I first took avelox last december for cellulitis. I also took lev...

I first took avelox last december for cellulitis. I also took levoquin for the same condition. I had a recurrence and took Avelox again this week. On the 3rd day I noticed brief "sticking" pains that would come and go. It felt like someone was poking me, first on the leg, then my back, then an arm. They lasted briefly, and then came back a few hours later. About the same time I noticed my shoulder was hurting, and my forearm and some of my fingers. I thought the infection was spreading and I went back to the doctor, who offered to Xray my shoulder. That seemed pointless, so I said forget it and refered to the package insert, where i found tendon rupture as a side effect. I searched more and found that Avelox, and other quinolones are TOXIC to the TENDONS and may cause muscle and tendon pain. I discontinued the medicine and now am using ceflex to treat the infection. I will wait a while for the pains to resolve, and pray I do not blow a tendon, esp. in my shoulder. I am pretty pissed that the doctor was unaware of this side effect, and when I informed him of my experience he said he would not use Avelox for cellulitis in the future. KB