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Levaquin Side Effects
posted by Scott R. on 12 Oct 2006 at 5:01 amI was prescribed Levaquin for a prostate infection and epididimitis that had been very resistent to Cipro. After just a few doses, I noticed swelling in my ankles and extreme soreness in my ankles and lower legs, particularly around the tendens in my calves.
My PCP stopped the Levaquin after a week, recognizing these as side effects, however the symptoms have not been alleviated in the past two months. In fact, the past week has been the most difficult ,with my ankles swelling bigger than I ever thought they could and severe pain in my lower extremities.
The pain has expanded to other parts of my body as well, small areas on my thighs and the back of my right arm. Very strange. I run a constant fever of about 100 degrees, sometimes up to 102, and feel praticially dysfunctional. I have terrible night sweats and have to wake up to change my clothes in the middle of the night, every night. Now my doctor seems to be minimizing the impact of the Levaquin, which concerns me. I was dumbfounded to find this website and read all of these letters about others' experiences with this drug. I would like to know if others have eventually found relief, and how did they accomplish this.
| My Husband Had Painful Side Effects |
| posted by alice on 10 Nov 2006 at 2:12 pm |
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A few years back, my husband was in the hospital, for a serious infection (renal cyst) and on levaquin i.v. After returning home, he noticed severe pain in his left arm. This was the i.v. arm. This became so bad he put his arm in a sling, tried heat, ice etc.
The doc also changed his med to cipro, because the cyst was still there. Finally, he went to an ortho guy and he said he had tendonitis that had nothing to do with the levaquin. But to this day we disagree. I looked up side effects and tendonitis was one of them. It finally went away after months. I found the site called: drkoop.com (the ex surgeon general) and found this excerpt "General Disorders drug level increase, edema, enlarged abdomen, fever, headache, hot flashes, influenza-like symptoms, leg pain, malaise, rigors, substernal chest pain, syncope, multiple organ failure, changed temperature sensation, withdrawal syndrome" this is the URL of that page, http://www.drkoop.com/druglibrary/93/levaquin-side_effects_drug_interactions.html good luck and God Bless. |
| My Levaquin Experience |
| posted by Robert on 04 Jan 2007 at 7:02 am |
| I’m a 42 year old healthy individual who contracted prostatitis. After being on Cipro for 14 days and then off all antibiotics for 10 days, I was put on Levaquin for 5 weeks (500 mg a day). Side-effects included initial dizziness, which seemed to subside, after 2-3 weeks muscle tightness/pain in my legs, hips and knees, where by walking became difficult after sitting for 30 minutes plus, and after being off the Levaquin for about 3 weeks, I have developed moderate mid-abdominal pain, which I highly suspect is related to this Levaquin Rx. |
| Levaquin - Ankle Pain And Blood Sugar Issues |
| posted by Susan on 06 Jan 2007 at 3:06 pm |
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In August 2006, I was prescribed oral Levaquin for a skin infection (which I had never had before). During and post use of the drug, I developed terrible (but inconsistent) pain in my ankle joints, had constant horrible nightmares, metallic taste in my mouth, and extreme tiredness and disorientation while taking it. The joint pain lasted for several months post discontinuance of the product (taken for 2 wks).
The infection returned in September and after reading much information on Levaquin, I opted for an alternate antibiotic (not a quinolone). Subsequently, I found out that I was having blood sugar control issues and was diagnosed with diabetes in October 2006. Prior to Levaquin, annual physical blood results (April 2006) were normal and consistent with historical reslts. Recent articles from Canada health authorities are questioning Levaquin in relation to diabetes like symptoms. With no diabetes history, and good general health at age 37, could this just be a coincidence??? |
| Levaquin |
| posted by marek on 10 Jan 2007 at 10:27 pm |
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Prescribed the drug for a prostate infection. After one week pain around my tendons. Went back to doc, was told it was my age, 59.
3 weeks into the treatment found walking or any form of excersie impossibe. Stopped taking the drug on a second Doctor opinion. 2 months later still very tight tendons, and lack of movement in certain joints. |
| Levaquin Reaction |
| posted by Jack Bush on 23 Jan 2007 at 2:58 pm |
| Levaquinn 500 mg was prescribed for me for Sinus infection. I took it for 7 days. By the end of the 4th day, I was incapacipated with muscle aches and pains, fever, no energy at all, constipation, chills, sweats, etc. I was advised by another doctor to stop this medication at once. I did and felt somewhat better...but, am still having big problems. Before this I was extremely healthy. |
| Levaquin Reaction - Severe Hypertension |
| posted by Arne Ryason on 21 Feb 2007 at 6:29 am |
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I was prescribed Levaquin for a skin infection. I took one 750 mg dose. When I was initially examined, before taking any medication, my blood pressure was moderately high - 140/90. It has always been slightly high. After taking one dose of Levaquin I experienced dizziness, mild knee pain, a brief auditory hallucination and a nightmare.
I saw the doctor the next day to check on the infection and to report side effects. My blood pressure had shot up to 180 over 100. I got a home monitoring device and my blood pressure was still up there the next morning, right after getting out of bed. Now I read that hypertension happens in 0.1 to 0.9 percent of people taking Levaquin. My skepticism of the motives of the medical-industrial complex has increased. I am going to the acupuncturist next. The infection has gone away but my blood pressure is now dangerous. |
| Levaquin |
| posted by Lisa Nabors on 21 Feb 2007 at 11:54 am |
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Last year I was bitten by a Black Widow spider. I didn’t know what it was so I let it go for almost a week. When I went to the doctor he told me that the infection starts on the skin caused from the bacteria on the spider’s fangs. He wanted to give me a strong antibiotic to prevent the infection from spreading. Levaquin was prescribed to me for about a week.
At the time I was unfamiliar with the medication and trusted that the doctor would not put me in harm's way. I finished what he gave me and the only side effect I had was a weird skin rash. I don’t remember if there were any other problems and if there were I probably wrote them off as a symptom of the spider bite. About two weeks ago I went to the doctor because I was very sick and he diagnosed me with a. upper respiratory infection. I was on an antibiotic that did not work and I continued to get worse. I went to another doctor and after looking at my lungs we discovered that I had pneumonia. He put me on a 10 day prescription of Levaquin. Immediately I started to have weird, lucid dreams. A couple days later my lower back hurt so severely that every time I had to cough it would double me over and I would fall to the floor. If I was lying down I would feel restless and uncomfortable and was unable to sit still or sleep. Then I noticed the rash on my neck and back…..I had no idea that this was all from the Levaquin,; I thought it was from being sick. When my fever broke and I was able to go back to work (5 days later) I went in feeling great. I took the pill at the same time every day. After I took the dose that day I literally crashed. I was so exhausted that my boss sent me home. I missed another week of work because of that. Last Saturday I found out that I am pregnant. I had already taken the medicine that day, but I stopped taking it once I found out. The bad thing is that I only had one dose left. I still don’t feel like myself. I am jittery, and feel like a basket case. My Husband says it from the pregnancy but I don’t know for sure. I am worried that my baby is in danger. I have not been to the doctor yet but I am going this week. And to top it off, I heard that the pneumonia could still come back so I would have gone through all this for nothing. |
| Levaquin Reaction |
| posted by Gust Kuchler on 21 Feb 2007 at 9:00 pm |
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On the first dose of Levaquin I experienced difficulty breathing and welts appeared on my neck and face. My physician prescribed a different antibiotic.
Within a few weeks I began experiencing problems with both shoulders, but didn't associate the shoulder problems with Levaquin until I received an inquiry from a legal firm asking if a physician had diagnoised tendon damage. One shoulder has healed completely and the other has not. |
| Thanks For The Advice |
| posted by Susan on 02 Mar 2007 at 8:57 pm |
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I was prescribed 3 doses of Levaquin for a UTI. The doctor gave me samples of the drug with no instructions. I felt very nauseated after taking the first dose, so started doing some research on the internet to check for drug interactions (I'm currently on 70 mg weekly of Fosamax).
I discovered this website, and your comments scared the heck out of me! I called my doctor the next day to tell him I wanted a different drug, so he prescribed bactrim for me. Hopefully it is has fewer potentially dangerous side effects. Other than the nausea, I didn't have any other side effects. The UTI improved somewhat. Thanks for the advice. |
| Does This Ever Go Away |
| posted by Christine on 03 Mar 2007 at 8:16 am |
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I was put on levaquin for 5 days. On my 3rd day I started getting bad pain in my arm. I was having pain in back and stomach and headache, depression on and off and some pain in my calves. On the 4th day the pain woke me up out of my sleep in my knee and calves. I did not realize it was the medicine until I went online to see what was going on . I stopped the medicine about 48 hours ago. My arm still hurts me, and I am having pain in my knees and calves etc.
How long after you stop this medicine did any of you have relief. I asked the pharmacist and he told me I should feel better, But after reading up on this I am pretty scared. Last night my hands started hurting and my feet. Please any advice would be helpful |
| Levaquin |
| posted by Lilly on 07 Mar 2007 at 9:50 am |
| I took Levaquin and developed chills,aches and pains, symtoms of the flu. |
| Levaquin |
| posted by Scott on 16 Mar 2007 at 8:27 am |
| I also experienced EXTREME ankle swelling while taking levaquin. Now I am 6 weeks post tx., and STILL have extreme swelling in my ankles. My doctor simply says "It is a side effect of Levaquin". How long should I expect this to go on? |
| Opinion Of An Affected Health Care Worker |
| posted by Anon on 28 Mar 2007 at 8:44 pm |
| I recently was prescribed Levaquin for a sinus infection. I was extremely nauseaed and knew that it was a possible side effect of just about any antibiotic, so I continued my dosing. After a couple of days, I felt very swollen, short of breath, and ached all over. I was very stiff upon rising and was concerned that I had something else happening to me. My hip ached very badly at night and I felt very washed out during the day (so much that I left work every day, came home and went straight to bed at 5:00 to 6:00 pm). I was having heart palpitations and wasn't sure what was going on. After reading this information -I now feel that it was the Levaquin. I have quit taking the medication and will tell my colleagues about these side effects and will never take this medication again (unless I'm on deaths bed and nothing else would cure me). |
| One More |
| posted by Barbara on 02 Apr 2007 at 2:56 pm |
| I typed "leg pain as side effect of antibiotics" and was amazed that every note was about Levaquin. I took it for 7 days (500 mg) and began having intense leg and knee pain shortly after starting to take it. I still have pain 2 weeks after discontinuing it. It is starting to abate somewhat but the pain still wakes me up at night. I will not take this medication again. |
| No More Levaquin For Me |
| posted by Karen on 04 Apr 2007 at 7:16 pm |
| I was given samples of Levaquin 750 mg for my URI. I also gave my husband some of the samples as he was sick with the same symptoms. After the first dose, we both experienced leg and knee pain, extreme heaviness throughout our whole body. Neither one of could sleep at all. I had palpitations with HR of 112 most of the next day. I also experience the strangest, most vivid dreams. I had mild double vision, dizziness and the usual ringing in my ears elevated greatly. My teeth and jaws ached terribly. We both thought it must be side effects of the infection and took another dose the next night. The symptoms continued and after multiple complaints between the two of us I found this web site. Neither one of us will ever take another dose of this drug. After reading some of the other letters, I just hope these symptoms actually go away. |
| Abdominal Pain |
| posted by Steve on 08 Apr 2007 at 4:42 pm |
| 2nd day -on med... severe abdomen pain - can barely move around. definitely not taking another pill. |
| Nightmares And Flu Symptoms |
| posted by TR on 09 Apr 2007 at 1:34 pm |
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I have had 3 doses of Levaquin as of right now with 2 to go. I came looking for information after 3 nights of awful, vivid nightmares, nausea, burning feeling and rash on skin, burning esophagus, chest pain, back pain and flu like symptoms. The nightmares, burning skin and nausea began the first day - the other symptoms sarted the second day.
I am NOT taking anymore doses and going back to my doctor for something different. |
| Proof We're Not The Only Ones |
| posted by anni on 11 Apr 2007 at 8:26 pm |
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MY 12 year old son was prescribed Levaquin 750 mg for a 2 week period. Levaquin was supposed be a simpler oral treatment after a 4 week Picc line treatment he had been receiving for Vertebral Oestemyelitis- infection of the bone. He had no problems whatsoever with ommoxicillin 4X a day through an IV line but has been miserable since his 5th dose of levaquin. He developed joint pain in his thumbs and wrists. I voiced my concerns with the doctor but was dismissed. His pain subsided 2 weeks later. Then following with knee pain. Climbing stairs, getting up and sitting down. It's been 2 weeks for this knee pain. Xrays showed inflammation with no positive direction from the orhopedist. What does this healthy kid do with all this pain?? And does this pain ever go away?
VERY FRUSTRATED MOM |
| Does This Ever Go Away |
| posted by Donna on 12 Apr 2007 at 4:36 pm |
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This is amazing to me. I had surgery March 7th and a month later I am in the Hosp. for a infection to the incision site. IV levaquin for three days and then 750 mg to take oral at home.
This past Monday I woke up and couldn't walk. Just thought it was from being in bed for 3 days. Then Tuesday comes and it is worse I can't move almost every part of my body is stiff and in pain. I was told by my Dr. to stop taking it, but that was it. I can't get an answer from anyone. When does this go away? Why does this happen? will I ever feel normal again? If there is anyone who can help me that would be great. |
| Levaquin Adverse Effects |
| posted by Mary on 12 Apr 2007 at 5:00 pm |
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I took Levaquin from 12/25/06 until 1/04/07. I was really sick, so didn't think of side effects at the time. The day after I stopped taking it, I couldn't bend my knees, my hips hurt and my ankles were swollen very badly. After consulting a Rheumatologist and having my knee injected, I was still suffering a great deal and I went to my PCP because I knew this wasn't a gradual oncoming of arthritis - it just suddenly occurred.
She said it was from the Levaquin and promptly noted it in my chart. In the meantime, I have torn a cartilage in my knee and have had to have surgery. My hip is still very painful and is impairing my progress. I don't know if this is still from the Levaquin or not. Any thoughts? |
| Levaquin |
| posted by Anon on 19 Apr 2007 at 7:17 pm |
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My friend had a bladder biopsy and was also tested with a dye to see if there might be any cancer in his kidneys. Two days after the test he was having chills and could not urinate. His urologist gave him 750 milligrams of Levaquin and .4 mg of Flomax.
A short time after taking both of these medications he had severe chills, his head was burning, and he lost his balance so could not walk without my help. He was also very confused and I thought he was having a stroke. After reading the side effects of this drug and the Flomax I realize it is probably a reaction to the drugs, and he won't be taking either of them anymore. |
| I Am Horrified |
| posted by Terrie on 29 Apr 2007 at 1:09 pm |
| I am horrified that this kind of side effect was never listed. I have severe scoliosis and live with terrible pain every day of my life and now because I took something to keep me from getting an infection now I am in more pain than i can handle. Why isn't this known by the public? If I had known this I certainly would never have taken levaquin and gone through this agony. My hands and all other joints are stiff and killing me waking me up at night whimpering from pain. This is horrible. I'll never take this again. |
| Odd |
| posted by Rhonda Hooks on 29 Apr 2007 at 5:31 pm |
| I have been on Levaquin for 5 days for respiratory infection. Strong metallic taste, but that is acceptable, ear ringing but acceptable also.However, I have been completely irritable . It is driving my family and me nuts. I was surprised to see an antibiotic can cause this. is definitely worse a few hours after dose and lasts about 12 hours. |
| Don't Take Levaquin |
| posted by Gary on 05 May 2007 at 6:12 am |
| I was given levaquin for possible infection. 7 Days 500mg. After 1st day noticed soreness in my calf muscles. After 4th day was having severe cramping in calf muscles& aching in legs. I finished the levaquin 2 weeks ago and still having cramps & aching. I'm an active 40 year old male with a high tolerance to pain, and at times can barely stand it. Hope the symptoms go away eventually. Will never take this Drug again. Side effects are worse than the original infection. |
| Levaquin Side Effects |
| posted by Luanne on 05 May 2007 at 9:42 am |
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~2 1/2 yr breast cancer survivor with recurring ear infection and sinus infection since oct 06
~pcp brought out the "big dog" (her words) of antibiotics -- 21 day supply of levaquin 500 mg ~took 7 pills only -- by 3rd day noticed the on-slaught of horrible side effects: excruiciating pain and tightness and severe swelling of knees and ankles, red rash on lower legs, unexplained bruise on inner knee, immobility for at least 2 days ~am afraid of long term effects -- had an easier time with chemo and radiation !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
