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Previous statement didn't go through, which was about my shock wh...

Posted at 8:56 PM on Apr 03, 2006 by gayle634, #14340
Previous statement didn't go through, which was about my shock when I read my suspicions about Levaquin were confirmed and validated by so many on this website. I first took Levaquin for 10 days several months ago ,for a sinus infection. Around the 8th day, I experienced neuropathy with leg aches and pains, some numbness, and feeling like bricks were on top of my feet. My sister had also just taken Levaquin had some of these symptoms, but we chalked it up to a virus. She told me to take Super Vitamin B complex pills which seemed to help a lot. In Jan. I took Levaquin for 5 days for respiratory problems with no ill effects. Mid March I was switched from Z pack for sinus infection to Levaquin for 10 days due to progression to pneumonia. It was thought later to be viral as I didn't improve on the Levaquin. I continued to take it to help prevent picking up a secondary infection. Again, around the 8th day, the leg aches and pain returned but this time it was different. The stiffness was much more pronounced. By the last day of the Levaquin, I could not rise from a sitting position with yelling out in pain. It felt as if my right knee was ripping. I had to grab on to tables and counters to get up. The next day I was pretty much immobilized and kept ice packs on my swollen knee all day. I had started back on the Vitamin B Complex, was flushing my system with juice and water and began researching this antibiotic which had worked so well for some problems. I hobbled in to see my regular physician that next day for follow up of the pneumonia. The stiffness was subsiding but my right knee was swollen in several areas and painful. My doctor said I had 2 areas of Tendonitis and 1 of Bursitis. He said he couldn't say it was from the Levaquin. He prescribed Prednisone, which I chose to take only the 6 day pack as he said there was a 1 in 100,000 chance the Prednisone could cause further injury and possibly even require a knee replacement, the longer I stayed on it. After I got home, I researched more and found this website. Everything I had experienced, even the insomnia, twinges of pain in my arches, especially all the leg and knee problems, had been documented by a multitude of others. There are too many cases for this to be considered coincidence. I appreciate eveyone taking the time to register these side affects of this harsh medication. I plan to educate eveyone I can as to these dangers of Levaquin, especially the various doctors who have prescribed it. I don't know for others but the Super Vitamin B Complex daily did help me. Since Levaquin instructions say grapefruit juice inhibits the absorption, maybe we all should be drinking that, as long as it doesn't affect any other medications. It is now 9 days off the Levaquin. The Prednisone helped significantly with the knee stiffness and chest congestion. I still need to wear the knee brace, walk with a very slow gait and a limp, and hear my knee popping regularly. The hip pain radiating down my legs, which I almost forgot, has improved but it is still difficult to find a comfortable position when reclining.
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