Post-Antibiotic Symptoms

When symptoms start after a round of antibiotics: what “floxed” means and why it deserves attention

“I took that round of antibiotics, and I have not been the same since.”

Over the years I heard those words more times than I can count. People came to me with chronic pain, tendon problems, or brain fog that started right after taking a specific class of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. You might know them as Cipro or Levaquin.

Among people who have been through it, this is called being “floxed.” The medical term is Fluoroquinolone Associated Disability Syndrome, or FQAD. In my experience, it is much more common than most health care practitioners realize.

This has been a major area of interest for me. I have personal friends who were floxed, in addition to many people I cared for over the years.

My daughter and I recorded a video discussion on this topic that got over 20,000 views. The comment section was heartbreaking. Hundreds of people shared the same story of long-term side effects that never went away.

Here is a twist that might surprise you. Some researchers believe there is a link between this kind of toxicity and Gulf War Illness.

During the first Gulf War, troops were given Cipro to protect them from anthrax. Many of them came home with chronic fatigue and neurological issues. Those symptoms look very similar to what I saw in people who had been floxed.

One woman took Cipro for a simple infection. Weeks later, she developed severe tendon pain and brain fog. It did not go away. She has felt like a different person ever since.

These drugs do save lives. But they carry serious risks.

In my opinion, fluoroquinolones should be reserved for life-threatening situations where there is no other choice. They should not be handed out for routine infections like sinusitis or uncomplicated UTIs.

If you have ever taken an antibiotic that seemed to cause lasting problems, you are not alone. Many people share this experience, and it deserves to be taken seriously.

Stay curious and thrive,

Dr. G

Authored by Gerard Guillory, MD

Gerard Guillory, MD, is a board-certified internist who practiced for nearly four decades with a focus on functional, root-cause medicine. He is the author of three books on irritable bowel syndrome and the founder of It’s My Health, where he and his team put current health news in context and help members understand the underlying causes of chronic symptoms.