Emphatically symptoms and conditions

Hi,
Earlier this week, I started taking Levaquin for strep throat. My regular doctor was out of town , so I went to a walk in clinic. Anyway, two later, I woke up with the worst spasms in my left shoulder and arm. I could barely lift my arm without screaming out in pain. The next morning, my right arm and shoulder were affected as well. I have had depression and bouts of sudden tears over the past five days. I read what you wrote after looking up side effects on the internet, and called my own doctor asap, since he had returned to work by then. He said that Levaquin was a very strong drug, and overkill medicine for strep throat. I mentioned my pains and he said that he knew Leva quin caused damage to children and teens, but not to adults. So I took it again, but the next day, the pain increased. It was a Saturday, so I called the covering doctor who said it was probably my Lipitor causing the pain. I told him I had taken Lipitor for three years without difficulty, he said that side effects from it can suddenly crop up. However, he did take me off the Levaquin and gave me the 5 day Z-pack.
When I picked up the new prescription at the drug store, I asked the pharmacist about Levaquin, and she said that more and more cases of damaged Achilles tendons and shoulder and arm problems were being reported due to Levicon. She asked if she should put it as a drug I am allergic to on my chart at the pharmacy. I said emphatically to list it. I went home and through out every levicon I had left. Obviously the makers of Levicon have kept this side effect pretty quiet. It is listed as a precaution, but it doesn't seem to stress enough what damage it can do.
If doctors aren't aware of this, the general public certainly wouldn't know, and yet so many cases are written up on the internet.
I think that it wopn't be too long until there IS a major law suit.
I hope my pain doesn't last, but if it lasts more than a week, I won't sit back and do nothing. I care too much about others who could be affected adversely by a dangerous drug.

Mary

Hi,
Earlier this week, I started taking Levaquin for strep throat. My regular doctor was out of town , so I went to a walk in clinic. Anyway, two later, I woke up with the worst spasms in my left shoulder and arm. I could barely lift my arm without screaming out in pain. The next morning, my right arm and shoulder were affected as well. I have had depression and bouts of sudden tears over the past five days. I read what you wrote after looking up side effects on the internet, and called my own doctor asap, since he had returned to work by then. He said that Levaquin was a very strong drug, and overkill medicine for strep throat. I mentioned my pains and he said that he knew Leva quin caused damage to children and teens, but not to adults. So I took it again, but the next day, the pain increased. It was a Saturday, so I called the covering doctor who said it was probably my Lipitor causing the pain. I told him I had taken Lipitor for three years without difficulty, he said that side effects from it can suddenly crop up. However, he did take me off the Levaquin and gave me the 5 day Z-pack.
When I picked up the new prescription at the drug store, I asked the pharmacist about Levaquin, and she said that more and more cases of damaged Achilles tendons and shoulder and arm problems were being reported due to Levicon. She asked if she should put it as a drug I am allergic to on my chart at the pharmacy. I said emphatically to list it. I went home and through out every levicon I had left. Obviously the makers of Levicon have kept this side effect pretty quiet. It is listed as a precaution, but it doesn't seem to stress enough what damage it can do.
If doctors aren't aware of this, the general public certainly wouldn't know, and yet so many cases are written up on the internet.
I think that it wopn't be too long until there IS a major law suit.
I hope my pains don't last, but if they persevere for more than a week, I won't sit back and do nothing. I care too much about others who could be affected adversely by such a dangerous drug.

During the 2000/2001 school year I became extremely ill from a pnuemonia type disease. It was my first year as a public school teacher and I was reluctant to miss any days. I tried self medicating myself and was not able to get over it. I sought relief from this from my family doctor. He examined me and prescribed the antibiotic levaquin. He described the drug as the "cadilac" of all antibiotics. I took the medication as prescribed. During this course of this medication I developed yeast infection in my mouth. My doctor prescribed the recommened medication for the yeast infection. Soon after the levaquin I began to experience severe ulcerated colitus including bleeding stools several times a day. I notified my doctor who emphatically denied that levaquin was in any way the cause of this. He advise me to seek treatment from a specialist. I was treated with such drugs as Asacol (12 capsules a day) and for a time predisone. These symptoms continued for the next two to three years. As a middle school teacher I experienced much stress from my duties as a new teacher and along with the daily rigor of the effects of the disease was unable to perform my teaching duties to the standards of expectation. In the spring of 2003 my teaching contract was not renewed. I have not been in the class room since. Additionally in the Spring of 2004 I switched medical plans and went under the care of a new specialist. He performed a colonoscopy outpatient and determined that I was free from the Colitus. Even though I am pronounced free from the disease the above circumstances have had a direct impact on my general health.

To the guest below, I have to emphatically tell you that your nurse is WRONG. I called BERLEX myself, (the distributor of Yasmin) and they admitted to me that ANXIETY IS A SIDE EFFECT in some women. I think you can tell by the posts on this board that what some women experience as a side effect, others do not. That doesn't in any way though negate your side effects and I really wish the people in the medical community wouldn't have such a flippant attitude towards their patients. It took about 3 full days for me to feel "normal" again after stopping this pill. Give it a little while longer.