An age old conundrum……which came first, the chicken or the egg? Well, one might ask the same question about fibromyalgia, fluoroquinolone toxicity and systemic candidiasis. What commonalities do they share if any? Why do doctors have no problem diagnosing “fibromyalgia” but it’s easier to get blood from a stone than to get a fluoroquinolone toxicity or systemic candidiasis diagnosis even though the symptoms all present the same.
When attempting to get a diagnosis after taking a fluoroquinolone drug (or ANY broad spectrum antibiotic) and experiencing all of the above symptoms and a suitcase full more, victims are routinely told they have fibromyalgia. My conundrum is that fibromyalgia and fluoroquinolone toxicity are exactly mirrored in symptom presentation. There is no criteria for a diagnosis of “fluoroquinolone toxicity” because doctors refuse to consider that a medication designed for ANTHRAX , a chemically synthetic drug with chemotherapeutic properties, can do damage to the nervous system as well as the intestinal tract in the way that fluoroquinolones do. The medical community is not exactly rushing to inform patients that the drug prescribed to them actually caused the patient to become sicker.
Victims who have been injured or disabled by broad spectrum antibiotics such as Levaquin and Cipro will tell a very common story. They experience all the same symptoms of fibromyalgia as well as “Leaky Gut” and many, many more. And by more, I mean very serious adverse events such as liver, heart, kidney damage as well as multiple organ failure, brain function issues and a long list of very serious health risks as well as serious nutritional deficiencies. Leaky gut and complete devastation of healthy gut flora will cause multiple system failure over time. Many victims never see it coming and begin to experience symptoms of fluoroquinolone toxicity months to years after the last pill. My guess is that gut devastation and systemic candida infiltration takes a little time, the nutritional deficiencies are not far behind which only compound the problems. Fibromyalgia suffers will tell of systemic body wide pain and muscle soreness. Just for the record here….Fibromyalgia is not a medical diagnosis…it’s a collections of symptoms. So why has this become so prevalent in the last 10 years? I point the finger directly at the over use of fluoroquinolone drugs such as Cipro and Levaquin and other broad spectrum antibiotics. It may not be the first RX that get you, it’s always the last one that kicks you into Hell.
Also, with fibromyalgia, they have a very long grocery list of drugs they can give you in an attempt to stop your mood disorder, sleep disorder, panic attacks, central nervous and peripheral nervous system damage and any other fibromyalgia symptom someone may have. They have a list of merchandise all lined up. Let’s not forget there are drugs for your irritable bowels because you are such a “nervous Nelly” as well. I wonder just how many Americans are being diagnosed as “fibro patients” when they are actually fluoroquinolone toxicity victims? I use the word victim because no one would actually take these drugs if they were properly informed of the chemical properties, potential risks and outcomes of their use.
So is fluoroquinolone toxicity really fibromyalgia and/or is fibromyalgia really mild to moderate fluoroquinolone toxicity? Is Leaky and systemic candidiasis really at the core of all of this? I know many are also saying “My gut is fine but I hurt all over. WHY? I wonder…..? Let’s look at the descriptions of each.
FIBROMYALGIA
The defining symptoms of fibromyalgia are chronic widespread pain, fatigue, sleep disturbance, and heightened pain in response to tactile pressure (allodynia). Other symptoms may include tingling of the skin (paresthesias), prolonged muscle spasms, weakness in the limbs, nerve pain, muscle twitching, palpitations, and functional bowel disturbances.
Many patients experience cognitive dysfunction (known as “fibrofog”), which may be characterized by impaired concentration, problems with short and long-term memory, short-term memory consolidation, impaired speed of performance, inability to multi-task, cognitive overload, and diminished attention span. Fibromyalgia is often associated with anxiety and depressive symptoms.
FLUOROQUINOLONE TOXICITY
Some of the Central Nervous System effects that can occur include:
Insomnia, Panic/Anxiety,Brain Fog (impaired thinking), Memory loss (including impaired short term memory), Aphasia, Confusion, Abnormal dreams, Headaches , Depersonalization, Depression, Thoughts of suicide, Agitation / personality changes, Hallucinations, Seizures
Peripheral Neuropathy effects include: Tingling, prickling, pins & needles, or numbness, bugs running on skin, water trickling, fabric moving, in arms or legs, allodynia, Buzzing, in arms or legs, Pressure or squeezing feelings, in arms or legs, Feelings of electrical zaps, shocks, or deep stabs, in arms or legs, Burning pain in arms or legs, Pain with normally non-painful touch or hypersensitivity to pain (allodynia), Teeth, mouth, and lip nerve pain, of any kind (shocks, tingling, buzzing, etc.), Facial nerve pain of any kind (Trigeminal neuralgia), Squeezing feelings on head, “Head pressure” feelings, Muscle twitching of small pieces of a muscle independently [Fasciculations], Muscle twitching of whole muscle body (Tremors),Neuralgia (pain along nerve trunk lines).
This is the short list of symptoms but you can now see where I am going with this.
LEAKY GUT / SYSTEMIC CANDIASIS
Symptoms Caused byLEAKY GUT / SYSTEMIC CANDIASISLEAKY GUT / SYSTEMIC CANDIASISLEAKY GUT / SYSTEMIC CANDIASIS Allergies, sensitivities and intolerances that worsen in damp, muggy or moldy places or weather that is damp, muggy, humid or rainy, Hay fever and asthma. Intolerances or allergies to perfumes, odors, fumes, fabric shop odors, grass, cats, dogs or other animals, tobacco smoke, chemicals, smog, molds, dust mites, dust, pollen, and other airborne substances, Athletes’ foot, Babies – colic, diaper rash, thrush (coated white tongue), and cradle cap, Bruising easily, Cheekbone or forehead tenderness, pain, Cold hands or feet, low body temperature, Cold-like symptoms – excessive mucus in the sinuses, nose, throat, bronchial tubes and lungs, Cravings or addictions for sugar, bread, pasta and other high carb foods, and also alcohol, Cysts, abnormal formation of, in different parts of the body, especially around the neck, throat, and ovaries, and in the bladder or scrotum, Digestive problems – diarrhea, constipation, abdominal distention, bloating or pain, gas, mucus in the stools, hiatal hernia, ulcers, suffering from bacteria, i.e. salmonella, E. coli, h. pylori, etc, Ears – ringing in the ears (tinnitus), sounds in the ears, ear infections, dryness, itchiness, ear pain, ear aches, ear discharges, fluid in ears, deafness, abnormal wax build-up, Eyes – erratic vision, spots in front of eyes (eye floaters) and flashing lights; redness, dryness, itching, excessive tearing, inability to tear, etc, Fatigue, chronic fatigue syndrome or Epstein Barr or a feeling of being drained of energy, lethargy, drowsiness, Flu-like symptoms, Glands – swollen, too little saliva (dryness in the mouth), blocked salivary glands, swollen lymph nodes, Hair loss, scum on the scalp, dandruff, itchy scalp, scalp sores and dryness, Heart palpitations and irregular heart beat, Headaches, migraines, brain fog, dizziness, etc, Hemorrhoids, and rectal itching, rash, irritation and redness, Hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), and diabetes, Hypothyroidism, Wilson’s Thyroid Syndrome, Hashimoto’s disease, hyperthyroidism, erratic thyroid function, etc, Irritability, nervousness, jitteriness and panic attacks, Lesions on the skin, and inside the body, i.e. the brain, Male associated problems – jock itch, loss of sex drive, impotence, prostitis, penis infections, difficulty urinating, urinary frequency or urgency, painful intercourse, swollen scrotum, etc, Female health problems – infertility, vaginitis, unusual odors, endometriosis (irregular or painful menstruation), cramps, menstrual irregularities, pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), discharge, painful intercourse, loss of sexual drive, redness or swelling of the vulva and surrounding area, vaginal itching or thrush, burning or redness, or persistent infections, Fungal infections of the skin or nails, i.e. ringworm, saborrheic dermatitis, dark and light patches on the skin (tinea versicolor), etc, Joint pain, stiffness or swelling (arthritis), Kidney and bladder – infections, cystitis (inflammation of the bladder with possible infection), urinary frequency or urgency, low urine output, smelly urine, difficulty urinating, burning pain when urinating, Lack of appetite, Mind and Mood – anxiety attacks, crying spells, memory loss, feeling spaced out, depression(including suicidal feelings), manic feelings, inability to concentrate, mood swings, irritability, etc, Mouth sores or blisters, canker sores, dryness, bad breath, a white coating on the tongue (thrush) and blocked salivary glands, Muscle aches and pain, numbness, burning or tingling, and lack of strength and coordination, Nasal congestion, postnasal drip, itching, dryness, Odor of the feet, hair or body not relieved by washing, Respiratory – cough, bronchitis or pneumonia, pain or tightness in the chest, wheezing, shortness of breath, asthma, Sick all over feeling, Sinus inflammation, swelling and infections, Skin – dryness, dry red patches, acne, pimples, hives, rashes, itching skin, eczema, psoriasis, seborrhoea, ringworm, contact dermatitis, rosacea, etc, Stomach – h. pylori bacteria (causes ulcers), heartburn, indigestion, hiatal hernia, acid reflux, belching, vomiting, burning, stomach pains, needle-like pains, food that seems to sit in the stomach like a lump, etc, Sleep – insomnia, waking up frequently, nightmares, restless sleep, etc, Sore throat, hoarse voice, constant tickle in the throat, laryngitis (loss of voice), etc..
As a fully recovered survivor of Levaquin and some one who has spoken with thousands of victims, I can tell you the reader that every victim I have ever consulted with has every symptom of systemic candidiasis. The question is why? The answer is gut devastation and the resulting devastation of systemic candida leaving the badly damaged bowels. It called “Hyperpermeable Intestines”. A fancy medical term that means the intestinal lining has became more porous, with more holes developing that are larger in size and the screening out process is no longer functioning properly. In short, food particles as well as candida and toxins that would be harmless in the bowel, have leaked out into the blood stream. This floods the body with nasty things that do not belong there, traveling to the brain as well as any organ in the body that receives blood. Your body is now in full on autoimmune overload and it lets you know by screaming out in pain. The toxins do damage to every cell in the body. It’s slow, toxic poison. This poison puts a tremendous strain on the body and cells which results in severe lethargy. The lethargy, in my humble opinion, is the body struggling with oxygen deprivation due to a constant anerobic state caused by the candida overgrowth. This only complicates gut function since candida is a facultative anaerobe, basically meaning it can live in and oxygen rich environment or an oxygen deprived environment so it’s pretty flexible about surroundings and does well no matter what you throw at it. Parasites love this dank, dark low oxygen environment, in fact they thrive in it, as well as fungus. Candida is a yeast, it’s a good healthy and beneficial in a healthy clean environment. It’s the building block of healthy gut flora. In a dank and dark low oxygen environment, it mutates from a good yeast to a very dangerous cousin called a fungus. It’s pretty scary and includes a serious condition called Candida Glabrata which has a 90% mortality rate and Candida Glabrata is presenting in astronomical numbers never seen before. I’m not even going to talk about the parasite infestation we suffer due to the malfunction going on because it’s just too disgusting. Those little critters virtually take over our gut and the result is chronnic weight loss, severe, diarhhea and bathroom descriptions that defy logic and propriety.
For many sufferers of Leaky Gut, this issue is complicated by the fact that oral solution and cleanses are simply out of the question. The same way food particles and toxins leak out, so do those oral candida supplements and candida cleanse products used by the masses. Those work great…unless you are devastated like I was…then you have all your previous symptoms and a toxic reaction to the cleanse. No bueno.
As I mentioned earlier, I am a recovered victim. HOW? you ask. I did it in the most natural way possible. I needed a transdermal solution and I found it is 2 specific essential oils that brought my nightmare to an end in a matter of days. Even I did not believe it. The oils were specifically designed to kill parasites, fungus and bad gut flora that has set up camp in our gut. I had a dramatic lowering of inflammation levels and a colossal boost in oxygen to my body via these all natural organic plant concentrates. The oil designed to kill parasites and candida infestation is a blend of anise, caraway, corriander, fennell, ginger, peppermint and tarragon. These highly concentrated blend of plant extracts have been used for thousands of years as anti-inflammatorie, anti-bacterial, antiparasitic and anti-spasmodics. They work. They work better than the drugs that doctors are pushing on patients.
And who couldn’t use a little boost in energy brought to you by oxygen? Not only does the increase in oxygen give us more energy but it also provides the oxygen needed to heal the gut and cells damaged from the low oxygen environment we had been surviving in for so long.
Whether it’s Fibromyalgia, Fluoroquinolone Toxicity or Systemic Candidiasis, it’s pretty much misery. If it can be stopped it should be. Because all three have no real defined medical classification, we must take personal responsibility for our own recovery and be our own health advocates. Doctors don’t listen, some don’t care. There are pills that dull pain, pills to make us happier, pills to make us sleep and pills to keep us going through the day but there is no pill to heal the damage done to our bodies. Healing does not come in a plastic bottle, it comes from ourselves.
If you would like to read more about my recovery you can do so HERE
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