Flouroquinolones symptoms and conditions

I have taken three 500mg doses of Levaquin since Saturday. They were prescribed by my urologist for a "possible" minor prostates that might be affecting my PSA (2.2). The very first night I was unable to sleep, tossing and turning all night. Thought nothing of it, and blamed it on diet or too much sleep the previous day. However, insomnia has continued for three straight nights and last night I woke at 4:30 AM with shortness of breath (had to take long deep breaths to feel like I was getting enough oxygen) that felt like an anxiety attack. Although there was no pain, I felt like my heart was pounding and rapid. Finally got a little more sleep and woke up feeling OK in the morning, but blood pressure was elevated. I continually feel like I'm on a caffeine high. I never associated it, but, I woke up second and third days with a sore throat and have had a few minor muscle twitches in arms, legs and abdomen.

I feel fortunate compared to others on this forum. I have stopped taking the Levaquin and have an appointment with my family doctor tomorrow. As a side note, I had an acute prostates this time last year and took Cipro for over one month with no similar side effects that I can recall. Does anyone know if two drugs from the same group can have such different side effects, or can I expect the same problems if I start taking Cipro again?

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.

WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO TAKE A DRUG THAT CAN DO THIS MUCH DAMAGE WHEN THERE ARE OTHER DRUGS AVAILABLE THAT ARE MUCH SAFER? THIS DRUG IS SUPPOSED TO BE USED ONLY FOR BACTERIAL INFECTIONS AND ONLY USED WHEN NOTHING ELSE WORKS. ASK THE POSTAL WORKERS THAT WERE GIVEN FLOUROQUINOLONES FOR EXPOSURE TO ANTHRAX. I'M SURE THAT THOSE THAT CAN'T WORK ANYMORE WISH THAT THEIR DOCTORS HAD READ THE FACTS ABOUT THESE DRUGS BEFORE MAKING THEM TAKE IT.