Levaquin and stomach problems

I have to admit I am dumbfounded. I "stumbled" upon this information tonight.
I am a very healthy and active 40 year old female with no health issues other than seasonal allergies and asthma. I went to the dr. 4 weeks ago for a sinus infection. I was prescribed 5 days of Levaquin (called a “Lev-pak”??). The sinus infection seemed better but the symptoms of that came back after 10 days and I went back to the dr. only to be prescribed a 2nd round of the same medication. Again the sinus infection seemed to get better and now a month later I went to the same dr. again today because the sinus problem came back but worse. Today I was prescribed a different antibiotic called Avalox. Since I had not heard of this drug I decided to look it up before taking it.
I now look back over the last month and am horrified that I have had these bizarre symptoms and here they are experienced by 100's of other people. And this is just one website, with people that took time to speak up. Just one. All of sudden I already feel better because I can explain so much. Not once was I warned about this drug either by the doctor or my pharmacist.
Everything I am about to describe I have either blamed on still being sick (and getting sicker from the presumed infection) or have blamed on other meds taken in addition for congestion, headache, stomach problems, wheezing, etc.

I have had ridiculous sleep patterns. I was either SO awake some nights that I felt like I could run 10 miles or SO exhausted by bedtime that I could barely walk up the stairs to get to bed. I have had extreme nightmares and dreams. In addition I have had at times practically NO peripheral vision combined with a blinding headache. I also had ringing in one or both ears that was very random. I seriously thought several times that I might have a brain tumor. I have had all these weird stomach issues. I have felt bloated and my abdomen area has been painful at times. I also have gone from either having bad diarrhea to being very constipated. My heart has raced at times both while doing physical activity OR sitting still. For about 3 days after the first round I had sharp pains in my left side (abdomen and arm). I have experienced bizarre hot flashes combined with being freezing cold minutes later with no fever at all. And last my right leg, particularly my knee and foot have just hurt at odd times (just waking up, walking up and down stairs, after sitting for a few minutes). All of these things separated seem so random so I never suspected Levaquin. Having read page after page…they are ALL explained.

I can’t tell you how much better I feel right this moment. I feel sane again. I will never, ever take Levaquin again and am so thankful I was smart enough to get information before taking Avalox, which would have been round three of this poisonous family of antibiotics. I don't know how long it will take for the Levaquin symptoms to go away but at least I'll know why these things are happening. Thank you.

I am taking Levaquin now, but after reading all of this I plan on not finishing the 3 pills I have left. My head is numb and feeling so weird. I have a constant headache which I hardly ever have and I feel dizzy and really out of it. My stomach is sick and nauseated. Feeling almost depressed which I don't know why. I just don't feel right. My shoulders feel heavy and tingly and I feel more sick now than when I started taking it 7-8 days ago.

In the fall of 2004 I was given levaquin to treat an infection in my colon -- this was as a follow up to hospitalization where I was given 2 other antibiotics (don't recall the names)

After I was discharged for the hospital I came home feeling great--seems that the infection in colon had been there for some time and had definitely ran me down.

I was taking the Levaquin daily as instructed and wanted to complete the treatment as recommended with Antibiotics. During this time, my stomach was giving me fits...I literally had an upset stomach continuously while on the Levaquin.

Aside from the stomach problems, I felt great--until one day all of a sudden it was like something snapped in my head. I began feeling a steady pressure and it felt like I was underwater.

My nerves literally went haywire...I could not sleep, I could not eat anything without having extreme nausea. I paced the floor for 5 solid days and nights without any sleep. I was hearing things...and the worst experiences was the panic attack like symptoms. I ended up going to the emergency room 5 times thinking I was having a heart attack.

My heart would race and my BP was so high in some cases the auto-cuffs would blow off my arm.

All that stuff started in 2004 and since then I have been under treatment for depression and generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks. I have lost feeling in my hands..down the side of my legs, and I still experience either constipation or explosive diarrhea-- It is usually one or the other--there doesn't seem to be a normal BM anymore.

If I do not take the anti-anxiety drugs I have been given then I will experience large muscle tremors.

I don't know that Levaquin did this to me but I find it highly unlikely that I could feel great and then all of a sudden I'm in an advanced state of clinical depression-- In one day's time???

I have also noticed that I can't concentrate like I used to do...I have actually been eating and will ask my Girlfriend what we are having for dinner. My gosh--I'm sitting there eating the stuff and don't even realize it.

I'm 42 years old and ever since I took Levaquin my life has been a constant living hell.

After only 3 doses, I developed severe stomach pains, extreme waves of nausea where I broke out in a cold sweat and nearly passed out. I'm 56 and I have never had indigestion in my life..........I started having it then. The pain from my stomach all the way down was so bad I thought I would have to go to the emergency room. I've been off the medication now for a week and am still having the stomach problems. I believe the drug damaged my esophagus and stomach and possibly my intestines.

I was prescribed a 10 day dose of levaquin for my saliva gland being swollen. At first I had stomach problems with the drug. Upset stomach usually after taking the pill. Then after the 9th pill I started having severe muscle pain and then joint pain. I couldn't sleep at night for the joint and muscle pain. I had to stay on ibuprofen for the pain per the doctors orders for a few days for the pain. The pain was so severe that I couldn't walk up and down steps or move very good. I wouldn't ever take this again.

I had a severe case of cellulitis, caused by a fast-moving bacteria. It was on my face. I was on Levaquin for six weeks, first at 700mg and then at 500mg. My shoulders and knees froze up and became very painful. My left foot had electrical spasms which made my life miserable. My doctor said that was probably from sciatica. I have arthritis and recently changed from Vioxx to Bextra (frying pan into the fire), and my doctor didn't seem to know about a link between Levaquin and joint pain. I only found out by reading this site. One suggestion if you have stomach problems--they gave me Protonix, a drug for acid reflux, and that kept me from having any stomach reactions to the Levaquin. I now have been off Levaquin for six days, and my joint pain has diminished by 80%. My foot pain is down to a dull ache and a lot of itching. I know that the Levaquin saved my life, but in hindsight, I wonder if there was a different drug I could have been given, that would not have caused me such severe joint and foot pain.

I found this site back in September 2003 when I became so ill from this drug that I was searching for information on side effects. I was trying to find out if what I was experiencing was normal. I was prescribed a 15 day round of the drug for a bit of inflamation in my salivary glands. I immediately lost my appetite, had stomach problems and had dizzy spells. After 12 days my neck began aching and when I cleaned the windows on my car I ended up in the ER and then a week in the hospital. Six weeks of intravenous antibiotics (that I had to administer through a PIC line in my left arm) was all that saved my life. When I first went to the ER the doctor told me that he had never seen this kind of reaction from the drug but spontaneous rupture of tendons was quite common. Yikes! This is a really scary drug. Why is it still on the market? I am wondering if we have any recourse. I still have joint pain but am happy to be alive.

I was put on Levaquin for a infection in my uteris. The first hour I took it I felt like I had the flu and then as the days passed I was gassy, stomach ache, diarrhea, headache, confusion and started hearing voices. On day 4 I didn't take my meds and called my doctor. I still heard voices the next day and here it is 3 days later I'm still having stomach problems and diarrhea. No voices but the confusion is still lingering. I have never had a problem with any medication. Never a single side affect until Levaquin.