Glad I found this forum. Yesterday my doctor started me on Levaq...

Glad I found this forum. Yesterday my doctor started me on Levaquin 500mg x10 for a mild case of epididmytis. I've taken two doses thusfar, but have decided to discontinue the medication after researching quinolones online. Also, I developed a small rash on my stomach last night, and a minor rash on my left flank today. Add to this the jittery/dizzy feelings and anxiety I'm feeling, and I think that's reason enough to d/c. My doctor should be calling in a new prescription today, from another class of antibiotics. I fully recognize that my anxiety is most likely not from the medication-- rather, it's likely from KNOWING that all these potential side effects exist. However, I believe that the symptoms described by the userids of this forum are real, especially since there is so much negative press about this class of drugs. I'm starting medical school next year, and I assure you all that when I finally become a physician, I'll strongly encourage proactive patients. Why trust exclusively what the drug companies/literature says about a medication when there are multiple patients telling you about their bad side effects? Patients know how they feel, not some report. As an aside, I think I'll start looking into when my girlfriend took levaquin. She's only 22 years old, but has suffered severe lower back pain for a couple years now (sometimes so bad she couldn't walk). I know she took levaquin at some time in the past-- I can remember looking at the pills. She deals with the pain through natural anti-inflammatories (flax oil, etc.), but she has gone through a lot of physicians while trying to find the cause. She's had x-rays, MRI's, physical therapy, steroid injections, and has met with multiple neurologists and orthopods. So far, no cause has been found. She was a perfectly health college athlete (equestrian) when her back pain struck out of the blue one day. I still remember, she was crying, and couldn't walk the two blocks to her class. By no means have I suddenly concluded that her pain was caused by levaquin; rather, I relate this story to see if anyone else has experienced lasting low-back pain. I'll keep looking into that possibility, but in the meantime, I'l continue feeling relieved that I'm stopping a potentially dangerous medication. Good luck to all of you in dealing with your afflictions. Nick