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I was given Levaquin for a kidney infection. It seemed to help b...

Posted at 2:34 AM on Jul 20, 2009 by seaturtlemom, #43158
I was given Levaquin for a kidney infection. It seemed to help break my fever but after only one dose, I broke out in rash and later that night had tingling in my legs. My hand felt numb. When I called the oncall doctor she told attributed to anxiety. I told her I was anxious because all of a sudden my hand had gone numb and knowing that was a danger sign I refused to take anymore. Later that night, I could not walk or stand or bear weight on my legs. My shins and Achilles tendons were burning and only because of the internet did I know what was happening to me. Only 1 out of three doctors would agree I was having a drug reaction. For some odd reason, the doctors REFUSE to believe or acknowledge this was caused by Levaquin. No wonder the side effects are "rare" if no doctor will acknowledge the pain their patients are going through....how can the drug companies get any real feedback. Funny thing is only after I sent an email out to my team essentially warning them about this drug did I find out my coworker who had been on medical leave had suffered the same fate of torn achilles tendon and only after 3 months of PT is finally walking without pain. WHAT IS WRONG WITH our world when no one will listen to us. Thank God for the internet. I can walk now and have no pain standing (lasted only 2 and half days) but I am scared about the future as I know the results are lingering. I have been exhausted this whole weekend and wonder if its just me recovering as my PCP had me quit all antibiotics even at the risk of getting my kidney infection back. Well nice to know our stories are the same...and its not in our heads. BTW, my ER doctor told me it was a good drug and very unlikely the cause of my leg pains. They rather believed I had pneumonia or lyme's disease before they would believe it was caused by their beloved drug. All I can think now is I hope one day they are given this drug and it cripples them like it has so many others. Sometimes that is the only way they will acknowledge the truth. It has to happen to them or someone they love.
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Reply 4 months ago on Jul 20, 2009 by wilderdyke, #21686

I empathize with you! Last fall I took Cipro, and after I had just taken the last pill, my body was in agony. I couldn't move! I hurt so much that my husband had a terrible time getting me lifted out of bed. We had to borrow a wheelchair to get me to the doctor. He increased the amount of prednisone I was on, and thankfully the crippling pain passed. However, a few weeks later I started having neurological sensations which resembled shingles. Then I would momentarily black out. I experienced pressure at different points on my head, even making me feel sometimes like I had a sandbag on top of my head. After all kinds of neurological tests, MRI's, etc., the neurologist found that I had increased spinal fluid. My body was acting like I had a brain tumor! He had no explanation for it. I can say, however, that I believe that my suffering came from Levaquin. I will never take it again, and I tell others to avoid Levaquin, Cipro, and anything in that antibiotic family. I am thankfully better now, but it has taken months to recover. Take care, Stefanie
Stefaniewilderdyke@yahoo.com

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