September 27th
2006
10:04 AM
April 10, 2005- I was exposed to what is a suspected case of whooping cough and developed the symptoms quickly. I went in and was given something like tetracycline for 10 days. I was still coughing violently at the end and so went back in. A young doctor gave me Levaquin and I took 3 or 4 of the pills but developed a back ache and went in. That doctor x-rayed me to make sure I hadn't cracked ribs from coughing so hard. I hadn't. He put me on a different antibiotic. Within 3-4 days I went into the ER because I had one of my coughing attacks (they're violent and you can't inhale because a rubbery-like phlegm get stucks in your windpipe and your body tries everything to expell it!) As I coughed that time I suddenly felt a horrible pain, like something exploded deep inside my back, not a surface muscle. A separate pain started and that was a slow, burning, tearing feeling. I've never felt such intense pain. I couldn't raise my legs to sit in our car and so we called the ambulance. The ER md was more interested in my lungs and found that I did have some pneuonia as well, gave me morphine so that I could sleep for 24 hours, and told me to continue the antibiotics. He also told me to go ahead and finish out the Levaquin as well! And stupidly I did. I had pain from the tendon and whatever tear in my back for months. I couldn't sleep easily. I ended up having pneumonia again in Nov. 2005 and the coughing made that injury hurt again. This year I have Achilles tendonitis in both legs and fasciitis in one foot. I don't know how long it takes for Levaquin to clear out of the body and I also don't know if these symptoms are related to taking Levaquin last year. In looking back, I think it's odd that you'd prescribe a medicine that has the adverse effect of ruptured tendons and the like to a person that is having violent coughing for weeks on end. There were times during what we think was Pertussis, that I was coughing with that spasmodic type of cough 8 times a night and regular coughing every 5 minutes or more. If anyone was going to experience the adverse side effect, it would be a person using muscles repeatedly and violently! Don't you think???
I am so angry about all of this.
May 11th
2009
4:15 PM
I was given z-pak as a precaution due to repeated exposure to pertussis while working as an ER Tech at a local hospital (2005). I experienced chest pain and rapid heart rate. My blood pressure when I get to the ER was 240/186. I have always been healthy and fit.
-- By j_walker | Reply | Private Message meAll the cardiac tests were performed and were normal except for the chest xray. It showed a 30% pneumothorax. I was so shocked.
Since then I have not been able to keep the BP under control. Even more so I have extreme difficulty urinating. I am not male, but if I had a prostate it would be the answer. I have edema and constant trouble emptying my bladder. No one seems to care. I've been to many Dr.'s and no one will listen. They just put me on more BP meds with little response. 44yr female.