JAMIE LAURA Age 39, Fort Myers, FL

The following is just what I have documented, I know of at least 3 other Fluoroquinolone scripts: In 2007, I was given Doxycycline for a minor infection, to which I had an allergic skin reaction. I was then given Factive (a Fluoroquinolone) along with Prednisone to stave off the potential skin reaction. I had a similar reaction, was then given Cipro with Prednisone. Again, had a skin reaction. All three antibiotics went on my allergy list. I started having breathing issues, severe chest pains, suddenly started having asthma attacks and my hair was falling out in chunks (when it grew back, it came in very curly). I was diagnosed with chronic sinus infections, pneumonia, pleurisy and severe uncontrolled allergic asthma with a severe allergy to dust mites. I went to the ER in 2008 for severe kidney pain and vomiting, I was given Levaquin, though Cipro and Factive were both on my allergy list (I didn't know they were all in the same class). I had hallucinations while on it and threw out my right shoulder throwing something away, I heard a loud pop (x-rays showed no dislocation). Noticed the Black Box Warning, but thought nothing of it. My breathing issues had gotten worse, and it started feeling like I was wearing a really tight corset at all times, more and more asthma attacks, and my chronic sinus infections continued, insomnia started and on and off UTI's (or it turns out it was probably always Interstitial Cystitis). My doctor decided that my reaction to the antibiotics in 07 was a fluke and wanted to try Doxycycline again. And again had a serious skin reaction. He, then wanted to try Cipro along with Prednisone again. No skin reaction! But, afterward, I started having issues with my joints going out on me and still had breathing issues, sinus infections etc. Went back to the doctor, he gave me prednisone and 7 days later another script for Cipro. I felt better for a few days, then everything came back worse than ever. Joints became very painful and intermittently going painfully weak, falling often. I heard the same pop with my ankle while stretching one day. Started having severe vertigo and vomiting. I went back to my doctor, he gave me another script for Cipro. This time it didn't help at all, so 7 days later I was given another script of Prednisone. At this point my with blood count was 28, 000 had been tested for MS, Lupus, hemochromatosis, leukemia etc and had a CT scan of my brain to look for a tumor in one area. I kept getting worse. I started having an intestinal bleed and the breathing issue had gotten a bit worse. I went to the ER

again, they gave me Cipro. Three days later I went back, the bleeding had worsened and the breathing issue was unbearable. They admitted me and stopped the Cipro and started IV Levaquin and Ketoconazole, and some breathing treatments. After a bunch of tests, I was released three days later with a script for Levaquin. A few days later, I was worse than ever. On top of everything, I started having involuntary movements in my arms and shoulders and my legs would stiffen up (I wouldn't be able to straighten them out) and during asthma attacks, my fingers would claw up (I would find out later this was dystonia). I started stuttering and had vocalizations from the back of my throat, it sounded like pig noises at first and my voice would get very faint and raspy. Walking became difficult and my tendons always felt like they were on the verge of snapping. My hips, knees and ankles continued to go out on me. X-rays showed significant degeneration in my hips and knees. My asthma had gotten so bad that I couldn't walk more than a few feet without setting off an attack, I would find out later that these were anemia-derived asthma attacks. Soon after, my asthma attacks would set off generalized dystonic attacks (along with other triggers). I was having 20-25 dystonic attacks, lasting 20 or so minutes, a day when they first started. During an attack, my neck flicks back, violently, over and over, my right eyebrow up, left eye closes, eyes roll back, mouth grimacing to the right, my tongue (making a guh sound in the back and a ta sound in the front of the tongue) and throat spasm over and over, it feels like my diaphragm stiffens up, or possibly spams, my left shoulder shifts up while my right shifts down, painfully, over and over. My right arm twists outward while my left twists inward and my arms pull upward, toward my body. My fingers rip back toward my body over and over. My hips shift and twist at my spine. My legs pull toward my body, and sometimes my toes would spread painfully. These were usually very violent and painful, but sometimes they would be somewhat slow. I was almost constantly flicking into dystonic postures and sometimes I would just get stuck in dystonic position. Sometimes just one body part gets dystonic at a time. I was diagnosed with generalized dystonic attacks and posturing. I have severe weakness in my hands, arms and legs, some days I can't raise my arms up without getting completely winded. Vision issues: reading becomes difficult after a few lines, I can't watch anything scrolling or panning -cars driving by in front of me- it's as if my brain can't keep up with my vision at times. Tremors: started with left pinky, moved to pointer and thumb, then whole left hand, then right hand, and nodding/head bobble. Fasciculations throughout my entire body, swallowing issues, my feet curl up, arrhythmia, depression/depersonalization. I have also been diagnosed with pernicious and iron anemia, psoriasis and ulcerative colitis. MRI of my brain shows a large and oddly shaped lipoma, 2 of my doctors feel it hasn't any bearing on what's happening. I hope that doctors will learn to, at least, prescribe Fluoroquinolones responsibly; in life or death situations. But also know well enough to warn their patients of the potential side effects, know how to recognize these side effects when faced with them and then, one day, know what to do to help those who suffer from them.