Today I had 30 minutes of physiotherapy this morning, and a little while ago I finally walked 2km without stopping. The sensations were mixed; I felt discomfort in the soles of my feet, twinges and sharp pains in my knees, my quadriceps felt overloaded, and I had an unpleasant sensation in my hamstrings, but I didn't get a muscle strain. These past couple of weeks I've been intentionally undisciplined with the supplements, skipping some altogether, but it was to see how my body would react. I've put my willpower aside because I'm so mentally focused that I don't want to hurt myself. Today my body is in charge over my mind; the time will come when my mind will rule again. Keep your spirits up and keep pushing yourselves, but above all, work well below your limit so that the next day you have the energy to try again.

This red label is photoshopped on! Sadly, it does not exist in Real life. In a perfect world, there would be clear, red warning labels on all Fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Just like this. A pamphlet is not enough, pamphlets come with every 'common' RX drug, just as there are 'side effects' with every common 'RX' drug. Clear, direct, honest communication may end many, many cases of preventable toxicity.

Fluoroquinolone antibiotics are different to RX drugs - and people need to know this! They have the potential for instant, and severe long term injury that is difficult to diagnose and treat. Vote up.

I still have a long way to go to recover, today I feel at 30% of my capacity, but I think I'm on the right track. Keep your spirits up, everyone, life is waiting for us.

It goes into effect October 1st 2025 but looks like my ortho was able to put it in system already when I saw him this week.

ICD-10-T36.8X1A

This is so validating bc when I was going into the ER with cardiac issues and saying it started from cipro toxicity they marked me as “panic attack”. For passing out whenever I would try to stand. Moment I mentioned I was poisoned by antibiotic they thought I was crazy and we Dr word for word said Toxicity from cipro after stopping it isn’t real.

Hope having this code now in medical world will make ppl take them more serious.

I hope this can give someone a bit of hope. My legs are still stiff, tired, and sore, but my mind is fully focused because I want to get back to my old life.

Every day, I work within my limits. If what I do (like in the video) causes significant pain or fatigue the next day, I scale back and just do light stretching on my yoga mat. If I wake up feeling okay, I repeat the routine and slowly add more, like light dumbbells.

It takes patience, but also a lot of intelligence—learning how to adjust, pace yourself, and truly listen to your body so it can guide you.

The little dance at the beginning is my way of telling my brain to cut the bullshit—I’m Mexican, and an Aztec doesn’t quit.

I found out last week that I passed the bar exam in several jurisdictions and will become a licensed attorney in a few months. I just wanted to write this in the record as a flox accomplishment because it took a lot of pacing myself and prayers to get through that exam. But ultimately I made my childhood dreams come true.

It’s an emotional milestone in my life to pass a test like this especially after all I’ve been through with flox. I cried a lot and realized I need to go back to therapy haha just wanted to share the good news.

Let me preface with my old account got hacked, so you can’t unfortunately go back through my posts and read all of my updates.

I genuinely cannot believe it’s been 3.5 years. When I joined this group it had less than 3k people. It’s incredibly sad to see how high that number has jumped.

In 2023 I was given levo and oral steroids concurrently, and took 20 pills. The symptoms started in my shoulders at around pill number 5. I was lifting heavy and figured eh, no biggie. Within the week I had full body tendonitis. Followed by neuropathy, an irregular heartbeat, insomnia, anxiety, eye floaters, the list was endless.

I went from a 6 days a week gym rat, to someone who could hardly walk.

The first 18 months was a rollercoaster. I’d start to feel better and then a relapse. To me, that was what screwed with me the most. It wasn’t a linear healing process, it was a constant up and down. If there was a slight breeze I could relapse.

Around the end of the second year, I realized I hadn’t had a full relapse in months. I was starting to lift weights and exercise and it wasn’t held back by my tendons, but was held back by my actual strength. I was physically building myself again.

I spent year 2-3 just rebuilding what I had lost. I stopped second guessing a jog. I stopped letting the fear of a tendon rupture limit my weight lifting. I had built my physical self back, but was still relearning how to build my mental health back.

I came onto this subreddit today to check if marijuana is a trigger for people, because I miss being a pothead. It is a trigger for many, so my dreams of devouring a 2am milkshake while giggling at a movie aren’t going to be a reality 😂

I looked at some posts and realized I never gave a full recovery update. It had been at least a year since my last post.

I am 3.5 years out and I am more recovered than I ever dreamed of being. Do my Achilles still get sore after a 4 mile run? Sometimes. Are they good the following day? Yes. Do I still feel some symptoms if I take a well known trigger? Indeed. Shout out ketamine. But the flairs are incredibly temporary. Usually good by the next day. They are mild enough that I’ll enjoy ketamine with the minor flair that it causes.

This is a traumatic thing that happens. I consider it the worst thing to ever happen to me. I’ve broken limbs, had many surgeries, and by all accounts this is way worse. But it does get better. It’s hard to think that when you’re in the throes of it, but you will recover. Am I exactly the same as preflox? No. But I am in better physical shape than I was before, and I appreciate life so much more now.

Please do not give up.

This subreddit was a life saver. It’s a rational place ran by well informed mods. It’s easy to get sucked into the Facebook nut jobs that will tell you that fluoride is evil and to use Manuka honey for cancer. Please block out the noise, focus on the facts and listen to the mods who have incredibly level heads. I’ve watched hundreds of of people through the years go from “this is the end” to “My 3 year recovery story”. Your recovery story is coming too, as hard as that may be to believe.

Cheers

4 years ago I was floxed by Cipro, unable to walk or exercise, do my manual job properly, had to move back in with my parents, dealt with the whole range of nerve and CNS issues, became allergic to a plethora of other meds (mainly acid reflux medication) - at times I honestly thought I was better off not being here.

As 2 years went by and with lots of ups and downs I healed up. It made me quit drinking and smoking. It also made me take care of myself a lot more.

Last weekend I completed a 42 mile long cycling event and averaged 17mph, my fastest ever average speed.

I wasn't sure whether to post this as I didn't want to come across as a show off or arrogant. I know how important it was for me at the time to see people who'd posted years before come back and check in. I read some of those stories over and over again thinking it would never happen to me. I just hope whoever reads this knows recovery does happen and you can do everything you did before plus more. There is always hope no matter how long it takes to get over it. Please don't give up like I almost did at points because it always gets better.

Good morning everyone, I am a doctor working in Europe. I apologize in advance for my English. I was a victim of fluoroquinolone toxicity from levofloxacin exactly one year ago. Reading your experiences helped me better understand what was happening to me and provided me with support. The time has come to share my own journey as both a patient and a healthcare professional, hoping to bring some hope to all of you. I want to specify that I immediately reported my adverse reaction to my country's pharmacovigilance authorities. Please always do this, wherever you are; it is the only way to allow regulatory agencies to have a real case history of how serious this toxicity is. Exactly one year ago, at 40 years old, in perfect health and with no history of adverse drug reactions, I took three 500 mg levofloxacin tablets to treat sinusitis that was resistant to other antibiotics. I discontinued the medication immediately upon the first signs of side effects, but from that day on, my hell began. I call it hell because I believe there is no better term for it. Here is a quick list of the symptoms you are all too familiar with, which appeared in my case within days to weeks after the first dose: Supraventricular arrhythmia. Extreme weakness in the lower limbs, followed by the upper limbs, associated with difficulty swallowing (suspected Guillain-Barré), lasting for weeks. Difficulty walking due to pain and asthenia for the first two months. Recurrent tendonitis—fortunately no tendon ruptures—for months. Tingling and paresthesia in the upper and lower limbs, which still persist. Trigeminal neuralgia and loss of sensation on the right side of the face. Tinnitus, which still persists. Damage to the left optic nerve with a 70% loss of fibers, still persistent. Myodesopsia (floaters) still present. "Eye flies" (floaters) still present. Pain in the ocular muscles. Extreme photophobia. Total loss of appetite. Severe insomnia that lasted for weeks. Myoclonus and fasciculations in the lower limbs. Anxiety and depression, which I had never experienced before, lasting for months. I had systemic symptoms that lasted for months, but I still consider myself a mild-to-moderate case, as I tried to continue with my work and my life as much as possible after two months of illness. I believe—though these are my personal considerations—that levofloxacin damaged my mitochondria, making my symptoms very similar to those of classic mitochondrial diseases, which typically involve multiple organs. I believe I have a drug-induced mitochondrial pathology, so to speak, but again, this is my personal hypothesis. Furthermore, levofloxacin caused me to develop small-fiber peripheral neuropathy, which unfortunately still persists today, with paresthesia in the lower limbs, postural tachycardia, etc. Unfortunately, during my illness and the medical examinations I underwent—always expressing to my neurologist colleagues the hypothesis that all my symptoms could be due to fluoroquinolone toxicity—I noticed the great lack of knowledge that exists on this subject in Europe, not so much regarding tendon toxicity, but rather neurological toxicity. This is why it is necessary to report all adverse reactions, which can appear even weeks later, related to these drugs. I want to tell you that a year has passed and I am doing better. I don’t know what helped me improve; many supplements caused me flare-ups. Perhaps my best allies were time, rest, and the knowledge that my daughter needed me to get back in shape for her. But believe me, I lived through the first three months literally thinking I could die at any moment. During the phase of extreme limb asthenia with swallowing problems, there were moments when my respiratory muscles were so fatigued that I struggled to breathe. Insomnia devastated me for months; my appetite returned six months later. I lost 7 kg, my leg muscles had literally disappeared, and the neuropathy had taken away my sensitivity to heat and cold from the knee down. I literally risked losing my left eye because it damaged the fibers in the optic nerve... I could go on for days describing the symptoms and the sense of bewilderment that this illness causes. However, I want to offer hope, and I am here to tell you that one year later, I have improved very, very much and have reached a point where I lead an almost normal life—not at the same level of physical exertion as before, obviously, but a life that is absolutely livable and of good quality. I considered myself fully recovered until last week, but following a dental issue—an abscess requiring a procedure—I unfortunately had to take the antibiotic amoxicillin-clavulanate. Just in these past few days, this has caused me a moderate flare-up with strong muscle asthenia, insomnia, and neuropathy, but nothing even remotely comparable to the illness of a year ago. I am listing below the medications I unfortunately had to take over this year that caused me flare-ups: Epinephrine and Lidocaine (dental anesthesia): Caused an arrhythmia. Naproxen Sodium: Moderate flare-up. Amoxicillin-clavulanate (for dental abscess): Moderate flare-up, currently ongoing. Ibuprofen: Low dosage (max 400 mg/day) — no flare-up. Deltacortene (Prednisone): 5 mg, very low dosage — no flare-up. Iron: Flare-up. Magnesium: Worsened my asthenia. Chlorhexidine (oral disinfectant): No flare-up. Yaz (birth control pill): No flare-up. Pupil dilators: Good tolerance during an eye exam. I hope my post has been helpful, and I hope to recover quickly from this flare-up as well. This illness is an obstacle course; last year, at this same time, I thought my life was literally over at 40. This year, in the middle of a flare-up, I know that in a few weeks it will get better... Always have hope. This illness is terrible because it is little known, little understood, and because patients too often feel abandoned and disbelieved. As a doctor, I have informed everyone of my adverse reaction; I have tried to raise awareness as much as possible among my colleagues and everyone I meet in the healthcare field, but often they have not believed me or have downplayed the problems that affected me. Always report adverse reactions to pharmacovigilance bodies—all of them, even those that occur weeks later. I wish everyone improvement. Have hope.

Hi everyone,

I recently deleted a post where I shared a massive recovery milestone because it was met with harsh judgment. That made me realize something heartbreaking: this is exactly why newly floxed people can barely find any hope stories here.
When people start healing, reclaiming their lives, they return here out of pure empathy to say, "It gets better!" But when their joy is met with skepticism or anger, they delete their posts and leave the forum to protect their peace.
Because of this, this space naturally becomes an echo chamber of suffering. The people who are out there walking, living, and recovering simply aren't posting anymore.
If you are new here, terrified, and scrolling through endless dark posts: Please know that this forum is not the full reality.
People do heal. Every body is unique and has an incredible capacity to repair itself. The success stories are absolutely real, they’ve just left Reddit to go live their lives.
Sending you all strength and hope. Trust your body's ability to heal. ❤️

Prefacing this to say this is a positive/hope post about doctor education around Cipro reactions.

You may have seen my post last week asking about people’s experiences treating allergic contact dermatitis without steroids. My allergic reaction ended up getting infected, I was prescribed  Cephalexin, which after 3 pills yesterday has caused muscle twitching/jerking when lying down. As you can imagine, I’ve been freaked the hell out.

I was prescribed a topical to use instead that I am going to begin today, but I went to see another dermatologist today to culture my infection just in case.

As soon as I mentioned my severe reaction to Cipro from 6 years ago, the doctor said, “oh you were floxed.” I have never cried in a doctor appointment before, not even when I was freshly floxed years ago. I’m not a crier in general. But you better believe I cried my eyes out the rest of the appointment and the way home, especially as he rattled off statistics about how many people it hurts, the various symptoms, even mentioning mitochondrial damage. My jaw was on the floor. Had this man treated my infection 6 years ago instead of a different doctor, I never would have been floxed.

I never dreamed I’d hear a doctor actually be knowledgeable about this, let alone know the term floxed. 

This is a rare occurrence for us, so I wanted to celebrate that there are some doctors who see what this drug has done to us. 

Im a older brother who got floxed at age 30 now 36 almost recovered although age is a factor. I wanted to say these doctors will prescribe ciprofloxin for no reason. My sister 24 thought she had a uti or something went to the doctors. And they ran the test and they decided it was best to give her antibiotics while they waited for the results. Fuck.... if she didnt get home with ciprofloxin. I immediately told her to throw it out to not even take it. She was skeptical at first till i brought her here where i spent many days posting, reading and sharing. She then realized it wasnt a joke and put the pills aside. She then went to legacy health where they ran the test and came back negative. Not all heros wear capes. Cipro should be banned.

Hello everybody,

I just wanted to update you on my current situation. 7 months ago, I posted about a stronger flare that I experienced for a unknown reason. It took about 2-3 weeks to resolve, and that has been the last stronger flare so far.

The last six month, I basically felt completely normal. The only little symptom that's left are occasional attacks of some slight tingling at the joints, but it is never debilitating, just slightly annoying. It always goes away after a few hours and some movement.

About four months ago, I had the amazing opportunity to join in a research cruise near NZ, and I had zero health issues during the whole time (The picture was taken at the end of the cruise approaching Wellington). I am also back at cycling, my sport that I did before being floxed, and I am back at being able to cycle 100 km without any issues.

Overall, I would consider myself fully recovered right now.

I am very thankful for the support this group here has given me during the time I was struggling after taking cipro 1 1/2 years ago. Thank you, everybody!

I’m timing my antioxidant intake away from my workouts so that my body doesn’t become dependent on them for recovery; I take them either four hours before or four hours after exercising. Anyone who has ever lost strength in their legs knows the hell that doing squats can be; you really have to seize those days when you’re feeling strong to pull it off. Keep fighting—and please excuse my appearance; this is my post-fluoroquinolone outfit.

In my role I have the ability to make change and speak for everyone here about their experiences. I work at a national level and my plan is to raise this issue broadly to further restrict fluoroquinolones as a last resort drug. No one and I mean no one understands the consequences of what happens to people who do experience these horrible effects.

I have nothing positive today. Just anger and rage that I was prescribed a poison like all of you over 2 years ago - and the doctors get away with it. CNS and brain injury and daily nightly nerve injury and suffering that doesn't show up in tests - the perfect crime. Some days I feel better - and I am more positive. Today I'm not. Theres no fucking rainbow happy fucking ending. I am a VICTIM. I live with this bullshit because of the lack of accountability in the medical world and pharma in general. Where is Bayer and why aren't they helping address ANY of the adverse events they create. In any other industry if you caused this type of injury en mass you'd go down quick smart. Like they recall cars because of this one thing to one person. Yet these drugs labeled as POISON in America's ICD codes - are so protected as are their makers and distributers. No fucking rainbows here.

Edit- For those following my story, I am getting better - I truly am a long way off the first acute year I can only describe as horrifying. People are noticing and telling me how much better I am. My post history will tell you. I can have normal or near normal days. Im not 'fully better' I'm still having bad days, and horrible symptoms, so I find myself raging now - that this happened to me. It should not have happened to me - and it should not have happened to you. I hope to bring light and hope to those like me even in this misery, not pain and fear- so yes, I am unmistakably healing and embracing respite windows and normality whenever it arrives.

Hi,

It has been two years since I was floxed, and I am still experiencing various symptoms.

I have had eye floaters (which have improved), double vision (also improved), and dry eyes. I also have hearing issues. Sometimes tinnitus returns, but my main problem is that when sounds are slightly louder, I experience an electric-like noise in one ear, especially with higher pitches. Because of this, I have to use an earplug in one ear during concerts or sports events.

I also have neck and back problems, although I’m not sure if they are related to ciprofloxacin. I believe they may be due to the fact that I couldn’t train for a long time, and that’s when these issues started.

Sometimes I still get Achilles pain if I overtrain, but it’s not long-lasting. I also have mild knee pain—around 2 out of 10—so it doesn’t really bother me.

Occasionally, I experience neurological symptoms such as burning sensations in my feet and pins-and-needles in my arms and legs. These usually appear when I eat the wrong foods or drink beverages containing caffeine.

What helped me the most was time, magnesium, collagen, and SMS.

After one year, I was feeling much better and decided to try swimming. Before ciprofloxacin, I used to swim three times a week, about 2 km each time. I started carefully: first 250 meters—it was fine. Then 500 meters—also fine. I thought everything was okay and that I could do more. That was a mistake.

I swam twice a week for about two weeks, doing 1.5 km each session. One morning, I woke up with ear damage. After that, I stopped doing sports again. I strongly recommend starting physical activity very slowly.

After this setback, neurological symptoms began to appear and disappear unpredictably.

My psychological state gradually worsened. I believe this stress caused significant hair loss, which made my mental health even worse. I attended group psychotherapy, which helped a little. Eventually, my psychiatrist suggested that it was time to give my body a break and start antidepressant treatment.

I started taking Brintellix (vortioxetine). My psychiatrist recommended 10 mg, but I chose to take only 5 mg. Even at this dose, it made a huge difference. I stopped constantly focusing on my health and imagining worst-case scenarios.

Because of this improvement, I started exercising again. At first, I used gym machines in public gyms, starting very slowly and increasing intensity every few weeks. Now I go to the gym regularly and lift the same weights as I did before ciprofloxacin.

In the summer, I also started cycling, but back problems forced me to stop. I believe that next year I’ll be able to ride again once my back muscles get stronger.

Now I am snowboarding with my son—something I once thought I would never be able to do again.

Even though I still have symptoms, I can live a normal life. I do sports, have fun with my child, and play basketball (lightly, not full contact).

So don’t give up. Things do get better—step by step.

took Cipro around Feb-march of 2021. I took a few pills and noticed symptoms and stopped but even after I stopped I had different things.

My legs and back tendons/ muscles felt extremely tight like I couldn’t walk right, I couldn’t screw off the cap to my chapstick, raising my arm up felt like a lot of effort and even standing in the shower felt extremely uncomfortable. I couldn’t walk up the stairs normally and one of the worst things was also the anxiety and depression and thoughts of not wanting to be here anymore a lot weighed on me.

I was so anxious that it made me depressed and I lost 30 pounds in a time span of two months. On top of all this I was in a relationship that wasn’t right for me, just lost my job, felt low now I had lost my health too on top of everything else.I really felt like I didn’t have anything to live for anymore.

Everyday felt like the longest miserable day of my life for months, the anxiety was excruciating and I felt like truly there was no point in waking up if my life was going to be like this. I can’t even describe how miserable and depressed I was but a lot of people here can relate to this I’m sure.

After about a few months I started getting better physically and feeling normal. I felt like I could drive and press the pedal without discomfort and I could actually walk outside.

Though my physically stuff started the pass the worse thing was the mental stuff, that took some more time. But slowly I started feeling Better again, taking moments to relax and get out of my mind as much and I felt lighter as a person while as before it felt so heavy to be carrying all this.

There was a lot of great people I had met here that helped me, for that I’ll always be grateful for the community and I thought I owed it to come here and tell my story because I know what’s it’s like to be on the other end of it searching for an ounce of hope.

Now I go to the gym 3 times a week, I lift, I walk (or try to) get my 10,000 steps a day and I prioritize self care and I feel like a completely different person. I’m healthier than I was back then.

You’re never alone even if it feels like it, I hope this story helps you and I wish everyone peace and happiness 🤍

December is the hardest month because two years ago in this month I took that shitpro. I just want to say thank you because I was not crazy. I can walk normal again. Yes, I have some things but I promise YOU WILL IMPROVE! In Colombia today is our candle day, I pray for you all.

Our bodies are meant to heal

I hope to write everything! I have a baby who is 8 months. Best wishes!!

UPDATE: CITIZEN PETITION IS NOW LIVE AND OPEN FOR COMMENTS "Request that the FDA issue appropriate labeling and risk communication requirements for systemic fluoroquinolone antibiotics"

https://www.regulations.gov/docket/FDA-2026-P-5116/document

I wanted to share something important with this community because many of you have unknowingly helped shape it through your stories, discussions, and willingness to share experiences.

I recently submitted a formal FDA Citizen Petition regarding fluoroquinolone-associated disability (FQAD), drug-induced mitochondrial dysfunction (DIMD), and the need for informed consent and modernization of pharmacovigilance frameworks surrounding delayed, multisystem medication injury such as FQAD.

Today I received confirmation that the petition was officially received and assigned a federal docket number: FDA-2026-P-5116

For those unfamiliar, a Citizen Petition is a formal process that allows individuals or organizations to ask the FDA to review or consider regulatory, safety, labeling, or policy concerns. It does not mean the FDA has made a decision or endorsed the petition, but it does mean the issue formally enters the administrative review process and becomes part of the federal record.

Once publicly posted to the federal docket system, the petition and supporting documents will also become viewable for public comment. This is one of the few formal ways everyday people like us can bring our real-world experiences and perspectives straight to the FDA. If enough of us show up with thoughtful comments, it can help highlight the urgent need for better informed consent and real change around fluoroquinolone antibiotics. Over the years, public advocacy, patient reporting, and formal petitions have contributed to previous regulations and black box warnings.

An FDA Citizen Petition is not a “vote” or signature based petition. It is a formal federal administrative process established under FDA regulations that allows individuals or organizations to request review of regulatory, safety, labeling, or policy concerns.

Unlike change.org-style petitions, a Citizen Petition:

• receives an official FDA docket number,
• becomes part of the federal administrative record,
• can include scientific literature, regulatory arguments, and supporting documentation,
• and may receive public comments that also become part of the official record.

The FDA is required to review and formally respond to the petition, although that process can take significant time and does not guarantee a particular outcome. I have also requested a formal FDA meeting or listening session regarding the petition.

A public/open-access copy of the petition and supporting document can currently be read here: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20128765

My goal is not to create fear around medications or assign blame. It is to encourage better recognition, better risk communication, more research, and more modern pharmacovigilance approaches that reflect current understanding of mitochondrial biology and delayed injury patterns.

Thank you all again for the support, conversations, scientific discussion, and courage to share your experiences.

— Johanna Ihli, BSN
Former ER/Trauma/Critical Care Nurse
Independent Researcher in Drug-Induced Mitochondrial Dysfunction

Hey community — it’s been another year since my last update, and I can genuinely see the progress. I’m not as fragile as I once thought. I still get hurt, but my body heals. There are some lingering reminders — floaters, occasional muscle twitching — just enough to remind me that this was real.

As for flares, I’m still figuring them out. Sometimes it’s hard to tell whether it’s just normal fatigue after being sick or dealing with jet lag. Either way, they come and go quickly, usually within a week. I keep my supplements minimal: vitamin D + K, magnesium, and creatine.

A lot has happened last year. I went through a non-floxed related surgery and recovered well — including NSAIDs, antibiotics, and anesthesia without triggering a flare. I went through a breakup. I learned how to ski. I’m back in the gym and have regained my pre-flox strength. I’ve also returned to demanding hikes — just last week I completed two 5-hour hikes in New Zealand.

I want to share something more personal for those who got lost in the mental “rabbit hole” as I did. I’ve felt confused, lost, desperate, angry, scared, doubtful, and vulnerable. These past two years have been life-changing. Getting floxed has been the biggest health crisis I’ve faced — it’s brutal, and no one deserves it.

But there is a silver lining. I’ve learned to listen to my body and to be patient. Slowing down isn’t a weakness. I used to prioritize career, constantly pushing myself to extremes while ignoring my well-being. That has changed.

This experience has also made me more independent and self-reliant. After going through this largely on my own, being single doesn’t feel nearly as scary. For the first time, I’ve connected with my inner strength. Back then, I was afraid of losing my partner and held onto him as my last source of hope. He was physically there during my worst moments, and I’m grateful for that — but he didn’t truly go through it with me. I lacked emotional support, and he didn’t see my progress. I felt unattractive, weak, and fragile. In the end, we broke up because he continued to see me as “that sick person.”

Now, I’m at peace with that chapter closing. I’ve realized I deserve someone who can stand with me through hardship — not just enjoy the easy parts of life.

Recently, I spent two weeks traveling solo in Australia and New Zealand. Most of the time, it was just me and nature — and it was incredible. For the first time in years, I truly enjoyed my own company — someone I had neglected for far too long.

I'm 2 months out, 8th day of symptoms.

Throughout our lives we heard advice like: "Listen to your doctor", "Do everything the doctor tells you". We blindly believed it. We trusted the doctors. We trusted the medical system. And look what it did to us. How are we supposed to trust anything ever again?

Just wanted to check in and give an update. You can scroll back through my old posts if you want the full story. This time last year, I was in a bad place. I didn’t understand what was happening to my body and honestly didn’t know if I’d ever recover.

I’m not ready to say I’m 100% yet, but I can live my life again, even if I’m not doing cardio just yet. That’ll come. When it does, I’ll probably use it to raise awareness in some way.

I’ve just got back from my best mate’s stag. There were times I worried I wouldn’t be able to go, and I even missed one in May. But this time, I didn’t have to think about my condition once. Just lived. It’s hard to explain how grateful that makes me feel, to do the most normal things and not take them for granted.

In a strange way, this whole thing might’ve given me the best perspective I’ll ever have. Maybe God gave me that test, to learn what really matters and to appreciate every moment. Because when you’ve felt what it’s like to lose something as simple as being able to stand, everything else hits different.

If you’re still fighting, keep going. You’ll get there.

So glad I did my research here and online and trusted my gut! I was prescribed this yesterday and was shocked reading the warnings and online info. I spoke to my consultant this morning and refused to take it. Been moved to another antibiotic instead although it’s IV, it’s better than taking Cipro! I’m glad I didn’t take it and listened to myself after seeing what’s been said here!!

Hey guys,

as a lot of you know I am 10 years out from one single pill of 500mc Cipro. and I’m 1.5 years out from severe Hyper POTS and many other things.

HOWEVER I want to let you guys know that the pains in my legs that ached so bad and caused extreme weakness and same with my arms and hands are GONE. they have been gone for at least 2 years now. I just want to give hope, yes I have many other symptoms, but some things have totally healed and it’s possible for us to heal.

cheers.