Levaquin and bacterial pneumonia

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.

My mother actually already posted about my experience with Levaquin, but I thought I would add my own story.
After being perscribed Levaquin and taking only one...I couldn't sleep, my heart rate (normally below 60) was at atleast 110, I thought people were outside my house and envisioned them talking about killing me. I have never felt this way in my life. It was very scary and I called the ER to ask if I should continue taking the meds. They told me to take another and see what happens... Thank goodness I threw it up, because after reading these horror stories, I'm afraid I may have had permanent damage. This drug is absolutely awful for those with side effects. Stop taking them at the first sign of symptoms like these. Most doctors it looks like are oblivious to the fact that this is happening.

I am currently taking Levaquin 750 mg for bacterial pneumonia. I've been taking Levaquin for 4 days now and feel obligated to warn those taking this drug that it causes severe insomnia - WHICH IS JUST THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT IS REQUIRED WHEN YOUR BODY IS TRYING TO HEAL ITSELF!!
The drug also causes a rather severe intensification in your mental state and thinking - causing you to enter into a quasi zombie-like mental state. This is worsened when combined with the insomnia that the drug causes.
THESE DRUG COMPANIES ARE TO BLAME BECAUSE THEY DON'T TELL YOU ABOUT THE REAL DEAL CONSEQUENCES OF TAKING THEIR PRODUCTS.
Beware of the insomnia and zombie-like state that this drug induces!!

I started taking 750 mg of Levaquin as prescribed by my doctor on Wednesday, December 27th for my bacterial pneumonia. The following morning I had arthritis like pain in my shoulders, neck, elbows, calves and even my feet. I also had diarrhea, nausea and fatigue. I continued to take this medication because I thought I was having "flu" like symptoms because of the bacterial pneumonia. I stopped taking the Levaquin today because I had researched the side effects yesterday evening. The nausea and diarrhea have subsided. I still have the arthritis like pain in my joints and fatigue.

About a month ago I took Levaquin for a bacterial infection. It was taken for a painfully infected hair follicle on my face. After 4 days of the med (Levequin) I woke one morning with pain and swelling in my legs and feet, as well as generalized swelling in my entire body. I had a feeling of "brain fog". A year prior to this occurance I had been admitted to the hospital with a bacterial pneumonia at which time I was medicated with Tequin. After that I sufferred with swelling and pain in my joints and tingling and numbness in my hands and arm that lasted approximately 6-7 months. At that time I did not relate it to the drug Tequin. I assumed it was due to age and being over weight (56y/o and 190lb. at 5' 3". However It did get better and I was only left with a loud click in my knee and tingling in my arms and hands. I went to the Chiropractor for some relief of those syptoms, until a month ago when it suddenly returned after using Levaquin for 4 days. I am experiencing pain mostly in my lower extremities. It feel as though the muscles and tendons are very tight at times and at other times they feel unstable with burning and pain alternating from one area to another, sometimes the left side, sometimes the knees sometimes the ankles and feet. I have to be very careful when I stand up to walk to get my balance and stabilize my postion so I don't tear anything with sudden movement or chage of direction. I limp most of the time depending on which extremity it affects at the time. It seems to be affected by the barometric pressure also.