Levaquin and high blood pressure

About 4 months ago I took 7 days worth of Levaquin after my sinus surgery. It was a preventative measure, I never had an infection. A few days into the prescription I started having tendon pain in my knees & ankles. I couldn't sleep, I was having nightmares, I was emotional, anxious and drained. My doctor told me to stop taking the Levaquin immediately. 4 months later and I am still suffering from entire body tendonapathy, neuropathic pain, joint pain, skin sensitivity, severe migraines, temperature sensitivity, twitching (muscles convulsing), basically my entire body hurts. Some days are a little better than others but not by much.

I have been to rhuemetologists, neurologists, pm & r doctors, physical therapists, acupunture, orthopedic surgeons, & allergists (in Chico Ca, & @ UC Davis in Sacramento Ca). NONE OF THE DOCTORS KNEW WHAT TO DO. My general physician actually told me to "go home and wait it out" because there was "no hope of finding help" (I'm not kidding). I've had tons of blood tests with fairly normal results. Thankfully I have a wonderful neurologist who has taken some interest in my situation. All of the other doctors told me that my case was very rare & that they had heard of such side effects but had never seen any patients with them! After some research on the internet I seriously doubt that my condition is as "rare" as they claim.

I am only 28 years old, I can't walk, I can't work, and my life has been turned upside down. I was very healthy before, I don't have a family history of health problems, nothing like that...it was the Levaquin.

Here is what I am currently taking: Lyrica for neuropathic pain, twitching, not being able to sleep etc., and oral morphine for the severe pain, Milk Thistle to promote glutathione (important because it helps your liver detox), Magnesium Malate (also helps detox), a multivitamin, vitamin c, and fish oil pills. I also attend acupuncture 2x per week (honestly feel some relief from it). Also, I heard that glutathione infusions are helpful but I haven't tried them yet. At this point I will try anything.

IF YOU HAVE HEARD OF ANYTHING OR ANYONE WHO CAN HELP WITH THESE DEVASTATING SIDE EFFECTS PLEASE LET ME KNOW.

~J.

After what I have seen here and on some other sites I'm 99% positive this drug has hit me with several of the side effects listed. I'm a fairly healthy 49 year old woman. I have never had any health problems, no high blood pressure, no heart problems nothing. I went to the dentist in late March with a problem wisdom tooth. I'm allergic to penicillin so I was prescribed Clindamycin (sp) but it did make me sick to my stomach so I couldn't get the entire daily dose down. I had made it thru 90% of the prescription when I went back on 3-31-09 and still had some infection left in the tooth. My dentist took my BP and it was normal. He then said he wanted me on antibiotics for another week, and prescribed Levaquin as "a wonderful drug, it won't make you sick and you only have to take one a day". So I took the 7 day 500mg dose, went back the next week. True, it didn't make me sick. But I did notice my Achilles tendon was really sore and stiff. I also had a re-occurrence of an elbow problem that had healed and was no longer bothering me until then. I also noticed I wasn't sleeping well, and was having vivid dreams, which I attributed to the pain medication (vicodin) he had also prescribed. Went back on 4-8-09 and my BP was sky high!! As I said, never ever have I ever had an issue with my BP including when I was pregnant! He said he couldn't do anything with it so high. I mean a week and up almost 100 points! He attributed it to "White coat syndrome". So another week of Levaquin and back again yesterday. BP was the same story again, this time he didn't even see me but sent in the assistant to tell me to go get on meds with my Dr. So after that, I'm angry and totally confused. So I came home, hit the internet and I'm seeing what changed in that week to make my BP go insane. I'm also seeing other symptoms here. The Achilles tendon, Knee aches, Back ache, Hip ache, difficulty sleeping, and Steven King quality nightmares. I also read somewhere on the net that supplements like MoveFree with MSM would help and I do take that as a regular supplement to help with things just getting a little older as I'm a pretty active gardner. Now I have been off this since Monday and my aches are better today than they have been. I picked up a BP machine yesterday and it's down a little since at the doctor's. I'm keeping a close eye on that for a couple of days before I submit to a chronic disease for the rest of my life. Hopefully the side effects will gradually go away. Has anyone else's symptoms gone away after stopping the drug? How long did it take for them to go away if they did?

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.

Symptoms: joint pain, blisters on tongue, low blood pressure, dizziness, loss of vision. I started Levaquin 750 mg orally 11 days ago for diverticulitis, along with Flagyl. I had taken Levaquin in the past for this same condition without any side effects. I am also on Benicar 25 mg for high blood pressure. This time after spending $106 dollars AFTER insurance, I started having problems with dizziness where I would lose my vision for a few seconds every time I stood up from a sitting position, or sat up from laying down. My arms and legs felt very heavy and I was exhausted and felt like I could hardly walk. Since I had taken this drug before without complications, it didn't occur to me that this might be a side effect of the Levaquin. My doctor recommended I stop taking the Flagyl, which I did. Nothing improved. After several days of this I finally went to an after hours clinic and found that my blood pressure was 90/50. The nurse told me to stop taking my blood pressure med for a few days, that maybe there was a reaction. (She stated she had never heard of blood pressure being affected by an antibiotic). I stopped taking my blood pressure medication and it came up to normal within about 36 hours. Approximately 4 days ago my tongue broke out with little blisters all over, top and bottom and my lips are cracking. Yesterday my joints started aching and I feel like I'm 75 every time I take a step. (I'm 46) I took my last Levaquin yesterday and I still have the blisters and the joint pain is worse. This morning my blood pressure was back to my normal "mild high" range of about 130/83. I took my blood pressure med and it came back down to what is normal for me, 122/77. I haven't done anything different (meds, food, products, etc.) that should be causing these blisters, and I don't feel sick other than the joint pain, so I'm assuming these are side effects related to the Levaquin. I'm hoping they will clear up now that I'm done with the medication. I find it interesting that I spoke with two different pharmacists and two different physicians and none of them indicated there might be contra-indications with Levaquin and my blood pressure med. The good news is that the diverticulitis seems to be gone!

I have terrible sinus problems, which my doctor put me on Leviquin for. I took a twenty day dose of it, and this is the worst thing I have ever been through in my entire life. Excrutiating pain in feet, ankles, knees, elbows, fingers, and also stabbing pains all over my body. Also sweat perfusely, and I wake up every night from nightmares and/or pain. When I wake up I can hardly move my fingers, or stand up to walk. Also I have numbness all over, and now I have high blood pressure which I never had before. My doctor thought I had rhuematoid arthritis, but the test was negative. He said he doesn't think that it is from Leviquin, but after reading all these stories, I am positive it is. It has been a month since my last Leviquin, and I am still not any better. I have to lay down on the couch about every hour because of this pain, and I don't want to do anything or go anywhere anymore. I guess now I have to see a Rhuematologist. I just don't know what else to do, and I am afraid to take any more pills than what5 I am already taking. I am very depressed over all of this.

I have taken Levenquin for years - so far nothing bad (at least that I have noticed). I have had cohn's, fibro, CFS, UTI, kidney stones, COPD (from having my immune system suppresed by crohn's treatments), diabetis (caused by Prednisone), high blood pressure alternating with very low bp (ranging from 234/142 down to 53/36), racing pulse then very low pulse (ranging from 156 down to 29 bpm) and some of these (pulse and BP) can be all in one day (both caused by Prednisone).

Thing is - I just turned 29. I have been dealing with these since I was 18 or so. I have often taken Levaquin with Prednisone and other antibotics.

The only thing that seems to concern me this time is extreme sweating - It is hot enough in the deep South without this med. I am noticing now that since the diabetis is under control (without meds now), I am very shaky and low sugars.

Also, if this causes racing pulse - I am in big trouble. I was given this med for a UTI, along with Prosed (which contains Atropine - from the Belladonna plant). Atropine was given to me in the hospital when I had the pulse crash of 29.

Just praying that I won't deal with any side effects like this.

Oh and I see insomnia- I am dealing with that enough now! If this is similar to Cipro - I should sleep well though LOL

HOW DO YOU KNOW IF THE PROBLEMS YOUR HAVING ARE A DIRECT RESULT OF TAKING LEVAQUIN.IS THERE A BLOOD TEST THAT CAN REVEAL THE LEVAQUIN IN YOUR SYSTEM EVEN AFTER IT HAS BEEN WEEKS AND MAYBE EVEN MONTHS AFTER FINISHING THE DRUG.MY DR. PRESCRIBED IT FOR A UTI INFECTION AND JUST GAVE ME FREE SAMPLES OF IT FROM HIS OFFICE WITH NO SYMTOMS OR SIDE EFFECTS PAPER WITH IT .I FEEL LIKE MY CHEST IS GOING TOO EXPLODE AND I CANT SLEEP .I ALSO HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND TAKE LOTREL 5/10 .CAN THIS BE HARMFUL FOR ME

Very hot, chills, lightheaded, jittery, anxious, weak, high blood pressure. Have discontinued the drug for two days but still experiencing the side effects. Talked to the pharmacist and was told the drug should be out of my systems in 3 days. Can only hope there is no long lasting residual effect.

21-year old male taking Levaquin for 11 days for sinusitis.

Side effects in chronological order:

Chest Pain and tightness/Tachicardia, high blood pressure, had to go for a ECG the day after beginning the drug. Brought it up with the doctor who told me it was not the antibiotic.

Tension Headaches (intermittent) and mostly towards the evenings/nights. Even had some pain in my right eye for 2 days, when I looked to the corner of my eye.

Neck and back pains, which I think may cause or at least exacerbate the headaches.

Insomnia as well.

I shall stop taking it today and go see my doctor to discuss this. I feel less worried now that I've been enlightened about how many people experience side effects with this drug. Of course you read the "possible side-effects" leaflet and dismiss it. I won't be doing that again.

Good luck to all, Thomas.

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.