Blue light photophobia, eyestrain, muscle spasms, pain, twitching
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martin I had a functional vision exam (two hours long, $275) with a place I found locally and had to cancel it because of work last week. I'll definitely schedule again asap. I know this was your recommendation, and I made sure they test for all the things you listed on the previous post. I hope it's something as simple as that as well. Thank you so much 
Blair, please be careful when deciding to continue/discontinue antibiotics.
Levaquin is the brand name for "Levofloxacin", which is a pretty powerful (beefier than Cipro/Ciprofloxacin) systemic antibiotic. I'd have a discussion with your doctor about this - if you have pneumonia, it would never be my first choice unless you've proven unresponsive to other meds. It'll make you good and sick on top of whatever you already have. I don't know if your doctor decided to go straight to the big guns, or if something in your chart would have prompted him/her to jump straight to that, or if you had something less aggressive first... for most pneumonias a "z-pack" of "zithromax" (azithromycin) would be the initial suggestion. (NOTE: I AM NOT A DOCTOR, just an eidetic autodidact!)
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Gurm Exactly!! I am not a fan of anibiotics unless absolutely necessary. I haven't taken them for years. The first day I was in the hospital they wanted to start antibiotics and I refused. That night the nurse came in and said I was positive for mycoplasma pneumonia, only then did I agree to take them. I had the Levaquin and some other antibiotic in an IV for two days, and was sent home with the script for Levaquin and Tamiflu. I was released from the hospital on Sunday, took one Levaquin tablet Monday morning and that was the last one I took. I actually read that antibiotics aren't necessary for mycoplasma and that it clears itself up. I wasn't thinking clearly at all in the hospital, they were giving me dilaudid for a massive headache, and back pain following the spinal tap. And I've always felt that antibiotics mess with my head as well.
I have no idea why he prescribed something so strong. The hospital was really gross with old equipment and when he came in the second day, didn't even know I had tested positive for the mycoplasma or that they'd started antibiotics. He hadn't even read the chart! I really have no primary care dr. I go to this awful clinic to get referrals. I'm supposed to be following up with a cardiologist because the whole reason they wanted to admit me was because of the abnormal EKG's. They aren't sure what it means- one dr said it looks like an EKG of someone who has had congestive heart failure. Great. Never had any issues with my heart before other than tachycardia, which is genetic. So now getting into the clinic to get a referral to a cardiologist, waiting for the referral and waiting for an opening- well the process could take weeks if not months.
I'm continuing to take the Tamiflu but yes... so done with Levaquin and the horrible side effects. I've taken probiotics for years, (I cycle refrigerated Ultimate Flora, Garden of Life & Natren) so I'm trying to repopulate all the good bacteria that was killed off now by megadosing probiotics.
I feel better than I did, but not like myself. And it's been raining here which I usually love, but it's just adding to the depression. I'm so upset about missing so much work (there's only a few weeks until the show wraps and I was only able to work one day then this happened), and just going for a walk would be nice, but cold and rainy weather isn't conducive to getting well. These are times I wish I could snuggle up in front of the tv and watch a good movie.
Thanks so much for your concern. I think I'm probably annoying you guys complaining about these other, new health problems when I know the board is supposed to be about eye strain. I've just really grown to look forward to reading responses on here, and this just happened and has really been physically and mentally challenging for me, on top of already being stressed over the 3 year mark of this brain/eye problem. So Gurm, I really appreciate you taking the time to respond about the antibiotics. <3 Everyone here has been so helpful, you're all extremely smart and I wish we could all get together and talk about stuff. The past 3 years have been so frustrating, and it means more than I can put into words that I found you guys.
Gurm probiotics... I swear by (literally they have changed my life) PB-8
Do you mean you take them all the time or only to recover from an antibiotic cure? If you can disclose, did you target some specific health issue? I guess you are talking of wellness in general and it is not eyestrain related?
AGI I'm not shy - I have diverticular disorder (diverticulosis/diverticulitis). It's well managed with fiber, water, and a reasonable diet but discomfort remains... unless I take the PB-8. A few days on that and my gut is right as rain, and stays that way as long as I take a maintenance dose. Works for my mom also. And I know people without large intestines for whom it works wonders as well.
Been looking around this site for the past month and have found very useful advice but felt I needed to register for an account to warn people about the dangers of taking Quinine. Its a dangerous and lethal drug and I don't recommend anyone ever tries this. I was prescribed quinine years ago for a health issue and had horrendous side effects - dizziness, nose bleeds, severe brain fog. But it was the effect on my brain that the worst. I literally thought I was losing my mind, had severe paranoia and ended up accidentally overdosing, resulting in a trip to A&E. I still have a 4 months memory blank from around that time. I have photos of my 21st birthday party but I don't remember being there. I also left a job around that time but I don't remember if I quit or they fired me.
No one should ever be trying this drug. I felt fine until somewhere in the 3rd month of taking it when the symptoms really started kicking in but my brain was just too fried to know it was the drug that was causing my problems and I kept taking it until my A&E trip. If you need more evidence of just how bad it is google 'US soldiers gulf war quinine' and see what comes up. Not trying to scare people, just inform them.
Larkenn AWW SHIT, so I should stop drinking gin and tonics? Might explain some things, like after I've had 4 or 5 G&T's my brain gets all foggy and if I have like 10 of them I can't remember anything from the night before.
(How was your quinine taken and in what doses? The world has been drinking tonic water for 100+ years now...)
I was prescribed Mepacrine. I can't remember the exact dosage, I just know I took 2 tablets a day. It must have been a pretty strong dose because I had to have regular blood tests to make sure it wasn't damaging my liver. I think you'd be fine drinking tonic water. Though maybe lay off the gin a bit 
Larkenn I use an all natural, alcohol free organic quinine tincture on an as-needed basis. It is the ONLY thing that alleviates the occasional twitching in my eyelid. I'm not sure the difference/what additives are used in pharmaceutical quinine. I would think if it was lethal, it wouldn't be available whether via prescription or herbal. The side effects you experienced sound horrible. I've had absolutely no issues with taking the quinine tincture, but this is valuable information for others nonetheless.
reaganry Thankfully, I never took the two together. I only take quinine when I'm having the twitching, which is an occasional issue and wasn't happening while I was in the hospital. I stopped the antibiotics after two days of IV and one pill the first morning I was home. I will never take Levaquin again and hopefully never need antibiotics for anything again either. Good looking out though! Thank you
Blair Well I'm assuming the pharmaceutical quinine is pure quinine. It was mixed with other ingredients, but there was no additives and the other ingredients weren't the problem the quinine was.
Yes quinine is available on prescription in different forms but it's now listed as a 'drug of last choice' because of its horrific and sometimes permanent side effects.
I would advise anyone trying this to stop taking it immediately if you suffer any side effects. Because eventually you will get to the point where you won't be able to tell anymore that the quinine is the problem and you'll keep taking it.
Blair I only take quinine when I'm having the twitching
I am not a medical doctor but maybe ask one about the cyanocobalamin eye-drop option. I have been taking the droplets for 4 days and I noticed immediate relief of my twitching. There should not be side effects, as they are just vitamin B12.
Gurm I have to read back through this but have we already covered lutein/zeaxanthin/astaxanthin supplementation? That really helps for me. But the fact that the symptoms began shortly after cessation of dairy indicates... something.
Hey, I am looking into some papers on astaxanthin. New for me, but not for some of you guys, I see...
https://www.vitexpharma.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/July-2016-Astaxanthin.pdf
https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/70320160.pdf
https://www.flexnews.com/files/bioreal031209.pdf
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2213434415000262
Could you briefly say which dose you have been taking and for how long? Any side effect you know of, especially if used for months?
What do you mean with "symptoms began shortly after cessation"? Thanks!
AGI What I meant was that Blair's symptoms began within weeks after stopping her dairy intake. Might be unrelated, but you never know.
As for Astaxantin, I take 8mg a day (4 in the morning, 4 at night). I feel like my night vision is better, and glare bothers me less, but my tolerance for bad display tech hasn't increased drastically. Lutein made a much bigger difference. There have been no untoward side effects that I know of.