Levaquin and knowing

I just finished a 7-day dose of Levaquin prescribed for a mild UTI. I noticed that for the past week, I have not been feeling like "myself." I have experienced nausea, light-headedness, loss of appetite, weakeness, a bit of insomnia, and just plain old crappiness! I really thought it was just me at first because I took Levaquin about a year ago for the same problem and didn't have any side effects that I can recall. This time, however, they have been very prominent. Your comments really helped to shed some light. I feel better now knowing that my listlessness can probably just be attributed to the Levaquin. Glad I'm done with it!!!

CRAZY!!!! That is how I feel on this drug. I am a usually happy, easy going person and I have to say since I started this drug I feel depressed, anxious and nervous about everything. My husband was the first one to make the connection and if it weren't for this site I think I would be very worried about myself.
Thank you for this fabulous site...I am feeling better knowing it isn't me.

I was just put on Levaquin today, for a very bad urinary tract infection.
My doctor prescribed a 5 day treatment, i was suffering terribly.
Let me say, that after just taking the first one, how much better i
feel. Yes, i had some naucousness(however you spell it) but let me
tell you, compared to how i was feeling, which was horrible, in pain
frequent urination, burning, like a knife going through my urethra.
Feeling a bit sick to my stomach from this medication, was well
worth it, compared to how i was feeling....this drug has helped me
and i only took 1 so far, i was on this antibiotic before, and it
also helped me...When we take any type of medication, none
will be without some kind of side effect, to me, the side effect
is worth it, knowing im going to be better from the horrible
suffering. Its only a 5 day treatment, its not like you have to
take it for 1 mth...im a trooper and hang in there, nothing can
be worse than a serious urinary infection, i couldnt take it
anymore...this pill so far as helped me tremendously, maybe
you all should just hang in there for 5 days, and give it a
chance, just my opinion...! Good Luck to All!

Just got back from the dr. She said it is definitly caused by Levaquin. The knee pain etc. is from this drug. She said it putme right over the edge after taking it for only one week. Hopefully it will subside. This is a powerful drug that attacks cartilage and joints and should not be used by people prone to arthritic conditions. Anyway, I feel better knowing I don"t have Lyme or anything more serious. GoodLuck to all of you out there, hang in there.Marsh

I took Levaquin 750 mg for 2 days. The first night it made me sleepy and drowsy. The second night I took it, I was high. I felt like I was a zombie. I sat in front of my computer rocking back and forward. And al I wanted to do while I sat there was take more and more and more levaquin. I wanted sit there and eat them like they were candy. That urge was so overwhelming. So, I hurried up and I flushed them down the toilet except for 3. Knowing that they were there, I wanted to eat those 3, so I flushed them.
That was the worst night of my life. I said to myself if this is how high suppose to feel. I don't ever be high.
This drug need to be taken off the market.

I started taking 500mg levaquin after regular antibiotics (ammoxicillin) were not helping a sinus infection. I took it for 2 days and noticed a really sharp pain in my lower stomach. When I went to the bathroom, it hurt even worse, which made me think it was my kidneys. I decided to stop taking this medicine, as the pain was becoming unbearable and I couldn't miss work. Two days after stopping this med, I woke up at 2am with my throat so swollen I could barely swallow. It happened very suddenly. I cannot express the pain, it was almost unbearable. The only thing I can even tolerate is jello or liquids. I took another levaquin this morning not knowing what to do, but now I think I'm going back to the doc to get something else. I also have lots of muscle aches and pains, but didn't notice them because I have another health condition that causes them anyway.

500 mg for 5 days UTI Burning pain in upper and lower extremities, tin tast in mouth, burning eyes, hair falling out, severe constipation, dry skin, muscle twitches, tremors, extreme anxiety...FDA does not respond to reports..I think the adverse drug effects are ignored because of profits.. they are not interested in the true # of individuals who are seriously hurt by this drug..pharmaceudical companies are too powerful...and Dr are thus not well informed so they prescribe dangerous drugs without even knowing how they can harm their patients...

I went to the Dr. on Wed. the 7th of Feb. for a sinus infection they gave me Levaquin and the first night I was awake the entire night. Not knowing it was this medication took it the next day and my heart was racing throughout the day making it difficult to work. By day day four my legs hurt so bad I can hardly walk around the office. That brought me to look up the medication. To my shock im reading the same thing. I heard voices last night and my husband made fun of my hallucintions. I'm printing out the other comments to show him im not crazy its the drug. They need to remove this one.

I want to thank you all for sharing your stories, at the same time im VERY sorry for all youve all been thru that is just HORRIBLE!!!!!
The main reason im saying thanks is because today I took a Levaquin 500mg I happened to have in my car from a yr ago when I had a UTI, (but I never used them) I didnt know anything about it, but I took it anyway now that I have another one thinking it would help...which it did! But now I wont take anymore knowing my chances of something awful happening, I have 2 young girls and work 40hrs a week, so I dont have the time to become sick like that...nor would I want to anyway, hehe

I haven't seen this side effect listed but on the second day of taking Levaquin for an upper respiratory infection I had a yellow streak from the inside corner of my eye down my cheek. I was speaking with a co-worker when she said, "What's wrong with your face?" Knowing this to be a jaundice sign from my liver, I discontinued the Levaquin immediately and called my Dr. I also experience fogginess to the point I shouldn't have been working or driving.

About 2 weeks ago I went to the doctor for a respiratory infection. He gave me 5 day pack of 750 mg. of Levaquin. Took the first one on Monday night. Started having vivid dreams, slight hallucinations, insomnia, tremors, and dry mouth. I continued the meds for 3 days not knowing that it was causing these strange side-effects. By Thursday morning I hadn't slept since Monday night. I started reading the side effects and immediately stopped taking the Levaquin. Never experienced any joint pain. By the weekend, I had a new symptom -- an inflamed rectum. I now have an appt. with a GI dr to make sure that there's nothing seriously wrong with me. I am finally returning to a somewhat normal sleep pattern. I will never take this drug again. Not sure how they can continue to prescribe this with so many side effects.

I'm addressing this to the 52 year old healthy woman. I believe whole heartedly that the pain that you are suffering is an ADR (Adverse Drug Reaction) to the Levaquin. You must stop taking it and tell your doctor that you insist that he/she prescribe another antibiotic that is not part of the Flouroquinolone (Cipro, Floxin, etc) family. When you stop taking the drug the pain should subside, but it can linger for weeks or months after you stop taking it. Also, do not take any form of Ibruprophen (Advil, Motrin, etc) with the Levaquin. I know that I read somewhere that the two should not be taken together. Also, no steriods should be taken with Levaquin either. I am about for weeks out from my Levaquin experience and I also suffered from severe joint pain in my arms, wrists and hands down to every finger. My pain has gotten better, but every day when I wake up one or two of those joints still hurt. It comes and it goes. Trust me, everyone who reads this site or posts to this site believes you when you say it's the Levaquin. My doctor knew it was the Levaquin that was causing the pain. I didn't have to convince him and you shouldn't have to convince your doctor either. Make that doctor change that prescription to another antibiotic to treat your original problem. Take the suggestion from the other guest on this site and visit those websites to get yourself educated about this drug. You may also find comfort in knowing that you are not alone. Trust me, you are not alone.

I have not been sleeping at night. I will feel sleepy, however, continue to lay awake. I am taking Levaquin for bronhcitus and severe ear infection and I thought that I would feel better a lot sooner than a week. My ears are still bad and not able to hear properly. My stomach is always upset or neasuas (sp). I am so angry at myself for taking one more pill today and knowing how it makes me feel, I just want to get well, but, since, I am reading about this drug. I will not take anymore of it

I was put on Levaquin for a UTI. I began taking 500 mg on Wednesday evening and woke up with the worst pain in both of my arms. I took tylenol and went about my day. When the tylenol wore off the pain came right back. Not knowing that it was the Levaquin, I took it again Thursday, Friday and Saturday. While shopping with my husband on Saturday I told him that I felt like I was having heart attack. Not only did my arms hurt, but I had terrible pain on one side of my neck. He took me back to the doctor and he told me to stop taking the Levaquin. He said that he never heard of these side effects before. I am trying to drink alot of water to flush this medication out of my system, but I am hoping that I did not do permanent damage to my body with this drug. STAY AWAY FROM IT!!!

I am 26 yrs old, my doctor prescribed levaquin 750mg for ten days before gallbladder surgery. I took this for three days and now I have muscle pain, I can hardly walk my arms back and legs hurt. I didn't have this before I took the medication. I looked it up on the computer to find that others are affected by this medication in simular ways. I am disgusted that they continue to prescribe this to others knowing the adverse reactions people have reported. When I read there have been fatalies in some that scared me. I feel this needs to be removed from the market, Look at what happened to the people that took Vioxx it is time for us to take a stand together. It is obvious that the Pharmacutical companies are not looking out for us nor our doctors if they know the side affects and continue to prescribe it.

I started taking Levaquin and after a few days I started having severe pain in my knees. I kept telling my husband that it was excruitiating pains in my knees and pain medicine was not making it better. I finished 10 days of Levaquin not knowing that it was the cause of my severe pain. I took my last one yesterday and looked up the side effects today. I am still in extreme pain in my knees, the bottoms of my feet are hurting and my hip. KNEES ARE THE MAIN CONCERN. Does anyone know if this is a lasting side effect or will this go away. I can't function like this and we have sold our house & I am suppose to be packing to move and I walk around like I'm 90. I am 58 but never had anything like this. Any info would be greatly appreciated.

I just finished 14 days of 750mg of Levaquin. I have not found anyone who has taken this size of a dose. I am having the joint aches and pains. This morning I had difficulty breathing because my back and ribs hurt so much that to expand my lungs hurts. My husband is a physican assistant and he is feeling riddled with guilt. He and I both feel as if the drug company had done its part to not make the severity of these side affects known. These horrible side affects are listed as "less common or rare." That leads one to believe that very few people will have these problems. I just mentioned to someone yesterday how I felt worse since taking this medicine than I did before. They immediately said, "You aren't taking Levaquin are you?" There husband a healthy 30 something year old accountant had the same problems I am having. His gastrointestinal doctor said Levaquin is poison and he would have never put him on it. He told him to stop it immediately. Obviously some doctors are aware and admitting the problems this medicine causes. I am trying to be hopeful this morning after reading all of the posts that are echoing how I am feeling right now. I am afraid! For those of you who have gotten better many of us would benefit from knowing that these side affects are temporary and will pass. Thanks to all who have posted and provided clarity about this medicine.

I went to the emergency room for a dull pain in my lower back left side and was given an IV, a blood test, and a CT scan. After no signs of kidney stones were found the ER doctor sent me home and prescribed LEVAQUIN, IBUPROFEN, and METRONIDAZOLE antibiotics thinking that I might have gotten diverticulitis.
After 1 week of taking LEVAQUIN the side effects were right on! I could not sleep for more than 3 hours, I have anxiety attacks and my skin became dry no matter what lotion I put on it. I also had the runs and blackened stool ( and I thought I had a serious case of internal bleeding ). I have prolonged dizziness and nausea that even when lying down I feel like I'm gonna throw up. I have a lower center backpain that makes me feel strained ( like dead weight on my shoulders )and although my backpains have dulled a little bit but now, I'm still feeling muscle cramps in my lower and upper back, and have muscle spasms on my left inner thigh.
I always feel like I'm going to have a headache but I become lightheaded like I can't think straight and I am very anxious.
I have not have had any serious diseases and my checkups are always clean.
By reading these articles I have found relief knowing it could not be a serious problem I have, but could be major side effects caused by this drug.
I don't know what this drug cures but one thing i know is that it is very potent and dangerous for people with other health disorders relating to asthma, anxiety, insomnia, and others.

I cannot recommend this drug at all from what I see posted here today. And knowing the side effects are so extreme I begin to wonder why it is being recommended by physicians.

Should'nt they know any better?!
This experience has really awaken me to the new culture of drugs we have in the market today. Before I take another drug, I will find out more about the side effects.

My 89 year old mother, a resident of a nursing home, was given Levaquin for a UTI. Within about three days, she was bizarre. She actually could not distinguish between reality and her dreams. She believed so strongly about what she perceived being real, that I asked that two psychiatric evaluators be called in. Knowing the doctor's attitude (based on an immediate past experience with Lexapro that made Mom a zombie and his reluctance to take her off of it), Mom refused the Levaquin. In our state, at least, the nh cannot force a patient to take a medicine when it is refused. After seeing this site earlier in the week, I was adamant that she would not take one more Levaquin and will not in the remainder of her life.
Tonight she is still a bit fuzzy on some things. And as a happy postcript, the evaluators said her mind was very good and her memory was excellent and agreed that her bizarre (and I do mean bizarre!) behavior was likely caused by either the Levaquin and the UTI; also that the Lexapro was too strong for someone her age.
We are in the process of changing doctors. His "I am god, you are stupid" attitude can be gone! It is unacceptable.

In July 2002, I was given one dose of Levaquin (250mg I think) in the ER for asthma and bronchitis along with prednisone. I was also given a prescription for Levaquin to take home. The next morning I felt greatly improved as far as the bronchitis was concerned, but the calf of my left leg was hard and sore and I could barely walk. I assumed I must have injured myself some way without knowing it, so I took the second pill. The following morning I could not walk. I looked at the paper that the pharmacy had given me with the prescription, and it said if your calves hurt STOP MEDICATION IMMEDIATELY. I spoke to a nurse that sounded concerned but reassured me all would be okay and just drink a lot of water. I have days when it doesn't bother that badly, but every morning when I wake up the pain is there. My doctor and the pharmacy act non-chalant. I don't think it's worth the risk taking this medication, because the problem never goes away. People over 65 should never take this medication. It is worse on them. I think I will try seeing an osteopath.