Levaquin and pain meds

I have some of everything above and am in so much pain that I feel as if I am dying a slow, painful death. I am on heavy pain meds and even with those I have severe abdominal cramping. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have this pain relief. I am very worried as to what is happening to me internally. They are scheduling cat scans and I am awaiting a phone call to get something diagnostic done. This all started 8/15 and not only are things not easing up, but I think this is getting worse. I also have a urethral discharge, UTI, and alternating constipation and diarrhea. Initially, I had a 102 degree fever and now my temp is low, only 97.1! my husband plans on calling a lawyer today, 8/26. One day I passed brown urine and it shocked me! I'd appreciate hearing from others as I feel so alone in this horrible nightmare which is unfolding! FYI, my doctor feels that my muscle tissue is breaking down...has anyone heard anything like this from their doctor? The stomach and abdominal pains are like labor!

I've been taking Levaquin for about 3 weeks. Last week, suddenly, every joint in my body started aching. I mean from my neck, hands, hips, knees, ankles, feet, everything. For the past week, when I wake up, I can't even make a fist without experiencing excruciating pain. I've always been very active, running, basketball, soccer, skiing, you name it, so this is scaring the heck out of me. I'm 47 years old, and up until a week ago, I was hiking with my family, running everyday with my dog. Now I feel like I'm 100 years old. It hurts to walk, stand up, etc! I have an appointment with my doctor tomorrow! I'm ticked about this!

Im only 16 years old and ive been on levaquin for about 3 days now. My doctor told me off the bat that the only thing wrong with the drug were some "theories" on cartilidge damage, how ever, now i see for myself, and for many other people that is not the only side effect. He told me that no one under 18 is supposed to have it but i caught a severe case of sinutitus, and a uti which ive had for 2 months and nothing was working, so he put me on levaquin, once a day for 7 days. Ive now been having the following symptoms and im extremely scared!!
1. Constant fatigue
2. Extreme Migraines
3. Nausea, vomiting
4. Rapid heart beat (and chest pain)
5. Stiffness in joints and horrible pain...
6. Constant anxiousness, to where i cant get to sleep
7. Dizziness

Is there anyone i can talk to who's had these same problems? please email me or something im scared and i don't know what to do my mother doesn't believe me and she says its just a head cold....

******

Please help me!!

This note is regarding some measures for healing and pain relief. I have been in pain due to taking Levaquin three months ago. My pain is widespread. I have peripheral neuropathy. My whole body is tender and sensitive. All of my joints ache. It's hard to walk or sit for long. My pain is still disabling but it has improved. I thought that I would share with whoever may be interested what has helped my pain the most. I see a chiropractor every week and I also see a Chinese doctor every week. The Chinese doctor does therapeutic massage (deep tissue) and he also does acupuncture weekly. The acupuncture doesn't hurt as much as you might think. Other things that I've found that are helpful are warm Epsom salt baths and any topical cream that warms the area such as zostrix. Creams for muscle soreness may work also. I try not to take pain medication because it can just lead to other problems . If I have to take something I take either excedrin or Tylenol. NOT ibuprofen. Also, the body can't heal as quickly if it is being bombarded with offending agents. Therefore I have eliminated the following: Sodas (regular and diet), nutrisweet, msg (read the label), bleached flour, caffeine and many other things. I try to avoid sugar and I use stevia as much as possible. I have done a lot of research regarding nutrition since this happened to me. What I have come to realize is that good foods are like medicine. I have to supply my body with the proper nutrients and it will heal itself. Lots of fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, lean meat (I don't eat red meat). I avoid fast food and processed foods. The rule of thumb is that if nature made it it's good for you. If man made it...read the label very carefully. I hope that this info will be helpful to some of you. My prayers are with you all.

chris

started Levaquin 2 weeks ago for pneumonia & pleurisy (had been prescribed 5 day kpack but that didn't work). after a couple of days started the insomnia, joint pain in left elbow, knee & hip. then started having problems walking, dizzy, nausea, headache, called my docs and they had me come in. they sent me to emergency room to make sure I wasn't having stroke! no stroke, but stopped Levaquin (it was helping my pneumonia) and switched to another antibiotic. my side effects were not going away, though, and the night before last I took a vicodin. DO NOT TAKE VICODIN! woke up crying in the morning and could not lift my arms cause of the pain. my husband had to hold a glass so I could drink water to take pain meds. couldn't even type! I did go to acupuncture, and last night I took Advil pm (2) and today slept till 2pm! I feel MUCH better, though side effects still not gone. I am mid 40's, fairly healthy, (had breast cancer last year, though, w/mastectomy & chemo, and had radiation for hodgekins in my early 30's) so my immune system is a bit weaker than most, but I get around and am VERY active, so this threw me for a loop. any advice anyone? gmf

I was prescribed Levaquin for what appeared to be impetigo on my outer ear. The first dose gave me a monster headache and very weird almost-dreams (because I couldn't sleep). After the second dose, I had a horrible stabbing pain in the middle of my back, my wrists and upper arms began to ache, my vision was disturbed and I couldn't concentrate. Weirdest of all was a sudden compulsion to shave my head (which I thankfully snapped out of). I'm a textbook normal 45 year old woman, otherwise healthy, and professionally employed. It's been 30 hourse since my last dose, and the mental stuff has subsided, but my arms and hands are still very painful. This is a bad bad drug. I'd have to be on the verge of death to consider it again.

Same joint pains as others have described. Terribly swollen knees(can't squat or walk without much pain), shoulder joints too painful to move in almost any direction, back of neck, shoulders painful, some pain in fingers, elbows, hips. Sleeping and dressing are very difficult. Trouble started after 1 week of taking Levaquin, did not connect it to the drug. Have been diagnosed with lupus and fibromyalgia but these pains are not like anything I have ever had. O was doing very well without taking any pain meds and exercising, walking 1 plus mile often. Now, it's been 4 days of this with little relief from rest, ice, heat etc. After researching, I'm worried. Waiting to hear from Dr. and vowing never to take another prescription without first researching.

I have fibromyalgia. I was given Levaquin after 3 other rounds of other antibiotics didn't work. The Levaquin was prescribed by a ENT Dr. He never mentioned the side effects to me or the several drug interactions. With my fibromyalgia I take several medications including NSAIDs and narcotics, antidepressant, asthma meds and blood pressure medication. He was aware of my meds. He also prescribed prednisone at the same time. Since I've been looking up this drug I see it interacts with almost everything I'm taking???? How could he still give it to me? Any way I took it for 10days 500mgs/day plus the prednisone for 7 days. I started having weird side effects right away but I blamed it on the steriods. So I took my 10 days and I still had the sinus infection and he prescribed another 10 days. I took them all even though I felt like I was dying because I thought I was having a terrible Fibro Flare. I went to my regular Dr. and told him of the pain and side effects I was having and he said it was my fibro and prescribed me morphine to go alone with my vicodin and tramadol I was already taking. I was still having severe pain even with the pain meds. Today I put 2 and 2 together and started searching the web. I looked up all my meds and looked at their side effects and was horrified when I found out what it was from. It is totally scary that once you get the diagnosis of Fibromyalgia that Dr. don't search for any other cause for your pain and just blame every symptom on Fibro and refuse to do any tests. They just give me a bandaid and sent me home with more drugs with more side effects and more drugs to help those side effects, etc.,etc. I quit taking the Levaquin 3 days ago and my side effects I still have are the following:
SEVERE SWELLING OF MY WHOLE BODY - MY STOMACH LOOKS 9 MONTHS PREGNANT, I HAVE PITTED EDEMA IN MY LEGS, MY FACE AND EYES ARE SWOLLEN, TO THE POINT I HAVEN'T BEEN TO WORK OR IN PUBLIC BECAUSE I AM SO HUGE

SEVERE PAIN IN ALL JOINTS OF MY BODY(ESP KNEES,ANKLES)

SEVERE PAIN, WEAKNESS AND STIFFNESS IN ALL MUSCLES IN MY BODY(ESP LEGS AND ARMS)

SEVERE PAIN IN ALL TENDONS AND LIGAMENTS

SEVERE FATIGUE, WITH INSOMNIA (IT'S 3:15AM RIGHT NOW)

PAINFUL SKIN SENSATIONS - BURNING, SORENESS, TINGLING (EVEN HURTS WHEN THE WIND BLOWS BY IT)

SHORTNESS OF BREATH FROM MINOR EXERTION AND WHEN LYING DOWN, CHEST TIGHTNESS

CLUMSINESS, TRIPPING

MUSCLE SPASMS AND JERKING

FEELING WARM, SWEATING (ESP. AT NIGHT)

LOWER ABDOMINAL PAIN AND IRREGULAR MENSTRAUL BLEEDING

HARD TIME WALKING, DRIVING OR GETTING UP FROM A SITTING POSITION

IN THE BEGINNING HEADACHES EVERYDAY FOR ABOUT A WEEK

DRY MOUTH, THIRSTY ALL THE TIME

BLURRED VISION, SEEING THINGS MOVE IN THE CORNER OF MY EYES

#1 question is this going to ever go away and is there any way to treat it? I don't think I can handle another debilitating disease. I have 2 kids ages 6 and 9. They need a mother. I'm thinking of going to the Dr. in the a.m. but not sure where to go so they won't just dismiss me again. E.R.? I feel like I have kidney failure, colitis, ruptured ligaments and damaged joints. It's my son's Birhtday tomorrow I hate to ruin his party but am afraid to wait. I here it could be deadly??? Please help!

Follow up to my Mon, 17 Feb 2003 00:37:48 -0500 post

As "Guest" I stated in that post I'd update after seeing my doc so here it is: Feb. 18th I saw my doctor (a rare good doc) who after a full exam said Levaquin was not the cause of my pain symptoms.

Since July 2002 I've taken 10mgs Lipitor (rx'd by jerk doc), currently liver enzymes are elevated which she believes is the cause of this pain particularly since I have fibromyalgia, etc.

She stopped the Lipitor, rx'd Prevacol stating it was gentler on the liver. If I continue having problems with statins, cholesterol levels will be managed differently.

For this severe pain she asked to rx strong pain meds (opiod) which usually cause me horrible side effects. She listened to my reaction to a variety of these type meds and rx'd lowest dose 2.5/325 Percocet at bedtime only. Naturally my pharmacy nor 5 others had it in stock so it was ordered, due in on Monday, Feb 24th.

In the meantime my pharmacist called her office and got the doc on call who rx'd 5/500 Vicodin. I took it yesterday and I had all the usual side effects which lasted through this morning though milder and continuing to dissipate (dysphoric anxiety, violent shaking, headache, nausea) so Vicodin is added to the list of what I cannot tolerate. And it did not alleviate the muscle pain at all.

I'm wondering whether to bother picking up the Percocet she rx'd not knowing if this one at bedtime will have no or manageable side effects plus pain relief.

Much of this is for different message boards - I'll have to find opiod and statin ones - , however, I wanted those who read what I believed were side effects of Levaquin to know that my doctor decided otherwise.

Joanne Diffenbaugh aka George61