73%; special senses, 42%; cardiovascular, 36%; skin, 29% and gastrointestinal, 18%.

 [1] Cohen, Jay S. Dr.  December 2001, vol. 35  Peripheral Neuropathy Associated with Fluoroquinolones.   The Annals of Pharmacotherapy.  https://www.academia.edu/11210092/Peripheral_neuropathy_associated_with_fluoroquinolone