Achilles symptoms and conditions

Prescribed Prednisol & Predsol June 2007 for acute ulcerative colitis. Three months, oral and rectal, got it under control.September 07 got large fluid appearances both knees which took two weeks to subside completely.
Soon after & whilst playing golf got stabbing pain left Achilles. Repaired by op. Thereafter commenced getting aches in muscles and joints and generally across entire body structure. Extreme pain in rt hip, imaged and shown as necrosis of femur joint. April 08 rt hip joint replaced. Continual muscular pain overnight which abates with movement during day causes sleep deprivation and consequential lethargy.
Most interested in proven supplements and/or prescription antidote!

I started taking Lipitor 12 years ( 1997 ) ago as my Cholesterol was at 315. I was always athletic but had a crappy diet. My Cholesterol dropped to 200 within a year. However, in 2001 I ruptured my left Achilles playing tennis. Thought nothing much and that I hadn't stretched enough. Recovered from that and started playing tennis again in 2002. Within three weeks of playing again, I ruptured my RIGHT achilles! At that point I started to question the effect of Lipitor on muscles/tendons with various medical "professionals". ALL said it was nothing to do with medication. I quickly developed a tingling/numbness in both feet that doctors said could not be happening but it WAS!

I've had MRI's, nerve conduction tests, wondered if it was diabetic, alcohol, etc. Finally found sites such as this where real life experiences validated my concerns over this statin. I told my Dr. I was quitting Lipitor last Monday, she had no problem with that. This is Saturday night and I'm sitting here with a NOTICEABLE decrease in my numbness/tingling in both feet that I've had for the past TWELVE YEARS!!

I hope that the statin did cause my "mild sensory polyneuropathy" as was diagnosed in 2002. As of right now, it seems to be getting better in less than one week! I can flex my toes with NO pain and my feet don't feel like dead weights.

I WILL NEVER USE A STATIN AGAIN!

I took Levaquin 500 mg for 6 days. After about 3 days my left ankle, knee, and the back side of my left thigh became so sore I had difficulty walking. I was extremely tired and slept later than I normally do, which is rare for me. This morning, in bed, my left thigh became so hot it felt like it was wrapped in a heating pad with the temperature turned up extremely high. Later, while getting a shower, I noticed the back of my left thigh had a "hivey" type of red rash on it. I did an internet search and found this page. I'm very concerned because in September 2007 I had a triple heart bypass. I threw the remainder of the Levaquin down the toilet. NEVER AGAIN....

My experience with Levaquin is very similar to many of the other postings. I have had Levaquin twice, the first time for seven days that produced only mild joint and muscle soreness. The second time was supposed to be for 14-21 days for a severe sinus infection. The literature that came with the prescription did worry me a bit but I remembered reading the same information the first time I took it some six years previously. Well, about nine days into the prescription I was at the gym running on the treadmill, something I do a lot of. I had run in a Half Marathon about a week earlier and planned to just run an easy mile or two, get the blood flowing again. I was about a half mile into the run when it felt like someone stabbed me in the left achilles with an ice pick. I thought I was imagining it at first but I slowed up to see if it would go away. After another 10-15 seconds it now felt like my left achilles and lower calf muscle were going to explode. It may sound strange but that is the only way I can describe it. I have never felt anything like that in my life and I've had quite a few injuries to date. I limped home and for the next three weeks not only could I not even think about running, I couldn't even walk fast and had to shorten my normal walking stride. I went to see a doctor and he said it sounded like a slight rupture. Fortunately, the pain did subside and I resisted running for over three weeks just to be sure it had healed. I started running after that but very very slowly. However, even to this day, I can still feel a "tightness" in that area that was not there before the incident and does not exist on the right side. I had no idea that so many others were having similar or even more sever side affects from Levaquin until the weeks immediately following my incident. When I mentioned this to the doctor who prescribed it, he was very surprised and alarmed. Should he have known, well, probably, yes. However, now that he knows there is no excuse for not using caution for the next patient.

LEVAQUIN is a FLURO quinelone. The fluoride replaces the iron in metalloproteases in your tendons. Remodelling to stress thus fails to occur. It is a molecule shapped like a horseshoe. The base is the formula for an INHIBITORY neurotransmmitter: GABA. It also causes cardiac hyperpolarization. If these dangers are not carefully examined before taking the drug, you are playing Russian Roulette.

But don't just be hysterical. Read. America can't survive as a nation of hedge fund BSers with no grasp of science or math. Doctors are drowning in HMO paperwork and 5 mins. per patient. They can't be thorough and don't have time to read other than the BS of drug salesmen. So don't go by the stupid TV ads. READ-->LEARN-->READ--> and contact the FDA and drug company to get their info on your side effects. If they lie, you have a case. Fight for yourselves instead of just panicking over symptoms. That could kill you whether you stop or not the drugs.

I just had surgery and they prescribed Levaquin 500mg. I have just started taken three days ago. My legs has sharp pains as well as my achilles. I have had numbness in my arms and hands. Also, minor confusion and comprehension. I DID NOT know all of this. The side effects on the labels does not say all these side effects on this bored. Now, I am worried after reading all of this. I am not putting another pill in my mouth. My doctor did not say " stop taking this at the sign of ..." This sounds like poison rather than a cure.

Just an FYI to BettyPaint and any one else on the board that doesn't know this. Ancef is not in the same family as Levaquin. Levaquin is a flouroquinolone. Ancef is not a flouroquinolone or a quinolone. Ancef is a cephalosporin. Cephalaosporins are another class of antibiotics. The flouroquinolones (Levaquin, Cipro, Floxin, etc) are what is causing everyone's problems on this board. I took 1 500 MG of Levaquin 5 months ago and I still suffer with tendon pain in my achilles and plantar fascia. Both feet! It's unbelievable. Levaquin has horrific side effects associated with it.

I experienced severe glucose level swings with Levaquin, and I mean severe.

Then, I developed urinary incontinence and diarrhea which lasted for weeks. Then, the tightness and pain in the achilles started.

I was weak, and I am not sure that I have recovered from it yet, as I continue to exhibit an altered taste sensation, and have a horrible metallic taste and no amount of brushing or gargling can clear it.

My feet and legs have begun to burn and tingle, but I have back problems, so I am not sure that it is related to Levaquin.

Overall, I think this is a very dangerous drug, indeed.

I took 14 days of 750mg of levaquin for a tooth problem. After about 10 days I developed spontaneous swelling in the achilles area. This was much more severe in the left leg and it was very difficult to walk. Ice and elevation did not ease the pain and stiffness. The left leg was noticibly more swelled and red than the right. I went to the docotors and was sent to a specialist. Since by this time I had been off the Levaquin for about a week, it did not occur to me to tell him that I had taken the drug. He put me in a boot to prevent further damage and the leg is slightly better. I checked out the web to see what can cause the swelling of the tendon, without an injury and found all the discussion regarding Levaquin. Bingo! Obviously this is what caused my problem since I had not done anything to injure the tendon. It seems that this is now going to be a lifelong problem for me. Has anyone ever fully recovered from this problem?

Where to start? During a 7 day seige, the following "acceptable" side affects began to show up: tendonitis in the Achilles; cramps in the calves; soreness in the thighs and glutes; joint stiffness in knees; neck and arm pain; personality changes; and finally acne-like sores on the forehead. I was supposed to have 14 days of treatment, but didn't. I threw the medicine away, looked into homepathic remedies and finally cleared up the problem on my own. I'm sure this works for some...but not me. After stopping, all side affects disappeared except stiffness in my right calf. That lingered for about a month and then finally got better. I'll never knowingly take this stuff again.

Absolutely cannot recommend this "medication." Took 500mg dose for 7 days and suffered: inflamation of the Achilles; muscle spasms in legs; cramps in in the thighs and the glutes; stiffness in leg joints; shoulder and neck pain; and then acne-like breakouts on the forehead and body-wide itching. Of course these were all noted side effects. I stopped taking the meds, looked into homeopathy remedies and cleared up the problem myself. Continued to have stiffness in the legs for several weeks but found glucosamine and chondroitin helped quite a bit. I'm sure this works for some people...but not me.

I was relieved to see other peoples side effects. I thought I was just losing my mind. Since I started on levaquin, 1st time about a month ago, and currently finishing a script, I have been experiencing severe pain in all my joints upon awakening in the morning. I live on the second floor and to get out I feel and look like Frankenstein getting down the stairs. My achilles, knees, hips, shoulders and neck are most affected. The pain does seem to subside somewhat during the day, but believe me I am still in a state of moderate discomfort. I called my MD and he said he had never heard of such a thing and to finish the RX. If I am still uncomfortable in 2 weeks he wants me to call him so he can do a blood test to check for rheumatoid arthritis. Again thanx to all who have taken the time to write out their troubles related to levaquin therapy, now I don't feel alone or crazy. best luck and quick healing to all affected by this antibiotic.