Golf balls symptoms and conditions

I was prescribed 7 Levaquin (3- 750mg and 4- 500mg) on Friday December 12th 2008 for an ear infection. I was to take the 3- 750mg ones for the next 3 days and then start on the last 4- 500mg. The next evening Saturday, I started to get sharp pains in my left calf. I thought it was a charley horse and started limping around with pain. During the night I felt as if I was lying on golf balls and could not get comfortable.

The next morning the pain in the calf included soreness in the left hip area. I took an over-the-counter pain pill and went on my business. I also took the second 750mg Levaquin Saturday morning. Later that afternoon my right calf starting hurting with sharp pain as I walked around the house. This was really weird. The pain was exactly in the same area as the left side.

On Sunday morning (December 14th 2008) I took the 3rd 750mg Levaquin. That evening I started to put two and two together and had some thoughts the medication (Levaquin) was causing these side effects. I told my wife that I was going call my doctor on Monday (December 15th 2008) and let him know how much pain I was in. At this time I could hardly walk. I was walking with much pain and felt like I was walking like the Apes in the movie called “Planet of the Apes”.

I was now on the 500mg Levaquin. I took this pill Monday as scheduled. I called my doctors office Monday morning and talked to the lady that answered his phone. I explained my condition. She had me describe my symptoms twice. She told me she would give my message to my doctor. I did not receive a return that same day.

Tuesday morning I took the next 500mg Levaquin as scheduled required. Later that day I received a call from a lady at my doctor’s office. She told me that the doctor was going to phone in an additional prescription and where did I want it phoned to. I asked her what the doctor said about the additional 2- 500mg Levaquin pills I had left. Did he want me to stop taking them? She told me he didn’t say and he made no comment on my side effects.

My wife called the Pharmacist later Tuesday afternoon and the prescription was not there or not ready.

Wednesday morning I took the 2nd to last 500mg Levaquin dose as scheduled. Later that morning my wife called the Pharmacist and my new prescription was ready. We went and picked up the new medication that afternoon.

At this time I only had one more dose of the 500mg Levaquin and seeing-how the doctor didn’t tell me to stop taking the remaining last couple of pills I took it on Thursday morning to finish out the prescription.

I’ve been off Levaquin for about 3 days now. It’s now Sunday December 20, 2008 and many of my joints and muscles are in distress. I walk with much pain. I can hardly life my arm above my shoulders. Even my hands hurt when I try to make a fist. I hope this drug starts to wear off soon.

Along with my other medical problems, I have been starting to have thoughts of how unimportant I am. How I could become a burden to my family. My depression has gotten worse and thoughts of suicide have flashed into my mind. Those thoughts give me chills because I love my wife and know how much that would hurt her. I love life but I don’t want to get to the point that I can’t take care of myself. God must give me the courage to do what I have to do. I don’t know why I’m writing down the above information. This is so personal. This can’t be happing to me. It just doesn’t seem possible. I feel the pain in each of my joints in my hands as I type. It is as though I was not myself. I look at my hands and it seems as if I was in someone else’s body. I’m sure this is side effects of the Levaquin and should subside soon. Merry Christmas Everyone.

I am a 54 year old male who has a chronic a-fib. My cholesterol was a wee bit high so my now retired MD put me on Zetia, which just about killed me- constant stomach pains and associated GI problems-we all can guess. So I went to see my cardiologist- he took me off Zetia and put me on Lipitor. It dropped my cholesterol levels significantly but the side effects are horrendous. My new MD was gooing to look into it because I was on 80 mg a day- but never did and never lowered the dose-229 is not all that high to warrant 80 mg a day.
I am now experiencing severe pain in my right rib-cage area, making sleep an event every night. Also have severe leg cramps the size of golf balls constanlty at night while sleeping. Pain in both elbows, and in the right foot, which when I can sleep wakes me up with a severe pounding pain. I am also experiencing severe neck and shoulder pain and am generally fatigued all the time- So I quit taking the stuff as of today on my own, I am seeing my MD in two week and I want to see what the difference is pain wise being off of the med for two weeks. I have always been a strong physical guy, played football all the way through college and am in pretty good shape for my age, but this stuff is killing me!! Hope this helps someone else also-Thanks for listening-John in Napa, CA.

I'm currently taking Doxy and I'm in pain. I must have the esophageal irritation and I have acid reflux. It hurts to swallow anything and feels like I have golf balls in my throat and esophagus. Any suggestions to alleviate these symptoms??

i just made the latest entry (about the coughing) and don't want to sound like a hypochondriac but i am realizing some other effects that i've had the are most likely associated with this drug that i had never had before taking it. hair loss is one of them. but also about once or twice a day (usually about 8 hours after taking it) i get this overwhelming urge to throw up, i don't have nausea but for about 5 minutes my mouth will water and i have to fight it to not vomit. this is difficult because it sometimes happens at work and i have to use all my power to control it. i take a cough drop and try to concentrate on other things. also, the glands in my throat/neck are huge golf balls and can get very uncomfortable.