August 30th.  People of the world, my research has paid off.  FINALLY!  Scream it from the rooftops because I think I've found the solution to my residual problems.  Peripheral Neuropathy is what they call this hell.  Researched until I was blue, matched up my symptoms and lo and behold this is it.  The crap that Cipro left behind.  I gave up on all the Quinolone sites with "don't take anything" to "take a ton of magnesium" and my favorite "The nerve damage may be permanent."  NOT HELPING.  The magnesium got it out of my system but the damage is still here.  So to all those suffering the same hell, here's what I've learned.  For years in Germany (seems they know a few things more than America from some other things I found), they have prescribed something called Benfotiamine in combination with another B vitamin for Diabetes.  BUT is not your regular over the counter B-vitamin.  Benfotiamine is a lipid (fat) soluble form of Vitamin B1 (thiamine).  Found in very small quantities within roasted, crushed garlic and other vegetables such as onions, shallots and leeks.  Also, another substance I found was Methyl B12, again, not the run of the mill B-vitamin.  Methyl B12 (Methylcobalamine) is the form of vitamin B12 that can be directly utilized by the body.  Apparently, the 2 together can help with all sorts of things, including: Neuropathy, Sciatica (wish I'd known that for my dad), general nerve help, lower blood pressure and more.  Just do a search on either one of these and all sorts of studies and such will come up.  So, with this in mind, back to LuckyVitamin and ordered today.

 

This week - change to my vitamin and supplement regime.  What I'm taking now:
8 a.m. 1 packet Emergen-C
1 - 500mg MSM
1 - 1000mg Glucosamine Sulfate
1 - B-50 Complex
1 - 600mg NAC (N-acetyl Cysteine)
1 - 10mg Lycopene
1 - 50mg Grape Seed Extract
1 - 250mg Magnesium
2 p.m. 1 - 500mg MSM
1 - 250mg L-Carnitine
1 - 50mg Alpha Lipoic Acid
8 p.m. 1 packet Emergen-C
1 - 500mg MSM
1 - 1000mg Glucosamine Sulfate
1 - Acidophilus
1 - 250mg Magnesium
9 p.m. 2 - 300mcg Melatonin (if needed, not suffering too much)
1 - Valerian Root (when the pain is extreme)
  TO BE ADDED WHEN IT GETS HERE:
1 - 150mg Benfotiamine - 4x day
1 - 1000mcg Methyl B12 - 2x day
On my diet:  1 cup hot green tea 3x day (I like it), I drink water, some fruit juice and smoothies (my mom makes them with milk & yogurt, YUM).  I haven't changed my eating habits other than cut way down on eating out.  I eat moderate amounts of chicken, meats and fish (yes, I know, I've heard that some have problems but this is not the case with me), spinach salads, lots of lovely sprouts in all sandwiches and salads.  Everything in moderation, as they say. 
On my exercise:  I hobble around the house and force myself to tackle walking around a shop or two, in mild pain (stopping when it gets bad).  Sit here, researching and typing even though my legs still have the pains here and there.  The trick here is to keep moving as much as I can (I can't have my muscles going down to where it would take too long to come back).  I'm not out running miles and don't intend to (not that I ever did).  I need to be able to stand on my feet and work on this house without feeling like I just want to come out of my skin from these strange pains (feels rather like broken glass or razor blades on different areas of the skin).  It would be fantastic to sleep again without feeling the sheets as sandpaper or having to prop myself up with pillows in all sorts of odd directions. 

At the end of the day, what does this mean for floxed people everywhere?  There is hope and there might be a solution that is natural and long-lasting!   I'd do a dance but I still hurt. 

September 1st.  Last night was a disaster.  A frightening new symptom emerged - dizziness.  Not normal dizziness mind you.  At about 8 p.m. last night I noticed I was a little dizzy feeling as I looked at the computer.  I just figured I was tired and needed to quit.  From that point on it got worse.  By 10 p.m. I was looking at the TV as it swam back and forth.  Went to sleep, woke up at 1:30 in the morning with the whole room rocking back and forth like a ship.  Alarmed I went to take my blood pressure - normal.  Then went on the net this morning and there it was - another symptom of peripheral neuropathy caused by Cipro.  So we took off first thing to town to pick up the Benfotiamine and Methyl B-12 (couldn't wait for what I'd ordered).  I don't want to see the next level of this reaction.  Started taking it today.

September 2nd.  Well, no reappearance of the dizziness.  Hopefully the B-vitamins have started their magic, although I know it will take some time.  Mom's symptoms from the Lisinopril she's been on have her on the couch again, doubled over in stomach pain.  I did a lot of research and came up with an action plan of supplements and herbs to control the blood pressure - BUT the urinary problems have gone on way too long.  Time to make that appointment with Dr. Shafi for her.

September 3rd.  I can't say that I've seen any benefits just yet from the B-vitamins, although in all fairness I didn't expect to see anything magical happen real fast.  I got rid of the heel inserts and that's just as good, if not better than it was with them.  I started putting a very light pressure on my heels for short walks (about 10 feet) to try and get them used to it again.  No ill effects from that so I'll keep it up daily.  Before when I tried I wound up in horrible agony that same night so perhaps the B-vitamins are doing something (and no reoccurrence with dizziness).  The truth is it takes time for the body to heal.  I read an excellent article on peripheral neuropathy that put things into perspective for me.  Turns out that Cipro ate away portions of the outside of the nerves, kind of like an electrical wire without the protective plastic coating.  That explains A LOT.  From that point the electrical signals get intensified and spark all over the body intermittently.  Thank god to the diabetics, without whom I would not have made this discovery.  This has many of the same symptoms of their neuropathy.  Bad news - takes a bit of time for nerves to regenerate, so I expect 6-9 months to get back to walking and standing without difficulty.  So again, I can blame that bitch Denise Woods RN and her poison Cipro for temporarily disabling me.  Not to mention the hell with the other medications she prescribed for my mom.  Turns out Lisinopril has a lot of side effects that develop over time, non-disclosed of course.  In England a patient is required to have their blood pressure checked 3 times before any medicine is prescribed, to make sure it's not an isolated incidence.  Here, just tell them you tickle and they'll write one out.  Booooo to the American health care system.

September 4th.  It's working.  I couldn't believe it myself with the incremental progress, but people, IT'S WORKING.  I can now walk more and more and at the end of the day I don't have horrific pain spasms.  Slowly, granted, but it's definitely working.  I still can't stand still in one spot for too long but it's way better than before.  I even DROVE today can you believe, granted on cruise control, but before I couldn't even stand to sit in the car for the pain in my heels and ankles.  I might actually be able to use the tractor and mow the overgrown yard in a day or two!  Woopee!