Through extensive analysis of reports on the internet regarding quinolone toxicity (more specifically that from Levaquin and Cipro), it seems that many side effects are usually either ones that are quite severe and happen immediately after the first dose, or delayed and occur days or weeks after the first dose. Below, a possible hypothesis to why this occurs is presented.

A large amount of the side effects that happen immediately after first dose seem to be short term, and last for only a few days. These side effects tend to include Central Nervous System symptoms such as dizziness, headache, hallucinations, sleep disturbances, seizures, and are usually quite severe. However, these more fortunate sufferers tend to receive a complete recovery very quickly.

This could occur for a variety of reasons. First of all, once the patient suffers from these side effects, they will usually stop the medication immediately, preventing further long term damage to their body. Another explanation can be seen with the severe side effect of Anaphylaxis, which signifies a severe allergic reaction to the drug. This means that the body has an immune response towards the drug, treating it like a pathogen, and removing it from the system as soon as possible. Once hospitalized and treated, long term allergic symptoms from quinolones rarely occur. Similarly, severe and short lived symptoms could suggest that the body has quickly reacted to the drug and has identified it as a toxic agent.

On the other hand, there are many reports of side effects occuring long after the first dose. These symptoms from a delayed reaction are usually irreversible or last for a prolonged time. Adverse reactions will normally include joint/tendon problems, severe pain, and nervous system damage.

Unlike a short term and immediate reaction, delayed reactions are usually more serious, as the patient has already taken a large amount of the quinolone before any visible symptoms show. By then, it is too late to stop the drug. Moreover, it could suggest that the body has not responded to the drug as a poison, and instead allowed it to accumulate into different organs, before the severe symptoms show. This could also explain how spontaneous tendon ruptures have been reported up to 6 months AFTER the patient has received quinolone drugs.

Of course, different people may have different reactions. For example, an extremely severe reaction can be seen in the case of Paul Levine. Paul had allegedly taken only 1 pill of Levaquin, before he suffered serious reactions, that progressivley got worse, and after years of suffering, he ended up committing suicide.

It is not uncommon for patients to have their symptoms get gradually worse over many months and for new symptoms to even appear later on. However, it is unkown how quinolones can cause such a bizarre sequence of adverse reactions. One theory is that the quinolones remain in the body, and continually destroy different organs as time progresses. Another hypothesis is that the quinolones have already damaged multiple parts of the body, and even if they are excreted from the body, the effects from this damage begin to show later on, as the body gradually falls apart. Lastly, it can also speculated that the quinolones accumulate in the body, and the antibiotics injected into livestock are consumed by the sufferer through their food.