I had a stubborn sinus infection and received a prescription for Levaquin after two other antibiotics failed. In my doctor's defense, she used it as a 3rd line defense.
Still, after taking 7 days of a a 10-day, 500 mg course, I woke up with severe pain in my left ankle, as if I had turned it and sprained it playing basketball or soccer or something. The topside of my foot just under the ankle was swollen. I could hardly walk from the pain. I also had a duller, non-specific pain in my lower back. I had not been particularly active for about a week, so I could not imagine what was wrong.
Because of the lingering sinus infection, I decided to see the doctor, who identified the possibility that Levaquin might have caused the pain. He recommended I stop taking the Levaquin and treat the ankle like a sprain. He also said that if the pain continued for more than a few days, I should get an MRI to investigate the possibility of tendon or ligament damage.
This is the most bizarre medical thing that has ever happened to me. I usually investigate the drugs I am prescribed, but I could not have imagined the prevalence of side effects to Levaquin. The main web sites just include "joint pain" as a possible side effect, but that doesn't come close to describing what has happened to me. I just hope the symptoms do not linger as they have for so many others.