I found this article and thought it needed to be shared
because of the prescribed antibiotic Ciprofloxacin, or
Cipro. I recall I was given this about 5-6 years ago
with a tooth infection (bacterial infection)....but was
totally unaware of something like this could happen
from an antibiotic:
"Talia Smith‘s life took a drastic turn after she
sought treatment for what she thought was a routine
urinary tract infection (UTI).
Smith, a resident of San Francisco, was prescribed the
antibiotic commonly known as Ciprofloxacin, or Cipro,
to combat the infection. Little did she know that the
medication would trigger a cascade of side effects that
would leave her reliant on round-the-clock care and
confined to a wheelchair.
In a Saturday interview on “NewsNation Prime,” Smith
recounted her experience, revealing how just three
pills of Cipro altered her life forever. Within a week
of taking the medication, she found herself in the
emergency room, battling excruciating pain that made
eating and walking impossible. Despite enduring five
months of agony, Smith’s condition deteriorated,
ultimately leading her to hospice care, where she
weighed a mere 65 pounds.
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These adverse reactions, dubbed “floxing,” are rare but
not unheard of, particularly with fluoroquinolones, a
class of antibiotics that includes Cipro and Levaquin,
along with numerous generic variants.
Such concerns prompted the Food and Drug Administration
(FDA) to issue a black box warning, the agency’s most
stringent caution, highlighting the potential for
injury or death linked to these medications.
“It makes me angry because the first black box warning
came out in 2008 for tendons. And then 2013 was
irreversible peripheral neuropathy and 2016 was the
permanent and disabling side effects,” Smith explained.
“I took Cipro all the way in 2021. I think that would
be plenty of time for doctors to get on board and to be
able to convey these warnings to their patients.”
Many patients, like Smith, remain unaware of the risks
associated with these drugs when they are prescribed.
Speaking through tears, Smith expressed her frustration
and anger at the medical oversight that led to her
suffering. “Both of our lives were stolen from this,
not just mine, his, my children, my stepchildren,” she
lamented, referring to the impact of her condition on
her family and her husband, a disabled veteran whom she
previously cared for.
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“I’m sitting right next to him in a wheelchair because
of three pills. Three pills. I can’t take care of him.
I can’t take care of myself. We both require 24/7 care
now,” she said.
Smith has now embarked on a mission to raise awareness
and advocate for greater transparency in medical
prescribing practices by creating TikTok videos about
her experience. Despite facing immense challenges,
including ongoing health struggles and the need for
constant care, Smith remains determined to prevent
others from experiencing the same ordeal.
“Always make sure you need an antibiotic for real
before you take one. And if your doctor tells you a
medication is safe, double check,” she said.
Dr. Niva Lubin-Johnson, a former president of the
National Medical Association, underscored the
importance of reevaluating antibiotic prescribing
practices.
“There has been a decrease in the prescribing of
quinolones over the past 10 years. It’s probably
prescribed about two-thirds of the amount that it was
10 years ago. But probably there are ways to go in
terms of the need to look at other alternatives,”
Lubin-Johnson said.
She cautioned that while some adverse effects may be
reversible, neurological damage, like that experienced
by Smith, often persists indefinitely."
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