Levaquin and rn

Started Levaquin yesterday for Bronchitis. Today I started with episodes of Tachycardia, Tightness in the chest, and numbness and tingling in the hands,feet and face. I am a nurse and trust me I will make sure none of my patients leave the office I work at with a script for this class of medication. 1 DOSE WAS PLENTY FOR ME I'M THROWING OUT THE OTHER 9 PILLS ASAP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I took Levaquin 500 mg for 10 days for pneumonia starting Jan 23, 2008. It got rid of the pneumonia but after about a week being on them I ached all over but especially in my biceps, moving was agony. My doctor said I must now have a virus but I've never had a virus that made my biceps so painful. Yesterday my left knee swelled up twice its size, today after being off it for 18 hours it is still just as big. Sleep is impossible, everything hurts and feel wired. I've been off the Levaquin for five days now and symptoms are still progressing. Was going for a battery of tests today, then last night my daughter who is an RN found this site and said there is your problem. Don't know what to do. Any suggestions?

I have taken Levaquin 500 mg daily for the last 7 days. I am quitting it today! I am so tired. Cannot sleep! Have severe pain in both of my hips! I do not have a history of sleep disorder or hip pain!!! I even have severe pain in both of my shoulders now as well. My doctors insist this isn't from the med. My pharmacist differs in that opinion!! This stuff is POISON!!!
I am a registered nurse and will preach this to any and everyone who will listen!!!
I only pray I will not suffer a tendon rupture even after I have stopped this med! If that happens I will contact an attorney! Can we get a class-action lawsuit for all of us and to prevent others from this terrible experience???

I took this in the hospital for 4 days through a IV, I had a 9 beat V-Tach then a few triplets and more. The RN on duty came in and said don't ever let them give this to you again, and showed me the tape that was off the monitor that I wore, she said they use paddles to get you to come back and that's the only thing they can do. I have never had a heart problem in my life, I had a blood infection and my ammonia level was high because I have a liver disease that was why I was in the hospital. The infectious disease doctor they got for me for the blood infection came in when I was ready to be released and said here's a script for a weeks worth of Levaquin , I said isn't that what caused my heart to react like that? He said no take it. I came home and called my liver coordinator and she said get of that stuff we've had so many problems with it.

I wish I had seen this page BEFORE I finished 5 days of Levaquin 500. The meds were prescribed for a post-upper-respiratory infection hacking dry cough that had been going on for nearly 3 weeks. I finished the meds 4 days ago and still feel super crummy. Levaquin did nothing for the cough (acunpuncturist stopped it with with several well-placed needles in my outer ear) and - before I saw this page - thought of asking the doctor for another round since I was still sick and seem to be getting worse. I have intermittent headaches, a racing heart, blurred vision, am so tired I never want to get out of bed. I'm also having a recurrence of sciatica in one hip and thigh and - new symptom! - the foot on that side is so sore it's hard to put my weight on it. I was told to report any joint or tendon pains but, according to the doctor, "they are very rare." I'm sure he told me about the symptom to protect himself "just in case" but it was clear he really didn't believe there would be problems. I took the medicine for three days, then stopped for a day because I didn't feel well. Then I thought, "Suck it in - there's only 2 pills to go and then you won't infect anyone. You don't want to be Typhoid Mary for the next antibiotic-resistant killer strain of some bug or another, do you?" I am devastated to think these symptoms will persist as long as people on this site say they will. I keep thinking I can sleep this off, or that I'm really sick with something that requires a different antibiotic. ( And how stupid is THAT?) But, from what I've read here, that's not likely to be the case. I'm 67 years old and already have compromised immune system plus sleep apnea, high blood pressure, narcolepsy, and asthma. Is there anyone out there who has been able to resolve these symptoms in less than three months? I refuse to believe I have to feel this way for the foreseeable future. And boy, am I mad! At myself as well as at the doctor. I usually research everything before I take it, but this one just slipped under the wire.

I too have nothing new to add just wanted to share my experience. I had severe bylateral ear infections accompanied by a sinus infection. My dr. gave me 10 days of augmentumn (sp?) it didn't work so she then prescribed 10 days of Levaquin (poison!) my insurance company didn't approve it at first so the pharmacy put a call into my dr.'s office and was waiting for an alternative. I was in so much pain from the ear infections that I did the single worst thing that I regret in my life. I called my insurance company and had them overide the rejection and approve the medicine, I wish to God I didn't. I did ask them if it was a controversial medication and they said no, just that it needs to be approved. Well, I started on Monday July 2nd and by Wednesday July 5th my knees started to ache really bad, just thought I walked a little too much on the 4th (nothing out of the ordinary I walk all the time and swim) well I thought it would subside and NEVER ever ONCE thought it was due to an antibiotic (aka levaquin/poison). I experienced sleeplessness and nauseau and didn't think anything of it, I know most antibiotics can make you nausiated. Well, by Sunday I could barely walk and when I had to crouch down to get something, I had tears in my eyes trying to stand up, the burning in my knees was unbearable and I still didn't relate it to the medicine, I had NO idea! Well, by Tuesday I took my 9th dose and my ears had felt better but my knees were getting worse, so I woke up on Wednesay and didn't take the medicine and then called the dr.'s. I asked if this could be related to the medication because it's not getting better, and the nurse said, I've never heard of that before, but hold on. She came back and stated "it says a side effect can be tendonitis and she said I needed to come in right away" I saw the dr. and she said, yes it's a side effect but it happens mostly in teenagers, but she was a little concerned that I was still having severe joint pain more than 24 hours after stopping the medication and that she wanted to do a lyme test. She told me that even if the lyme came back negative she was going to put me on dicylomine (sp?) for 3 weeks as a precaution because lyme tests can produce false negatives. She said wait another 24 hours and if I'm still in pain then she will prescribe the lyme meds. Well, 24 hours past and I got the lyme back, negative, my knees were killing, my muscles started to shake in my upper thighs and I was getting vibrating sensation along with muscle contractions. I called them back and on Friday and stated that I did some research on Levaquin and this is a side effect of the medication and I am NOT taking another antibiotic for a disease that I don't have! They asked me if I could wait until Tuesday to come see the dr because she was on vacation and I agreed hoping that my pain would subside with the prescription motrin and some ice. By Saturday (yesterday) it was moving down to my left shin and both the back of my ankles were killing like they were stiffl. I called and they said to put warm heat packs on and take the motrin and they would see me tomorrow if necessary. Well, the trembling in my legs were so bad that I had to take a diazapam to calm them down (which I didn't want to because I wanted to measure the pain, but couldn't stand it any longer) and put heat packs all day. I got some sleep last night (most likely due to the diazapam) I think the ice is worse for this but it feels better at the time. I am NOT getting any better, what is going on with me? I cannot believe this company has not been put out of business! I am going to see the dr's on Tuesday and am treating my condition as if it's tendonitits, I am now experiencing the muscle contractions in my arms. I am drinking water like it's my job and trying to stay off my legs with just a bit of stretching. I do pilates and go to the gym but have not gone since the 2nd of July the day I started the medication and am getting frustrated because I need to go for my back (arthritis of the spine with some herniated discs which are killing me now because I haven't been able to excersie or stretch). I am SO furious that this drug is on the market, the nurse said that it was a serious but RARE side effect to the drug and that she has never heard of anyone having it, well I don't think it's as rare as they would like to think and would like to do something about getting it taken off the market!

PLEASE tell me PLEASE has anyone just ONE person recovered from this HORRIBLE nighmarish pain and anguish? I am looking for that one beacon of hope that others have recovered and are feeling better, please anyone. I have children and I need to take care of them but I can't move my legs without excruciating pain going through them, especially the burning of the top of my knees. ANY help on how you took care of yourself would be great help to me. Thank you all!

Has anyone experienced bilateral achilles tendon tears on Levaquin therapy?

To the RN. If you had a reaction to cipro you never should have taken the levaquin because it's in the same family of drugs. I'm sorry this happened to you but now you need to warn everyone never to take a fluoroquinolone. Even for bacterial infections there are safer drugs out there.
Get on www.fqresearch.org and maybe you will find some help there.

ON APRIL 14, 2003 MY WIFE WENT TO A DOCTORAND HE GAVE HER SOME LEVAQUIN FOR AN EAR INFECTION. SHE TOOK THE MEDICINE FOR SEVEN DAYS AND STOPPED. SHE BEGAN TO SLEEP ALOT BUT STILL GOT UP EVERYDAY AND WENT TO WORK (SHE'S AN RN). SHE ALSO ON THE SEVENTH DAY HAD JAONAS OR THE COLOR ORANGE OF THE EYES. SHE WENT TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM ON THE 24TH AND TO A LIVER SPECIALIST ON THE NEXT DAY 25TH AND NEEDED A TRANSPLANT LIVER ON THE NIGHT OF THE 25TH AND DIED ON THE 27TH AT 5AM. LEAVING HER HUSBAN AND TWO CHILDREN 7 AND 8 YEARS OLD WE WISHED THE DOCTOR WOULD HAVE EXAMINED HER BEFORE GIVEN HER 500MG OF LEVAQUIN.

PS.....NEED LEGAL ADVICE.