My flox story - Fluoroquinolone toxicity - (Levaquin)

Summary

In this video, Damian Kelly shares his personal journey with fluoroquinolone toxicity, resulting from antibiotic treatments for UTI symptoms. He discusses the severe and varied symptoms he experienced, including dizziness, numbness, and joint pain, which led to an eventual diagnosis of pelvic floor muscle issues. Damian emphasizes the importance of stress reduction, proper diet, and joining support groups for others dealing with similar issues. He vows to continue documenting his healing process through weekly videos, aiming to help and connect with others facing the same challenges.

Takeaways

• 😷 Damian Kelly shares his personal experience with fluoroquinolone toxicity, aiming to raise awareness and help others.
• 🏠 His journey began in July 2021 when he experienced symptoms similar to a UTI, leading to multiple antibiotic prescriptions.
• 💊 Despite negative test results, Damian was prescribed a series of antibiotics, culminating in Levaquin, which he believes caused severe side effects.
• 🚑 After taking Levaquin, Damian experienced intense dizziness, numbness in his legs, and a heavy sensation in his lower body.
• 🤯 The symptoms progressed to include anxiety, burning sensations in his arms, and tingling throughout his body.
• 🩺 It was later discovered that Damian had pelvic floor muscle issues, not an infection, rendering the antibiotic treatments unnecessary.
• 🌟 Damian emphasizes the importance of stress reduction and meditation as part of his healing process.
• 💊 He highlights the significance of magnesium in his recovery, suggesting it could have been beneficial had he known about it earlier.
• 🔍 Joining support groups for those experiencing fluoroquinolone toxicity has been a source of comfort and understanding for Damian.
• 📹 Damian plans to continue sharing his story and recovery journey through weekly videos, hoping to help others facing similar challenges.

Q & A

What is the main topic of Damian Kelly's video?

The main topic of Damian Kelly's video is his personal experience with fluoroquinoline toxicity and the effects it has had on his body and life.

Why did Damian start experiencing symptoms similar to a UTI?

Damian started experiencing symptoms similar to a UTI, which led him to seek medical help, but the exact cause of these symptoms was not identified in the script.

What was the sequence of antibiotics Damian was prescribed before being given Levaquin?

Damian was prescribed doxycycline, followed by Flagyl, then Bactrim, and finally Levaquin.

What were the initial side effects Damian experienced after taking Levaquin?

After taking Levaquin, Damian initially experienced severe dizziness, numbness in his legs, and a feeling of heaviness in his lower body.

How did Damian's symptoms progress after the initial side effects of Levaquin?

Damian's symptoms progressed to include fainting, burning sensations in his arms, tingling all over his body, itching, and pain in his inner thighs and knees.

What was the eventual diagnosis that explained Damian's symptoms?

After consulting with a urologist, it was determined that Damian had pelvic floor muscle issues, not an infection, which explained his symptoms.

What is Damian's current focus in terms of recovery?

Damian is currently focusing on healing his stomach through diet, stress reduction, and other methods to aid in his recovery from fluoroquinoline toxicity.

What advice does Damian give to others who might be experiencing similar symptoms?

Damian advises others to lower their stress, consider the importance of magnesium, and join support groups to connect with others who understand their experiences.

Why does Damian believe doctors may not be fully informed about fluoroquinoline toxicity?

Damian suggests that doctors may not be fully informed about fluoroquinoline toxicity because they continued to prescribe him antibiotics despite negative test results and did not initially consider the side effects of the drugs.

What is Damian's goal with his video series?

Damian's goal with his video series is to help anyone else going through fluoroquinoline toxicity by sharing his journey, what he's done to heal, and what he continues to do.

How does Damian plan to support others dealing with fluoroquinoline toxicity?

Damian plans to support others by making weekly videos about his diet, supplementation, and other aspects of his healing journey, as well as sharing tips and advice that have helped him.

Outlines

00:00

💊 Introduction to Fluoroquinolone Toxicity

Damian Kelly introduces himself and the purpose of his video, which is to discuss his personal experience with fluoroquinolone toxicity. He shares his journey from the beginning, including the symptoms he experienced and the treatments he underwent. Damian explains that he will be documenting his healing process, including diet and supplementation, with weekly videos. His main goal is to help others who might be going through a similar situation, aiming to assist at least one person in their struggle.

05:02

🚑 The Onset of Symptoms and Misdiagnosis

Damian recounts the start of his journey with fluoroquinolone toxicity, which began in July 2021. As a single father, he initially experienced symptoms similar to a urinary tract infection (UTI) and sought medical help. Despite negative test results, he was prescribed multiple antibiotics, including doxycycline, Flagyl, and Bactrim, none of which alleviated his symptoms. Eventually, he was given Levaquin, a potent antibiotic, which led to severe side effects. He describes the terrifying experience of sudden dizziness and numbness in his legs, which marked the beginning of a series of distressing symptoms that would change his life.

10:03

🌿 Coping and Healing Strategies

Damian shares his ongoing battle with the after-effects of Levaquin, including persistent pain, anxiety, and various physical symptoms. He discusses the misdiagnosis of his condition and the eventual realization that his symptoms were due to fluoroquinolone toxicity. He emphasizes the importance of stress reduction, proper diet, and the role of magnesium in his recovery process. Damian also highlights the value of joining support groups for understanding and solidarity, as he feels that many doctors are not fully informed about the severity of fluoroquinolone toxicity. He concludes by expressing hope for his own recovery and the potential to help others through sharing his experiences.

Keywords

💡Fluoroquinoline toxicity

Fluoroquinoline toxicity refers to the adverse effects that can occur from the use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics, a class of broad-spectrum antibiotics. In the video, the narrator discusses his personal experience with fluoroquinoline toxicity, which includes a range of symptoms such as dizziness, numbness in the legs, and joint pain. The keyword is central to the video's theme as it highlights the unintended consequences of antibiotic use.

💡Levaquin

Levaquin is a brand name for the antibiotic levofloxacin, which belongs to the fluoroquinolone class. In the script, the narrator mentions taking Levaquin as a prescribed medication, which he later connects to the onset of his symptoms. Levaquin is a key term as it is the specific drug that the narrator believes caused his toxicity symptoms.

💡UTI symptoms

UTI stands for Urinary Tract Infection, which is characterized by symptoms like frequent urination, pain during urination, and a burning sensation. The narrator initially experiences UTI-like symptoms, prompting his visit to the ER and subsequent antibiotic treatments. This term is important as it sets the stage for the medical journey described in the video.

💡Doxycycline

Doxycycline is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat various bacterial infections. In the video, it is one of the first antibiotics the narrator is prescribed after experiencing UTI symptoms. The mention of doxycycline illustrates the sequence of antibiotic treatments the narrator underwent before experiencing toxicity.

💡Flagyl

Flagyl is a brand name for the antibiotic metronidazole, used to treat certain types of bacterial and parasitic infections. The narrator is given Flagyl as part of his treatment for UTI symptoms. Its inclusion in the script shows the progression of the narrator's medical treatments and the eventual realization that they may have contributed to his toxicity.

💡Bactrim

Bactrim is a combination antibiotic containing sulfamethoxazole and trimethoprim, used to treat a variety of bacterial infections. The narrator mentions taking Bactrim as the third antibiotic prescribed to him. This term is relevant as it continues the narrative of the narrator's treatment journey and the eventual development of toxicity symptoms.

💡Pelvic floor muscle issues

Pelvic floor muscle issues refer to problems with the muscles that support the pelvic organs. The narrator discovers that he had pelvic floor muscle issues, not an infection, which explains the persistent symptoms he experienced. This term is crucial as it reveals the actual cause of his discomfort, contrasting with the initial UTI misdiagnosis.

💡TMJ

TMJ stands for Temporomandibular Joint disorder, which affects the jaw joint and can cause pain, difficulty in moving the jaw, and clicking sounds. The narrator mentions developing TMJ on one side as a consequence of the fluoroquinoline toxicity. This term is significant as it adds to the list of symptoms and complications the narrator faces due to the drug's side effects.

💡Magnesium

Magnesium is a mineral that is essential for many bodily functions, including nerve and muscle function. The narrator suggests that magnesium supplementation might have helped alleviate his symptoms if he had known about its importance earlier. Magnesium is highlighted as a potential aid in recovery from fluoroquinoline toxicity.

💡Stress reduction

Stress reduction refers to practices or strategies to manage and lower stress levels. The narrator advises viewers to lower their stress as part of the healing process from fluoroquinoline toxicity. This term is relevant as it underscores the importance of mental health in the overall recovery process from physical symptoms.

💡Support groups

Support groups are gatherings of individuals facing similar challenges who provide mutual support and understanding. The narrator recommends joining support groups for those dealing with fluoroquinoline toxicity, as they can offer empathy and shared experiences. This term is important as it emphasizes the value of community in coping with health issues.

Highlights

Damian Kelly shares his personal experience with fluoroquinoline toxicity.

He aims to help others by documenting his journey from the beginning of his symptoms to his current healing process.

Damian's symptoms began in July 2021, after moving into a new apartment and experiencing UTI-like symptoms.

Despite negative test results, Damian was prescribed multiple antibiotics, including Levaquin, which he believes caused his toxicity.

He experienced severe dizziness, numbness in his legs, and a heavy feeling in his lower body after taking Levaquin.

Damian's symptoms progressed to include burning sensations in his arms, tingling, and pain in his inner thighs and knees.

After extensive testing, it was discovered that Damian had pelvic floor muscle issues, not an infection, suggesting the antibiotics were unnecessary.

Damian developed TMJ and swollen lymph nodes, which persist a year and a half later.

He emphasizes the importance of stress reduction and meditation in managing the effects of fluoroquinoline toxicity.

Damian recommends magnesium supplementation as a potential aid in recovery from fluoroquinoline toxicity.

Joining support groups for those experiencing fluoroquinoline toxicity can provide understanding and community.

Damian encourages viewers to stop looking up symptoms to reduce fear and stress.

He plans to release weekly videos detailing his diet, supplementation, and other healing methods.

Damian expresses gratitude for his current state of improvement and acknowledges the variability in how individuals are affected by fluoroquinoline toxicity.

He hopes his videos will raise awareness and help others dealing with similar issues.

Damian concludes by thanking viewers and urging them to like and subscribe to help spread the message.

Transcripts

hey everyone Thanks for tuning in my

name is Damian Kelly and I'm making this

video because I want to discuss

fluoroquinoline toxicity

my experience with it you know what it's

done to my body you know how it's

affected my life so basically the

purpose of this video is to share my

journey through this from the beginning

when it first started

um to now

um what I'm doing to heal what I've done

to heal and what I continue to do so

I will be recording weekly

um whether it's just about

diet or supplementation or

just everything I'm doing you know on

this journey so

stay tuned for that

um

basically my main goal is to just help

anybody else that's going through this

if I can help at least one person then

my goal is complete so

thanks for watching and here's my story

hey everyone so

my journey with this begins

in July of 2021

um somewhere around there

um

I just moved into an apartment with my

two kids on my own

um I'm a single father of two

everything was going good

um

and then I started to have

like UTI type symptoms

um

so I went to I went to the ER

and they gave me a shot in my leg for

one

um an antibiotic shot just to

rule out syphilis

um then they gave me doxycycline

and by the way the the p-test and the

blood tests were both negative for

everything no infection but they still

gave me these things

so I took the I took the doxy for

I'm gonna say

probably a week

and I started having like kidney pains

and just I was dizzy I just I couldn't

handle that antibiotic so

I went back because I still had all the

symptoms

um

got more pee tests more blood tests

still negative for everything

and they gave me a Flagyl

I took the Flagyl

I waited

um

probably

a couple days and the symptoms were

still there I was still having this pain

um

so

I went back to my doctor and

he gave me back to him

so this is the third antibiotic in a row

so I took the Bactrim for

um I'm gonna say probably

a week

and I just felt horrible I couldn't I

couldn't take it anymore so

again I went back

and mind you every time I went back I

got tested again

and it was always negative yet

they kept giving me more antibiotics I

don't understand it

um you would think they would look for a

deeper cause here but anyways the last

time I went back

he gave me Levaquin and he never told me

that this is a really strong antibiotic

it's up to you if you want to take it or

just nothing like that just basically

here's the next antibiotic

we'll see if it works

um

anyways

so I start taking the Levaquin I'm gonna

say I took it about half a week

um

twice a day for about half a week

um and then around that half week Mark

one day

I just got so dizzy out of nowhere and

um

feeling like I was gonna faint like pass

out

like a really

really bad dizziness so I kind of just

laid on my bed and uh got through that

that day and

the next day

I woke up and my legs were completely

asleep like numb I couldn't feel my legs

I was freaking out I called my mom

um

it was horrible to say the least I was

terrified and after a little while of

like hitting my legs and moving them and

they woke up and from that day on

my legs like my lower body just felt

just so heavy every time I stood up

it's hard to explain but it just felt

really heavy and uh

that went on for

a few days and then

I started to

just really be like

trembling and shaky and I felt just

terrible and this and at this point it's

sparking anxiety like really bad

I'm thinking that

that I'm just dying I don't know what's

going on I'm thinking it's the in the

infection like

um of the symptoms I had I never thought

it would it was the antibiotic so

I go to the ER and I can't tell you how

many times during from that time to

I'm just going to say months after that

how many times I went to the ER just

terrified

um

anyways

so

it progressed into that for a while and

then it's like the symptoms just kept

changing and it's really strange

um

it went from that

to just feeling really faint I had to

call my mom to get me off the floor a

few times she had to come over and help

me

um that kind of

dissipated after a little while and then

it turned into

the veins in my arms were just

on fire like burning really bad it's

hard to explain like I had to try to

explain this to doctors and

let me tell you they they they just

think you're crazy

um it's really sad that

we have to go through this alone and

just basically be Shrugged off and told

that it's all in your head when you when

you know that before

before this you this just wasn't your

life you've never experienced this you

know I was a completely different person

before I took those pills like I know

that

you can't tell me otherwise

um

anyways

so

it progressed from that to the burning

of my arms

that finally went away after like a

couple weeks

um and then my entire body was just

pins and needles just tingling

everywhere I would start itching

everywhere

um

that went on for like a month

um

and then my my inner thighs and my knees

started to hurt

um

they were sore for I'm gonna say about a

month

I started to see a a urologist because I

was still having those symptoms

um they were starting to go away but I

was still having them

and

after going to the urologist for a while

we found out that

I had pelvic floor muscle issues that's

all it was the whole time I never had an

infection I never needed to take these

pills and

it's just devastating to know that and

um

anyways

and then from there I started to get

I now have TMJ on my left side

um my lymph nodes are all swollen

they're still swollen a year and a half

later

um still having pain in my jaw my whole

side of my face

um

I'm still foggy headed a lot

um I think it really really destroyed my

stomach

so right now I'm just trying to really

work on healing my stomach and with a

diet and just lowered stress and

um anything really that I can do to to

heal my stomach I'll be making more

videos on that

um

like I said in the beginning weekly I'm

gonna make videos on my on my diet on

everything I'm doing

everything I've done up to this point

um

I can I can say a few things that have

helped me is

to stop

stop looking things up

that's that's a big one because you're

just creating fear for yourself and

stress is just it's gonna tear you apart

um so there's that there's you know

lower your stress meditate

even if you feel horrible and just just

just try to uh

try to just lower your stress if you can

um

magnesium magnesium is a huge thing if I

would have known this in the beginning

I think it could have helped me faster

but like I said I didn't know that the

Levaquin did this to me I uh

I assumed it was tons of other things

before I knew it was the Levaquin I uh

I was on um Prilosec for years so

when this happened I stopped taking that

at the same time

just because I started to be scared to

take anything because of how I felt and

I assumed that

I was having withdrawals from from not

taking that so there was me thinking

that there was me thinking that I have a

crazy infection that's causing me sepsis

or something

uh all kinds of things going through my

mind um

and this progressed for

months and months of me just worrying

about what what what this could be and

then

I stumbled across the Facebook page a

group of people that have taken Levaquin

and cypro and

dealt with fluoroquinolin toxicity and

still dealing with it

um that has helped me a lot so

for another tip I I would say Join one

of those groups they uh

they're very welcoming they understand

when everyone else around you in your

life doesn't understand and I don't

blame I don't blame the people in my

life for not understanding because

you know they don't know they've never

been through this

um I also don't blame the doctor because

I don't think that they're informed you

know I don't think they're fully

informed about this so if they were they

would they would try to help so

anyway

um

yeah that's basically where I'm at

I can say

if I look back now that I have gotten

better I still have a lot of problems in

a long way to go I feel like but

there is hope guys

um

I'm gonna be making videos just

who knows maybe I'll get better and

better and these videos can help

somebody else too I know that we're all

different I know that we're we all have

different things going on we all are

affected differently by it

I'm thankful that I'm not in a

wheelchair or bedridden like some people

um it's really sad what this uh

what these drugs do to people

um but anyways with that thank you guys

for watching my uh my video and don't

forget to like And subscribe so I can

get this out to as many people as

possible so I can possibly help somebody

else dealing with these issues

thank you very much and have a good day