WOMEN'S HEALTH  (UTI's and Cipro)

 
Image by Paul Gauguin

Image by Paul Gauguin

 
 

Women’s Health
(UTIs and Cipro)

Having now taken on my 4th client who has been badly damaged by the pharmaceutical drug most commonly known as “Cipro,” I feel it’s my responsibility to share this information. I posted about this on Instagram a few weeks ago and I was astonished to get over 100 comments from people who had either been damaged by this drug or knew someone who had. Many of you have been suffering from mystery symptoms that were getting worse and, after reading my post, you put the pieces together and traced the beginning of your symptoms directly back to the time you took this drug.

Women are the ones suffering the most from Cipro damage because it’s routinely prescribed for UTIs. Ciprofloxacin is an antibiotic for bacterial infections in the drug class of fluoroquinolone. My clients all reported that when they were prescribed this drug, they questioned their doctor about its safety. They were told that if they didn’t take it, they could risk kidney damage. They were not warned about the severe side effects (like tendon rupture). This drug comes with a black box warning. This is the strongest warning that the FDA requires, and it indicates that the drug carries a risk of serious or even life-threatening adverse effects. (Such as severe kidney/liver damage and death). The symptoms I am treating my clients for are: tendon rupture, chronic widespread pain, chronic fatigue, neurological disorders, depression, brain fog/cognitive impairment, and nerve damage/pain, to name a few. And guess what? This drug didn’t even get rid of their bladder infections. 

I know how scary and painful UTIs are, especially if you get them chronically. But I have successfully treated many patients using homeopathy. There are options. Most UTIs are treatable. The effects of Cipro may not be.

Please be aware that there are other names for this drug: Cetraxal, Otiprio and Ciloxan, Enoxacin, Fleroxacin, Norfloxacin, Sparfloxacin, Tosufloxacin, Lomefloxacin, Ofloxacin. As well as Temafloxin and Grepafloxacintaken, which were taken off the market due to dangerous effects. These are a few of the names this class of drug goes by, but there may be more. 

Many of you don’t know that in addition to being a flower remedy practitioner, I am also a classical homeopath. Homeopathy is a 200-year-old science and natural medicine that uses the body’s own immune system to heal itself. The beauty of it is that it works quickly (when you find the remedy that is a perfect match to your symptoms) and is inexpensive. There is no danger if you take the wrong remedy. It will simply have no effect or it will only remove some of your symptoms. I am not a doctor, nor am I advising you to use homeopathy in place of professional medical care. I have, however, had a lot of success treating clients with chronic UTIs and I want to share my knowledge and experience with you.

“My daughter suffers from chronic UTI’s and is extremely sensitive to a lot of medications. Her gyno put her on Cipro. She told her doctor that she is super sensitive to medication but she was told that she has to try it to get rid of the UTI. She started feeling horrible on her second day of Cipro. Luckily, I already had an appointment with Alexis around this time. After talking to Alexis, my daughter immediately stopped the Cipro and Alexis treated her using homeopathy. She took one dose of the homeopathic remedy and the next day the UTI was gone. She hasn’t complained about anxiety since then either.  Alexis, thank you so much for your help. You’re amazing!!! We are so grateful.”

-Debbie

Below is a chart of remedies to help you determine the correct one. This chart is from a great book called Homeopathic Self-Care by Robert Ullman and Judyth Reichenberg-Ullman. I highly recommend this book for home treatment with homeopathy, as it covers the most common acute ailments and it is very easy to understand.

 
 
 
 

DOSAGE:

  • Give three pellets of 30C every one to two hours until you see improvement.

  • If there is no improvement after three doses, give a different medicine.

  • After you first notice improvement, give another dose only if symptoms begin to return.

  • Higher potencies (200C) usually need to be given only once, but may need to be repeated if the symptoms of the bladder infection are severe or return after initial improvement. 

  • I use the 200C potency when the 30C worked but the benefits are not long-lasting. One dose of a 200C will usually have lasting effects. 

INSTRUCTIONS:
I usually get the Boiron brand. (These are the blue vials you see on a big shelf at health food stores).  Call ahead to makes sure they have yours in stock, or order on Amazon. Twist the cap and dispense 3 pills into the cap. Put the pills directly under your tongue. Make sure your mouth is clean (no food/drink/toothpaste for 15 minutes before or after remedy).

AVOID:
During homeopathic treatment, you must avoid certain substances that can antidote your remedy. This rule applies for a period of time, not just on the day you take your remedy. The number one antidote is COFFEE. Please avoid this, even decaf. You may have tea or other caffeine substances. You should also avoid mint. You can get a non-mint toothpaste (I like Auromere “mint free”). You should avoid coffee and mint until you are 100 percent better from the UTI. I would recommend two weeks symptom-free before you go back on coffee to make sure you don’t have a recurrence. 

IMPORTANT TO ASK YOUR DOC!
If you have not been tested already, ask your doctor to test you for Ureaplasma. This bacteria is a common cause of UTI’s and often goes undiagnosed. It can cause symptoms that feel like a UTI or a yeast infection. The antibiotic they usually prescribe for this is doxycycline. This seems to be effective for Ureaplasma and is a safer, old school antibiotic. You will still need to replenish your gut bacteria afterward with a good probiotic. (They don’t classify Ureaplasma as an STD, but it can be sexually transmitted, so your partner may want to ask about getting tested or do the doxycycline course with you). Colloidal silver is usually what I try first for this kind of thing before I go to the antibiotic route. (See below).

OTHER TIPS FOR UTI HEALTH:

  • Argentyn 23
    If you are sensitive to antibiotics or have had a lot of them and want an alternative to antibiotics, you can add colloidal silver to your homeopathic treatment. This is what I use if I get something that would normally be treated with antibiotics. I have cured recurrent strep and bladder infections with silver. It’s broad-spectrum (meaning it will kill a number of different bacteria) and will not create a drug-resistant (stronger) bacteria.

  • Probiotics are number one (Garden Of Life Urinary Tract+)

  • D-Mannose

  • Avoid coffee 

  • Drink lots of water

  • Avoid sugar

  • Avoid citrus (some may be sensitive, not all)

TREATING CIPRO DAMAGE: 
Cipro damage has a complex and varied symptom picture. For this reason, I can’t advise about homeopathic treatment here. I would recommend a consultation to find the best homeopathic remedy for you (with me or another classical homeopath). However, there are still some things I believe are essential to all who are suffering from Cipro damage.

For the emotional stress and taxing effect on the nervous system: 

FLOWER REMEDIES:

  • I Will -  If you are very depleted, exhausted and feeling hopeless. 

  • Brain Drops - If you're mostly having brain fog and issues with concentration or excessive mental chatter.

  • Safe and Sound - If you have a lot of anxiety. This is very calming to the nervous system.

GUT AND CONNECTIVE TISSUE REPAIR:
Repairing the gut, as well as replenishing your good bacteria killed by the antibiotic is imperative. The following are my favorites for repairing gut lining and healing connective tissue/ tendon damage. 

  • Colostrum - This supplement goes wherever you need help and repairs the connective tissue, gut lining and immune system. Take on empty stomach with lots of water. 

  • Garden Of Life Primal Defense Probiotics  - This is an aggressive probiotic that will implant in the most imbalanced digestive system. Start with one a day and each week add another pill until you reach maintenance of 3-6 pills a day. Take on an empty stomach with lots of water. (Fine to take with colostrum). 

  • Magnesium L -threonate - Dr. Mercola or Vitacost brand is good. 

READING:

ADDITIONAL ADVICE:
My client, Courtney James, a model, health coach and co-author of the book Models Do Eat, had to face a lot of challenges from Cipro damage. She has become something of an expert on the subject and has provided some great additional information.

Here’s what she has to say:

There are so many things that can contribute to the healing of Fluoroquinolone toxicity and I found focusing on detoxification, balancing minerals, boosting mitochondrial function/biogenesis and meditation/relaxation techniques to be the most powerful and healing.

Supplements that I believe played a huge part in my healing are included. First and foremost are the ones that support the detoxification pathways of the body. Oftentimes, those who have violent adverse reactions to fluoroquinolones (like ciprofloxacin) have certain genetic mutations (such as MTHFR or methylation issues) and this can explain why Cipro does damage to some and not others. 

MAGNESIUM L-THREONATE:
Magnesium is CRUCIAL to replenish, as this is often what is depleted in the tendon fibers, connective tissue and is crucial for nerve and brain function. It can sometimes be detrimental to take too much (like anything) so It’s important to support the adrenals with extra sodium and potassium to balance out the magnesium supplementation (happy adrenals have a good balance of magnesium/potassium/sodium). Himalayan salt and potassium-rich foods such as coconut water, avocados and bananas were what helped me with this. Magnesium L-threonate really helped me, as this is a form of magnesium that breaks the blood-brain barrier, which helps most with the anxiety and panic attacks. Some people love ReMag oil, others prefer to bathe in a bath with Magnesium chloride flakes or spray this directly on the skin and/or tendons. 

DETOX/MITOCHONDRIA SUPPORT:
Antioxidants play a HUGE role in mitigating the reactive oxidative species that are created on a cellular level from Cipro and it’s vital to halt this chain reaction of damage and stop it in its tracks.

  • NAC (this boosts glutathione production in the body - the body's’ master antioxidant)

  • Nettle tea infusions and dandelion root teas or tinctures (beneficial for extra minerals and also to help increase bile production and support the liver during detoxification. They can also help clean the kidneys and urinary tract whilst the body is healing. I love this one by Wooden Spoon Herbs)

  • Ubiquinol combined with PQQ can be a great mitochondrial booster. Also, PQQ has been shown in studies to form brand new mitochondria. 

GUT REPAIR:

  • Saccharomyces Boulardi is great to take for a few months following the course of Cipro

  • Multi strain probiotic (Megafoods, Seed, Garden of Life, Dr. Mercola are ones I like). 

  • L-glutamine

  • Organic bone broths

  • Grass-fed butter

  • Herbs (marshmallow root, slippery elm)

TO HELP WITH NEUROPATHY:

  • Acetyl l-carnitine

  • R-alpha lipoic acid

  • Lion's mane is a medicinal mushroom also said to promote the growth of the myelin sheathing, which is the protective covering of the nerve. 

FOOD:
Food is your medicine during this time, so make sure to get some good healthy fats (NOT  from soy, nor nuts/seed oils). Olive oil, coconut oil and grass-fed butter are the best, as well as organic bone broths. Easy to digest cooked foods are all supportive of healing the gut and replenishing a good gut balance.

To feed the nerves, cooking organic food, juicing, plenty of fresh vegetables and some fruit are all good diet tricks to implement to support healing.

OTHER HELPFUL SUPPORTIVE MEASURES:

  • Infrared saunas (Alexis uses her Sunlighten and loves it)

  • Detox baths (with borax, magnesium chloride, baking soda and essential oils)

  • Dry skin brushing for the lymphatic system

  • Alternating hot and cold (hot bath, cold plunge) is wonderful for lymphatic drainage

  • Sunbathing

Note: Low and slow is the way to go though (particularly when it comes to saunas), so make sure to be careful to not overdo it. 

SLEEP:

  • Sleep is also of high importance as the body regenerates during this time. Anything to support the nervous system as it repairs, such as flower remedies, meditation and relaxation techniques, is almost more important than anything. The more I was relaxed and out of ‘fight or flight’ the quicker I healed!

From Alexis To All Women:

Women are such a wonderful source of health information for each other. Before the last 100 years, we lived in communities where women were the healers, herbalists and midwives, treating one another, sharing plant and folk wisdom that had been handed down from our mothers and grandmothers, and even further back. We have all been through similar things and our experiences are valuable to help spread awareness, allay fear, and remind us that the body possesses infinite wisdom and does know how to heal itself when we give it what it needs.  Let’s continue the conversation and keep sharing. 

Love, 
Alexis

 
Alexis Smart