Avelox and fda

The best drug out there !! No I am not ignorant enough to make these cart blanche statements like some of these posts---Millions of people have used this drug successfully like I have. Just because it works for one individual they should not recommend it to the world nor if it causes you personally some harm YOU SHOULD NOT POST A STATEMENT THAT INFERS IT WILL HARM EVERYONE--IN-OTHER-WORDS GET A LIFE!

I continue to read and sit here crying. I wish I could reply to each and everyone of you...this drug needs to be stopped. The company needs to be held responsible for their actions. Avelox needs to be off the market!

I had a severe upper respiratory infection and regular well known antibiotics wouldn't kick it. I went back to the physician who prescribed Avelox. Within less than 2 minutes of taking the first pill out of the bottle I started getting sensations of bee's stinging my tongue everywhere and my lips were tight, purple and swollen. Within just minutes I started having a hard time breathing and the whites of my eyes were really bloody. Next thing I knew I could literally feel and hear my heart beat in my ears and everything sounded like I was in a tunnel. Within 5 minutes of taking the pill an ambulance was called and by the time they arrived my blood pressure was 70/16 with over 240 pulse.

When I got to the ER they said I wasn't the only one with the same issue to this drug and 3 were within the week prior to my being there. When I said I had SVT Supra Ventricular Tachycardia the doctor said people with SA Node (Natural pace maker of the heart) issues which control the magnetic aspect of your heart biting it sends something in there to screw it up and make it a big mess. I wouldn't suggest this med to anyone as I did some other research on it through the web and their reports from the FDA and there were some pretty NASTY side and long term effects of it.

Needless to say; since this happened I've developed a panic disorder and my nervous system isn't working correctly. Again; be careful what you take.

Both my Mom & I had come down with the flu and our doctor gave us each 6 day sample of Avelox. I became severely depressed & anxious telling the neighbor I felt a doom & gloom in the air. I just googled Avelox and anxiety and depression and found this site. I just asked my Mom if she felt depressed while on it and she said yes but could not put her finger on why. I also experienced bad back pain. I will never take this drug again. There is nothing wrong with the tried and true drugs that have been time-tested. Again, this proves to me the pharmaceutical companies along with the doctors they wine & dine try to push the latest fad drug as they make the most amount of money on it. The drugs that have been around for decades do not make them the money that the new ones do. FDA should be ashamed for allowing these drugs to be passed onto the consumer so easily.

Had "walking pneumonia" in February 2008. Went to a couple of primary care physicians before I was finally prescribed AVELOX. I was 40 at the time and have no psychiatric history but within a day of taking AVELOX I suddenly felt like I was being pulled into a black hole of depression. That lasted about 20-30 minutes but felt much longer. The next day, the same feeling happened. I immediately went online and found all of these posts. I stopped taking AVELOX ASAP. Over the next couple of days, those feelings dissappated. I feel so fortunate that my symptoms went away. Every chance I get, I tell people, "DO NOT TAKE AVELOX!" I am wondering how AVELOX remains on the market! How many more people will be temporarily or permanently damaged by this toxin?!

I am a 48 year old female who had just recovered from pneumonia and was prescribed avelox for a lingering sinus infection. Within hours after taking just 1 400 mg pill, I began experiencing a severe reaction. First there was a rash all over my body, with swelling and flushing all over. Then I became nauseated to the point of dry heaves and my temp went to 104 digress. My body then had neurological shakes, I could not control them -- just like Parkinson. I had no energy to move. My husband rushed me to the ER where I was treated with steroids, liquid benadryl, nausea medicine and IV fluids. After a few hours, I was released. Two days later, after another trip to the ER because of tingling, rash and no blood flow to extremities the same treatment was given. It has now been two weeks and I am just now feeling like I am coming out of this and getting back to normal. I have just spent over 10 days in bed, untold amount of money at ER and lost two weeks of my life.. BTW, the ER Doc said he would never prescribe Avelox to anyone due to the numerous reactions he has seen. If there is a class action suit, count me in.. Never let anyone take this drug..

I am trying to spread the word on this drug, Avelox! It is poison and needs to be taken off the shelf.
We all need to complain to Bayer and the FDA. Although I am sure the FDA knew about all these side effects when they gave their stamp of approval on this one. It's all a business. They don't care how many people they kill as long as they make a buck!!!!!!!
Please take the time to share your bad experience with the drug with my readers so we can pass the word on this BAD drug.
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I WAS GIVEN AVELOX AFTER I HAD A SINUS INFECTION WITHIN A COUPLE MONTHS. I WAS ALSO PRESCRIBED PREDNISONE. THE FIRST DAY I TOOK THE AVELOX I RAN A FEVER. I STARTED THE PREDNISONE THE NEXT DAY. I FIGURED I WOULD FEEL BETTER ONCE THE AVELOX KICKED IN. HOW WRONG. IT TOOK ME THREE TRIES THE NEXT DAY TO GET THE DOCTOR ON THE PHONE BECAUSE I HURT SO BAD. EVERY MUSCLE, EVERY JOINT IN MY BODY HURT. I DID NOT MOVE OFF MY COUCH. THE DOCTOR TOLD ME HE DIDN'T KNOW WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT BUT I COULD MAKE AN APPOINTMENT THE NEXT DAY. MY MUSCLES HURT SO BAD AND THE JOINT PAIN WOULD GO FROM ONE TO ANOTHER WITH WEIRD CHILL LIKE FEELINGS AT TIMES. MY MUSCLES IN MY ARMS AND LEGS WERE VISIBLY SHAKING WHEN I RETURNED TO THE DOCTOR THE NEXT DAY. HE BLAMED THE PREDNISONE. BUT TOLD ME AFTER A DAY OFF OF IT IF I STILL DIDN'T FEEL RIGHT TO STOP THE AVELOX. YA THINK? THREE DAYS LATER AND I AM STILL IN PAIN. AFTER 4 DAYS OFF WORK I HAD TO RETURN AND I HURT ALL OVER. DURING THAT TIME I CRIED FROM THE PAIN. MY STOMACH HURT, AND I WAS NERVOUS. I THOUGHT MAYBE I WAS LOSING MY MIND I HAD SO MANY DIFFERENT SYMPTOMS AND HURT SO BAD. WAS SO GLAD I FOUND THIS SITE. SOMEBODY NEEDS TO SUE THE DRUG COMPANIES. I WOULD LIKE TO SUE THE DOCTOR TOO.

I started on the 27th of April and by the 29th I had burning in my back and severe pain. I then got chest pain and tingly in my arm. Over the next few days, I got anexity, the depression, confusion, poor judgment, depth perception problems, muscle spasms and almost wrecked my car.

I had memory problems, irritable, uneasiness feeling, etc.

I then had problem with my hip and I am only 35!!! I can't pick up my baby without feeling faint.

Today my eyes started yellowing.

I reported all this to the FDA MEDWATCH and to BAYER the makers of it. Maybe if everyone did this, they would see there is more of a need to help others. PLEASE do the same. A quick internet search would help you find what your looking for.

Been on Avelox for 9 days & thought I was having a nervous breakdown. Whenever I had a side effect from an antibiotic I would break out like a raspberry. So when these side effects started I never thought it was from the Avelox. I started out with nausea, stomach ache & vomited once. Had a close second. THEN I started to have anxiety attacks and had no clue how or why this was happening. They got worse & worse. Then out of no where I got depressed. I DON'T GET ANXIETIES NOR DO I GET DEPRESSED Ever!!!!!

I was so scared. Then I became confused. OK, this is when I said..... what the hell is going on????????? I thought back to the last week.... what was different? What changed? The only thing I could think of was that I was on an antibiotic for a sinus infection. I never took Avelox before. Could it be?????

So I googled it to find out that I was suffering from EVERY side effect the drug had.

It should be taken off the shelf!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a history of sinus infections. After two rounds of Augmentin did not clear up my latest one, my doctor finally gave me the steroid pack and Avelox. He had tried to avoid the steroids. I have had them so many times. I finished my steroids 5 days ago and my Avelox yesterday. I read the side effects and did as it suggested. Since it mentions low potassium would not be good I ate a banana every day and had some orange juice to keep my potassium levels up. The drug warms against taking any pain killers such as Aleve, Advil, etc. One earlier reviewer admitted taking Aleve and had a bad reaction... well.... bad move.... I have had no real side effects that I can say for sure are Avelox related. I did feel a little less focused at times, but was not obviously groggy or woosey. I did have a little abdominal discomfort that I usually do not have with drugs, but it was short-lived and only occurred 3 of the 10 days. Many people have bad effects because they do not follow the warnings against anti-acids, pain killers, low potassium, etc. Some people are more likely to react to any medicine, while others like me rarely have a side effect. My tendons did not hurt... nothing.... People who are out of shape, have a poor physical life style, etc. sometimes help contribute to the drugs reactions by being in basically poor physical health to begin with. America is one of the fattest, out of shape nations out there due to our abundance of everything. The majority of persons can take Avelox with no real issues. I will take it again. I truly feel concern for those who had problems, but sometimes we are partly guilty by how we don't take care of ourselves when we are well...... As with any drug, some persons will react no matter what... It's often just a matter of inherited genetics...... Be safe everyone, and take time to evaluate how you take care of your body and really decide to do better. For the record I am almost 58, 5-9 158 pounds and work out semi-regularly.... Take care of that temple God gave you. Its the only one we get on this Earth,,,,,,

I was prescribed Avelox along with Prednisone by my allergy doctor for pneumonia. Even with a prescription insurance program, the Avelox costs $14 a pill. After 13 days on Avelox, my joints hurt so bad I can barely walk. My muscle tone is almost non-existent, and the muscles ache like I've been in training for a marathon. I daily became more depressed, and really thought I was dying. I went to see my internist this a.m. A chest x-ray revealed I still have a raging case of pneumonia, now in both lobes of my lungs. She wanted to put me in the hospital but agreed to put me on a Augmenting and another round of Prednisone to try at home a couple of days. Avelox should be taken off the market. I can not believe this medication which costs over $240 for one round of treatment was ever approved by the FDA. My doctor could not tell me when the side effects of the Avelox will diminish or disappear. DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG IF ANOTHER WILL DO THE JOB.

I was given Avelox by my Allergist three weeks ago because I had yet another sinus infection, she had me come in and pick up some samples she had with 5 days worth of 400 strength Avelox.
The night of the third dose I was awakened by numbing and tingling and pain in my right arm from the elbow down to my hand, I had never had this before. I called the nurse the next day and she said to stop taking the drug which I did. I figured now that I stopped taking the drug the symptoms would go away.
A few days later I was out shopping and within a few hours of walking around I began to have so much pain in my right foot/ankle/heel that I had to come home, I could not put my foot down.
Then within the next few days my knees began to hurt, behind the knee and in the side. It has been 3 weeks now and the foot pain is better but my hand,elbow and knees are bothering me so much I can't sleep. The other symptom feels like nerve pain in my legs, hands and fingers. I am really troubled by this, I am a very active healthy 62 year old Woman, I have not been able to exercise all of this time.
I went to see my Allergist who prescribed the Avelox and informed her of all of these symptoms. She said that this was a rare side effect and that I was particularly sensitive. I asked her if the symptoms would go away soon and she gently said that it would take time.
Then she said that she had prescribed Avelox to her husband a few months ago, she said he had the same reaction as me (how does this translate to a rare occurrence?) and that he was slowly improving. She thought I should go to a Physical Therapist or a Rheumatologist, I told her I can't afford that.
At this point I am scared I won't get back to how I was before. I have had knee surgery in the past but my knees were doing fine until this.
Have other people slowly recovered as my doc has suggested will happen?
I don;t know what I should be doing at this point. Help!
S.

I am totally blown away by what I've read here because I have one Avelox pill left and now I know the source of all these symptoms I'm having. I"ve got the blurred vision in my right eye; feel like my body's on fire episodes--esp hot hands and red palms; achey feeling in my joints; headache that comes and goes; neck pain; fatigue; disoriented fog feeling and decreased mental capabilities; anxiety attacks and depression; dry mouth and eyes (and I'm drinking lots of water); waking up sweating; ears ringing from time-to-time; pain in kidney area that comes and goes; and not wanting to eat. The fever in my hands thing is the worst. Never had anything like it. The anxiety side effect got me thinking that I was dying. After reading this, I'm glad I can pinpoint it to Avelox. I won't ever take this again and I'll tell others about my reaction so they can avoid this experience. I can only hope and pray that these symptoms are not long-lasting.

I'm really upset that my doctor didn't forewarn me about the potential side effects.

I am a 23 year old female. I was prescribed Avelox for a sinus infection for 14 days. by the 5th day, i started feeling severe back pain and tingling throughout my entire body. I have stopped taking it on the 7th day. Now..i am restless...twitching...anxious all the time...and feel like i am literally having an out of body experience. My nerves are all over the place. It is hard for me to pay attention at work. This is the worst drug i have ever taken and this should be taken off the market immediately. my lips are numb, my back is in so much pain. WHY IS THIS ON THE MARKET! If this doesn't go away, i will sue...

DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG. i was prescribed this for a sinus infection and had no issues with it the 1st time. infection cleared up in a couple days and hadnt had any issues. sinus infection is coming back after about 3 months. had 2 pills left over from before. took 1 and about 10 minutes after taking it my face and chest were blood red and a itchy feeling in my mouth. a couple mins. later it spread to my chest, back upper arms and thighs. started itching like crazy. it looked like i had tons of mosquito bites all over my chest , back and butt. immediately had diarrhea and started to get panic attacks. itching and redness spread to my thighs and i thought i would go nuts itching them. after about an hour and half of this, it seems to be subsiding. but now im very tired and starting to feel achy. will never ever again take this HORRID drug. AVOID AT ALL COST>

I am just in shock. I have been on Avelox for 7 days now, and I can tell you that the side effects are not worth it. I still feel sick and have the bad cough. Now, I also have Thrush. But the weirdest and most upsetting part of this was that I didn't notice any of the other symptoms. So I went all week, talking a mile a minute, sweating, dry mouth, hallucinations, etc. Then on Saturday, a few of my friends staged an intervention. They actually believed that I was taking Crystal Meth - ICE. I was heartbroken, confused, and mad. I knew I had not done any illegal drugs, but several of my friends were convinced.

I went to the doctor today and found out that it was the Avelox. However, I had already taken today's dose. I even told the doctor about the situation with my friends and asked if this drug could be related. He said no, it must be the steroids and sent me on my way. As luck would have it, the pharmacist saw me in the store and approached. I asked him if Avelox could make me feel the way I was feeling. He told me that I should have never been prescribed Avelox and Effexor as they had drug interaction issues. He also told me that my symptoms were disclosed on the pamplet. The problem was that I got the Avelox as samples after the Augmenton didn't work.

So, I came home took the meds for the Thrush and watched tv. I haven't slept since Thursday, nor have I eaten since Saturday. I am hearing and seeing things. Now I am scared to go to sleep because I may not wake up. My heart is beating fast, I can't stop talking, dizzy, blurred vision, disoriented but extremely happy given the circumstances, paranoid, jittery, extremely thirsty even though unable to pee.

This is just horrible. I am not a drug adict and do not do Meth/Ice or any drug like that, but now my best friends are doubting me. They don't understand or believe that an antibiotic could do this and how am I supposed to prove it to them? It looks like, just because I got sick, I may lose some of my closest friends... Remember, most drug adicts and alcoholics DENY it first. Great, huh. Now everyone is going to be watching me to see if I am on drugs. I feel violated because evidently I got all high on this antibiotic, didn't enjoy it, and now am suffering the consequences.

What makes it worse is that people I love now don't trust me, and I didn't even know what was going on

I had a little case of pneumonia and the doctor prescribed avelox to me. since the first day i took it i experienced numbness in my legs and i was feeling very weak, i thought those symptoms were from pneumonia so i continued to take avelox. after taking avelox for 6 days i saw my doctor and i told him about everything i was feeling, numbness in my legs and arms, tingling in my whole body(even my lips), and i felt very weak. my doctor gave me some tests and everything seemed to be fine. but i kept feeling really bad, i started to get chest pain. i went to the ER and they ran some tests, they told me i was fine. they told me to go to a neurologist. later that day i read on the back of the prescription and i saw that everything i was feeling i saw as side effects on the prescription. By the time i saw that i have already taken all of the medication. now i'm waiting to see when the side effects will go away. i wonder why any of the doctors i went to didn't know these were side effects from the medication, i will never take this medication again.

I had a 103 fever Thursday went to my doctor Friday she prescribed this to me and I started taking it same day - that day - hardly any side effects until later that night...took a shower and I looked like I had spider webs all over me - then the real fun started...I started to swell up, I have not slept since that first night and needless to say, I have stopped taking the Avelox now. My fingers are so swollen they are like coctail weenies and it is hard to type - my legs are so swollen it hurts to wear shoes and I have bright red dots all over from my knees down. Is this permanent???? I'd rather not have this look for summer. : ( I feel like I am all "craked out" for lack of a better term but I am exhausted form the no sleep, etc. Oh yeah and the best part of this whole thing, I am so itchy I want to peel my skin OFF. Who the h*** lets this remain on the market?? Better yet - why do doctors keep prescribing it knowing all this - oh yeah I forgot MONEY...
I really hope all of this goes away? I am terrified cause most of the posts I have read thus far say most people deal with this for weeks +!!!!

March 3, 2009
I returned to the doctor today to get a different antibiotic because Avelox made me worse off than the sinus infection I had. I stopped taking it about two weeks ago and still have side effects from the drug. My doctor had given it to me about two other times. The last time I recall was in November. I didn't finish taking my prescription then either.
I thought maybe I was having flu symptoms also, but it was the drug making me more ill. RASH, HIVES, RED HANDS, SWOLLEN TONGUE THRUSH, BUMPS ON MY TONGUE, TINGLING IN MY BACK, VOMITING,HEADACHES, PAIN IN MY STOMACH NOT LONG AFTER TAKING A DOSAGE. FREEZING HANDS, THROAT FEELS LIKE IT'S CLOSING UP AND DIFFICULTY SWALLOWING, COULDN'T GET OUT OF BED, MUSCLE FATIGUE, ACHES WEAKNESS, JOINTS HURT, TINGLING IN HANDS, ANXIETY,CRYING SPELLS, NIGHTMARES, SKIN SENSITIVITY, INSOMNIA, THEN EXTREME FATIGUE, DIZZINESS AND LIGHT HEADED UPON STANDING AND/OR GETTING UP FROM A SITTING OR SQUATING POSITION. EVERYTHING HURTS ALL THE TIME IN EVERY MUSCLE...... I BASICALLY FEEL LIKE I AM DYING.
My fiance thought I was totally losing my mind. I was moody, aggressive, irritable, depressed etc... I felt like like a different person.. My fiance of course got sick also and his doctor prescribed it to him. His side effects included muscle aches and pains and extreme fatigue and mood swings. I looked up some side effects when I was started taking it a few weeks ago, but didn't pursue the research until the side effects got worse. I took it for 7 days this time. My fiance took it for three days. I called him at work after seeing this website and told him to stop taking the medication immediately. I am still sick with a sinus infection, and a whole slew of other crap going on. I called the doctors office and went in right away to get a different medication. To no avail, when I went to my doctors office there was a rep from Avelox there. I said don't give that Avelox to anyone sarcastically. I then saw his tag on his shirt and his bag full of Avelox samples. He asked what type of symptoms I had and I told him.. He said he would report it to the company.... What do you think they will do about it? MOST LIKELY NOTHING. I am an educated person with the capability and time to research anything I need to and I will do my best to dig up the most dirt I possibly can about this horrible medication. They need to stop pushing these meds on doctors to give us and make us more ill than we were to begin with. I JUST HOPE MY AILMENTS AREN'T PERMANENT. People try to make light of the situation because they don't want to be sued. I think the FDA needs to be revamped and the Government should stop letting these pharmaceutical companies poison us. I AM NOT EXAGGERATING EITHER! DO NOT TAKE IT.
I have been going to my doctor for about fifteen years and she never gave me any medication that had made me this ill. I get samples a lot because I have no insurance. Sometimes she gives me scripts. Today I got Zithromax which always worked well for me in the past. Very little side effects. I realize that everyone reacts differently to certain meds, but come on now! It isn't just a coincidence that all of us commenting and complaining here are imagining these horrible side effects! Today I got Zithromax which always worked well for me in the past. (Very little side effects).Then why did I ever have to take Avelox if there are other antibiotics that will make me better not worse. They push these meds on doctors to give to us that's why! I always trusted and admired my doctor. She always treats me well and does right by me. What is going on with these medical companies?! SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS!

Now I know why I've felt so bad. I got a sinus infection that was so bad my teeth hurt. My ENT prescribed AVELOX and prednisone. After a week of feeling like crap (much worse than the symptoms that took me to the MD in the first place) I now know why I feel as bad as I do - I owe a big apology to prednisone, I've been throwing it under the bus all week.

I'll be calling my ENT shortly.

I was given Avelox at my clinic for bacterial pneumonia, the doctor said it was a wonder drug and I'd be up and running in a couple of days. I took the medicine that night and I got very dizzy and started sweating, felt like an anxiety attack so I took my xanax and it helped a bit. The next day I tried to get up and about 15 min. later my head started buzzing and my ears were ringing, I tried to walk up the stairs and dropped to my knees at the top step and fell to the ground. I didn't lose consciousness but I couldn't move or speak for several min. when I started to come to, I crawled to my bed and everything was spinning, I started to have severe chest pain and was rushed back to the clinic. The doctor said to stay on the Avelox and take it before bed and finish all the dose, so I did, and gradually got worse and worse. I went to my doctor the day after Christmas and told him what happened, he said I still had crackling in my chest and my cough was still bad, he put me back on Avelox for 3 days, so I've now been on it for 10 days. I became so weak and couldn't eat, it felt like the food wouldn't go down, I was sweating, dizzy, still had cough so I called my doctor again and he put me on prednisone taper and another 5 days of Avelox. Two days later I ended up in the hospital with severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, muscle weakness(felt like I had lost muscle), severe bone pain to the touch, sweating, extreme fatigue, decreased mental ability, confusion, headaches and chills in my legs. It has been over three months since I first got sick and I feel worse today, my doctor's have no answers or solutions, just let it run its course. I feel trapped in my body, I'm 33 and a mother of two active kids, and I can barely get out of bed most days. I feel like my life has been taken from me and I want it back.

WOW!! I cannot believe I found you all! I am having severe reactions after taking Avelox. I took it for 9 days, stopped it on 12/20/08. Sice then, I have continued to experience extreme dizziness, confusion, sleeping problems, stomach upset, depression and severe anxiety. Please someone tell me I have some sort of recourse here. I am about to lose my job over it. Thanks ~

I am a 36 year old woman living in hell for 3 months now.

In early October of last year I was admitted to the Hospital with diagnosed bronchitis a possible pneumonia. I was given Avelox which is a member of the Fluoroquinolone drug family. At the time I was in sever distress, could not breath, and was extremely weak from the infection. I stayed in the hospital for 6 days while they gave me Avelox along with various other meds to treat my symptoms and was released after finally getting a clear chest x-ray. The drug had done its job. But it was a week later that hell started. I was re-admitted to the same hospital with sever abdominal pain. They told me that I had hepatitis due to a reaction from the Avelox. My Dr. Also suspected I could have Wilsons Disease so he prescribed a liver biopsy, to say the very least this was a painful procedure. The biopsy came back negative and the liver function began to return to normal just as the pain everywhere else began.

joint and muscle pain
headaches
insomnia
uncontrollable twitching
arm and leg numbness
neck pain/spasms
a mass on my left breast (further diagnosed after mammogram, CT and Biopsy as a side effect to the Avelox)

My internist, Rheumatologist and the liver specialist all suspect “Post infection pain syndrom”.

However, after hearing now 3 separate times from 3 seperate Dr's about the possible side effect of Avelox I did a little research and every single one of my “symptoms” are on the lists of dangerous side effects for this drug. Now none of my Dr.s can tell me if I will ever get rid of the pain I am in. None of them seem to be able to do ANYTHING but treat my symptoms. By treating the symptoms all they can do is pain management which means pain killers. I simply can not function day to day with most pain killers so I am forced to live with the pain.

More drugs than I have ever taken, Dr.s visits, time off work, stress and a standard of living that simply put is not living, not to mention the tremendous outlay of cash...to say the least I am frustrated.

Oct. 9,2008. I was given Avelox Monday Oct 6,2008 from my family Dr for a sinus infection . I went home & took the prescribed dose of 1, 400 mg tablet, and15 minutes later I felt a burning sensation coming from my toes to my face , I was having problems breathing , I suffer from asthma when I have any kind of sinus or cold type illness. ,I thought that was what was happening,but the inhaler did not help,, I couldn't stand up ,I couldn't sit up , I couldn't talk , I went into seizures,& started puking . I honestly thought I was dying , I couldn't even call 911 , thank God for memory call, my mother called 911 as I was home alone with my 5 year old granddaughter .
I was so incoherent ,I couldn't tell the EM"s what happened, all I could get out was anti.. The EM's thought I was either overdosed or having cardiac arrest . In the ER,the doctor's gave me all the anti allergens ,and I started coming out of it. I was soaked w/ sweat from the burning, I couldn't
speak right, it was if I had a stroke . My legs and body hurt so bad, I never experienced this much pain . 4 days latter I still am not alright . My entire body was red , I was so afraid to take even an Advil the next day . Then I heard the ER Dr. told my husband they're having a lot of problems w/ this Avelox! I asked an attorney if this is a suit and he said not unless it becomes a class suit! How on earth did the FDA approve this stuff ???
I would tell everyone ,this stuff is not worth the risk ! I came close to dying over a sinus infection ! DO NOT USE THIS AVELOX !

I went in on a Monday for some ear/throat pain, and was diagnosed with sinusitis and prescribed Avalox 400MG. By Thursday, I had an unrelenting headache, SEVERE anxiety and tremors, and decided to Google "avelox side effects". It's Friday morning, and I'm blown away by the amount of negative feedback this drug is getting. Obviously I've stopped taking it.

Worst part? I called my Dr on Thursday morning, told the receptionist that I was having side effects.....NEVER HEARD BACK FROM HIM. And this goddamn drug has a black box warning from the FDA about severe risk or tendon rupture, etc. I f*cking hate Western medicine.

My husband was hospitalized with pneumonia on July 14, 2008. He was given Avelox via IV in the hospital and a 7 day pill prescription when he came home. Even in the hospital, he complained of muscle aches, but no one keyed on the antibiotic as an issue. When his breathing was better, he assumed he should try to do physical activity...but when he tried to play some golf one day, and do a little deck staining another, he payed for it with severe joint pains...even then, no doctor said anything about the antibiotic. He has lost over 25 lbs since this began, and has lost absolutely all muscle tone in his body..

He's stopped trying to do anything, but the last month has been terrible for him...every joint in his body hurts--he can hardly walk, there were days he couldn't lift a fork to his mouth with one hand... I brought him back into urgent care on Aug. 9th...that doctor was the first to mention that it could be a side effect of the Avelox he had taken 3 weeks before...

Since then, we have been to his primary care doctor, who doesn't think "the Avelox has anything to do with it. Now that I've googled it and seen the new FDA warning, I can't understand any way it wouldn't be at least part of the problem!

He's been give Vicodin for the pain, and they're running more tests, but I intend to go into the doctor with every thing I've seen on this..I don't have a problem with them using this medication for his pneumonia, but am so frustrated that they didn't tell warn us of this side effect--especially when he's tried to tell them what he's feeling.... I just think he would have been so much better by now if they would have switched him off of the drug as soon as he noticed the pain..

I am on my fifth day taking Avelox. Today I noticed some increased anxiety and my ankles hurt?! A throbbing and frightening pain.. both ankles. I've already called my doctor and will go see him tomorrow. I did not do anything strenuous at all that would cause this. The anxiety is killing me!

I started taking Avelox on Tues for a sinus infection. For the past few days I have felt "out of it" very tired and depressed. At first, I thought it was the sinus infection, but I have had enough of them to know better.
I have talked to my doctor and three pharmacists which have all argued that Avelox is well-tolerated by most people...but it sounds like it can really do a number on a few. I took 3 doses and I'm DONE! I hope I feel better soon!

My sister was prescribed Avelox on Tuesday, March 11, 2008. Within 15-20 minutes she began having breathing difficulties. Because she has asthma her initial thought was that she was having an asthma attack. She tried asthma treatment and it didn't help. She soon was unable to breath. Her husband called 911, they responded quickly but had to intubate her in the ambulance. They know that she was without oxygen to her brain for at least 3-5 minutes. This caused seizures that lasted 20 hours before I.C.U. could get them under control. Unfortunately it caused brain damage leaving her with no higher brain function (vegetative state). As she has worked in the medical field for over 14 years she did not wish to be kept alive by artificial means. On Tuesday, March 18, 2008 her ventilation tube and feeding tube were removed. It is now Thursday, March 20, 2008 and she is in a wonderful Hospice House awaiting her death.
She had taken the same class of antibiotic in the past with no reaction. Really not sure what caused this one. She was going through chemo for breast cancer, but had just finished and was scheduled to start her radiation treatment. Her chemo doctor told us that since her reaction, they have had another patient who went into anaphylactic shock after taking Avelox.
My sister is only 43 years old. This medication should be taken off the market.

For all of you suffering on this board I strongly suggest you log unto www.fqresearch.org where you will find over 4000 medical journal entries, case reports, etc., that detail the horrendous damage these drugs are capable of. You will also find a link there for a support forum hosted by yahoo that everyone here is invited to join.

We have been fighting with the FDA since 1999 to get "Black Box" warnings as well as "Dear Doctor" letters sent. Had this been done I doubt that most of you would be suffering like this. This class is a drug of LAST RESORT, and it is not approved as a first line agent for ANY disease state.

It is both shocking and appalling that we see people coming on this site promoting the use of these drugs and chasing you for suffering a reaction. I can assure you this is not "in your head" by any means. These severe adverse reactions have been documented since 1982 within ALL of the leading medical journals. They are THE most toxic and dangerous antibiotic in clinical use today.

But the FDA refuses to provide adequate warnings within the package inserts and Public Citizen has had to SUE them in Federal Court to even have them review their petitions seeking, once again, "Black Box Warnings and Dear Doctor Letters."

Recently Bayer issued a "Dear Doctor" letter in Europe regarding the severe adrs to Avelox. But we find no such letters being written here in the United States.

Anyhow, just a brief note to let you know that you are not alone, your name is "Legions", and we have been fighting on your behalf since 1999.

Regards,

Mr. David T. Fuller
Director
Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation
www.fqresearch.org

From the first AVELOX capsule, I was sweating, dizzy, weak and could not concentrate. This continued till the 4th day, when I started having severe pain in the neck, a feeling of about 50 pins and needles being pushed all over the back of the neck and down to both shoulders and arms. I hope I'll be able to regain a full range of motion in my neck and shoulders, as this is a terrible pain. As I stopped AVELOX over the weekend, I am still getting worse, and pain medications don't help. I wonder how the FDA allows the use of a drug that can cause syncope and death, are they trying to make statistics with our lives?? I am going to E. R. right now, although I won't be able to sit up.

I was given Aveloz with Predisone for sinuitis...I was having no symtoms but a MRI Then 2 CT's showed bad infections in sinus.

Day 2 3 hours after taking I saw gold sparks fly off the back of my friends dog has he came out a doggie door. I said oh wow your dog just got shocked. She was like no she didn't. I got in my car to go home it was dark and my left eye began to rapidly flash white light. I drove one 1/2 mile and my visison was blurred with numerous floaters. I called my insurance company and they told me to get to the ER. The er Doctor told me not a side effect as I suspected but my retina had detached. HE said go home and lay flat and go directly to Eye, Ears, Throat Doctor expecting to have laser eye sugery in the am.

I did go to the Eye specialist and he said I was fortunate that just the gel wall collasped in the back of my eye. He said it is not the drugs...aging happens to everyone. I just knew better.

I took the meds a different time yesterday and had a similar worsening experience.

Today I was on the phone and all of a sudden was in a deep brain fog. Words would not come out of my mouth. I knew I was trying to talk but it was like my brain was detached and was not letting the words come to me.

I am suppose to take this 15 days, refill and take 15 more days. Come back for an MRI ..then take 15 more days.

I am not sure what to do now.

I called manufacturer of drug and they took report and said "we will report to FDA." Also took my information and doctors phone, fax and address and name.