Levaquin and antibiotic

I was giving the Zpack for a sinus infection this past monday, and i was also taking Mucinex D.. by Wed i called Drs to tell them I needed something stronger b/c my sinus infection was outta control, hurt soo bad in the cheeks, teeth, ears, nose, forehead.. Told them the meds are not helping.. I was NOT given any decongestant, was told to keep taking the mucinexD .. BUt they changed my antibiotic to LEVAQUIN.. I took that Wed & Thursday ..sinus infection appears to be clearing up BUT Thursday nite, after I took an Advil, I started getting Tingling and Numbness in my Lips & Chin .. I did NOT take any Levaquin today (friday) ..And the numbness and tingling is now in my Lips, Chin, Cheeks, Nose, around my Eye,my forehead And the tip of my tongue!! I talked to the Nurse Practioner at my DR office and told her i took some sinus meds, some robitussin and an Advil today. I told her I think the Levaquin is doing this and I stopped taking it, even the pharmacist thinks it the levaquin.. WELL- we discuessed I can either go to ER (like I want to go there in a snowstorm..) OR drink alot of water to flush my system and wait it out. I was told I could also take some more Advil if I wanted to "reduce any swelling"... WELLL.... my friend looked up on drug.com and saw that Levaquin and Advil DONT MIX! Can increase risk of Nervous Reaction ! .. so.. i'm thinking that the Levaquin and the Advil are reacting ... and it will take a few days to get out of my system.. I HOPE THIS is going to be that easy... I hope i get better.. b/c all day I've been feeling like I just got out of the dentist office after some novicane!@ that feeling when its wearing off and your all itching and tingliy...

January, 2010
I was prescribed 750 mg of Levaquin for a sinus infection. By day 3 sleeping at night became difficult and I began to experience anxiety. (I'm not by any measure prone to anxiety). Next I began to experience difficulty breath. By Thursday night, I had to sit straight upright all night long in order to breathe and the anxiety and depression (I'm also not by any measure prone to depression) side effects had increased substantially. I now understand how a person must possibly feel when they experience despair and the feeling that if they continue to feel a certain way in their bodies that they will be unable to continue to live. (I've also never had a suicidal moment in my life and I'm a healthy 62). As these side effects continued to increase, I went to my physician in the morning to tell him I was frightened. By the morning, since I was taking my dose at 2:30 p.m each day, some of the effects had subsided; he, initially, said maybe it was because I took a Sudafed (one of the 4-6 hour ones) that previous morning. By the next morning, I knew that I was no longer "me." I returned to the physician and requested "off" the antibiotic. It was out of my system, mostly, that afternoon and lingered--he said--the next two days. I was once again "me." I wonder about folks who take this drug and have this experience who are unable to determine the difference between what has been drug induced and what is real. I was able to make that distinction. Had I not been able to and had I continued to take the drug for the remainder of the time --5 more days. I don't know if the anxiety or the increased difficulty in breathing would have, basically, taken me out. When I told my brother, who is in a different state and who cared for our mother one particular time, he immediately informed me that he and his wife were with our mother when she experienced the same type of reaction to this drug. GAD!!!!!

My mom has what the dr. said is bronchitis, he prescirbed 500mg Levaquin. She took the first pill today and immediately had allergic reactions, with fever, itching, hives, so called doctor and discontinued use. I then went online to read about reactions, etc. Unbelievable what I have found. Should definitely be taken off the market. I'm glad my mom had allergic reactions so she would not be on this drug further. The reactions of others online reminded me of reactions I had to antibiotic about 20 years ago, I do not remember the name of the drug, it was a drug I was not familiar with so don't remember it. I never had allergic or bad reaction to antibiotics in the past so didn't associate the antibiotic to the horrific pain I developed. I had a bad cough for a couple of months, docor prescribed antibiotic for a month, cough persisted so doctor prescribed a refill. After starting the refill, one foot began having severe pain, like a broken bone - finally went to the dr that prescribed antibiotic, he took an xray, said it must be a hairline fracture as nothing showed. I didn't do anything that would have caused a fracture that I could recall. That pain went on for over a month, getting worse instead of better, then my other foot began having pain, swelling. Then pain/swelling went up my legs to knees. Dr. gave me more antibiotics and painkillers. Pain/swelling went on up my body to ALL joints. It got so bad my clothes would not fit due to excessive swelling in feet, knees, legs, arms. Then pain got so bad I had to literally crawl to the bathroom. Dr. told me to use ice 20 minutes, then heat. I had to have ice and heat over my entire body 24 hours a day. Went to dr. again, had to get a ride, could not drive or even sit, had to lay down. Dr. still couldn't find anything wrong, even after arthritis and rhumatism tests. Had no idea what was wrong, so prescribed more antibiotics and painkillers. Pain got worse, had to be carried to the bathroom. All this time I had still been going to work, But when pain was so bad I had to be carried to bathroom, I called employer crying, saying I was sorry but could no longer make it to work, pain was too severe. I would wake in middle of the night when ice had melted, crying in pain, and just wanted to die. I decided on my own to go off all medIcations, since symptoms were all becoming worse. Then dr. sent me to a specialist. Specialist took all tests, found nothing, then asked if I'd been on antibiotics when pain started. I said yes I had. She determined I had "BAD" reaction to antibiotics, and advised if I ever took antibiotics again I could die. After going off all drugs, I eventually got back to normal, after being in pain, starting with pain in one foot, for over four months. A year later my dentist prescribed Penicillin for a tooth infection. I told him I couldn't take antibiotics, he told me Penicillin was not a strong drug, so I tried it. I immediately got pain in my right foot again so discontinued drug. Several years later I was prescribed antibiotics again so tried them and have never had a problem with them since. I guess it just took me several years to get the antibiotic out of my system so I could be normal again. But I continue to have swelling, pain and numbness in my joints since that time. Doctors cannot find any cause. So I believe the damage caused by that particular antibiotic will never be cured.

I took Levaquin for 14 days, prescribed for an attack of diverticulitis. The only side effects I noticed were muscle aches, stomach pain and tinges of nausea. It cured the diverticulitis. BUT, eight after I had taken the last pill, I became extremely weak and soon developed a fever of 101 with chattering chills and night sweats. The fever lasted for two weeks before it broke, and during that time, I developed bacterial infections in the eyes and sinuses, a fungus (yeast) infection on the tongue and throat, and an extensive body rash, all of which I am still treating three weeks following the antibiotic. I still have pain in my arm and hip muscles, no tendonitis, however. Doc says Levaquin wiped out my good bacteria. First, I will NEVER take Levaquin again, and second, if I need to take an antibiotic in the future, I will insist that I simultaneously take a probiotic. The weakness persists, and the doc says it will "take time" to recoup.

I just took my first dose about an hour ago. So far so good...Unfortunately I just read all of these horrible posts all over the web about Levaquin. I just came off of Biaxin for 10 days due to no improvement. I had some congestion/cold that turned into bronchitis and now turned into pneumonia. Whats crazy is I feel fine besides the coughing spell this morning with coughing up a little blood. This freaked me out seeing that I am 26 and never had an experience like this. So I went to the doctor today and had some chest x-rays done. He says that I have some pneumonia in the right lung....Anyway I never had an allergic reaction to any antibiotics in the past. Like Amoxicillin,Biaxin, even tetracycline years back (I think this is a Antibiotic of some sort) I am hoping for the best. I will post back ASAP if anything starts going south like hives,rash,aches and pains.
M.

i took one dose of Levaquin 500mg for a terrible cough and 22 hours later my wrist is popping and clicking and it feels weird. i saw this website and called the doctor and said i want to take a different antibiotic. this is crazy! i know medicine is useful but the side effects are terrible sometimes. i know you gotta weigh the risks and benefits.... i am not taking changes w/ this one. i'm sorry that everyone has to suffer like this.

After you read a representative sampling of this website's testimonials, you certainly ask yourself inter alia: Can this be true? Did thousands of people inject an antibiotic from the fluoroquinolone family, which crippled them for longer or for shorter? Most of us, I suspect, never really get beyond the initial litmus test: Did this medicine poison me or save me? (The answer depends, of course, upon the age, gender, medical condition, and most importantly, the DNA make-up of the individual patient. For hundreds of thousands of patients this antibiotic is a boon. For thousands of other misfortunes this antibiotic is a disaster.) But there is another important question here.

Who gains from self-revelation? To be sure individual sufferers gain certain emotional catharsis from posting their adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to levaquin. E-postings are one-way anonymous tracks that form ruts on a well-traveled trail of tears. Unless these postings are hoaxes written by mischievious gnomes, then they consitute prima facie evidence for a causal link between levaquin injection and sundry crippling ADRs.

Curiously, this e-forum cannot be used as a tool for organizing thousands of potential litigants who might coalesce under a class action lawsuit. Yes, we can analyze each other's anonymous revelations to see if they muster our respective sense of the "ring-of-truth" re: levaquin toxicity, and we may contact each other one-on-one, but no-one can harness this intoxicating communication's technology to reach simultaneously all respondents en masse as a bloc.

So, who wins? The emotionally unburdened e-poster who learns belatedly that s/he is not alone and that prescription medicine likely caused more pain than the underlying malady for which s/he is being treated? Or big pharma that continues to manufacture and market a medication that poses downside risk to many consumers who unwittingly incur more damage than therapeutic value?

Indeed, who wins in a forum where consumers anonymously reveal their symptoms and unconfirmed suspicions? The answer is big pharma wins. Pharmaceutical companies data-mine our postings to estimate the frequency and bredth of ADRs about which consumers complain. House statisticians estimate the ratio of active complainants : silent complainants, i.e., the ratio of complaints who show up on this website to the far heftier percentage of complainants who never post on this website because either they are technology-challenged or they are incurious. House actuarians proceed to estimate how much operating profits their employers must set aside to cover losses in out-of-court settlements or in awards made to plaintiffs in class action lawsuits.

I think this is how the game is played in a behavioral sink where billions are made in a deregulated marketplace that allows predators and prey to interact anonymously. Sorry to be such a downer, but I fathom only the desperate plight of tens of thousands of levaquin consumers for whom no monetary award ever will compensate them adequately for their suffering, and the hundreds of millions of dollars at stake in court awards if consumers ever brought to bear their aggregate numbers and draw a bead on their big pharma tormenters.

I think it a true horror and shame that pharmaceutical companies have not devised a test which determines in advance which patient safely may consume levaquin and which patient's DNA places him or her at risk. I suspect the genome technology is available, but would dig too deeply into big pharm's bottom line. The economics of "parachutes-for-everyone" is infeasible. We are all guinea pigs in a B-grade movie featuring Russian roulette, billion-dollar pay-offs, and an FDA that pretends not to know.

Hello-

I just wanted to add a quick note that I was prescribed Levaquin several years ago to treat bronchitis and it gave me horrible insomnia. I would be looking at the clock at 2 am and wondering why I didn't feel tired at all. I had to be switched to a different antibiotic and then I was fine. At the time, my doctor thought it was "odd" that I experienced that side effect, but since then I've heard that the same symptom has been experienced by many, many people.

Since July 12, 2009 (Saturday) my life has been altered by a cure for a UTI that caused me to be taken by ambulance to the E.R. with a 105.6 fever. The horrible feeling of waking up shaking from the fever and not being able to stop it was scary. That was quickly followed by an ambulance ride to the local E.R. It was explained to me that the cause of my fever was a UTI that became a kidney infection. The E.R. doctor prescribed Levaquin 500 mgs for 10 days and Lori-tab for the ache very typical of a kidney infection. I am a 42yo woman who owns a motorcycle, swims, dances with a group and loves to wear beautiful heels. My life has changed since that night in the E.R. July 14 (Tuesday) , I was in my doctor's office complaining about bad headaches and feeling achy. I asked if this should be a concern since headaches were part of the warning label. The response was to remain on the antibiotic since the benefit far outweighed the side effects. The rest of the week was full of aches, pains, swelling, and a cloudy mental state. By Friday, the 17th of July I was laying in bed after noticing I no longer had ankles and I hurt all over. Thinking maybe this would pass I rested for an hour and my partner came to check on me. My jaw was tight and felt like it was locking down, every part of my body, every joint was hurting including my head. I called my doctor's office and asked if this was an allergic reaction and should I go to the hospital. The on-call said she was at the E.R. and maybe I should come in to be seen although it would be a long wait time because they were busy. I was seen, they talked about finishing with Cipro and then decided they would give me Bactrim. I asked how long I could expect to feel the effect of the Levaquin, the answer was 3 to 4 days. Since then, I have been in and out of the E.R. with acute and chronic pain. Walking has become almost impossible on some days. All of a sudden I have a back and hip problem. I am getting lumbar epidurals now and have sold the motorcycle. Oh, Dr. Higgins said, "Levaquin is a great drug". This was a E.R. doctor that was angry that I asked if this seemed to be an on-going issue from taking Levaquin. I am desperate to be pain free for even one 24 hour period. A storm of depression and clouds have set in...the thunder is my pain....

I got prescribed Levaquin for a Failed attempt with an IUD. It got stuck in my uterus and caused infection and lots of paid.So she put me on Levaquin and another strong antibiotic. I was really scared to take it because of all the side effects i read in the pamplet they give you at the pharmacy,so when i went back to the doctor i told her i was to scared to take it,she told me if i didn't take it that i could die and she would put me in the hospital with IV's if i didn't. So i felt like i had no choice. After the 2nd pill,i couldn't not sleep at all! it gave me insomnia soo bad..And im one of those people thats in bed by 9 and up at 6. Now im tossing and turning all night,and if i do actually fall asleep i wont get up until like 9 and that totally unusual for me. Now its day 8 and both my shoulders and my neck hurt so bad. Feels like pinched nerves and im so nauseous i cant stand it.Also, was driving to walmart with my kids 2 days ago and i had to call my mom to come get us because all the sudden i couldn't drive anymore. Got really dizzy lightheaded and felt like i was going to pass out at the wheel. i was very scared. i wish that on nobody! then when i got out of the car i felt like my legs hurt so bad they couldn't carry me. I never thought that any of that had to do with the pill until i read this..Im not taking it anymore and i have a week left..

After major surgery in mid-June I got an infection. I took a week-long dose of Levaquin. Approximately a week later, my shoulders, back, wrists, hips, knees and ankles became extremely sore and stiff all at once. It took two and a half weeks for those symptoms to disappear, however, my right hip is still affected so much that it hurts to walk. I am an otherwise healthy, young person. The pain does not dissipate when I sit, lay down, or stand in any position. It's really awful and completely has put a hold on my life. Just about everything I enjoy doing involves the use of my leg, and the pain stops me from living normally. I hate this! I wonder whether it's related to the antibiotic. My doctor has not been able to figure out what it is. I'm going to ask her to look in to this! Thanks for letting me vent..D.M. Washington

I've been on a 7 day regime of Levaquin 500mg for an a infection that wasn't cured by other antibiotics and I can say it's worked. Yea I had a some muscle craps in the legs and some leg pain and a first day bout of nausea but overall, it's worked great for me.

I'd suggest that anyone on it do as my doctor said and either eat at least 1 cup of yogurt a day and/or take a Probiotics pill. The antibiotic/any antibiotic kills the "good germs" that help raise your bodies immune system and helps with digestion and the Yogurt/Probitic pills help grow the "good bacteria" back and ease the side effects while on it. Good luck to all

32 year old male here. I was prescribed Levaquin 500mg 2 days ago for 10 days after being diagnosed with cellulite which is a bacterial infection in the blood. I had a swollen and sore groin on the right side. I already take prilosec once a day for acid reflux. Since starting Levaquin the infection seems to be clearing up, but the heartburn is pretty vicious. Yesterday I thought to myself hmm, maybe I didn't take my prilosec but I thought I did. So, I took a second prilosec but with no results. Today again as listed on the bottle I waited two hours after taking the Levaquin and then took my prilosec, but no luck. I've since taken a second prilosec and a couple of tums. As I drove home from work the heartburn started reoccurring. Thats when I googled it and came to find this site and that I'm not crazy. I also had sharp pains in my wrist and hands today and feel really run down and almost mildly depressed. I can live with joint pains and feeling a little run down, but the heartburn really does effect your eating and sleeping. I guess I'll have to see how the next 7 days go.

what happens if you stop after second dose.. Im so scared right now!!

I was on Levaquin for chronic bronchitis several times without reaction and then had to take it for 20 days for bronchitis that just wouldn't go away. Starting the 5th day I experienced severe joint pain (worse than my current fibromyalgia pain) and swelling in my feet and ankles. My physiotherapist suggested that I take Kefir once the antibiotic ended to clear out my system. Apparently the bacteria in it counteracts the side effects of Levaquin. It worked for me and I'm only experiencing my normal pain now and my feet look normal again!

My poor Mother was prescribed this medicine 2 days ago and she's not slept for 2 days and has had horrible pains in her legs. I just found out today that she started taking this and I looked it up only to the horror of all the complaints on this medication. DON'T TAKE THIS MEDICATION, IT'S POISON! It's so sad what people have to go through in taking some medications. I never take a medication without looking up all the side effects. I wish my Mother would have called me before taking this, but she trusts in her Doctor. I don't think Doctor's check complaints on medications, at least some don't. I had her STOP taking this right away and contact her Doctor tomorrow.

I was hospitalized with a severe kidney infection, later to be told it was e-coli. After several days of intravenous antibiotics along with prednisone in my IV to help manage terrific arthritis pain, I came home from the hospital with a prescription of levaquin, prednisone and something for my stomach that I could have gotten over the counter. I have progressively gotten sicker on my stomach, had severe attacks 3 to 5 times a day, headaches, extreme fatigue and weakness. Worst of all were the crazy thoughts when I woke up partly due to nightmares and partly to just not feeling myself and having a feeling of loss of control of all my emotions. I told my husband I believe I was going into a depression. After stumbling onto this site, I threw the 5 remaining levaquin in the trash and thank God that I found all the information I have today on this POISON. I agree with many that the side effects far outweigh any good this antibiotic has done for me. I continue to be very sick and weak. I just hope when I wake tomorrow this mess is out of my system for good.

I was prescribed Levaquin for a sinus infection/ bronchial infection, and it through me through a loop. I couldn't sleep, had crazy dreams, I literally felt this drug moving through my whole body, and the next day I was exhausted even more exhausted than I was from being sick, and am having hot and cold flashes. I am sure this has reduced some of my sinus symptoms, but it is NOT WORTH IT!!! This is a strong medication, and I wouldn't advise anyone take it unless they had no alternatives. This antibiotic should not be prescribed to the average Joe with a Sinus Infection. This is a seriously strong medicine, with severe side affects. I only took it for one day, and threw it in the trash. My doctor called in a different prescription. I am going to use homeopathic remedies from now on. I feel like I have to at least take this alternate antibiotic though since I already started the cycle. I am going to do serious research before I put even one pill in my mouth though

My daughter is 16 and was given Levaquin 500 for a sinus infection. While on the medication she was tired but not much else in the side effect category. Now here we are 4 weeks later and she has acute abdomen pain, extreme fatigue,nausea, a headache, and she has lost 21 lbs in 2 weeks. I took her to the doctor and they ran a cbc, chem 12, urinalysis, and an electrolyte panel. All came back negative. Basically my perfectly healthy little girl is suffering from this. I went back and looked at the Levaquin packet because I know it can sometimes take a few weeks AFTER medications are stopped for side effects to show themselves and of course, all her symptoms are listed.

I really don't know what to do, I hurt so bad every single day I could cry. I was given Levaquin in March 2008 when I had pneumonia. I took it for 10 days and I hurt so bad still was very sick so I was put on it for another 10 days, so I took the Levaquin for a total of 20 days. I thought all this sickness was from the pneumonia. I had trouble getting out of bed, I could not even bend my knees, my feet, knees, elbows, and fingers were swelled up and I was getting all kinds of cracking in all my joints, headaches, stomach pains, all kinds of muscle pains. When I went back to work, I was telling a girl at work how I hurt and she asked me what kind of antibiotic I was taking, I told her and she said they had it on the world news . I said why is it still on the market. I seen 3 doctors about this and they think I'm nuts! They sent me for all kinds of xrays for all different parts of my body, what is that going to show! Its been a year and I still ache, I keep swelling up, joint and muscle pains, cracking, stomach troubles, problems sleeping, its terrible. I take pain medication for my back, I have 2 herniated discs, and I have to take more pain meds for all these other pains, this is not going to work. I even went to see a rheumatologists and he said I don't have arthritis. So Levaquin done a number on me. If anyone can help, or know what to do let me know!

I am a 51 year old female with lyme disease and co infected with Bartonella who previous to getting sick was very anti medical establishment and very anti--antibiotic.
After 8 months of treatment with other horrible antibiotics I decided to try Levaquin, even after reading these horror stories as I was desperate for relief. I expected ill effects from the moment I swallowed the first pill but by the 4th of 5th day my pain and brain fog began to recede and I am almost through with my second month and I feel positively human. I have had headaches nausea depression etc etc for 10 months so I can't say these things are related to the Levaquin. I do have tightness in my ankles and wrists but some tender tendons and swollen joints have actually improved. I am also taking 3000 mg of Amoxicillin so that make contribute to the relief. My doctor is very aware of the side effects and encourages me to pay a lot of attention to my body and limit any exercise or actions that strain the ligaments.
I believe this is a very very powerful antibiotic that is being used randomly and needs more research to determine who is at risk for these horrible side effects before it is prescribed in such a broad monner. I am happy for the forum and the discussion and the opportunity to make a leap toward health with this drug.

I just noticed a banner going across the bottom of the TV screen about a former co-host from a well known late night talk show. It said he was hospitalized for pneumonia and other difficulties. It went on to mention shoulder and groin tendon problems. I wonder what antibiotic he was given.

49 year old female with bladder infection took cipro for 7 days was not getting better went to doctor told me i had kidney infection took levaquin for 10 days and felt like i was going to die . i never felt so sick in all my life its been 1 month since i stopped taking it and my liver and bladder are so inflamed i have a sore throat and my chest hurts. went to doctor and she has no clue oh yeah and i have joint inflammation to. she said i was like the kitchen sink now i have to do all this blood work to determine whats wrong with me. i really think its from the 2 antibiotics i took after reading about all the side effects .

There may be no way to get Levaquin out of one's body except time. But I wanted to at least try to speed it up. I don't know if it will work for me or others, only time will tell. There is genetics involved since each of us has a unique tolerance for Levaquin. But here is what I am doing:

1. 8 glasses of water daily with fresh-squeezed lemon juice.
2. Lots of fiber - a tblsp of wheat bran 3 times a day with more water.
3. Plain yogurt with live active cultures 5 times a day.
4. A hot bath with epsom salts once a day.
5. Magnesium, Calcium and Iron, a couple of times a day.
6. Vitamins B and C a few times a day.
7. Body Cleanse and Liver Cleanse from the drug store, as directed.

I took 7 Levaquin pills and stopped 10 days ago. Some symptoms have improved. Notably, my appetite is better, the bloated stomach is gone and food moves through normally, anxiety spells are gone, the brain fog is still there but maybe a slightly better each day.

I will be watching my body for any signs of tendon pain in the 12 - 18 months ahead. No pain so far, but Levaquin is capable of doing damage with the pain not felt until later. I will ease back into exercising very slowly over the coming months.

I will be posting updates periodically over the next couple of years. I am a 50 year-old man.

Good luck to all and God bless.

Hi,

Is there an antidote for Levaquin? I took it for 7 days and stopped 3 days ago. Is there anything recommended to reverse it and detoxify in order to limit the damage? I saw in the warnings sheet from the pharmacy that it should not be taken with Iron, Magnesium and Calcium. Maybe it's good to take all of those now to try to neutralize it.

It would be good to get the antidotes published here so that others who come along later can start removing it from their bodies it as soon as they find this web site.

Anyone with detox recommendations, please post them.

Hi
They gave me this antibiotic for kidney infection , I was medically evacuated to Baghdad ER, infection is clearing but am bloated, thirsty, belching worsen as I had Acid reflux surgery, part of the day I feel better and part very tired, worse am in a war zone and I need to be alert but can`t, medicine was given by the DR. Er, military Dr am sleepy tired, gas ,tightness in chest , fast heart beat ,unable to sleep though tired but took Tylenol and slept 2 night ago I have to walk in the middle of the night out of my chu to release gas and bloating , I still have 2 doses , 7 days of hell, also I have diarrhea some and pain in my lower back , am 44, healthy, I pray it clears out ,I do not like the crap is causing me, as am flying home back to the US to be seen by urologist,digestive disease specialist so my R&R will be with Doctors. worse I spent my birthday in the ER with IV and all kinds of tests hope all u guys feel better. Thanks T.

Here is my experience, I am confused only because I know part of what happened to me is my own fault.

To make a long story short I overdosed (intentionally) on a different drug called Lamictal. This is a seizure med. When that event happened I was on a course of Levaquin. I was on day four. I was to take it for 24 days for a sinus infection that showed up on a CT scan.

I know that this sounds horrible, but my overdose was small. No overdose is small though, but what happened to me just didn't seem right in comparison to the amount of pills I took. My mind is telling me I have no right to question anything considering what I did.

After taking the pills, I passed out and ended up being flown to a different hospital as my condition was worsening. They told me that before I left the hospital, my urine had already started to turn brown.. I don't know what that means.

When I woke up in ICU the doctor was yelling at me asking me what other drugs I took. He said that an overdose of Lamictal would never have causes what was happening. He asked if I was on meth or had taken Benadryl. I was sweating a lot, my heart rate was 150, my liver and kidney functions were bad, and the worst of it all, I had a CK level of 70,000. I had developed.. excuse my spelling... rhabdomylisis. My whole body hurt. Every single joint in my body was hurting, I could not stand and I could not walk. They told me that I was going to probably have to go on dialysis. I ended up being in the hospital for 8 days. My numbers returned to normal after 7 days of leaving the hospital.

The doctor there still thinks I was lying about what I took because what happened "Makes no sense." When they found me in my apartment they said I had "Serotonin syndrome." Which is caused by antidepressants.They said that the muscles in my body had gone completely ridgid and I was having a seizure that they could not stop. What they told me is they couldn't move one muscle in my body. My doctor said that they assumed that I o'd on my antidepressants too. Which I didn't.

Anyway, it has been a little over a month since the event, and that sinus infection is again being treated with Levaquin. I will take my 2nd dose today. Since that day I have been off all of my meds, but I am starting some of them back up. My Lamictal, my synthroid and now this Levaquin. I am scared to death. I have been searching the internet and all of a sudden I started finding that levaquin caused rhabdomylisis in several patients... although "rare."

Do you all have suggestions for me? The part that makes this the worst is YES I did overdose on pills. I assume this is why no one has really looked into why I had such problems. Should I stop taking this pill right away? I suppose most of you would say yes. I'm just not sure.

I am a 52 year old women , except for a yearly resistant sinus infection I would describe myself as very healthy and have only minor aches and pains for my age. I was prescribed Levaquin by a walk- in physician after 2 months of a sinus infection. Within a week I felt 100 years old . I could barely get out of bed, the pain in all my joints was excruciating the first 5 minutes and didn't improve a lot during the day . I didn't think my legs would hold me upon rising from any position. After one week of finishing the drug I started to feel better.......it has been two weeks now.... I'm still sore and weak , especially noted in hands and legs .

I started Levaquin 750 mg 3 days ago . Beside feeling foggy and very tired & exhausted, I've had terrible insomnia for two nights in a row now. I'm taking it for bronchitis, but I'm going to stop, even though I don't like to stop taking an antibiotic in the middle of treatment.

I have taken Levaquin for five days for a sinus infection. Day three I started getting muscle soreness. Day four I was so sore I started looking up possible sudden pain. Today I am so sore I can hardly walk and my joints are very painful in my feet,hands and shoulders. I started thinking about what was different and realized the only thing that had changed was that I was taking an antibiotic that I have never taken before. Wow, I am so glad I looked this up. The symptoms that you all are reporting are exactly what I am experiencing! I will never take it again. Hopefully the symptoms will resolve quickly.

Well, I have had tinnitus for a year to the point I may have to quit work and go on disability. I noticed that every time I take an antibiotic, the tinnitus gets better (but doesn't quite go away). I recently took LEVAQUIN for bronchitis and after the first pill my tinnitus subsided substantially. It remained much better during the ten day treatment. I had no side effects from the antibiotic although it did seem to take the whole ten days to help my bronchitis.

Now that I am finished the LEVAQUIN my tinnitus is increasing again.

I liked the experience of taking it.

I was prescribed Levaquin about 3 weeks ago for a possible sinius infection. I was reading the booklet that comes with the meds and saw some of the side effects, tendon rupture, dizziness, sleep issues, etc. I told the doctor I didn't want to take it because I already have some tendinitis in my shoulder and other aches and pains. He said okay, then went back to the doctor for follow up and said either take the med or lets do a CAT scan on my sinius's. I said okay I will take it and see what happens... Well It was 500 mg and I took it for only 4 days out of the 10 and my pains were worse. I can not sleep at night and have been getting very dizzy. I called the doctor and told him, and he didn't seem fazed by what I told him and said just to stop taking and prescribed another antibiotic. I have been off the med for 3 days now and I still can not sleep and still feel dizzy. How long is this going to last?

I go to a hematologist and two days ago told her about the med and she too said she can not take this med, it is very strong and she had the same feelings.

Has anyone been off this med, and for how long did the dizziness go away. I have two young kids and they both just got the stomach bug, and I'm so overtired and just want to sleep but I can not.

OH MY GOD!!!! I thought I might be imagining things. I was prescribed Levaquin and clyndamycin on December 15 2008 for a urinary tract infection that appeared to have gone systemic. After 2 days my right knee swelled up. I went back to the Dr the next day and he looked up both antibiotics in his little book and said the clyndamycin could cause joint swelling and pain. He told me to stop taking the clyndamycin and take 600 mg of ibuprofen for the joint paig. His little book said nothing about levaquin. Well I kept taking the levaquin and the pain spread literally to every joint in my body. I could not walk and had trouble even holding a coffee cup. The pain was unreal. I completed the 10 day course of the levequin as instructed. The joint pain was getting worse. I called the Dr. again and they did blood work to rule out arthritis and stuff like that. He put me on prednisone which has significantly helped with the pain. He said it may be a coincidence that I have developed arthritis and that it had nothing to do with the UTI. Well as I was watching TV last night I saw a lawyers commercial for a law suit against levaquin and cipro. Then today got on the internet and found this site. I am going to call the Dr. and tell him to update his little book he looked up the levaquin in. My fear is how long after you stop taking this poison does the joint pain end? I wish I would have known all of this sooner. I will never take this drug again.

I have been prescribed with LEVAQUIN by my doctor to treat prostate infections. I took this medicine before, and did not notice any side effect until this time. In the past few days, I started having hard time to climb upstairs. My legs and muscles were just too weak to hold my body when I walk up and down stair, and my both hips are hurting very badly for no reason. Thank you all for the posts. You guys save my life. I am going to stop this antibiotic immediately. Hope I can get recover from this.

- Innocent man from TX

I was prescribed a 21 day dose of Levaquin for a case of severe sinusitis. After Day 1 on Levaquin I had severe back, joint and muscle pains. At first I thought I was coming down with the flu. However the flu never appeared.

After about 5 to 6 days the pain became less severe, however my hips, back and legs continued to hurt. During the nights of doses 15 and 16 I woke to splitting headaches and a burning sensation on the left side of my stomach. After reading others' side effects and the commonality with my side effects I quit taking Levaquin after 16 days.

During the 16 days I was taking Levaquin I was extremely irritable and mildly depressed. At night time I would wake up 3 or 4 times and try to get back to sleep. I have never had insomnia problems in my life until taking Levaquin. My joints and body ached the entire time on Levaquin.

The drug was brutal on my body. I will never take it again. I will seek an alternative antibiotic. I have been off Levaquin for 4 days. Sleeping is going much better, however the muscles in my legs and back still hurt.

I was given Levaquin after a post surgical Staph infection was confirmed. I too had the side effects described by so many others. Extreme muscle aches, joint pain even in my fingers, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, dizziness. My Dr. said to try to fight through it because the Staph infection needed thia particular antibiotic to cure it. I am 5 days into my 10 day dose and I can't keep taking the pills. I am scared and don't want to end up in the hospital again. He tried to give me a prescription for Bactrim but I said no because i can't take it. I have worse side effects with it than I have the Levaquin. I can't stay wake for more then 1 hour and I dose off but wake up with 15 minutes feeling drained. I can't walk very far without my legs feeling like jello. My WHOLE BODY HURTS!!

I will never put this drug in my body and I will never forget the levaquin night. Dad was already on an antibiotic. He’s been gone 8 years now so this is somewhat of a blur. His catheter sprung a leak so he had to go to the urologist. While there doc noticed a UTI and prescribed the levaquin. Even though dad was already on an antibiotic he was told to start the Levaquin once he was done with the other. Who knows if the infection was even there by the time he took the levaquin.
Dad was on drugs for seizures. (Unexplained seizures to this day)
I filled the prescription. I was the one down on him for being on so many drugs. I should have read and noticed it said not to take this drug if you’re taking seizure meds. I’d programmed myself by then that things are what they are and no one would listen to me about the drugs and side effects etc. They all see me as a witchdoctor as my husband would tell me. The doctor later told me he doesn’t have the staff to stand around checking drug interactions all day long…..
Dad took the levaquin. I said let’s get you out for a while and come down to my house. I drove the 2 miles to my house with him and by the time we arrived he could barely stand. It was all I could do to get him into the living room. He couldn’t get comfortable. He seemed out of sorts and agitated. I assumed it was his surroundings and he just wanted to be home in his chair. I struggled to get him to my car and back home. .
Once back to his house, we were talking, his eyes went off into a dead stair. He wasn’t aware of anything going on around him. They became fixated (seizure). This lasted a long minute or so and I watched his eyes come back and him come back to awareness. It was then I went to the printout info on taking this drug and saw to not take it with seizure drugs. I called the doctor and was told to immediately stop the drug. (if my memory serves me, he took one a day).
Later that evening, I went to check on him lying on the couch. He had this dopey smile on his face and when he spoke this really creepy gibberish came out. He wasn’t making any sense. I couldn’t understand a word he was saying. My sister and her boyfriend arrived. Dad was calling my husband by MY name and insisting he wanted to march. ( He used to march in the front of the parade every year in his sailor uniform) My sister and her boyfriend had to hold him up to march. His legs and muscles were too weak to hold himself up. He was like a noodle. He would not sit down or calm down. It was constant moving him from one place to another.
I offered to spend the night and sit with dad. It didn’t look like either of us was going to get much sleep that night. Dad laid awake most of the night. Occasionally he would speak to me and I could barely tell he was indeed in there ….. somewhere. He looked wired with a somewhat terrified look in his eyes. He could barely speak and just seemed to be on a bad trip. I moved him around the living room all night from couch to chair to chair. He finally fell asleep and I dozed. I woke to find he had slid out of the chair and was on the floor staring at me. Huge wide awake eyes looking at me when I woke. Mom woke up. We helped him to the kitchen for breakfast. He did really well walking. You could tell the drug was wearing off. I felt some relief. I went to work.
After work I went straight to dad’s to take him to the doctor. We all gathered in his office at the hospital to discuss trying to get dad off most or all of his drugs. We were grasping at anything to give him relief. Herbal remedies were finally being considered for some of his conditions. It was time for his next Levaquin dose. He went into what the dr. called a “life threatening” seizure.
He was rushed to ICU and pumped up on more drugs. It was said his seizure drug wasn’t working because…. He had a seizure. No one would even consider the Levaquin causing ANY of this. The “side effect” was simply treated with more heavy duty drugs. The new seizure drug was doing practically the same thing the Levaquin did! Or from what I’m reading and researching online now.. maybe it was the levaquin. Doctors would tell me it was long out of his system and wasn’t causing any adverse effects. You could watch them put the new seizure drug in him and watch him leave reality and his mind. I was later told he had a rare brain disease. They couldn’t explain why this was happening, nor would admit that dad was in there somewhere. I’d see him there when the drugs were wearing off, before the next dose would arrive. We’d hold normal conversations. My husband saw him too. All my other family members were FREEKING OUT at his condition and didn't have their minds about them... in my opinion. They couldn't and wouldn't believe a drug could cause any of this. I can’t recall the name of the seizure drug. I have this all written down somewhere around here!
I do believe though, they would have never changed the seizure drug if not for the levaquin causing a seizure by being prescribed because the doctor has no staff to check drug interactions. I will always believe it was the Levaquin that started him on his downhill climb to not being with us today. He was a strong man before Levaquin. He became weaker and weaker to the point of getting pneumonia and having a heart attack before leaving us 4 months later. Levaquin may not have been the end of him.. it was just the beginning of the end………….

I was just prescribed Levaquin for a sinus infection/bronchitis. I am a healthy 36 year old who is not currently taking any medications. I got the Leva-pac, 5 days, 750 mg. each. The first night I slept fitfully, but was still feeling the infection, so blamed it on that. The second night, however, was HORRIBLE. Although my sinus symptoms were markedly better, I literally thought I was going to have a heart attack during the night. I had severe insomnia...only slept 20 minutes total from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m., and in those 20 minutes I had a horrible nightmare/panic attack, jaring me awake with clenched teeth, profuse sweating and feeling as though I was choking. I was overly anxious, paranoid and had severe leg cramps. My heart was racing and I would alternate between being overly hot and then overly cold in a matter of minutes. It was an experience I never want to have again. My husband insisted I stop the antibiotic even though that is what you should never do with an antibiotic. Even though I have been off two days now, I am still feeling some of the effects, especially at night.

My doctor gave me 5 'samples' of Levaquin 750mg for a sinus infection.

2nd night I had frightening heart palpitations while sitting watching a movie with family. Later that night experienced insomnia, depression, body aches and extreme cold feeling all over despite blanket, comforter and furry throw.

3rd day I experieinced severe nausea, dizziness, over-heating, dry mouth, body pain, headaches and motion sickness on pubic transit about 2 hours after dosing. Almost passed out. Was shaking, feeling hypoglycemic. Curled in a ball praying by the end of the 45 minute bus ride.

Stopped for water and a bagel, thought it was awhile since I had eaten. 2 hours later after my appointment, same thing again o the bus ride home. Took me 2 hours to calm down.

Looked up side effects online and was shocked. My doctor knows I had a head/neck injury ( 3 dislocated vertebrae ), knows I have prescription Vicodin and Tylenol 3 for pain, but fortunately I only took one Tylenol 3 today and no Vicodin for weeks. But I did take Advil yesterday, another pain reliever my doctor knows I use, but conflicts with Levaquin.

Doctor also knows that I'm concerned about possible pre-diabetic condition as mother has developed type 2 diabetes.

Furthermore, he knows I have had bad experiences with previous prescription medications including asthma inhalers destroying tooth enamel and depression reactions to Singulair.

Apparently Levaquin and Singulair both have suicidal depression side-effects.

So why was this drug given to me?

Basically, who do I sue?

I took Levaquin 3 times for 10 days each time over 2 or 3 years. I am not exactly sure as I'd have to backtrack my records. It was for a stubborn sinus infection. (BTW, it didn't help) Is it possible that now, 2 years after taking it, that my tendons are 'tight' and sore from the drug? I have been complaining that they feel like tight springs for months, totally inflexible. I didn't know about this, so I decided to really stretch them. I did 4 squats and the next day, my R knee was blown up. I got an MRI which showed a torn meniscus from doing the squats. Since then, I've discovered what Levaquin does. Could it be that my tendons were so tight, that they didn't give, but the pressure from them being so tight could have put so much pressure on the meniscus, that it tore?

On 7-15-08 I had a total abdominal hysterectomy and was given Levaquin thru IV while I was in the hospital.3 weeks to the day later I had a abscess next to my bowel that had to be removed and again was given Levaquin thru IV while I was in the hospital,both times I got very sick right after I was given Levaquin and when I was discharged on the 2nd.trip I was sent home with Levaquin 500mg pills.After taking 2 of the Levaquin pills I again was so sick and could not keep anything down so I called my DR.and explained to him what was going on and I was told I had to keep taking the Levaquin.After a few more days had passed I went into the office to see the DR.and again told him how sick I was and that I was unable to go to sleep,again I was told to continue the Levaquin and that my hormones were out of balance and that was why I was unable to go to sleep.On 9-2-08 I finally went back to work after being off for 7 weeks. I still was suffering from insomnia and was only getting 2-3 hours of sleep a night but was feeling better.On 9-30-08 I had a follow up with my primary care DR.my blood pressure was 211/160 and my pulse was 177 and also had a bad cough with wheezing and was sent straight to the ER.I was admitted and for the next 6 days was given Levaquin thru IV and the more I got the sicker I was to a point I thought I was dying.I ended up with a rash all over my face and finally on day 7 a Lung DR.came into the room and took one look at me and said "oh my god,we have to take you off of that antibiotic")
I was sent home on day 8 and after being home for 3 days all of the Tendons in both legs,ankles,arms,hands and right shoulder were inflamed to a point where the DR.was afraid that they were going to rapture so I was on complete bed rest for 3 weeks.I am now suffering from both ankles swelled and ache all the time along with all of the minerals in my body have completely bottomed out along with the calcium and potassium and also now I have several inflammatory markers in my blood and have to go see a Rheumatology & Arthritis DR.My lungs have also been damaged from Levaquin and I am now using 3 different inhalers and I have never had a breathing problem previous to this.Now for those who have commented that we should have researched the drug before taking the meds in my case I was unable to do so being as though I was given it in the hospital ! I still have no idea how much damage I will be left with and what will be permanent.I will post again when I find out more on the damage that this drug has done to my 44 year old body.

I was put on Levoquin after 4 days of Bronchitis. My body was not responding to the antibiotic so they added Prednisone. I continued on both medications IV for 8 days. After the second day, I developed a severe pain in my groin. I mentioned it to the NP treating me and she said, "we will worry about that once we get the Bronchitis under control". The pain continued as the medication continued. After the Bronchitis was resolved, the pain in my groin was terrible. My doctor sent me for CT scans and and MRI. The next thing I knew I was in the Orthopedic Surgeon's Office talking to him about a total hip replacement. He said the test showed very mild degeneration and he was not sure a total hip replacement for me was the answer. I opted not to have the hip replacement. Diagnostic Testing continued. Finally, my doctor told me that the combination of Levoquin and Prednisone caused a tendon rupture in my groin. He said it would heal but would take a long time. It is now 8 months since I took those medications and my hip is more painful now than ever. I am on pain medication and it does not help. I see my doctor today and we will discuss other options to relieve this awful pain. I walk with a cane and I feel like I will never walk normally again. It has totally disrupted the activities of my life. My doctor tells me to stay off my feet as much as possible to rest the tendon, this is impossible as I am a registered nurse and I am on my feet constantly. This has destroyed my life!

I was prescribed Levaquin in July 2008 for a kidney infection - 500 mg for 7 days. I experienced insomnia, muscle cramping in my calfs, and aching a chilies tendon while taking the drug. Approximately 5 days post Levaquin I started having generalized muscle twitching (head to toe) which is intensely noticed at rest, severe anxiety, burning sensation, vibratory sensation, and most recently weakness accompanied w/ pain in my right arm. I have seen 4 separate doctors in 3 months and have had blood work done along with an MRI of my brain. All tests came back normal... I am scheduled for an EEG and EMG this coming week - which too will probably come back normal. Between all of my doctors I have been diagnosed w/ a virus, anxiety disorder, fibromyalgia, and a mild case of Guillain-Bairre Syndrome. Luckily all the doctors have agreed that they do not believe I have MS or ALS. Before the kidney infection I was healthy and RARELY made a visit to the doctors. I have issued a Medwatch Report to the FDA as I am completely convinced that my medical issues are related to Levaquin. I have been dealing with these symptoms now for 3 months and would appreciate any feedback from individuals who have experienced the same side effects and what they may have done to ease the symptoms.

To the best of my knowledge I never had any of the 'immediate' symptoms.
My problems are probably due to the fact that I was prescribed Cipro 3 possibly 4 times from Aug 06 - Dec 07 and then finished up Dec 07 with a round of Levaquin. My father is over 60 and was recently given Levaquin and had immediate and serious problems. He is seeing a doctor recommended by the CDC today. Yes, he is even working with the CDC on
this one. Due to all he is being told he is convinced that the medication is behind my medical decline as well. Since taking these medications (symptoms started slowly in 07), but after taking the Levaquin at Christmas time I never got up from the couch. My thyroid gland has quit working, my adrenals are shot, I have been diagnosed with fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue, blew out 3 disks in my back, vision is deteriorating rapidly, and really so many things I can't list them all. I had a complete physical
in Oct 05 and was given a perfect bill of health. Through Aug 06 I was riding my bicycle 33 miles per week. I'm still trying to figure out what hit me??
What my father has been told is that in some individuals Levaquin will attack the glands (like the thyroid) and will compromise the immune system. This damage appears to be permanent. All I know is that I went from being extremely healthy to terribly sick. If in a day's time I have enough energy to load and unload the dishwasher it is a banner day. I can
not work and seem to get worse instead of better as each day passes.

My husband also had pneumonia at Christmas and took Levaquin but does not seem to have had an problems. I suspect it was possibly the cumulative effect of having basically 4-5 rounds of the antibiotic in a years time. According to the people at the CDC that have spoken to my father the symptoms that I have can all be traced back to the medication. One never knows what effect a medication will have. Just please be careful when taking this medication, and limit how many times you take it.

I have been prescribed Levaquin multiple times for bronchial infections. The most recent being approx. a month ago. I have NEVER suffered a side effect from this medication. The types of side effects everyone is reporting here sound very bizarre. I know a number of people including my husband, friends, grown children, etc that have taken this medication multiple times as I personally have with no side effects whatsoever.

I knew it had to be that antibiotic!! My family doctor put me on Levaquin for a urinary tract infection a few days ago and the night before last I woke up in the early a.m. shaking all over and hurting in every joint in my body, and I have a foggy memory of it all too. It was very bad. I could not stand up without holding on to the wall because I was to weak and my legs felt like aching jello. I could barely move my neck and I thought I had meningitis it was that bad. I called 911 and the ambulance came for me. The doctor at the ER took blood work which was all normal and he told me I had a panic attack!, neck pain, and fatigue...I couldn't believe he told me I had a panic attack...I was asleep for goodness sakes. I have been hurting so bad that I was thinking I had something really serious. I hurt all over so bad that I can't even express it. I am so glad that all of you posted these side effects or I would not have known what was causing my problems. I will NEVER take that stupid drug EVER again and I hope they take it off the market. I hope someone will do something about this drug before it hurts more people like it has hurt all of us...I pray that you all will heal from the problems this medication has caused you.

I am a healthy female with little to no history of adverse reactions to medications. I was prescribed a 10 day dose of Levequin (500 mg) for a minor but stubborn skin abscess. After the third day, I woke up with significant joint soreness in my fingers. Progressively the soreness spread daily to my wrists, elbows, ankles, knees, hips, etc. I did not suspect the antibiotic at first, but I know my body, and I know something was WRONG.
After my 8th dose I decided to look online...it is at least good to know that what I'm experiencing is definitely from Levequin. Thank you all for sharing your stories.

I especially found MERCEDESLANE posting on April 15th interesting. I guess this person works in the health care system. Considering this uncompassionate individual, who apparently wants everythone to know he has a Mercedes, can't spell (whine), and does not have basic grammar skills. Wow...my faith in the our health care system is stronger than ever. But what do I know, I'm just an "IDIOT" with shingles that needs to have a couple of glasses of whine while I pop my remaining Levequin.

While taking this, I have experienced water on my knee, aching in my leg and then a problem with the right knee, aching in arms and shoulders. All of this could be something else, or at least the fluid on my knee. I had an MRI Saturday and will hear in a few days.
So what is the best med for sinus infection which is why I am on this.
Thanks.

I was prescribed LEVAQUIN 500mg/day for 30 days. In that duration this is the list of side effects: diarrhea, sleep disorders, insomnia or excessive, and I mean excessive fatique, washing the dishes made me want to nap. heart racing, trouble breathing, tingling sensation either on my left or right side of my body, headaches. I actually finished the script, and now I have a yet undiagnosed skin condition which looks similar to MRSA, but the culture came back negative. The skin sores are very painful, so my doctor put me on DOXYCYCLINE 400mg/day for 2 mos, it didnt help the skin condition and only worsened the effects of LEVAQUIN, now my doctor has me on BACTRIM, because he is convinced it is MRSA. I am also suffering from severe depression, i never contemplate suicide, yet i would drift in and out of daydreams of wanting to quit, dizziness, when I was on LEVAQUIN my equilibrium was completely off. This skin condition is very painful, and I am on my 3rd antibiotic since June. I think I need help too!

Add me to the list. The funny thing is, I've taken Levaquin 4 or 5 times in the past without noticing any problems, but last week I was put on Biaxin for a sinus infection and had a terrible time with it, so the Dr. changed me to Levaquin, and now after 3 days I'm back in the same boat...heart racing, unable to sleep, elevated blood pressure, nauseous. It feels like my heart is on fire! I'm stopping this one today (only had 2 left.) This is awful, I know I was very sick and had to have some antibiotic, but after these two experiences I think I'd stick with the sinus infection!