This article does not provide any medical advice, just information. Proceeding assumes you agree with the website’s disclaimer.
COVID-19 & Chloroquine
Unless you have been living in a cave, which may be a safer place anyway, you have probably heard of the Coronavirus outbreak by now. The coronavirus or COVID-19 is a very serious threat to humanity and has many people justly concerned.
One of the proposed treatments for COVID-19 is chloroquine, which apparently has shown some efficacy (1). Since this announcement I have received a few emails asking me if I believe that chloroquine is safe to use in previously floxed individuals, if they would contract COVID-19?
One person shared with me their necessity to have to travel back to China. They had been previously floxed and they were worried if they contracted COVID-19 they would be forced to take Chloroquine.
First, let me reiterate that I completely understand the concern and fear situations such as these can cause. There are no medical experts on FQ Toxicity and its long-term impact on a person’s health. And even though we are starting get the interest of some different academic institutions in the area of FQ toxicity, for the most part all we have is mounds of anecdotal data to draw our conclusions from.
Previous Article
So, to try answer the question, “if chloroquine is safe to use in previously floxed individuals?” I am first going to redirect you to an older article that I wrote ten years ago called Fluoroquinolones: Their Connection to Older Anti-Malarial Drugs. Instead of copy-n-pasting the entire article, in it I briefly discuss, among other things, the toxicity of Chloroquine. Just follow the link and read the brief article, then return to this page.
Assuming you read the article that I referred to above, I will continue on. Again, if you haven’t taken the time to read the short article please do so now.
My question for a person asking if it is safe to take chloroquine would be, how badly were you floxed? As we know FQ’s exhibit cumulative toxicity (2). From the article I referenced above we know that Chloroquine is a chemical cousin to the FQ’s so it is entirely plausible that Chloroquine would contribute to the cumulative toxicity. Both drugs are known to be toxic to the mitochondria (3,4).
Chloroquine has a relative called hydroxychloroquine (Paquenil), that is supposed to be a less toxic metabolite of chloroquine. It is used to treat rheumatic diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and Sjogren’s syndrome (5). However, according to what I had recently heard, Paquenil was not being used to treat COVID-19. Of course, that could all change overnight.
Over the years, there have been a small number of floxed individuals who reported to me that they successfully used Plaquenil in the treatment of lupus and arthritis. By successful I mean that the Plaquenil did not apparently exacerbate their previous floxing symptoms. This was only reported by a small amount of people and does not mean that I endorse or believe Plaquenil is safe for a floxed person to take.
First, in my opinion, if a person was still strongly exhibiting symptoms of floxing I, personally, would not take any antimalarial. Also, again speaking for myself, I would probably rather gnaw my arm off than take any drug that is such a close relative to the FQ’s. Having said that, I realize that all things are not equal and different individuals have different circumstances, needs, and variables.
There are some anecdotal reports of cumulative toxicity occurring between FQ’s and Lariam. This occurred in individuals who were previously floxed and subsequently had to take lariam.
If faced with such a situation, where I had to take an antimalarial post floxing, I would work very closely with the physician and try to balance the risk/reward ration based on your individual situation.
Either way, I would not envy anyone that would be forced with such a decision.
On The Coronavirus Itself
On a side note, getting accurate information on the coronavirus is very difficult. One thing that I do know is that they math numbers do not add up.
In other words, when comparing the totality of the data being put out by other countries, Lancet, and JAMA, and comparing it the CDC and NIH data, there are glaring inaccuracies. Although I realize that this is a volatile and changing situation, establishment coronavirus statistics are about as accurate as establishment FQ statistics. Also, I consider the World Health Organization incompetent all across the board.
One gentleman that does a good job of using news sources from all over the world is Chris Martenson at Peak Prosperity. Chris Martenson is a financial analyst who looks at data from various sources. His YouTube channel is here. Use caution however as the data he goes over is very sobering.
Keep in mind the apothegm about truth that is accredited to the prominent German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer:
Truth Passes Through Three Stages: First, It Is Ridiculed. Second, It Is Violently Opposed. Third, It Is Accepted As Self-Evident
When it becomes self-evident then you see things such as instability when the reality of the truth sets in. I have experienced this myself with FQ toxicity.
Conspiratorial? Maybe, and if looking at it that way gives you comfort, then so be it. Three decades of law enforcement taught me to not be conspiratorial, but to be prepared. I have seen information regarding FQ Toxicity despite being factual and truthful relegated to the ‘tin foil hat’ brigade somewhere in the lunatic fringe and also passing through these three stages of truth evolution as well.
I was horribly refloxed by plaquenil. I don’t have lupus. I was given it for Lyme disease and coinfections. This was after being given Levaquin and developing neurological damage, tendon problems, difficulty walking, and eye issues amongst many other problems. I asked my doctor if plaquenil was a quinolone. She said no. I have since learned that it is. All my symptoms of floxing were exasperated by plaquenil. I had to stop the drug after a few days.
Thank you David once again. I always appreciate your well referenced and thought out information. This is timely and important for those of us that have acute sensitivity to FQA. Wishing you wellness.