Levaquin side effects

19 year old female prescribed levaquin for a kidney infection after a round with cipro did not cure a UTI. Symptoms gradual at first but began with chest pain a couple of days into treatment. The doctor said it was costochondritis which sometimes comes on during infections and was not serious. He told her to continue the medications (this was not her regular doctor...he had closed for the day so she was seen at the after hours clinic). Other symptoms include: Headache (drinks plenty of water), muscle aches and pain, dry mouth and throat, nausea, dizziness, loss of appetite. When the chest pain spread across the front of the chest and into her back and she had experienced swelling around the eyes and in face that same day we went to the emergency room. After many tests, this doctor said it was the levaquin and told us it had been black boxed. He said they had been told in the ER to immediately take anyone on levaquin off of it if they came in experiencing pain or other symptoms. He said she should be better in a few days. He shared that he too had similar problems when he took it and thought it was going to kill him. When Monday gets here we will make a return visit to her family doctor to follow up on all of this. After reading all these other people with the same or similar symptoms, I am worrying and I am praying that she will not continue to have trouble. We hope all of you are better soon. Please don't take this drug again!!!!!!

I had bladder surgery and was given levaquin 500 mg. I took 1 pill when I got home that day and my entire face was swollen and I was also sweating and definitely couldn't even think of falling asleep. My mind was going crazy and to try to tell you how I felt it was kinda like I was in someone elses body looking through their eyes, it's the weirdest feeling I have ever had, I didn't know that it was the medication at first because I just thought I was feeling bad from the surgery and them putting me to sleep. The next day I took another pill, same thing felt really really bad, got up on the third day went to work and left in an ambulance. They told me it's because of this medicine and what's in it. I still feel really weird and typing this letter is killing my wrist. I don't know why because I am on the computer a lot before all of this and never a problem. I wish I knew what was going on with me. I feel like I am going out of my mind, and my swelling is no better. My husband even ask me if I took my lasix and I already did and still swelled up in the face. Any feedback would be great. please help.

I was prescribed Levaquin 500 MG for a sinus infection5 days ago. After completing my third dosage I felt a sensation on my toes as if something was biting me. Then it started on my fingers, hands and up and down my arms. My toes and fingers started to swell. The rash then came up the backs of both legs. My feet felt as if they had been burnt very badly.They look like they have been very badly burned. I phoned the doctor and was told to take Benadryl (2 pills) ever 6 hours and to come into the office first thing the next morning. I did and was told to never take Levaquin again. I was prescribed Augmentin. Two days later and I still have the red burnt look on the tops of my toes and the sides of my feet. It looks terrible!

I called my Dr. because I was having problems with my sinuses and she put me on Levaquin 750mg., ever since I started taking it I have felt worse than I did before. I have had 3 panic attacks within 4 hours of one another. My throat feels like it has a cotton ball wedge in it. My chest feels very heavy, my stomach feels terrible, and I ache all over, I have a terrible bitter taste in my mouth. I didn't feel this bad until I started taking it. Believe me I will never take another Levaquin.

I had hard chills and fever while on the drug Levaqin, but thought it was due to the sinus infection that I was being treated for. After being off of the drug for almost a month, I am having severe pain in my knees, feet, ankles and hips. I have difficulty standing up after being seated for a while. I shuffle around like a 90 year old for a while until I " shake it off". I am still having trouble sleeping without taking benadryl. What can I do to get this stuff out of my system?

i was prescribed Levaquin in April for pneumonia. I took 1 pill in the morning and by mid-evening felt gross. My stomach was in knots, head was fuzzy. I decided to NOT take any more and let my body fight it. Last week I had awful pain in my ear/jaw and thought it was my tooth so didn't go to the DR. right away. Finally I couldn't handle the pain and went. He said I had an ear infection and immediately wrote a script for Levaquin despite me telling him how it made me feel in April. He said it was no big deal, the feelings would go away. I came home and against my better judgment took what I had left from April. (6 pills) I am done them now, but was looking up Levaquin on line because I feel like crap, my ear and jaw still hurt like hell, and tonight my leg started to hurt. I have a flaming esophagus as I sit and type this at 2 in the morning because I cant friggen sleep. Pain my chest feels like I inhaled glass. My husband said he noticed I haven't been acting right...news to me. I'm cranky because all this crap did was make me feel worse. DR. told me to take 2 aleve in the a.m. and Tylenol/Motrin every 4 hours after that for pain. I just got done reading that NSAIDs shouldn't be taken with Levaquin. Nice to know after the fact. My stomach has been turning for 5 days and food is absolutely disgusting. I have awful diarrhea from this med too, which the doctor said was normal.. good to know that spending hours on the toilet was"normal". I've been teary too. Crying over nothing, literally sitting at the pc playing a game of cards and I busted into hysterical sobbing OVER CARDS!! Hopefully I will feel better in a few days and nothing else happens. DO NOT TAKE LEVAQUIN!!! Save yourself the trouble.

My daughter took levoquin for 5 days because of a bad ear infection. it caused her to not be able to sleep. She went off of it and started sleeping again, but is having bouts of sleeplessness. Help. How long does it take for this to get out of your system? She is having sleeplessness again and it has been 5 weeks.

2 yrs. ago my husband had been on Vancomycin for an infection from a hip operation. He had an allergic reaction and was given Levaquin in the ER. Not long after the dose was given, he was not able to walk at all his fever spiked and he said he was blind at one point. It did not last but since then he had been slowly declining. He has trouble with his inner ear balance and he can hardly lift his right foot to clear the floor. He bearly feels anything from the knee down on both legs. We have been to many specialists/neuros, MRIs, nerve conduction test and there is nothing to show what is the cause. Can anyone tell me how we could find out for sure if Levaquin may be the culprit.

Sue

Hi all, I was amazed to find this site. I too have had a rough life for the past eight years! I am going to be 39 in a few days but this story starts back in August 21, 2000. The day that put me in HELL for the next eight years and still going through it. Prior to this day, I had a lot of UTI's and Pneumonia and several times prescribed both Levaquin and Cipro. I did develop Achillies tendinitis but I thought this was due to my active life style, see I was an LPN and a firefighter. So I went for treatment to fix the Achillies tendinitis. This was a foot Dr that of course gave me a cortizone shot in it. I cant remember how much earlier this was that this took place and I am still not sure if this is what did it but as I am thinking back these are the things that come to mind. On August 21, 2000 I was on a fire call and my right Achillies tendon popped off the bone! They took me away by ambulance. The Dr in the ER said to go home with an air cast on, eat or drink nothing and come back in at 10:00am and they would possibly do surgery. Well, I did just that. The orthopedic Doc said oh yeah it is achillies rupture will have to go in and tie back all the little fibers. So away to the operating room I went. They gave me a spinal and just knocked me out. I was awakened suddenly by my Dr. voice loudly saying " Holy shit it peeled off the bone!" And another nurse saying let me see! I came up on my hands and they grabbed me put me back down and knocked me back out! (I still have night mares over that!) Anyway, I spent the next 3 months in a cast. During this time, I was told from over usuage of my left foot, I now was developing tendinitis in my achillies tendon in the left foot! Which this sent me to a wheel chair. They took the cast off in 3 months then I was still no weight bearing for another month. Then i had physical therapy for about 6-8 months with little improvement. I complained to the Dr about the left achillies tendon and he said he would not do anything about it unless it too popped! So now many Dr later, and many many medications tried and many surgeries later, and now diagnosed with Lupus, Sjogrens, and Fibromyalgia, the most my rheumatoligist says is I have a connective tissue disorder, and taking cancer medication (Methotrexate) I am now disabled at 39! My life taken from me. I have situational depression, panic attacks, sleep trouble, Suffer from post traumatic stress, nightmares, basically my life is a mess and it is over. On July 1, 2008 I had to go to the ER cause I was sick. I had been run down and feeling bad and sleeping a lot, disoriented, couldn't stay awake. They found I had another UTI and a sinus infection. The Dr Says we will put you on Levaquin and that should take care of both problems. So he left, it took me a while for it to sink in that I should stay away from that drug, so I caught him and told him, he said to me that this was only found to be in kids while they are young and developing that it causes tendon rupture, and besides he said, one dose will not hurt you. I took 5 pills, one a day. Since then I have been in so much pain all over my body it is unreal! It still took me days to figure out that it was the Levaquin doing this to me! I feel like at random someone is sticking a knife in different muscles in my body! I felt like I had done Tie bo for 24 hours straight! Even my butt muscles hurt so bad to sit here and write this email! I have days when I cant even use my hands! Write my name with a pen. I am not sure if this is all due to these drugs, but I am most miserable and not a bit better. I may have just made it worse by taking this last round of them. Has anyone else had this kinf of symptoms?

To all the people who are just starting to make the connection between their symptoms and Levaquin or other fluoroquinolone antibiotic: There is a lot of information available on the internet. Check out the following websites: fluoroquinolones.org, antibiotics.org, medicationsense.org, fqvictims.org, fqresearch.org. There are also support groups on yahoo for sufferers. Please don't forget to file a medwatch report with the FDA. Finally the FDA is starting to listen to the victims!

I have had progressive muscle weakness, pain in my joints with swelling of the knees, ankles and hips. My doctor said it is not related to the antibiotic and to continue taking it. The symptoms are so disabling I can barely make it to the bathroom alone and I have had to miss work. I also told him the inside of my throat felt swollen, and my tongue is turning white. It just isn't a pleasant drug to be on.

After 3 days of Levaquin at one 500 mg pill per day for a sinus infection and swollen lymph node, I suffered severe pain in the calf muscles of both legs and am only able to walk short distances, if at all. This started yesterday and I have stopped the drug, am icing my calfs, relying on friends to help me, and praying that there has been no permanent damage.

since taking Levaquin I am not able to smell or taste...anyone else have this happen?

I have been on 500mg of Levaquin for 8 out of a 10 day course. I can barely hold my head up, have a headache and severe neck and muscle pain. My stomach is so queezy and I have been unable to get a full night sleep.

Anyone experiencing the same?
I am afraid to take the last 2 days of the course.

Have taken 500mg Levaquin for 10 days on numerous ocassions to fight lung infections in between Cat Scan follow-ups for Lung Cancer since 2006.

Worked fine for my lungs, and I've been LC free for some time. Two months ago rt elbow swelled up, first like a mushy sack, now more firm, size of an egg, no pain then or now. Few weeks later Lt elbow began to swell but not as large and no pain. Dr. said wait few weeks and he'll refer me to surgeon. Now this FDA report on Levaquin has me wondering. I have full motion and no pain. Could this be a pre-cursor to possible tendon damage from Levaquin. Your input would be appreciated. Bill B

I was prescribed Levaquin in Feb./March for 30 days. I have had tremendous pain in my heels since then. I am walking slower as every joint and muscle in my body hurts. I can barely stoop down and it is getting worse. I can not sleep. I thought I was just going through some depression and stress until I started reading about it in the WSJ and now realize I fit many of the symptoms being discussed.
We all need to take some action as this is only going to get worse for everyone.
FDA?????????????????

I did not think I had an adverse effect from Levaquin until I read that it can cause tendon ruptures. I had a year long experience including extensive
surgery from a torn tibialis tendon. I did not take Levaquin unitil I had a slight tear that resulted in a full rupture, tendon transplant, heel breaking and arch rebuilding.
I had taken Levaquin after I was put in cast to try to heal my tendon, which never happened. Could Levaquin have had something to do with this.
My problem with my foot happened in 12/06 and my first dose was during the month of January 2007. After I had recouped in November of 07 I also took levaquin in March of 08.
Please let em know if this could have had an adverse effect on my situation
and what I could do about this.

My husband has COPD and was prescribed Levaquin along with prednisone for bronchitis. He developed acute tendinitis in both achilles tendons and then the right achiiles totally ruptured about 6 weeks later. It has been a nightmare for him.

It is so important that everyone who has suffered an adverse affect report it to the FDA. Unless they receive these reports, they do not know how serious this problem really is and most doctors are totally oblivious.

July 8,2008
In October 2007 I had surgery to remove a salivary gland. Due to severe infection, I was on 500mg of Levaquin for 20 days and an additional 10 days of Avelox. While taking the medication I suddenly had severe leg and knee pain. At times I could hardly walk. I would be awake a night with severe pain in my knees and legs. I also had the tendon in my left shoulder start "snapping" while sitting in a chair. My shoulder became so bad at one point that I could not lift my arm. I never related any of this to Levaquin until at a later date learning of this kind of damage. My shoulder finally got better after weeks of not using it. I still am experiencing pain in the muscles and tendons in my legs. I have just started seeing my doctor about it this past week. She has me taking Celebrex, which has helped somewhat. I keep hoping that tendons will heal eventually.

It is quite amazing how when the story hits the news, the number of postings here jumps up! How sad it is that many people now realize the same things that many of us have known for quite some time. I only hope that the floodgate have now opened and that everyone will now keep the pressure on to limit the use of thee dangerous chemicals.

After 20 months I have had my right distal tendon surgically repaired, I endure tremendous pain in my left arm daily, and I fight the other unmentionable adrs. A black box warning is a start but it is not nearly enough.

New side effects: intense anger with the FDA and drug manufacturers, distrust of the medical community, and the required development of pain management skills.

I have taken Levaquin on and off for the past few years for sinus infections. I am now recovering from my third aquillies tendon surgery where they had to remove/replace the tendon because it was torn beyond repair. I didn't understand how this could happen until I saw the news release yesterday. I will never take this again.

Saw Levaquin on the news yesterday. I was very pleased to see that they are putting a warning on this med. I thought it was just me with a problem with Levaquin. I have allergies to antibiotics anyways so I attributed my problems to just another allergic reaction to an antibiotic. Wow!
I took Levaquin in April 3 years ago for a respiratory infection of some kind. I then had the same experience I have with allergies where my tongue felt swollen. I called the nurse and she told me to take the next dose anyway. I did so and my chest/esophagus felt like it was on fire. I couldn't breathe. I went into the Emergency room and they gave me a lidocaine/maalox combo that would take the pain away for a while and diagnosed me with reflux.
I went on some reflux medications later that caused more problems for digestion. The more we tried to solve it the more my system reacted. I ended up in the emergency room about 5 times that year. Two were for chest pain from the esophagus and two were from severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis). I became allergic to many categories of food and lost down to 110 lbs. I went to naturopaths and other specialists and none of them could pinpoint any problems. I was tested for Celiac and had two upper GI and one lower GI that year alone, My Dr. bills totalled more than $5,000 for that year.
The next year I had given up. The only doctor that I would go to was the allergist and the new GI doctor I had found. I still worked but was in such severe pain that I did nothing but sleep when I got home. I cried and begged God for death or healing all night long. I was losing my hair in great handfuls. They put me on ativan and I became addicted to the stuff. I was allergic to most foods. I had a diet of about 6-10 foods that I would cook homemade and I would never eat out unless I knew what and how the food was prepared. I took vitamin c in very high doses and that took the pain away.
I slowly re-introduced food back to my system. Now I have a less restrictive diet but it still is limited. I am now allergic to all nuts, rice, sunflower seeds (sunflower oil is used in most potato chips), some other grains, and melons. I still have problems with legumes and some other foods.
It took 2 years for the pain to subside and I still have digestive problems with diarrhea on and off. I am fine just as long as the pain stays away. I don't mind being limited on my diet.
I had noticed that my legs and joints hurt during that time too- but the other pain was so severe and my diet was so limited that I attributed that to diet.
If there is a class action lawsuit on this stuff I would like to be involved.

Not sure if you got this last announcement so want you all to know we DID IT!!!!! They are posting warnings now all over the place. Good work guys!!!We should all take a bow!!!!! Marsh

Well I hope we can all breath a little easier after the "new" story came out about the dangers. We finally hit home and we should all be proud of ourselves that we finally got through to these companies. Todays Boston Herald, the local news, it"s everywhere!!!!! God Bless us all for being patient!!!!!Hurray!!!!!!

I was given a 5 day supply of Levaquin for bloody urine ad possible urinary tract. After 5 days, there has been no decernable effect on my urinqary system but each morning I wake up with an unreasonable feeling of dread and force myself back to sleep.

Hello,
I have just found out about this and have been on cipro and levaquin and guess what. 2 weeks ago i was jumping in a pool and the tendon in my arch let loose. I went to the orthopedic doctor and he sent me for MRI then put me in a boot cast. It felt like i stood on a golf ball and it still hurts like hell. I have problems walking on it still. My doctor stated that i will most likely be flat foooted now in the foot that the tendon let loose. then i seen this on the news. Damn i have never had problems in my foot. He called planter facititus.

I took Levaquin for five days, beginning on June 5th. My doctor gave them to me in the individual "blister packs", not in the box or with any pamphlet. I had/have horrible joint pain in my ankles, knees, and hips. The pain in my hands and wrists is almost gone, but the rest is still there and, in some areas, getting worse. I called the doc. and told them about my problem, they said all the side effects should go away after about 72 hours from the last dose. Has not happened, its been over a month and my left ankle and hip are worse. Does anyone have any advice? I'm ******

Taking a seven-day course of Levaquin in Dec. 06 resulted in two heart attacks - subsequent catheterization dissected my right cronary artery, necessitating a bypass. This extremely dangerous drug should be taken off the market.
Although Ortho-McNeil has a program to compensate victims for out-of-pocket expenses, they have been slow and reluctant to cooperate, despite admitting that the drug caused my problems.

I am diagnosed with COPD. On March14, 2008, I visited my pulmonologist due to having a bacterial infection in the lungs and nose. I was given a script for Levaguin 750 mg for 7 days. After my first dose, my feet felt like they were on fire. I spoke with the pharmacist and he said it could be a side effect. I finished the meds with a lot of trepidation, feeling uneasy and anxious. However my large toes began to have a tingling sensation, which I reported to my PCP and he said to keep a check on it. I just came from my PCP today, July 8,2008 and now, in addition to my lung problem, I have peripheral neurophathy, involving all my toes and also my hands. This medicine is dangerous, as looking back at the time after I took this medicine, I was seriously considering ending it all! I will never take any medication in the future until I research it thoroughly. I trust my PCP and I trusted my pulmonologist, but I feel the pulmonologist should have informed me of the possible bad sich effects. Be careful out there!!!

All I can say is that when I heard that CIPRO and if I understand correctly LEVAQUIN will now have the "Black Box" warning, I thought THANK GOD. .I wonder how many people are "the box" from the drug and/or from committing suicide from this horrific drug?

THANK YOU, FDA, for listening to those who contacted you via letters and emails. Also, who knows? Maybe this board made a little bit of difference.

Either way, a warning is not a ban. I can't understand how Bextra could be pulled off the market and LEVAQUIN "lives all" to do more damage to some.

Pray for this drug to be further scrutinized and researched!!!!!!!!!!!!

Began taking Levaqauin on/about 19Mar08. Became symptomatic (agitation + insomnia followed by a host of psychiatric ills) within eight weeks. I'm in a living hell now, which might or might not be related to flouroquinolone, e.g., levaquin poisoning. There are more than 2000+ posting on this site that go back five or so years. Most of the postings constitute one-way communiques from hell. (Go ahead, read a representative sampling of the postings.) Here's the question: what became of these people who wrote their awful posts? Are they still alive? Did they find cures? How does one contact some of the earlier posters?

Saw this story on CNN today. Guess we aren't all tinfoil-hat wearing nutcases after all.

******

FDA orders 'black box' label on some antibiotics

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration Tuesday ordered the makers of certain antibiotics to add a "black box" label warning -- the FDA's strongest -- to alert patients of possible tendon ruptures and tendinitis.
Cipro is one of the drugs for which the FDA will require a "black box" label warning about tendon problems.

Cipro is one of the drugs for which the FDA will require a "black box" label warning about tendon problems.

"The new language will strengthen the existing warnings," said Dr. Edward Cox, director of the FDA's Office of Antimicrobial Products.

The FDA is requiring the label warnings and a medication guide for fluoroquinolone drugs, which include Cipro, Levaquin, Avelox, Noroxin and Floxin.

The consumer group Public Citizen asked the FDA in August 2006 to put the "black box" warning on Cipro and other fluoroquinolones, and also to warn doctors. Earlier this year, Public Citizen filed a lawsuit to force the FDA to take those actions.

When asked about the lawsuit and why it took so long to add the label warning, Cox stressed that the FDA included warning information with the drugs from 2001 until 2004, and updated the information last year.

"There has been ongoing work to update the labeling of the fluoroquinolone drug products," Cox said. "We have been working on this issue and making progress over time."

The companies that make the fluoroquinolone drugs will be required to submit label safety changes and the medication guide within 30 days of receiving the notification from the FDA or provide a reason why they do not believe such labeling changes are necessary, Cox said.

The fluoroquinolones drugs can increase the risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture -- which is about 1 in 100,000 -- by three to four times, according to the FDA's Dr. Renata Albrecht.

"This risk is further increased in those over age 60, in kidney, heart, and lung transplant recipients, and with use of concomitant steroid therapy," the FDA said in a statement.

Albrecht said that sometimes patients have no symptoms before they experience a rupture in their tendon -- commonly their Achilles tendon.

"Sometimes it's been reported on the first day of taking a fluoroquinolone ... a sudden snap or popping sound that is tendon rupture with no preceding warning," she said.

Normally, she added, that patients experience some pain or inflammation "a week or two before the patient will rupture."

The FDA would only say that it has received "hundreds" of reports of tendon problems linked to fluoroquinolones, without being more specific, citing the ongoing lawsuit. But Cox said "the FDA continues to receive a considerable number of reports on tendon adverse effects."

Patients should stop taking fluoroquinolone antibiotics at the first sign of tendon pain, avoid exercise and contact their doctor, the FDA said.

Cox said the FDA would not require companies to send letters to doctors alerting them about the connection between tendon problems and the antibiotics.

"It is possible under REMS to ask for a letter ," Cox said. "Certainly for sponsors that would choose to go forward with a letter, we'll be happy to work with them."

I was given this demon drug for a UTI, in May 2003. I have had severe skin rashes ever since. Cannot get in the sun at all. I have a beautiful back yard w/a pool. All my friends and family enjoy it, but not me.

It`s very important to educate yourself when it comes to medications.

When I saw people close to me suffer I had to find out why and I am quite sure that it had to to with side effects.

I started to do my own "research" in 2003 and it continues to this day.

One of the groups of medications that I have looked at is quinolone antibiotics to which group Levaquin belongs.

Most medications in this group have similar side effects. For more information go to:

Please visit www.fqresearch.org and www.fqvictims.org (?).

Also search on Google for "floxed" or "floxies". That´s what people call themselves when they suffer from side effects.

I would also recommend Stephen Frieds interesting book "Bitter Pills".

Medications are needed sometimes, but not to the extent that they are prescribed today!

Two and a half hours ago I took Levaquin 750mg for the first time. After about 45 minutes for some reason I started coughing, like i had something caught in my throat. Didn't think much of it because we were eating but then on the way home I started itching, and my mouth started feeling numb. It actually started feeling like I had been to the dentist and had novacane shot in my lower lip. When I got home I went and looked in the mirror and my face was actually swollen like I was feeling it. I don't think I will take the other two pills doc gave me for a bladder infection.

Question for you all. I have been on levaquin for 6 days 750 mg. For the last 3 to 4 days my hands have been killing me and it is getting worse, my knees, and shoulders hurt now. After reading your remarks I am calling doc first thing in the morning. Please let me know if you have any advice for me.

My mom took Levaquin for a sinus infection and within three days of starting the medicine her kidneys began to fail. Her heart rate and blood pressure were elevated. After 6 months of going to doctor after doctor, she was diagnosed with chronic kidney disease and high blood pressure. Now she is on dialysis three times a week. The kicker...she had just had a complete physical with a blood work up three weeks prior to taking Levaquin and she was absolutely fine. Now, she's dying of chronic kidney disease.

Everyone make sure you report your ADR's to the FDA. Here is the link. It only takes a few minutes and maybe we can stop this. I have filled one out before but since I have ruptured another tendon I am filling another one out.
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/

In July 2007, I was put on Levaquin for pneumonia. I was 53 years old, working full-time, active. The pneumonia was caused by aspiration when vomiting. I had never had these problems - pneumonia or aspiration - before. I had gradually worsening generalized joint and muscle pain and stiffness, which I reported to my doctor after about 5 days on the Levaquin. The pain I was experiencing was worse than the pneumonia symptoms (mostly high fever). The course of levaquin was supposed to be 14 days. After 9 days, I could not tolerate it any longer. My doctor put me on a Z-pack (azithromycin) for the remainder of my treatment. It is a year later, and I am still plagued with muscle pain in my back, shoulders, arm, abdomen - and, at its worst, my legs. The only way I'm able to function is on prescription painkillers, which I detest having to take - but they're a lifesaver. I've been seeing a rheumatologist since December '07. He dosen't seem to believe the levaquin - pain connection. He thinks I may have Polymyalgia Rheumatica. I have consistently elevated blood levels of creatine phosphokinase, a muscle enzyme which indicates muscle damage. I was on prednisone 10 mg. from early March '08 which I have just weaned off of after suffering a depressive episode with a suicide attempt at the begining of this month. I can't work now. I'm terrified of becoming permanently disabled. Finding answers has been very difficult but I firmly believe that the Levaquin started all this.

My husband was prescribed Levaquin on June 4 for a spider bite. He took 750mg for 10 days. The bite healed well and we are thankful. Last night he began having terrible joint pain in his hips, legs and elbows. After reading all the posts I"m convinced it is caused from this medication. Other than Tylenol I don't know what to do for him.

Most of the "side effects" are die off responses (sometimes referred to as a herxheimer response similar to that which occurs when treating syphillis) from bartonella or borrelia. Levaquin is a potent intracellular antibiotic...where these and other organisms can hide. These can be subclinical infections where (at this time) you are not even aware you are infected. If your "side effects" start around the 3rd day into your prescription...rejoice...and suffer for a while, you are killing something really bad.

Muscle weakness, pain, tingling

After taking levaquin, I still suffer from muscle weakness, pain, and tingling several years later. My doctor who is one of the top specialists in New York has seen what this drug has done to me and is doing research for an article in a medical journal to put the word out of the horrible side effects of this drug as well as increasing the knowledge to hopefully figure out how to counteract this.

If you are/have suffered similar results, please contact me at ****** and we can discuss how you can send your case information to my doctor for the study and medical journal article. We need more scientific studies and literature out there about this drug and the side effects.

On June 17, 2008 I had an emergency appendectomy. They put me on Levaquin in the recovery room. By the time I got to my room I was covered in a horrible red itchy rash--I layed there scratching like a squirrel for hours. When I told the nurse, she said everyone has that reaction and she put Benadryl into the IV. They CONTINUED to give me the Levaquin with a Benadryl chaser until I couldn't take the itching any longer. Finally changed the IV to Cipro---no more itching! I am home now, very very sore and extremely tired. I could have done without that rash-----it is still all over my arms, neck , chest and back--very RAW because I scratched like crazy! Hopefully in a few days it will disappear. Will NEVER take Levaquin again, that's for sure!!

Took levaquin,500mg,for 10 days to combat infection in my left toe. Infection stopped,however pain in both calves is severe. Started on left leg then also rt. leg. Been off the med for 3 days. Seems to be better in am but gets awful as the day wears on. When will it stop? Is there long trm damage?

I took Levaquin for a kidney infection 500 mg. I was inchy all over. stomach pain. sever neck pain, and pain all over I feel like I was hit by a truck. no energy. my eyes get all heavy like I haven't slept in weeks. Alls I do is sleep and when I do I wake up very confused. I've been taking naps in the day time which I've never been able to do even if I was sick. I don't feel normal like I'm drunk and I don't even drink my sister says I even sound drunk. I get headaches. I have bruises all over in the places that I had itched. I still have kidney pain it feels like it's flopping around in there. Sweat a lot at night time. My heart sometimes beats really fast then thunks hard and then slows down. anxiety attacks. I cry for no reason. I called my doctor and he said he don't think it's from the levaquin that people only get a couple side effects not this many and put me back on antibiotics.

I had headache and all of my joints...especially my fingers, were swollen and very painful...like I was thinking ..what do I have arthritis now??!!! I also was very tired.

I took levaquin 750mg as prescribed yesterday, after leaving my doctors office at 330pm ( june 18th). along with calrinex d (1tab) and a tsp of tussionex suppension syrup and 4 nose shots of astelin in increments of two over a 4 hr period of time. I was awake a majority of the night unable to sleep. But had some bouts of sleep. This morning (june 19th) I awoke at 930 am forced awake due to an appointment, and took 550 mgm of levaqin and the array of other drugs, around 12pm I noticed a headache and believed it was due to the exertion of coughing so much, my appetite is non-existent and around 6pm I felt flushed and sweaty, however this feeling subsided. I am now in hyper drive, I want to fall asleep but when I do my throat has the sensation of being choaked and then I have this odd gush or air emmited nasally which awakens me from the doze. My left corotid arrtey was tender and my heart is palpitating. While my sinus infection is almost gone I do not think I will be continuing this medication. There will be a call made to my physician at first reasonable light, I am sure I will be awake.

I have been taking Levaquin since 12th of June 2008, last Thursday. When I got up on the 16th of June, the Monday morning, I had so much pain in my leg calf that I can hardly walk. I thought it would go away but it has not. I just looked up on the internet and found this and other websites and realized it might be the Levaquin side effect. I just called the doctor who prescribed the medicine and they said they will call me back.

I was taking it for two days. I was trying to change the channel, but I couldn't. I looked down and screamed because my hands were literally coming at me. They were crippling inward and so were my feet. My abdomen became severely painful. I couldn't stop vomiting and started vomiting bile. I was rushed to the hospital, they placed me in the 'security' emergency private room and strapped me down because they said I was out of my head. My whole body was yellow (jaundice). The doctor told me while the nurses tried to stick ivs in me that my digestive system has failed and your liver is failing. He told the nurse to stand by my bed period to keep me awake. I remember him shaking my face telling me 'johanna you have to stay awake, if you don't, you are not waking up. you have to stay away.' I was released later on. I had to eat liquid foods for two weeks, then baby foods for two more, then I slowly had to eat mushy to solid foods. The doctor said I had to reintroduce my body just like a baby due to the failure. That was my experience and if that nurse didn't keep me awake I would not be here right now.

The levaquin completely cured my throat, no pain, i can swallow again. But my glands are still swollen. My biggest complaint is the mouth thrush, i have sores all over my mouth, my teeth and gums ache and sometimes i wake up with blood in my mouth because my gums are so sensitive. I finished the 5 day 750 mg yesterday for horrific case of strep throat. I also experienced fatigue, sensitivity to light. Now that im off the pills im interested in eating but i cant because my mouth hurts so bad. If my mouth didn't hurt i would be happy, but im wondering if it will go away now that i am done with the dose.