At 44, Talia Smith was a fit, healthy and active woman who worked out seven days a week. Now she is wheelchair-bound and having care in a hospice; she needs 24 hour help just to survive. Talia’s life took such an unexpected and devastating turn after she went to her doctor for a urinary tract infection and was prescribed what she believed were routine antibiotics.
“The doctor gave me Cipro,” she says. “I asked if there was anything I needed to know. They told me it was safe and effective. Three pills later, my life was turned upside down.” Ciprofloxacin, commonly known as Cipro, is part of the fluoroquinolone class of antibiotics.
Due to the potential for serious side effects, they can now only be prescribed in the UK if no other antibiotic is appropriate. But Talia had no idea the drugs she was taking could cause serious problems.
“I couldn’t walk, my entire body ached, my vision changed, and I had trouble swallowing,” Talia says. Alarmed, she sought help at hospital. “The doctor asked me, ‘Were you taking Cipro?’ I said yes.”
Cipro comes with risks including tendon ruptures, nerve damage, and muscle wasting. Talia said: “What happened to me felt like a bomb going off in my body. And all from a drug I was told was perfectly safe.”
Talia’s health deteriorated swiftly after taking the drugs in April 2021. “I started experiencing tremors, unbearable nerve pain, and stiffness that left me unable to move. Within five months, I was in hospice care,” she says. At her lowest point, Talia weighed just 4st 2lb pounds and needed 24/7 care.
“I couldn’t lift my arms, couldn’t feed myself, and had to blend all my meals into a puree,” she said. Her condition left her unable to care for her disabled veteran husband, Tim, who also relies on a wheelchair.
“It’s devastating,” Talia says. “I was the caregiver in our relationship, and now I need someone to care for me.” Determined to turn her ordeal into a force for good, Talia took to TikTok. “I want people to know the risks,” she says.
Talia Smith was a fit, healthy and active woman who worked out seven days a week
“If a doctor prescribes you something, don’t just accept it blindly. Double-check, triple-check, and ask questions. Your health is too important to leave to chance. What happened to me could happen to anyone.”
Talia now suffers from Mast Cell Activation Syndrome (MCAS), a condition triggered by fluoroquinolone toxicity. “MCAS is a beast,” she says. “I can only tolerate six foods, and I have to microdose any new ones to avoid severe reactions. One day I can eat something, and the next, it could cause a reaction. It’s completely unpredictable.
“It’s oatmeal every morning, fortified with Camu Camu for vitamin C, because I can’t tolerate regular vitamin C. Even introducing cherries has to be done drop by drop.”
To manage her condition, Talia relies on Cromolyn Sodium concentrate. “This little bottle has saved my life,” she says. “I have to take it with every meal just to function.”
Despite her struggles, Talia remains determined to make a difference. “Living with MCAS is exhausting and isolating, but I keep going,” she says. Every day is a fight, but I’m not giving up. Make sure you truly need an antibiotic before taking one. And if you are prescribed a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, ask for an alternative.
“This journey has been the hardest of my life. But if my story can help even one person, it’s all been worth it.”