Antibiotic therapy symptoms and conditions

I was prescribed generic Macrobida for UTI and developed pain in my legs and hips within a couple of days of starting it, then headache and feeling lousy, next severe constipation, then anxiety and sleeplessness (I was unable to sleep all night one night). The constipation, anxiety and sleeplessness were so severe and so unusual for me that I decided to look online to see if they might be related to the antibiotic since I hadn't changed anything else lately and found that other people have had the same problems and realized that the body aches, general malaise, and headache was probably related as well. My choices of antibiotic therapy are limited due to allergies and bacterial resistance issues so I will try to tough it out but wanted other people to be aware of some of the problems this medication has caused me.

Predisone is the only other alternative for antibiotic therapy. Predisone has been known for years to have a lot of side effects. Always keep in mind you must be weined from the medicine never stop without consulting your doctor and if your doctor gives you a dose that does not require weining please also consult your pharmacist and the pharmacist really knows the drug compared to your doctor. Doctor's typically only know what the medication reps tell them whereas the pharmacist has extensive medication knowledge and will also know your current medication conflicts. Be sure that your doctor is aware of all medications including all herbal supplements and other the counter medications. With predisone you really have to out weigh the symptoms verses the side effects then determine are they really worth going through to eleviate your symptons. Keep in mind Predisone is a steroid a very potent anti-flammitory and reduces the inflammation so the infection can heal.

I'm a 37 year old female and have severe asthma and allergies and have used pregnisone on and off for 30 years. I believe I am the poster child for the long term side effects. My immune system is shot to the point that my normal medicines for asthma (ventolin, advair) and allergies (tylenol sinus, claritan, visine A) and ezcema (elidel, hydrocortisone, etc. - - NOTHING works!

In the past 6 months, I have developed various infections that the doctors have not been able to identify. My eyes are swollen and red with large amount of white/yellow secretions. Vaginal secretions. Face swollen. Skilled covered in a rash with ezcema out of control. Sharp pains in my back and stomach. Constant asthma. Abnormal hair growth. It is to the point that it is impossible to function and each doctor just wants to prescribe more pregnisone. I feel as if my body is a walking time bomb and it is so full of all the cortisone from over the years and has just decided no more.

I admit that I too readily believed in the doctors when they would rapidly prescribe the pregnisone. Only now am I paying attention to the long term side effects.

Has anyone had tests done to test their immune system and other organs for damage? Thanks and best to our pregnisone club.

I have taken Levaquin over the past three years for stubborn and recurring sinus infections. Although I was seriously ill with the infections (fever of 104) I have finally refused to take the antiobiotic despite the fact that it is quite effective in the treatment of the infection. The side effects are simply too debilitating. Each time I was taking the Levaquin, I suffered from tinitis, sleeplessness, extreme photophobia, and mild digestive upset. But it was the severe arthritis-like symptoms that crippled me for well over a month after discontinuing the antibiotic that finally forced me to seek other antibiotic therapy. The joint related symptoms were so serious, in fact, that I was misdiagnosed as having rheumatoid arthritis after my first use of Levaquin. I was prescribed plaquinil for the arthritis, but fortunately my pharmacist informed me of the possible side-effects of Levaquin and I never started arthritis therapy. Although the joint-related side effects diminish in time, I do not feel that I have ever fully regained my flexability or range of motion, nor have I been completely pain-free since using Levaquin.