I am a 43 year old female who, until I found this site, thought ...

I was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia and was given Avelox. Within days, I could not urinate, and have needed a catheter ever since. I have no history of urinary problems. (I am 44 years old) I have been in excellent health all my life. I was given an M.R.I for possible neurilogical problems. (none were found) My surgeon could find no physical explanation for my condition. Could Avelox have caused this?

I AGREE WITH YOU 100%-AFTER TAKING AVELOX-I HAD TO GO TO THE ER WITH A SEVERE ALLERGIC REACTION WITH SWOLLEN INFLAMED HIVES-AND LIPS-NOT TO MENTION PRESSURE ON MY HEAD AS IF SOMEONE THREW ME IN A WELL FILLED WITH CEMENT. I ALSO HAVE STIFFNESS IN THE NECK AND JOINTS ACCOMPANIED BY FAST HEART RATE AND MENTAL CONFUSION-ALL BECAUSE I WAS PRESCRIBED THIS PAIN INDUCER TO CLEAR UP CHRONIC SINUSITIS!!!

I am a 35 year old female. I went to our MD about a chest cold. At that time he gave me Avelox. I inquired about my having Sinus Tachycardia and is it safe. I was rest assured that everything was fine. He said; "It's just a simple antibiotic and is absolutely harmless."

As soon as I took the first pill out of the bottle I started to have life threatening problems. Within a couple minutes my tongue started feeling like bees were stinging it. Then my lips started feeling tight and puffy. My throat starting feeling really weird and I chugged some water. This only made things worse. Within about 5 minutes after taking the pill my whites of my eyes were completely red, lips, hands and feet were purple and swollen.

The pressure in my head was so strong I could hear my heart beat and the pounding in my ear and I could take my pulse just by listening in my ear. All of a sudden I started losing control of all my muscles (natural when cardiac arrest is setting in because it saves all energy to pump the heart). I started feeling bowels moving uncontrollably and next thing I knew; I collapsed on the floor.

My husband called emergency rescue and when they arrived my blood pressure was 70/16 with a pulse of 230 which I wouldn't expect the heart rate to speed up when blood pressures low, but apparently that's normal. They started an IV right away and took me to the hospital.

While there I was confused and didn't know what was going on. My feet remained purple for hours afterwards. They said I was the 3rd person just that week and the 5th that month with the same reaction to the same medication and that people with Sinus Tachycardia (Sinus Node) Problems are warned not to take this medication. (HMPH!) I was very angry as I was very specific when I questioned my MD.

I had to take Benedryl for 5 days every 6 hours because it was an ER (Extended Release) form and it would continue to release this medication over the next few days so I ended up sleeping for the most part and a large hospital bill and ambulatory bill that no one seems to wish to pay and neither will I. It has been sitting on my credit report since and a judgment against my house as well. I refuse to pay the damages after I inquired very specifically.

I am glad to hear you all are ok. I empathize with you because it was the scariest moment I've EVER experienced and my husband and 11 year old daughter witnessed the whole thing.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU-I just started a 10 day supply of Avelox and also experienced SEVERE head and neck pain-I was a step away from going to the ER last night. I was trying to decide if I was willing to take the med again tonight until I found your site. THANKS again for posting this warning and hopefully saving me a headache trip to the ER tonight.

I too, just had a script for Avelox given to me yesterday. I have had this medication one time before as Avelox and also Leviquin, didn't have any trouble either time. Yesterday, however, I took my first pill at noon, about half an hour later my stomach began to hurt, I laid down for a while and when I got up my stomach still hurt and my heart was pounding. I continued to feel ill for most of the rest of the day until about 7 in the evening or so and began feeling better. I went to be and slept really well until 4:45 this morning when I awoke very hot and and very sweaty. I got up and noticed my heart rate seemed fast, I took my BP and Pulse and found that I was pumping away at a pulse rate of 162! I took myself to the ER where they did a number of tests (blood, urine, fecal occult, chest film) and found nothing wrong. I am blamin Avelox! The killer of the deal is I had the same thing happen earlier this year while on Penicillin. I guess I'm just delicate...but I didn't feel nearly as bad on the PenVK as I did on the Avelox, I think it needs to be taken off the market. I hope this helps some others.

I'm a 44 year old female who was admitted to ER the other day for Pneumonia (also have Fibromylagia for ten years). The attending physician on call ordered two antibiotics via IV drip -- clarithromycin and azithromycin (9 hours worth). I felt nearly normal upon leaving the hospital and was directed by doctor to take a 7 day script of Avelox while at home.

I'm relived to have come across these posts because it explains where my intense migraine pain generated from -- Avelox. Quite honestly, I thought I was about to die. I've never had such a migraine in my life.

The Avelox script directs to be taken in the morning, which I did, and was relatively fine for eight hours, but by nightfall, all I could do was lay down and massage my head. The intense pain was located on the left front lobe area of my head, causing pressure behind my eye and generating down into my lower jaws on both sides.

Along with migraine, my guts felt like they were going to explode. Terrible food-poisoning sensation, nausea, on verge of vomiting several times but I had not eaten in days so had dry heaves. The Avelox says to NOT take antacids so I ate a few crackers and drank gatorade.

To make it through the night as I could not get back to the hospital since I was alone, pain was managed by massaging my head for hours while applying ice cold compresses to temple.

For those of you who are looking to the Internet for answers as to HOW LONG WILL THIS DAMN PAIN LAST, it's now the next day for me and I'm just starting to feel like I can fall asleep. The throb has finally dissipated. It must have been a good ten hours at least (sorry to say) and I was going through panics about dying-- a very tearful night.

Stay hydrated-- it helps to drink plenty of fluids because it flushes out the toxic assault.

I won't be taking this medicine again-- it'll kill me. I'll make a request from now on to say I'm allergic to it. Damn awful painful medication-- it needs to be taken off the shelves. I'm going to write Bayer a request to refund $100 for the remaining pills I can't take..... The FDA needs to take this medication off the market.