September 15th.  OK, I skipped the last week on reporting.  Hurricane Ike made landing and we were busy preparing both before and after.  I'm happy to say with only one gutter affected.  My heart goes out to everyone else who lost houses and electricity.  It's a madhouse in Houston (just returned), you'd think it was a permanent situation with people buying generators, air conditioners, tons of gas cans and the grocery store shelves being wiped clean. 

Anyway, you're not here for that.  On with the Cipro report.  I signed up with a couple of message boards and thought I'd share my information with others.  I'm not sure some people want good news.  I received an email from a guy with a BIG chip on his shoulder and here's what he said:   

I received a message from you about how to help myself by following your regimen listed on your site but for some reason that site will not let me reply. So seven weeks out you've found a "cure" because you read some websites and threw together a supplement regimen. Sorry to break it to you but you're only out of the acute phase so of course you feel better for the moment. Give it a few more months before offering hope. Also, since there are no levels of fluoroquinolone poisoning, you can't classify yourself as a MILD case. The internet won't make you an expert since we have no official medical studies and even Boomers bible has inaccuracies. No supplement configuration can halt the effects of a drug that can penetrate tissues in the nervous system. You're peeing out almost all the vitamins you listed and blurbs about what they do are irrelevant because the truth is that they very little to improve your condition. Magnesium may help for cramps but the rest of what you're taking is literally going to waste in your system. I learned months ago that its a fools hope. Only meeting others who are floxed and going through hell like I have been through, will you learn that the only way to recover is time and some things are permanent. Remember, I've been at this for a long time. Don't get me wrong, I like your passion, but your knowledge seems too quickly learned on this matter I'm afraid. Also, I hope you're through with all of this and get better but I highly doubt its was because of what you were taking. I know too many people who have done the exact some thing, only to cycle again a couple months later. Its still too early for you to know for sure, and everyones reaction is different.

Don't hate people.  I know, it sucks to be sick but COME ON, there's nothing so bad as a dog you try to help that bites the hell out of you.  I feel sorry for the guy though and told him so.  If you've been going through this shit for years or if you've received a severe case, then yes, what I've done may not work for you.  What I will tell you is what I suspect, which may or may not be true.  I suspect that everyone has a different reaction based on a few very important factors.  If you had enough magnesium in your system to begin with.  How long you took the drug for.  If you took any other drugs before that.  If your immune system was compromised to begin with.  Those factors more than likely determine whether you will get better.  If you will cycle probably depends on if you take any further drugs, if you have kept up a regimen of vitamins and supplements to support your system and finally if you jumped back in and run 5 miles a day immediately (don't laugh, I've read people do that).

Number 1 rule.  Keep a positive attitude.  It's hard, I know, but find the small progress each day as a victory.  You have to become a warrior to survive this, otherwise you will become embittered like the guy above.  Contrary to his opinion you are not "peeing out" all you invest in your health with supplements.  Some you do I'll agree, but if you research you'll see what I mean (taking high doses of regular B vitamins you will pee out, not so with Methyl B-12 and Benfotiamine).     

Progress report now, all is well.  I can now stand in my tile shower without having my feet being in pain.  I did do something a bit stupid in preparing for the hurricane, so I have set myself back a little.  I shut the front gate which was covered in vines and had to force it pretty hard, so I pulled a muscle in my hip.  I keep forgetting the muscles are still fragile.  Two days with hip pain but it is getting better.  Word to the wise, it takes time for the entire body to recover and as you get well you will forget and attempt things you're not ready for.  It's that time of the month too so I've had bad headaches for the last 2 days.  I did a lot of research on that and found some remedies so am fine today.  What can I say, my mother even told me I wasn't walking like a cripple today so I guess that tells you the story.  It's working.  I'm getting there.  I even threw out the advice I've read on other sites that say Vitamin E and Evening Primrose are bad with this.  There was a reason.  I was desperate to get rid of my headache.  No ill effects.  Don't know if that's true for everyone either but again, I'm just telling you what's working for me.  Most important thing to know folks is that I'm not just throwing random vitamins and minerals in my system.  I've researched HOURS on end to find a fix.  I refuse to go through my life living with remnants of a chemical doing damage in my system and calling myself a "floxie."  Don't be a victim, get up and try to help yourself.  That's my big pep talk of the day.