Adr symptoms and conditions

My Mom was prescribed Levofloxacin ( AKA Levaquin) by her retarded doc for a mild cold and a sore throat.
After taking 2 tablets of 500mg each my mom is down is severe pain all over her body! she has joint pains, neck pain, arms, palms shes got severe pain all over her body!
She also has severe itching on the palms and her arms as well..
Headaches,
Things aren't looking good.

She in real pain! She tells me she just wants the pain to stop and that she was better off with the cold and sore throat.

She has stopped taking Levaquin.

Anyone got anyway to help her? something?? She is asleep now but tmr Im going to ask her to drink some kefir..

Thanks

Took 7 days of levaquin to get rid of a persistent, almost bronchitis-like cough & chest condition. Ended on a Monday, and the following SUNDAY (6 days later??!) I broke out in a crazy rash, predominantly on my shins, but literally from head to toe. Most prevalent wherever there's "pressure" of any kind on my skin... waste band, sock lines, watch, and it leaves big nasty red welts when I scratch. Shins surrenty look like I'm a burn victim from scratching, and I'm not really scratching that hard... even light, usually harmless itching/scratching leaves scrape marks. What the heck... I've never had a reaction to a drug before. This is awful -- the worst itch I think I've ever experienced.

It has been almost two years since I took one tablet of 500 mg levaquin for a throat infection. I immediately felt lightheaded, then came the hot prickly skin, rapid heartbeat, insomnia and just a feeling of doom. I did not take another pill. Right after this my ankles started to hurt and podiatrist said had a torn posterier tibial tendon. To this day, I cannot walk without a limp, and can only wear athletic shoes with orthotics. If I stand for or walk for a small period of time I am in a lot of pain and have to sit. I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis from the inflammatory markers in blood tests and rf factor, even though mri of my hands and wrists are normal. My right shoulder and arm hurt, my wrists and fingers hurt, my knees, neck. It is better, but I will never be the same as I was - no more running, walking my dog, going camping with my daughters girl scout troop - can't go hiking. I am 50 and I feel like I am 90. Would like to sue someone.

Everyone make sure you report your ADR's to the FDA. Here is the link. It only takes a few minutes and maybe we can stop this. I have filled one out before but since I have ruptured another tendon I am filling another one out.
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/

I don't work for another pharmaceutical company. I don't have any competing interests. People keep asking me that. Why? Is everything about competition and money? I am getting sick of being asked that.

Frankly, I don't see how anybody could go up against all of the high powered lawyers that Merck can hire. If anybody wanted to speak about how this could happen, Merck would have people going through their doctoral dissertations looking for plagerism. Plaintiffs would have Merck detectives outside their houses hiding in the bushes. Merck private detectives would interview their friends and teachers.

All I wanted to do was to show parents and patients that they are not the only complaints. These complaints have been reported before. Whether they resulted in any serious warnings to Merck doesn't really make a difference because people know how they feel or how their child feels on Singulair.

There is nothing that we can do, in my opinion, but to believe in ourselves. We might trying writing to Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands that the American sufferers must have Dutch brains--which allow montelukast to penetrate the blood brain barrier and can she do anything for us? This is ridiculous that we should be getting these responses from doctors.

From the Netherlands 2006.
In three of the cases a positive dechallenge was seen.The fact that the patients (except for one) did not suffer from depressive symptoms before they started montelukast, the short latency, and recovery after withdrawal of the drug all strengthen our hypothesis that depressive symptoms are an ADR related to the use of montelukast. According to the Marketing Authorisation Holder of montelukast, depression will be added to the product information.

Mechanism: The mechanism of montelukast-induced depressive symptoms is unknown. However, montelukast has earlier been associated with adverse drug reactions such as abnormal dreaming, nightmares, hallucinations, agitation with aggressive behavior, irritability and restlessness, which suggests that montelukast can penetrate the blood brain barrier and exert an effect in the brain .

http://www.lareb.nl/documents/kwb_2006_4_montel.pdf.

I was just asked by Dr. ???, if these European reports lead to change in product information in these countries. I did post that I thought that we should try to find that out. I don't have access to that information. But I do see that the Netherlands did require that depression be added to the product information. It doesn't say the date but Merck agreed.

Artie wanted to tell us about the blood brain barrier. Where are you Artie?

The report says:

In three of the cases a positive dechallenge was seen.The fact that the patients (except for one) did not suffer from depressive symptoms before they started montelukast, the short latency, and recovery after withdrawal of the drug all strengthen our hypothesis that depressive symptoms are an ADR related to the use of montelukast. According to the Marketing Authorisation Holder of montelukast, depression will be added to the product information.

Mechanism: The mechanism of montelukast-induced depressive symptoms is unknown. However, montelukast has earlier been associated with adverse drug reactions such as abnormal dreaming, nightmares, hallucinations, agitation with aggressive behavior, irritability and restlessness, which suggests that montelukast can penetrate the blood brain barrier and exert an effect in the brain .

From the Netherlands 2006.

This is the html version of the file http://www.lareb.nl/documents/kwb_2006_4_montel.pdf.

Page 1
Nederlands Bijwerkingen Centrum LarebMei 2007Montelukast and depressive symptomsIntroductionMontelukast (Singulair®)is a leukotriene receptor antagonist available on the Dutchmarket since 1998. It is indicated for the treatment ofasthma as combination therapy forpatients with light to moderate forms of chronic asthma which cannot be adequately controlledby inhalation corticosteroids and short-acting ß-agonists. For asthma patients for whommontelukast is indicated as asthma treatment it can also relieve symptoms of seasonal allergicrhinitis. Montelukast is also indicated in asthma prevention, if exercise-inducedbronchoconstriction is the main factor

Reports On September 20, 2006 the database of the Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb contained four reports of depressive reactions associated with theuse of montelukast.Patient A is a female aged 55 who used montelukast 10 mg once daily for asthma associated with COPD. Concomitant medication included ipratropiumbromideinhalation, salmeterol inhalation, fluticasone inhalation, acetylcysteine, budesonide nose spray and desloratadine. Two weeks after montelukast therapy was initiated the patient experienced nightmares, a depressive symptoms, fatigue and increased dyspnoea. When montelukast was withdrawn, the first three symptoms resolved. It is not known if the dyspnoea resolved. The reporting pneumonologist stated that the increased dyspnoea also could be a sign of progressing COPD. Patient B, reported by a pneumonologist, is a female aged 39 who used montelukast 10 mg once daily for asthma. Concomitant medication included salmeterol/fluticasone inhalation, mebeverine and psyllium seed. One week afterstarting montelukast treatment the patient experienced chest discomfort, malaise,depressive symptoms and dizziness. Montelukast was withdrawn, patient outcomeis unknown. Patient C, reported by a pharmacist, is a male aged 46 who used montelukast 10mg once daily for asthma. Concomitant medication included omeprazole,salbutamol inhalation and budesonide/formoterol inhalation. Six days after starting montelukast treatment the patient got in a depressed state. The patient continued to use montelukast for four weeks but the depression did not resolve. When montelukast was withdrawn, the patient recovered. Patient D, reported by a pharmacist, is a female aged 59 who used montelukast 10mg once daily for mild to moderate asthma. Concomitant medication included mometasone nose spray, salmeterol/fluticason inhalation, oxazepam and paroxetine. Three days after starting treatment with montelukast the patient experienced insomnia and aggravation of her depression. When montelukast was withdrawn the symptoms resolved.

Page 2
Nederlands Bijwerkingen Centrum LarebMei 2007 Other sources of information drugs are known to cause depressive symptoms. However montelukasthas not been associated with depressive symptoms earlier . A Medline searchbased on the MeSH terms montelukast, leukotriens, depressive disorder and mood disorders did not yield any relevant publication. DatabasesOn September 20, 2006 the database of the Netherlands Pharmacovigilance Centre Lareb contained four reports of depression associated with the use ofmontelukast (ROR 2.1 95% CI 0.8 - 5.7). The same day the database of the WHO contained 3466 reports on montelukast, 43 of these concerned depression (ROR1.2 95% CI 0.9 – 1.6)MechanismThe mechanism of montelukast-induced depressive symptoms is unknown.However montelukast has earlier been associated with adverse drug reactions such as abnormal dreaming, nightmares, hallucinations, agitation with aggressive behavior, irritability and restlessness, which suggests that montelukast can penetrate the blood brain barrier and exert an effect in the brain .Discussion and conclusionLareb received four reports of depressive symptoms in patients using montelukast.Possible confounding includes that asthma itself has been associated with the development of depression . Inhalated corticosteroids can also exert effects onthe central nervous system. Fluticason in combination with salmeterol which isused by patients A, B and D, is associated with hyperactivity and irritability where as budesonide, which is used by patient C also has been associated with depression . The latency of montelukast-induced depressive symptoms variesfrom 3-14 days. In three of the cases a positive dechallenge was seen.The fact that the patients (except for one) did not suffer from depressive symptomsbefore they started montelukast, the short latency, and recovery after withdrawal ofthe drug all strengthen our hypothesis that depressive symptoms are an ADRrelated to the use of montelukast. According to the Marketing Authorisation Holderof montelukast, depression will be added to the product information.

I've posted a few times. I suggested that we ask Dr. Oz who is on Oprah and has a radio program about any way to counter react the ADR's of this drug. Plus maybe he can warn some others the danger of this poison so they aren't harmed. His email is http://www.oprah.com/xm/email/xm_email_moz.jhtml

Follow up to my post earlier today...

I took the my son to the doctor this morning and he was somewhat dismissive of the recent reports on Singulair...says he's had a lot of kids on the drug and never heard a peep about side effects until last week when the report on suicidal tendencies showed up. He did advise that when these kinds of behavior changes happen after a new drug is started he would recommend that we stop taking the drug no matter what it was, but I still felt uncomfortable with his response to us.

I felt like he was accusing me of making it up or only coming up with it because of recent news and message board posts. In fact, I made the appointment BEFORE I saw the posts. I was worried about his behavior BEFORE I saw the posts. It's just that seeing the stories from everyone else basically confirmed my suspicions that it might be the drug causing the problems.

I feel like I definitely wasted OVER AN HOUR waiting for a doctor to spend five minutes making me feel small.

Last night was the last time my son will take the drug, and I don't care what the doctors think of me.

A report from the Netherlands discusses depression. I had failed to notice that the report stated that in three cases the onset of the depression after taking Singulair was from 3-14 days.

Discussion and conclusion
Lareb received four reports of depressive symptoms in patients using montelukast.Possible confounding includes that asthma itself has been associated with the development of depression . Inhalated corticosteroids can also exert effects on the central nervous system. Fluticason in combination with salmeterol which is used by patients A, B and D, is associated with hyperactivity and irritability whereas budesonide, which is used by patient C also has been associated with depression .
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The latency of montelukast-induced depressive symptoms varies from 3-14 days.
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In three of the cases a positive dechallenge was seen. The fact that the patients (except for one) did not suffer from depressive symptoms before they started montelukast, the short latency, and recovery after withdrawal of the drug all strengthen our hypothesis that depressive symptoms are an ADR
related to the use of montelukast.

According to the Marketing Authorisation Holder of montelukast, depression will be added to the product information.

From England 1998:

Montelukast

Montelukast (Singulair) is a leukotriene antagonist for use as an add-on therapy in patients with mild to moderate asthma who are inadequately controlled by inhaled corticosteroids and short acting beta2-agonists. Since it was marketed in January 1998, CSM Mersey has received 31 yellow cards detailing 47 suspected reactions to montelukast including:
• 15 (32%) CNS disorders including headache and drowsiness
• 14 (30%) GI disorders including abdominal pain and indigestion
• 5 (11%) skin disorders including sweating
• 7 (15%) musculoskeletal disorders including arthralgia and cramps
• 2 (4%) psychiatric disorders.
26 of these reactions were not listed in the Summary of Product Characteristics at the time of reporting.

http://www.liv.ac.uk/~druginfo/csm/ADR_bulletin14.pdf

Well, I am not posting a side effect. I actually stumbled upon this website while trying to look up whether hypoglycemia is a side effect of Levaquin. I am a physician assistant and routinely prescribe this medication. Unfortunately ALL medications have the potential for causing many many many different side effects. Obviously one has to weigh the benefits of using the medication with the risk of side effects. And certain side effects are obviously more common than others. While I appreciate the point of a website like this, it is very frustrating for me, as a clinician, to read someone posting things that are absolutely untrue which can potentially cause undue distress or worry for everyone who may read it. I am referring to the person who wanted "to let everyone know of the relationship between levaquin and vancomycin." Her only source for this WRONG information is a nurse who told her daughter. Did she ever think that the nurse could be wrong and that maybe before posting something like that she should ask a pharmacist or a physician. Vancomycin and floroquinolones are not related pharmacologically!!!!

I posted my experience with Levaquin back in January 2008. It's been three months since my initial reaction to Levaquin. I was in terrible pain then and I could barely walk. It has been three months now and I am still in a lot of pain and the pain in my lower back is worse. However, I can walk better now. I have yet to find a doctor who can help me or who even believes that Levaquin caused this. If anyone out there has a physician who believes that Levaquin can cause this damage and who is competent to treat this problem, PLEASE email me with his or her name. I am willing to travel to wherever I need to travel to to get some relief from this. If nothing else it would be great to have a doctor who understands the problem. Thanks. My prayers are with you all.

Chris

I was on Levaquin in February of 06. Although it helped the sinus infection, the price has been great. I had severe burning and tingling in my lips. Lower lip still numb after 20 months. Soreness and weakness in fingers--sprained two fingers while doing routine things. Stabbing pains in soles of feet, decreased over 4 months. Excruciatingly sore Achilles tendon, especially sore to the touch. Large muscle twitches in arms and legs. Decreased over several months. Ear ringing began--still have it. Dramatic increase in floaters in eyes also during the course of the drugs--still have them. Serious back problems began then also, with 4 herniated discs being diagnosed 5 months later. I have read that connective tissue damage may result from Levaquin. I feel that everthing that stated then is related: back, ears, eyes, numb lips, hands, etc. I checked with my doctors office, told them the symptoms, and I was instructed to keep taking the drug if I wanted to get well. But I only spoke with a nurse. . .shame on me. Good luck to all of you.

I'm addressing this to the 52 year old healthy woman. I believe whole heartedly that the pain that you are suffering is an ADR (Adverse Drug Reaction) to the Levaquin. You must stop taking it and tell your doctor that you insist that he/she prescribe another antibiotic that is not part of the Flouroquinolone (Cipro, Floxin, etc) family. When you stop taking the drug the pain should subside, but it can linger for weeks or months after you stop taking it. Also, do not take any form of Ibruprophen (Advil, Motrin, etc) with the Levaquin. I know that I read somewhere that the two should not be taken together. Also, no steriods should be taken with Levaquin either. I am about for weeks out from my Levaquin experience and I also suffered from severe joint pain in my arms, wrists and hands down to every finger. My pain has gotten better, but every day when I wake up one or two of those joints still hurt. It comes and it goes. Trust me, everyone who reads this site or posts to this site believes you when you say it's the Levaquin. My doctor knew it was the Levaquin that was causing the pain. I didn't have to convince him and you shouldn't have to convince your doctor either. Make that doctor change that prescription to another antibiotic to treat your original problem. Take the suggestion from the other guest on this site and visit those websites to get yourself educated about this drug. You may also find comfort in knowing that you are not alone. Trust me, you are not alone.

I took Levaquin for 14 days in January of 2004, and a month later, I took Avelox for 15 days. My ADR appeared on day 13 of the Avelox (a drug in the same family). It first started as lower leg pain in the calves and shins. Then I had sharp pains in my wrists. The next day, I developed carpal-tunnel like symptoms in the hands (pins and needles). I went off the medication, but a couple days later, a burning rash appeared on my palms, and I began having pains in my solar plexis.

5 weeks later and I still have sore legs, Achilles tendons, numbness in my toes, carpal tunnel syndrome, bilateral unlnar neuritis, runaway anxiety, and termination insomnia. The hands have improved a bit during the day, and the rash has diminished about 95%, but I still wake up with numbness. Both my GP and neurologist suspect the medication to be the cause of this, but it is difficult to prove.

My quality of life has been affected, since I can no longer exercise or type for lengthy periods of time.

I have a vdeo I would like distributed to anyone willing to view it. My goal is to get it in the hands of someone in the media or legistlation that can do something with it.

The video can be seen at www.fqvictims.org My family took this 4 months after I ingested Cipro. I know it's not levaquin but it's an FQ with the same damning ADR profile.

Please if anyone has a contact in government or media - get this into their hands.

Thank You,
Bob (******)

There have been numerous aditional post since I brought the following to your attention, therfore I am sending this information once agian:

Those who continue to suffer the adverse side effects of this drug may find the following to be of some help:

The following is the link to the quinolone adverse drug reaction discussion forum:

groups.yahoo.com/group/quinolones

The following is the link to the fluoroquinolone research forum:

groups.yahoo.com/group/fqresearch

The following is the link for the database forum maintained by the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation for reporting such events:

groups.yahoo.com/group/fq_adr_reports

The following is the link to the homepage of the fluoroquinolone toxicity research foundation where you will find over 4000 articles documenting the damage these drugs can and will do.

www.fqresearch.org

I do hope that you will find some answers to all of your questions by using these links. You are far from being alone for your name is "Legions". These sites are independent of medications.com and have no relationship what so ever with medications.com

David T Fuller
Director
Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation

Those who wish to contact me directly feel free to do so at
davidtfull@aol.com

There have been almost a hundred aditional post since I brought the following to your attention, therfore I am sending this information once agian:

Those who continue to suffer the adverse side effects of this drug may find the following to be of some help:

The following is the link to the quinolone adverse drug reaction discussion forum:

groups.yahoo.com/group/quinolones

The following is the link to the fluoroquinolone research forum:

groups.yahoo.com/group/fqresearch

The following is the link for the database forum maintained by the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation for reporting such events:

groups.yahoo.com/group/fq_adr_reports

The following is the link to the homepage of the fluoroquinolone toxicity research foundation where you will find over 4000 articles documenting the damage these drugs can and will do.

www.fqresearch.org

I do hope that you will find some answers to all of your questions by using these links. You are far from being alone for your name is "Legions". These sites are independent of medications.com and have no relationship what so ever with medications.com

David T Fuller
Director
Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation

Those who wish to contact me directly feel free to do so at
davidtfull@aol.com

There have been almost a hundred aditional post since I brought the following to your attention, therfore I am sending this information once agian:

Those who continue to suffer the adverse side effects of this drug may find the following to be of some help:

The following is the link to the quinolone adverse drug reaction discussion forum:

groups.yahoo.com/group/quinolones

The following is the link to the fluoroquinolone research forum:

groups.yahoo.com/group/fqresearch

The following is the link for the database forum maintained by the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation for reporting such events:

groups.yahoo.com/group/fq_adr_reports

The following is the link to the homepage of the fluoroquinolone toxicity research foundation where you will find over 4000 articles documenting the damage these drugs can and will do.

www.fqresearch.org

I do hope that you will find some answers to all of your questions by using these links. You are far from being alone for your name is "Legions". These sites are independent of medications.com and have no relationship what so ever with medications.com

David T Fuller
Director
Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation

Those who wish to contact me directly feel free to do so at
davidtfull@aol.com

Those who continue to suffer the adverse side effects of this drug may find the following to be of some help:

The following is the link to the quinolone adverse drug reaction discussion forum:

groups.yahoo.com/group/quinolones

The following is the link to the fluoroquinolone research forum:

groups.yahoo.com/group/fqresearch

The following is the link for the database forum maintained by the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation for reporting such events:

groups.yahoo.com/group/fq_adr_reports

The following is the link to the homepage of the fluoroquinolone toxicity research foundation where you will find over 4000 articles documenting the damage these drugs can and will do.

fqresearch.org

I do hope that you will find some answers to all of your questions by using these links. You are far from being alone for your name is \"Legions\". These sites are independent of medications.com and have no relationship what so ever with medications.com

David T Fuller
Director
Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation

Those who continue to suffer the adverse side effects of this drug may find the following to be of some help:

The following is the link to the quinolone adverse drug reaction discussion forum:

groups.yahoo.com/group/quinolones

The following is the link to the fluoroquinolone research forum:

groups.yahoo.com/group/fqresearch

The following is the link for the database forum maintained by the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation for reporting such events:

groups.yahoo.com/group/fq_adr_reports

The following is the link to the homepage of the fluoroquinolone toxicity research foundation where you will find over 4000 articles documenting the damage these drugs can and will do.

fqresearch.org

I do hope that you will find some answers to all of your questions by using these links. You are far from being alone for your name is "Legions". These sites are independent of medications.com and have no relationship what so ever with medications.com

David T Fuller
Director
Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation

There have been almost a hundred aditional post since I brought the following to your attention, therfore I am sending this information once agian:

Those who continue to suffer the adverse side effects of this drug may find the following to be of some help:

The following is the link to the quinolone adverse drug reaction discussion forum:

groups.yahoo.com/group/quinolones

The following is the link to the fluoroquinolone research forum:

groups.yahoo.com/group/fqresearch

The following is the link for the database forum maintained by the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation for reporting such events:

groups.yahoo.com/group/fq_adr_reports

The following is the link to the homepage of the fluoroquinolone toxicity research foundation where you will find over 4000 articles documenting the damage these drugs can and will do.

www.fqresearch.org

I do hope that you will find some answers to all of your questions by using these links. You are far from being alone for your name is "Legions". These sites are independent of medications.com and have no relationship what so ever with medications.com

David T Fuller
Director
Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation