Toxic reactions symptoms and conditions

I've experienced a severe allergic reaction that resulted in over 3 weeks of being in and out of the hospital for severe hives, breathing and digestion associated with severe reactions. I am now still hypersensitive with a low level case of hives. ARe there other normal chemicals /food additives that I should stay away from to eliminate that as a possible future reactions?

I am a 36 year old woman living in hell for 3 months now.

In early October of last year I was admitted to the Hospital with diagnosed bronchitis a possible pneumonia. I was given Avelox which is a member of the Fluoroquinolone drug family. At the time I was in sever distress, could not breath, and was extremely weak from the infection. I stayed in the hospital for 6 days while they gave me Avelox along with various other meds to treat my symptoms and was released after finally getting a clear chest x-ray. The drug had done its job. But it was a week later that hell started. I was re-admitted to the same hospital with sever abdominal pain. They told me that I had hepatitis due to a reaction from the Avelox. My Dr. Also suspected I could have Wilsons Disease so he prescribed a liver biopsy, to say the very least this was a painful procedure. The biopsy came back negative and the liver function began to return to normal just as the pain everywhere else began.

joint and muscle pain
headaches
insomnia
uncontrollable twitching
arm and leg numbness
neck pain/spasms
a mass on my left breast (further diagnosed after mammogram, CT and Biopsy as a side effect to the Avelox)

My internist, Rheumatologist and the liver specialist all suspect “Post infection pain syndrom”.

However, after hearing now 3 separate times from 3 seperate Dr's about the possible side effect of Avelox I did a little research and every single one of my “symptoms” are on the lists of dangerous side effects for this drug. Now none of my Dr.s can tell me if I will ever get rid of the pain I am in. None of them seem to be able to do ANYTHING but treat my symptoms. By treating the symptoms all they can do is pain management which means pain killers. I simply can not function day to day with most pain killers so I am forced to live with the pain.

More drugs than I have ever taken, Dr.s visits, time off work, stress and a standard of living that simply put is not living, not to mention the tremendous outlay of cash...to say the least I am frustrated.

I wish I had seen this page BEFORE I finished 5 days of Levaquin 500. The meds were prescribed for a post-upper-respiratory infection hacking dry cough that had been going on for nearly 3 weeks. I finished the meds 4 days ago and still feel super crummy. Levaquin did nothing for the cough (acunpuncturist stopped it with with several well-placed needles in my outer ear) and - before I saw this page - thought of asking the doctor for another round since I was still sick and seem to be getting worse. I have intermittent headaches, a racing heart, blurred vision, am so tired I never want to get out of bed. I'm also having a recurrence of sciatica in one hip and thigh and - new symptom! - the foot on that side is so sore it's hard to put my weight on it. I was told to report any joint or tendon pains but, according to the doctor, "they are very rare." I'm sure he told me about the symptom to protect himself "just in case" but it was clear he really didn't believe there would be problems. I took the medicine for three days, then stopped for a day because I didn't feel well. Then I thought, "Suck it in - there's only 2 pills to go and then you won't infect anyone. You don't want to be Typhoid Mary for the next antibiotic-resistant killer strain of some bug or another, do you?" I am devastated to think these symptoms will persist as long as people on this site say they will. I keep thinking I can sleep this off, or that I'm really sick with something that requires a different antibiotic. ( And how stupid is THAT?) But, from what I've read here, that's not likely to be the case. I'm 67 years old and already have compromised immune system plus sleep apnea, high blood pressure, narcolepsy, and asthma. Is there anyone out there who has been able to resolve these symptoms in less than three months? I refuse to believe I have to feel this way for the foreseeable future. And boy, am I mad! At myself as well as at the doctor. I usually research everything before I take it, but this one just slipped under the wire.

"Free at Last, Free at Last, Thank God I Am Free at Last" - That was my first thought as after two months, the horrible effects of Levaquin finally left my body. Don't give up hope, although with no support for doctors, it is hard not to! I just don't know why they are not interested in how bad the side effects can be with this drug - I received the same story - "out of the millions of prescriptions written, how many people have had adverse reactions"........well, with as severe as a reaction as I had with every joint, muscle and tendon in my body aching as though I had been hit with rheumatoid arthritis, and from all the other testimonials I have read, someone ought to be doing something about the toxic reactions to Levaquin. I was prescribed 750mg for 20 days and threw it in the trash after the 10th day. Honestly, after reading all the postings with people with similar symptoms, I cried not knowing how long this was going to last. I have posted previously that I don't know if it was a time coincidence or the fact that I went to a health food specialty store and was told to take Zyflamend A.M. & P.M, liquid magnesium and another liquid Cal/Mag/Zinc drink. I also took the largest dosage of Fish Oil (Omega 3) that I could find. I did this religiously for at least 3 weeks, so you may want to give it a try - one of my doctors said that it has to "work out of your system", but I can't think that the magnesium based products did help and they are godd for you also.

I am not a person inclined to sue anyone, but if there is a class action suit ever instituted against Levaquin, I would happily participate in the suit - this drug does things that I would never imagine an antibiotic would do.

Make sure to get on all you medical charts that you are allergic to Levaquin and related drugs in this category.

I also thank the day that I found this website as it relieved my mind to find out what was ailing me - I guarantee you that it would be a rare instance to have a doctor concur with the side effects!