This registry is a place to share positive or negative side effects of using Levaquin. If you directly experienced a side effect while using Levaquin, then we encourage you to enter it here. Please note that entries here are the experiences of individual users, and in no way means that you or anyone else will experience the same side effect, since the same medication affects people in different ways. Please always contact your physician.
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November 5th
2003
8:07 AM
Took Levaquin for UTI for 10 days. After about 2-3 days, began to have symptoms of sciatica; severe pain from lower back, down the buttocks, backs of the legs, into the knees, ankles, and feet. The bottoms of my feet, my heels, and my ankles ache constantly. Especially painful to stand, walk after sitting just a few minutes. Forget what it feels like to get out of bed in the morning. I was in such pain, that bt the end of the day, my legs, knees and feet hurt me so bad.
-- By sowersd2003 | Reply | Private Message meI also was very anxious, worried, angry, biting people's head's off, not very patient.
I felt as if I'd been doing rigorous exercise and was paying for it was muscle and joint pain. But I had not. Instead, I had been sick with the UTI. I also had halucinations at night, to the point where I sincerely thought something was in my room...saw flags waving in the air, streamers coming down from the ceiling. They were so real that I'd reach up to touch them, then they'd fade away. My husband says that I shouted in my sleep, and would begin frantically tossing and turning as if being shaken.
Also, I take other medications like Lipitor, Synthroid, Celexa, Ditropan, Vioxx, and thought (and still think) that Levaquin, combined with these other medications, caused this serious side effect. I have never in my life experienced this kind of ongong pain.
It has been at least 3 1/2 months since I took the Levaquin. I have had 2 blood tests to check for autoimmune diseases like Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupis. One test came back positive, so another further test was done. It then came back negative for autoimmune diseases. I thought why did these symptoms all of a sudden appear out of nowhere? I know I couldn't have pulled any muscles to cause this much pain. It has been a constant 24-7 aching pain, from my lower back down. I have had no relief from any pain medication to date. I am now taking Feldene for inflammation. What next? Possible MRI to check for a bulging disk says my neurologist.
I feel that as patients we need to be our own advocates and learn all we can about any medication prescribed to us, BEFORE we begin to take it. Do not take your doctor's word and "WISDOM" for granted, do research first. Then decide to take the medication or not based on the listed side effects. DO NOT MESS AROUND WITH YOUR LIFE! I'm not even 40 years old yet, and I feel that I am an OLD WOMAN, and that I should'nt have THIS much discomfort. I'm 99% sure that this sudden onset of symptoms is not arthritis, etc. but merely a side effect of Levaquin. PATIENT BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!