Levaquin and blisters

I am 35 years old and I live in Jacksonville, NC. Five days ago I was prescribed Levaquin for a serious sinus infection. After taking the first pill, I kept telling my husband I felt weird. Like I was numb. This was Saturday. By Monday I had no feeling in my face, no sense of smell or taste. It was horrible. By Monday eve my heart was pounding. I felt like it was coming out of my chest. I was so dizzy and I found it hard to concentrate. I woke up Wed. morning telling my husband I felt weird. I felt like I couldn't move my eyes and I couldn't feel the left side of my body. My lip on the upper right was swollen with blisters. Not to mention they were so dry because it seemed like no matter how much I was drinking I could never stay hydrated. By lunchtime Wed my left side of my body became very hot to where I was actually sweating under my armpit on the left side and my right side was cold. My heart began to race very badly, I became very dizzy, I felt like I couldn't breathe, my throat felt like it was swelling up and I couldn't swallow, then I started to shake uncontrollably, my body broke out in the horrible hives/rash. My blood pressure soared to 198/109 my pulse was 148. Then everything went black and I lost conscious. When I woke I was told I was unconscious for nearly three hours and that they injected me straight in the neck with epinephrine and injected me in my arm with 50 cc of Benadryl. They told me that they believe I suffered a serious reaction from Levaquin. It is the day after, cant even go to work, so weak and have the worst case of diarrhea you could possibly imagine. I was not even aware that the FDA put a black box warning on this drug. Meaning it is the worst warning you can have without removing it off the market. What the hell is wrong with these doctors? Why the hell would you keep giving that poison to us if you know it has such severe reactions. I am a mother of five and yesterday I thought my kids were going to be without a mother, that is how bad it was. I still have the bouts of paranoia and swear I am seeing things. My mind is a blur to most of yesterday. I still have no feeling on the left side of my body, or my face. I still cant taste or smell anything either. I am having bouts of dizziness and anxiety. I only consumed four of the 750 mg tablets, they gave me seven. They have prescribed me a different antibiotic, however because of yesterday, I am petrified of taking any medications, even Tylenol.

MARCH 17TH MY MOTHER WAS A VERY HEALTHY ACTIVE FUN LOVING PERSON AS OF TODAY SHE IS TOTALLY CONFINED TO THE BED. SHE TOOK 4 PILLS OF LEVAQUIN FOR A MINOR CHEST COLD AND GOT A VERY BURNING RASH AND BLISTERS ON HER ARMS NECK AND CHEST AFTER THAT THE SORE THROAT AND EXTREME MUSCLE FATIGUE KICKED IN .HER DR. PUT HER OFF SHE WAS SMART ENOUGH TO QUIT TAKING THE DRUG ON HER OWN ON APRIL 8 SHE WAS HOSPITALIZED WITH THE ABOVE SYMPTOMS WHICH HAVE ULTIMATELY MADE HER UNABLE TO USE HER MUSCLE SHE CAN NOT SWALLOW HAD TO HAVE A PEG TUBE PUT IN SHE HAS NOW BEEN WEENED OFF OF THE 120 MG OF PREDNISONE SHE HAS BEEN ON AND NO END IN SIGHT ON RECOVERY. I HAVE NO MEANS TO TACKLE A DRUG COMPANY BUT I WILL TELL MY STORY AS OFTEN AND AS I CAN. 50 DAYS LATER WE ARE STILL TRYING TO GRASP ALL OF THIS

After reading the first page of posts, I realize I am very lucky that some of the worse side effects. The first time I was prescribed Levaquin, 500 mg. for a UTI, I noticed that after one day my tongue tingled. The second day of treatment left me with a very sore tongue, as if someone had rubbed it with sandpaper. The next day, I got several large white blisters in the roof of my mouth, under my tongue and in the back of my throat. None of these symptoms were listed in the information pamphlet from the pharmacy. I called my doctor and he said it must have given my an oral yeast infection. He called in a prescriptin for Diflucan and Nystatin (an awful tasting orange liquid you have to swish in your mouth and swallow). It did not help. I went to him again so he could look at my mouth in person and I had lost 9 pounds in 6 days! I could not even stand to eat chicken noodle soup and I was living on water and jello. I am a diabetic who has to inject insulin, so my blood sugars were going crazy. He prescribed some other mouthwash and it took almost a whole week after finishing the Levaquin for all the blisters to get to a point where I could even brush my teeth again. I can't begin to describe the pain. I have UTI's a lot, but I made him promise never to prescribe Levaquin again. Well, two months ago, I got another UTI and tried 2 other meds that did not clear it up. He once again prescribed Levaquin, and now my mouth is inflamed and blistered. I don't think it is an oral yeast infection, because the symptoms are not the same. It feels more like some kind of chemical burn. Has anyone else had these symptoms? I just came back from a family reunion and I was miserable the whole time I was there.

Recently, my phisician gave me some samples to take home for a lung infection. Was at Sams club getting the rest of the prescription filled and I took one of the 500 mg Levaquin she had provided.

Within seconds my inner lips felt funny, then started tingling and felt very odd. Sat down and sneezed about 40 times in a row. Face started to swell, eyes were sending out streams of tears, and blisters began to form on the inside of my mouth. I could not talk -- throat was closing. Very panicked, I croaked out to the pharmacist I was having trouble. Throught the fabric of my pants he injected an "epinephrine" pen dose, called 911 and (a first) ambulance ride to an ER. Had incidents of belng unable to take in air, or breath in or out, and was given more injections of epinephrine and I don't know what else. It was so scary. In the end I would say -- That pharmacist surely saved my life.

I am a heart patient (dilated cardiomyopathy) who did a long breast cancer walk since my bi-ventricular pacer gave me a new lease on life. However, I wound up with infections in my toes and blisters all over my feet so the foot dr. prescribed levaquin, after discussing with my PCP. After a week, I could not get out of bed, I felt dizzy whenever I stood up, and could not (and cannot) even do the simplest of things. No motor movement ability. I am completely bedridden. I have not had any appetite and am getting extremely thin. I also had severe pains in my kidneys during the night and had to lay in the fetal position most of the night on several occasions. I stopped taking the levaquin 3 days ago but have yet to feel relief. My heart doctors ran a long string of tests on me and all lab work came out negative, which means it had to be the levaquin causing all of these things. I stopped taking the levaquin but still feel constantly nauseous and no appetite. It is the most horrible feeling I can remember having. I feel like a vegetable and am scared after reading the above comments that these side effects may not dissipate any time soon.

I was just given 750 mg 5 day pack of Levaquin over a week ago for acute bacterial sinusitis. I have have never taken this antibiotic before and since I am allergic to penicillin, the Dr. (who I have never met before) felt that it was a good option. Let me say that I am a physically fit woman with 3 small children and exercise everyday. I fortunately enjoy good health and rarely complain about anything.
Once I began taking this medication, I could barely function. The fatigue was incredible and I suffered from dizziness. The Dr. failed to tell me to stay out of the sun, and as a result I have blisters all over my legs due to the photosensitivity from the drug. I also had neck and jaw pain and still have knee pain. I do feel much better know, but still suffer from slight dizziness and fatigue. I would never take this medication again, and I hope that there will be no long term effects from such a short period of time. By the way, my Primary care physician who was not available the day I needed the antibiotics saw me for a follow up last week and told me that I am entirely too tiny for this drug, and it is generally prescribed to grown men. She also felt that all of my aches and pains were from a direct result of the Levaquin.

I have been taking Lefaquin for 10 days. I was not told of increased sensitivity to the sun. I went to the lake (North Mississippi) at 4 p.m. one afternoon and was outdoors for only 30 minutes with my dog. I had what appeared to be severe sun poisoning on my arms, face, and tops of my ears. I was outside today for less than 30 minutes and the blisters on my arms, ears, nose and neck have already appeared. Be extremely careful in the sun if you are taking this medicine!

My mom was prescribed Levaquin (500 mg) for a UTI. She experienced many of the side effects already mentioned - rashes with blisters on her cheeks, nausea, dizziness, feeling weak, muscle aches, back ache, low blood pressure, heart palpitations, sleeplessness.
We're just waiting for this nasty stuff to clear out of her body.
We will now check for adverse side effects before taking future medications.