Hi John
Well like you I took the Doc's advice and took the tablets, I took 12 x 500mg over 6 days before I couldn't stand the side effects anymore and called the consultants secretary and told them I wasn't taking them anymore (it was for a suspected Urinary/prostate infection)
The initial side effects while I was taking the tablets were mainly severe anxiety, but also they seriously upset my stomach with bad stomach pains, I was also taking Diclofenac at the same time, and from what I've read you should not take NSAID's and Cipro at the same time as it makes the side effects worse (if that were possible)
The bad bit kicked in about 2 weeks after I stopped taking them, with really bad muscle cramps in my upper body, chest. shoulders etc along with anxiety.
The anxiety got to a point where I couldn't walk out the front door to go to work - I just froze - thats a hard one to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it. My GP put me on Lorazepam which really helped the muscle pain and anxiety - for me it worked like a dream but it's really addictive so I'm trying to come off it and change to pregabalin which is less adictive but it doesn't seem to be doing much and I still need a small 0.5 mg dose of Lorazepam to keep things under control.
The main symptoms 5 months on are pretty bad headaches all the time, they mainly feel like tension in the head but sometimes really sharp pains, severe neck and back pain and muscle cramps, pains in most joints of legs and arms.
I've kept the details from most of the family and only my partner really knows, she is very supportive but I've had some really bad depression at times and understandably she gets very frustrated because of my negative and angry behaviour.
I think I;ve been lucky comparatively, from what you have experienced, although I'm constantly worried things will take a turn for the worse because of what I'v read about symptoms appearing for a long time afterwards.
Sorry, this is turning into a very long post, but yes I found the daily mail story and I actually contacted the journalist who did the piece and had a chat with her. I'm not sure I've seen the New York Times one though.
Have you tried any of the suggested "detox" methods that are around like taking Iodine and other supplements and some other ones - I think Boron or Borax is a possible as well but I really don't know how safe or effective they might be.
cheers
Mike