Levaquin and heart rate

I just finished a 10-day prescription of 500mg per day for a sinus infection. I have had accelerated heart rate, pain in my joints, and have been very irritable. After the last dose, I broke out in hives all over my body and had to run to the store at 2am to grab some benadryl to counteract the effects. I can't believe that my doctor would prescribe me something like this with the huge number of comments I have read online in the past 24 hours

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.

I was prescribed Avelox for pneumonia, which I had a severe reaction to. I was driving in my car with my kids and suddenly didn't know where I was. I was so confused and pulled the car over and vomited. I rushed home and was launched into a full-fledged panic attack. I was then given Levaquin and I was fine with it other than some mild malaise and a little dizziness for the 7 days of 750mg, but my symptoms just came back soon after and I developed a sinus infection and was put back on the Levaquin. I took one 250mg pill yesterday and had the same thing happen, severe fatigue, weakness and numbness in my hands and arms, dizziness, confusion, panic attacks, blurred vision and severe diarrhea. I felt floaty and out of it for the rest of the day and night. I woke up this morning and I feel much better, other than some left over anxiety about taking the prescription. THE GOOD NEWS is that my symptoms are gone now that the antibiotic has been metabolized and secreted from my body. I did see some floaters in the shower today, but I believe they were because I strained my eyes when looking to far to the right. I drank 2 glasses of wine to help with the increased heart rate and insomnia that the drug caused--worked well!! I would never, ever take this antibiotic again.

Back in July of 2007 I had a partial Colectomy and was given Levaquin before the Surgery. When I woke up from the surgery I immediately felt all types of strange symptoms like, vibrating all over my body, anxiety, chills, Heart palpitations, tremors, insomnia, memory loss, and panic attacks. They told me that it was the anesthesia wearing off so I just sat in bed feeling that way for my entire 2 week stay in the hospital. When I went home these symptoms persisted as well as continued pain in my lower left quadrant where surgery was performed. It has been 8 months now and the symptoms are not getting better. They have conducted MRI’s, MRA’s. EEG’s, EKG’s, CAT Scans, X-Rays, numerous Blood Tests, and Thyroid tests but have found no physical problem. They can see that I’m having the symptoms I describe but cannot give me a reason for them. At first they thought that my Thyroid was having problems that turned up to be inconclusive. The doctors are currently referring me to a third Colorectal Surgeon, a Neurologist and a Second Gastroenterologist. We are also looking for a new Endocrinologist and will be going to the Cleveland Clinic for help. My life has come to a virtual standstill and I have no Diagnosis or direction to go toward other then the possibility that I have been affected by the Levaquin they gave me. I found a website that has all kinds of information concerning Levaquin poisoning. http://www.fluoroquinolones.org

I had a cough for a few days, which didn't improve,my wife insisted that I go to the Doctor to have it checked. The Doctor determined that I was either getting over a slight case of pneumonia, or it was just beginning. He prescribed LEVAQUIN 500 MG for 10 days. I took the first pill in the evening of Feb 3rd. When I went to bed, I was not able to sleep, I was short of breath, my heart rate went to 140, I did not sleep the entire night, my heartbeat was also irregular and I have a terrible headache. The next AM, I went to the Doctor and he said that I should continue with the LEVAQIUN - and that the symptoms were not related to the drug. - I have had and irregular heartbeat in the past, but no like this. The Doctor insists that the LEVAQUIN did not cause the problem. Then he put me on Toprol - to slow the heart rate. I took the Toprol and took the 2nd dose of LEVAQUIN last night. My heart rate is down, but still irregular, I didn't sleep, have anxiety, shortness of breath and don't feel right. Went back to the Doctor today and he still insists that the LEVAQUIN didn't cause this. Thank God that I found this website and others, I have stopped taking the LEVAQUIN. I already feel better, and hope that I don't get any other of the side effects.

I was out of the county where I contracted a supposed bacterial infection. The doctor prescribed Levaquin 1500 mg (500 mg x 3) for five days. Within days, I was experiencing the most severe back pain (to the point where it would have been preferable to have been doused in gasoline and lit on fire), both arms went numb, my heart rate skyrocketed to 130 bpm and I began passing out. I seriously thought that I was going to die and here I was in the middle of Africa with no one to help me. I finally got home after a 35 hr flight that has to be the most traumatic experience of my life. Five months later, I am in constant pain with numerous trigger points and extensive connective tissue damage in my back. I can no longer write because my fingers are so destroyed by arthritis-like symptoms. I am suffering from anxiety attacks and depression. I have chest pain and palpitations on a regular basis and now my knee has suddenly developed tendinitis when I have not exercised for 2 weeks. This drug has destroyed my life. I am 27 years old and was healthy before I took this drug and now I have become completely debilitated. This drug should be pulled from the market immediately! I will be pursuing legal recourse for my pain and suffering and I encourage others to do the same.

Daughter's ear infection was not responding well to prescribed antibiotic. Dr called in levaquin as replacement. Within THREE MINUTES, daughter was having reaction to levaquin. Within thirty minutes of taking levaquin, I had her in the ER. She is 15 years old, 5'5" 115 lbs, active healthy teen. Heart rate was 130. BP 130/88. She couldn't stop shaking, difficulty breathing, lips/tongue swelling, face, hands and feet numb.

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.

My daughter had a bladder infection. yesterday in the ER she was prescibed levaquin. She took one pill and could not sleep. She felt very strange and confused. Her heart rate increased dramaticly. She is 24 yrs. old and 2000 miles away from home. by morning we decided to call the doctor and see if these could be side effects. She was told to take one more and see what happens. I found this website a few minutes later. After reading about 15 stories, I called my daughter and made her vomit that medication out of her. Unfortunately, her bladder infection is now a kidney infection and she needs treatment, but it will not be levaquin. Thank you all so much. I would just love to give a few words to this drug company.

It has been three weeks since my daughter and I have taken our last pills of Levaquin. She still has terrible pain in her hands and has suffered from severe headaches. I have all of the symptoms of a heart attack and stroke in fact, I spent several hours at the ER and went through many tests. No heart attack or stroke and sent me home. My son and his wife did research and found out all of my symptoms are from taking levaquin. My heart rate regularly is never over 65 and it jumped to 117. My blood pressure went up to 209/106. The top of my head went numb from front to back and also numb in the back on the bottom half. So bad at times I thought I was going to faint. I have word recall problems, diarrhea, strange taste, vision problems, had an irregular heart beat, extreme anxiety, upset stomach, nausea, loss of appetite, fear of dying, heels on my feet hurt bad, sweats, muscles twitching, swelling in my throat and made me hoarse, can't sleep.
Levoquin is not for me!!!!! I am so thankful to my kids for looking it up so I know what I am fighting against. I am also thankful to all of you for writing it here so that we can try to help each other.

4/10/07 from Lynn H.
My husband is 49 and has peripheral vascular disease which causes him to have ongoing problems with leg/ankle edema and cellulitis. He is standing and moving all day for his job and this increases his inflammation and edema. The doctor put him on Levaquin 750 mg./day for the cellulitis.
SIDE EFFECT: Hard pounding heartbeats, skipped beats, fast heart beats. He has gone off the medication for a few days, then just took one a few hours ago. The hard heartbeats started up again, as heard through my stethoscope. Heart rate in the 60s, but many skips and hard pounds. He will not continue this horrible medication and contact the doctor. This is a "dangerous" medication.

I had been feeling like I was getting a slight head cold for several days and then on a Thursday I decided to go to an Immediate Care Facility because I felt like it was turning into Bronchitis. I am a fast healer and respond to antibiotics well as a general rule. Well, this time was an exception, I was given a prescription for Levaquin 750 mg to take one a day for 7 days. I was given a coupon for $25 off on the RX and it still cost me $130 for 7 pills. Within one hour after taking the first pill my wife and I knew I was in trouble. She rushed me to the emergency room. My oxygen level was 82, my heart rate was 140, my temperature was higher than it had been before taking the drug. Thanks to my wifes quick thinking and insistance I did not die that night. A nurse friend said she is 100% sure that if I had not been prescribed Prednisone along with the Levaquin that my reaction would have been much worse. Probably the Prednisone buffered the reaction.
I spent 3 days in the hospital. My recovery from Bronchitis was slowed down by this reaction. Then I got an eye infection and am still seeing an eye dr. for that. I have missed 2 1/2 weeks of work. Levaquin is on my list of drugs to never take again. Bob

I was prescribed Levaquin 750 for 5 days and only realized it when I went back to the pharmacy as I could not read the doctors writing on the script. I recalled my sister having a very bad experience with this drug hallucinating, as well as being disoriented. I took one before I confirmed with her this was the drug she had problems with and my heart rate has shot up to 110 per minute normally 78. I am on blood pressure medication which I took after the Levaquin about four hours so I hope it counteracts it. The doctor was told of the medication and conditions I have and went ahead and gave it to me anyway.Needless to say tomorrow I am calling the DR and asking for someting else. The public truely are the pharmacutical company guinea pigs.

Took leviquin 500 for 8 days before I realized what was happening to me. Side effects included: severe panic, altered mental state, constant sleep, loss of appetite, pounding heart rate. After 2 trips to the ER no help was provided. I stoped the Leviquin early (was supposed to take it for 3 wks) and immediately started feeling better. The anxiety is much less but still present and I still sleep all the time.

Has anyone had similar experiences and, more importantly, how long does this last?

Please help!

I looked for side effects because I developed calf and thigh pain when I tried to start running again. Bingo! I see I am not alone. This is a very deviliating side effect (I had to walk home; couldn't run). Also, my heart rate is much higher than usual for the same level of activity (I see, this, also has been reported. ALSO, I couldn't sleep much of the night (again, similar reports). Other than that, a remarkable drug (I was taking 500 mg up until searching on Google today). These are not "trivial" side effects.

I thought I had a kidney stone, now after a month of feeling very sick I finally went to the ER. I was told I was dehydrated and had a temperature of 103. After a CAT Scan I found that I had a kindey stone and a kidney infection. I was prescribed Vicodin for pain and Levaquin 500MG for the infection. I have taken one a day for seven days and have 4 left. I stopped taking the Vicodin because I didn't like the way I was feeling. That has helped but now I am feeling bad in different ways. I sometimes have a steady pain in my heart which seems to extend down into my stomache. Which seems odd to me and my neck is killing me. It is like I slept on it wrong but rather than at one angle or in spot it is my entire neck, right up into the base of my skull. About 4:30 a.m. this morning I woke up feeling very sick to my stomache and hot. I woke up several times last night hot, sweating hot, which was very uncomfortable. I am not even sure any of this is from the Levaquin but it's very uncomfortable and a kind of scary. My heart rate also seems high and I just don't feel right.

i just stopped taking levaquin 2 days ago because it made me dizzy, rapid heartbeat and very heated...i needed to walk around in short sleeves in 30 degree weather. I stopped taking the medication and now, 2 days later, my heart is still beating out of control. i just got back from the gym 2 hrs ago and my heart rate is over 100 a minute. i always work out and have neverrr experienced this. i dont know what to do...anyone else have this problem

Was out riding my horse and was thrown off and broke my front tooth, and it became infected, so my sister gave me some Levaquin. I taken it before for the same tooth but this time it was worst, pains in both knees, sick to my stomach, diarrhea, sore joints, and my heart rate was skipping and very fast at times. I had these systems before but never connected it with Levaquin before. But now looking back, every time I had these systems I was on Levaquin. I will never take this drug again!

i just took a dose of Levaquin 500mg that was prescribed to me yesterday for a lingering sinus infection.
After feeling like i am going through menapause this morning (i am 32).. i looked it up on the internet and found this site.
It has only been in my system for maybe 3 hours and i am sweating constantly, my heart rate is extremely excelerated, my eyes feel like the pupils are the size of a dime, my stomach is upset, and i am not breathing normally. I seem to have a shortness of breath. I am an extremely fit and healthy person. I do believe after this first dose and reading the postings on this site.. I will not take another pill tomorrow. I just pray that this does not linger long. I really feel "out of control"

Katina, CLT, NC

After two doses, 250 mg, of Levaquin, I could not move. Instead of going to work, I went to bed. Three days later, my husband took me to ER. The first guess was a stroke, because I was so disoriented and could not move. There were specialists all around me. I was tested for meningitis, lupus, West Nile, arthiritis, etc. I had severe body aches and muscle pain.I spent 1 1/2 weeks in the hospital, unable to function. Body pain, no appetite, fever/chills, twitches, weak, very tired. My legs hurt the worst - knees and especially calves. I had no idea what was going on around me. I was incoherent. The hospital staff had me finish the Levaquin prescription.

I spent the rest of the month in a rehabilitation unit learning how to eat, walk, tell time, write, and other mundane tasks. I have been off work since Oct. 7. Mentally, I'm doing ok now, but physically, I cannot walk without a cane. I cannot go up and down stairs. My knees are still a problem. Acid reflux is better. My wrists and hands are weak. If my leg is straight and I bend it, I get a burning pain in my knee ... when I am laying down. When I get up in the morning, my calves are so stiff that I cannot stand. I have to grab the furniture. My hips are weak and have lost bone density. I cannot drive yet. I still get tired easily.

I was normally a low blood pressure person with a heart rate in the 60's. Now, I am taking beta blockers. My blood pressure is beginning to come down, but my heart rate is still high for me, but safe.

The doctors were not familiar with the side effects of Levaquin. I had a sensory nueropathy before Levaquin, but was totally functional. My physician prescribed Levaquin for a sinus infection. She never would have prescribed Levaquin, if she had known that it could attack your central nervous system! (My nuerologist said that "something" recently attacked my central nervous system.) I printed out some of the experiences from this website to convince her to fill out an FDA report. I will follow through with a letter to the drug company and my congressmen. And, I have spent some time educating the medical professionals in our community. I have considered legal action, but I don't know how to go about it.

I have been going to physical therapy. Those therapists can do a lot without drugs. My coordination is improved. I even have exercises to improve my digestive tract. We worked on isolated muscles for two months. Now, I'm trying water therapy. I am not strong, but I have gained coordination.

Two other suggestions for temporary relief: 1) Use a vibrator on your calves in the morning, and 2) Wear support hose/socks.

I took Levaquin for only two days for a sinus infection and bronchitis, my bloodpressure is up and my heart rate is 84, my chest is pounding all day and night, I do not sleep well or at all, my head hurts, I have swelling in my face and I am experiencing depression, crying spells and my body aches. I will never take it again. I am amazed that it is still prescribed by doctors after reading all the side effects that have been reported. After reporting my symptoms my doctor did take me off the med., if she hadn't I would have.

I am a 33 year old female, about 5'6 and 115 pounds and very athletic and take very good care of myself. On July 1st I went to my Dr. because I was so sick I thought I might have pneumonia. Sure enough, I did and was given 10 days of 500 mg. Levaquin. I took the medicine around 4pm. I woke up the next day with a headache, nausea, and before I even got out of bed, my heart started racing as if I was exercising. This lasted for an hour and a half......then I had to get up because I thought I was going to throw up. By this time I was sweating to death. I went into the bathroom and sweat some more, never threw up and my heart rate returned to normal. I was able to take a shower and then took some Advil and felt much better. I took my second dose later that afternoon. The next day I woke up with many aches and pains including swollen achilles tendons, a swollen elbow, hip pain, and very sore knees. I also noticed 5 hives on my arms, chest and neck. I compare them to mosquito bites, only bigger. I was a little slow on the up-take and took Levaquin until 7/8. It is now 7/14 and my joints and tendons are still VERY sore......I can't get through a day without taking Advil 2 or 3 times. I still have the hives and am ready to kill someone! I have taken a lot of medication throughout my life as I am asthmatic and I have never experienced a side effect. I called the pharmaceutical company to complain and to report my side effects to the FDA. My quality of life has been seriously tampered with and I am pretty resentful. My kids are small and active, not to mention I have a full time job. This drug is ridiculous, and in my opinion, should be taken off the market. What ever happened to good old Amoxicillin?

Went on June 6 for a medical test and was given an IV dose of Levaquin as a precaution. I did not know I was being given this antibiotic. Within a few minutes I was in anaphylaxis. Also had very high blood pressure and heart rate. Muscle spasms throughout my body including my diaphram. I had two major "attacks" and one minor. I was given losts of drugs to counteract the symptoms. Had my procedure done and went home. Did not sleep that night and heart problems started up again. Ended up in the ER and in hospital for four days. Sleeplessness continues to be a problem 9 days later. No sleep again tonight. Lots of aching joints and muscles. Can't do much yet and can not concentrate enough to read a book. I had no problems like these prior to being given this ONE dose of Levaquin. I previously fell asleep as soon as my head touched the pillow.
I looked up this drug on the Web when I got home and found this site. I am very angry to have been given this drug without my knowledge and approval.

Thank you so much for this site. I thought I was crazy. I developed pneumonia,doctor prescribed LEVAQUIN. I have many of the same body aches that other have discribed. I can hardly lift my right arm, severe shoulder pain, I can hardly standup because of the pain in my knees, feel like swelling behind the knee. Very tired, I still have a lot of conjestion in my chest and I have finished my (10) days of LEVAQUIN. During this I have had Dexascan, EKG, (2) chest Xrays, Complete blood work, my EKG had some abnormalities,(HEART RATE WAS VERY HIGH)Another side effect? so I had to have ECHO-CARDIOGRAM,no results yet. I was convienced that I was getting rheumiod arthrithis. Hope we all recover soon.