Post Marketing Reports for August 2000

Doc 47
2282From: slanum <slanum@c...>
Date: Fri Aug 25, 2000 10:05am
Subject: Re: How long do the joint pain side effects last?

In October of 1999, my wife and I traveled to China to adopt our daughter. After spending two weeks in some of the most polluted areas in the world, we came down with sinus infections. Mine was much worse than my wife's. To make a long story short, I have had this thing on and off for 10 months. I have been on antibiotics more than I have not since the trip. Started with Ceftin, then Biaxin, Avalox and finally Levaquin. I have been on a 500mg dose for about 8 days and I am starting to feel strange. Nausea and joint pain primarily. I am a runner and log about 30 miles a week. Prior to this infection, I had not missed a day of work in about 10 years. I thought I was pretty healthy. Over the past week I have not felt like running and I am having a strong joint pain at the base of my right thumb. It feels like what I would imagine arthritis must feel like. I can't grip with this hand. Hand shakes hurt the most. After reading all of the side effects on this forum, I have decided to stop taking this antibiotic and try to flush it out of my system. The sinus infection seems under control but I don't feel very healthy today. I am also feeling like a hypochondriac. How long do the joint pain side effects last?

Regards,
Scott Lanum
(614) 850-2166

Doc 46
2278From: House of Zac <houseofzac@e...>
Date: Wed Aug 23, 2000 7:06pm
Subject: My Levaquin experience

I took three Levaquin 500mg pills over four days. This was prescribed as a
first-round attempt to treating an unexplained fever of 103 degrees. No
other symptoms, just the fever. Other than being overweight, I am otherwise
healthy, no asthma etc. On the third dose, within one hour my wrists (both
of them) became so painful that I resorted to strapping on wrist guards (for
rollerblading) to keep them stabilized to reduce the pain. I didn't sleep
much the entire night. It was obvious to me that the medicine caused the
problem since it came on so suddenly from taking the 3rd pill, with
absolutely no previous problems. The next day, the pain was considerably
less, but I still some soreness. As the day progressed, I assumed that the
medicine must be getting out of my system since the pain was subsiding more
and more as the day progressed. By the afternoon, I could pitch a baseball
(although limitedly) with my 6 year old son. Late in the evening, however,
my left knee was so sore that I literally could not lift my leg while
seated. At one point, I was sitting on the side of the bed, my right foot
on the floor and left foot on the bed railing. I absolutely could not lift
my foot to lower it to the ground because the pain was so excrutiating. I
spent the night in the recliner. By morning, the pain was considerably
better, but still painful. Finger joints remained stiff and sore for at
least a week. Luckily I was on vacation this week, but wouldn't have been
able to go to work otherwise.

It has been two weeks and two days since I took the last pill. It took a
week and a half for me to feel like I had returned to normal. I have had
some residual joint discomfort (now in my hips and ankles), but it is
minimal and doesn't prevent me from doing anything I want to do. I am
careful to sleep with my wrists straight so I don't have the carpal tunnel
symptoms.

What I did: I immediately quit taking the medicine. I didn't take anything
with the Levaquin. I drank water like a camel and used vinegar and apple
cider in an effort to clean out my system. (I dipped baby carrots in a
vinegar applecider mixture, allowing very slow vinegar intake.) Three days
after the last Levaquin, I took some Aleve doses as an anti-inflamatory.

Oh yes, the doctor refuses to entertain any notion that the medicine may
have caused my pain and wouldn't file an Adverse Drug Reaction report. He
says that it could have been the mystery virus that caused the joint pain.
I guess he's got a point, but I would think the sudden severe onset of pain
would have been the clue that something else was the problem. I would think
if it had been the virus, it would have occurred more gradually. Using this
site, I filed the ADR myself.

Anyway, I was panicked when I was experiencing the severe pain and reading
through this list, I feared that it would last a long time. I hope that
reading this will give some folks confidence that the symptoms don't last
forever, at least that was my experience.

Thanks for having this informative forum,
Michelle


Doc 45
2277From: dbasing51@c...
Date: Tue Aug 22, 2000 5:44pm
Subject: Levaquin story

I have just realized through this forum that my recent symptoms could
have been caused by this antibiotic. I was taking it for a recurring
sinus infection. I have had the drug on several different occasions
and each time I notice a large red welt on my shoulder. It is raised
and feverish, itches and after several days the center fades and the
outer edge becomes a ring. On one of my visits to the Dr. I said to
him that I thought it was a reaction, but he said continue the med.
I only get the red welt in one place. My joints are painful; my knee
became so painful I could hardly get up and down and my hiatial
hernia became a nightmare. I had lots of stomach pain and it felt
like my insides were in knots. I have also noticed that my arms and
hands become numb in my sleep and thought I was having some type of
nerve problem from resting in one position too long. I stopped the
medicine this time when my stomach got so out of sorts. I have had
reactions to a number of drugs; Suprax, Erythromycin, Penicillen and
have asthma and NSAIDS are out for inflamation. My titers for Lupus
have shown positive a number of times. Can this possibly be the
cause?


Doc 44
2276From: dbasing51@c...
Date: Tue Aug 22, 2000 11:12am
Subject: My story

I am so amazed. I was on levaquin for a really bad sinus infection. When I
take the first dose I always get this red spot on my shoulder that is solid
and feverish, about the size of a quarter. After a few days it gets raised
in the center and begins to look like a ring worm. Nothing gets rid of it
until I get off the meds then it takes weeks to go away. This last time I
took levaquin I began to notice my rt. knee swelling and the pain in it
became so severe I could hardly get up and down out of a chair. I decided it
was the medicine, stopped it and am better in the knee. I still have leg
cramps, calf muscles ache and foot cramps. My left hand now has a knot in
the knuckle of the hand and pain down the finger. I can't take any NSAIDS due
to asthma so I just tough it out.

I am amazed that this drug is still prescribed.

Deborah Basinger

Doc 41
2264From: pdunn@t...
Date: Fri Aug 11, 2000 7:50am
Subject: My Update

Background: Took 10 Days of Levaquin (500 MG) in early April. After
first dose, experienced tingling and numbness in both arms.
Progressively got worse as I took each dose to the point where my arm
would become completely paralyzed if I slept on it "wrong".

I've had an up and down few months since taking Levaquin. I started
to get better the month after I stopped taking it, but have had some
relapses/panic attacks that remind me that I'm not 100%. Let me
preface this whole thing by saying, comparatively speaking, I have
not had that bad of an experience. My symptoms are more annoying
than debilitating. I haven't missed any work or anything.

Anyway, my first visit to the neuro resulted in a Carpal Tunnel
Syndrome diagnosis. However, since then, I have experienced some
tingling in my legs and other parts of my body, muscle twitches all
over, and a sense of aching in my right arm/shoulder. That one is
hard to describe. I don't think it is a weakness feeling, but I
can't tell for sure. It is more like a stiff/tired feeling.

I went back to the neuro last week. He has diagnosed me with
something called HNPP ( Hereditary Neuropathy with Liability to
Pressure Palsy). I asked him about Levaquin, and he said that it was
a coincidence (I still don't believe that). Anyway, HNPP is a
genetic disorder that has an autosomal nature (you have a 50% chance
of acquiring it if one parent has the gene). I don't know of anyone
in my family that has this problem (at least to the extent that I
do). I have done some research on HNPP, and while it does share some
similarities to what I am going through, I can't escape the thought
that Levaquin has caused this problem. Especially since I am not the
only one who has had this reaction. I just wanted to know if anyone
else has recieved a similar diagnosis. I know many of you have
gotten the carpal tunnel dx, but I don't recall seeing any HNPP dxs.
Anyway, there is a blood test that can confirm HNPP, but since there
is no cure, my neuro said that insurance probably does not cover the
cost (around $400). He didn't feel that it was worth it until some
treatments are available.

One other note, I took Levaquin back in December and had no problems
back then. It was only when I took it in April that I had the
neurological side effects. I don't know if that means anything or
not. I think I recall others having the same experience.

Anyway, I seem to be doing ok. It's the mental strain of not knowing
what's wrong, if it will get better or not, and what the future holds
that has been the hardest on me. Good luck to everyone. Thanks.

Doc 40

2255From: No1DOSMOM@a...
Date: Tue Jul 18, 2000 5:43pm
Subject: Update

Cheri saw the orthopedic surgeon today. The inflammation of the tendons is
now on the left side. She is in a surgical boot to keep her left leg
immobilized now. The orthopedic surgeon said that the tendon affected is a
bad one to have inflamed. If, after 4 to 6 weeks in the boot cast, the
problem is not resolved she will have to have surgery. It seems like this
nightmare just never ends. Our whole family is just sick over this.

~Pat

Doc 39
2254From: jbrigant@o...
Date: Tue Jul 18, 2000 3:30am
Subject: Keflex

Seems like in summertime people don't write as much as in winter,
don;t know why but I don't think it's because everyone is better.
Just want to share that I had an UTI & took what I thought was the
only safe antibiotic for me, Keflex. Well, 3 or 4 days into it, I
started to have muscle ache, but continued Keflex because the UTI was
really bad. Now, today, I have Levaquin-like symptoms, severe muscle
aches, shin & knee pain & the "trigger" finger that was so
debilitating several months ago is starting to return.

The UTI is gone & I've been on it for 7 days, so I'm stopping it
immediately. I'm hoping I can flush this out of my system within a
few days, but I'm flabbergasted that my "safe" Keflex mimics FQs!!!!
Or maybe I shouldn't be flabbergasted, "a rose is a rose is a rose" &
an antibiotic is an antibiotic is etc.

Really NO antibiotic is safe for me now I think. What do I do if I
get another UTI? (That's a rhetorical question, there is no answer &
I know it.) So, watch it for yourselves, they're all poison in my
book.

My daughter had a sore itchy eye for a week, went to her doc who
said, "you don't have an infection but it "wouldn't hurt" to use
antibiotics prophilactically (sic) & put Cipro drops in her eye. Now
she has severe pain, feeling like an eyelash is stuck in her eye & is
scared out of her wits. She is a respitory therapist & works in a
hospital & always knew the behind the scenes foul ups that happen
with docs but now says she "REALLY" knows how you can't just take
their word on anything without extensive research. She now REALLY
realizes the condition of the medical community & that's what really
scares her. With dawning horror, she also now asks, "what do I do if
I get seriously sick?" All I could say was "now you know" because
there's no anwer to that question any more. GOd help all of us.

Does anyone have any info on dealing with FQ in the eye? She is
seeing a corneal specialist today & she is very wary now. She will
go to Wills Eye Clinic in Philly if this guy is a "ding dong" (her
words) but can you even trust Wills Eye Clinic? Who knows.

I have given up on trying to get a lawyer to handle this travesty on
our bodies. God sees all & what goes around, comes around, there's
nothing more I can do but pray. Oh, & by the way, the stomach ulcer
that developed a month after being FQd is now so bad that I am taking
60 mgs of Previcid daily to keep it under control. That's a lot. I
NEVER had stomach problems before Levaquin which I took for 5 days,
500 mgs daily, in March 99. Someone asked, "when will this end?" I
think it will never end completely & the best that can be hoped is
that it subsides enough that we can function. God help us
all. Judy



Doc 38
2250From: No1DOSMOM@a...
Date: Sun Jul 16, 2000 7:17pm
Subject: Need input

Hi, this is Pat, Cheri's mom.

Have any of you experienced sudden bouts of hypoglycemia (that you never had
before being FQ'd)? Cheri has never had hypoglycemia before the Levaquin,
but now seems to be having regular bouts of this. Is this common? Also, I
know quinolones attack the dominant side of the body, but have any of you
suddenly experienced pain or swelling on the other side? Late this afternoon
(Sunday), Cheri suddenly started having the same kinds of pain in her left
Achilles tendon as she has in her right one. Needless to say, we'll be at
the doctor's office tomorrow as soon as he can see her.
It has been four months since she was FQ'd and it seems like this nightmare
will never end.

Regards to all,

~Pat




Doc 37
2246From: hotstockpicks@u...
Date: Sat Jul 15, 2000 10:24am
Subject: Excercise pain for weeks to months

I used to rollerblade and weightlift all the time with no pain at
all. A year ago I was on floxin and Levaquin for months due to a
suspected, but not real, prostatitis. I have not excercised for a
year and have had pain and paresthesia with cramping of the hands
occasionally. One day I sawed a piece of wood and 3 days later I had
severe hand and wrist pain for two weeks. Last month I went out and
just slowly rollerbladed around the block and e days later I could
barely walk! I had intense knee joint pain and my legs felt like
they were on fire for about a month. Now they still hurt but are
getting better. But last week I decided to start excercising again
and just did 20 pushups while watching t.v. Now I can barely type!@
My hand and fingers ache, numb, prickly. Even up my arm somewhat. I
am learning not to do ANY excercise or strenuous movement, but I am
34 years old male and my fiancee thinks I am nuts. Is this levaquin
poisoning from a year ago or is osmething else going on? I have never
heard of a disease where excercise causes severe long lasting pain.
If it is levaquin, what can I do to get better and back to normal
life?
Thank you,
Craig

Date: Thu Aug 31, 2000 4:36pm
Subject: Re: Please, Help and advice needed from newbie...

My 16 year old daughter was FQd almost 6 months ago. She had severe light sensitivity, rash, hand tremors, depression and irritability because the Levaquin blocked the GABA receptors in her brain. She also had severe tendinitis in her rotator cuffs and Achilles tendons. She spent nearly 5 months in a wheelchair, wore a boot cast on her right leg for 9 weeks and is approaching 8 weeks of a boot cast on her left leg. Today the doctor said she has at least another 2 1/2 weeks more of the cast for her left leg. She is now in therapy five days a week in order to regain the strength in her tendons and muscles. It has been almost six months of hell for her.

If you read the inserts for the Quinolones you will see the drug companies warn against taking antacids within two hours of the drugs because it prevents the drug from being absorped. My daughter was put on 6 tablespoons of maalox a day. Quinolones are negatively charged and the calcium, magnesium and aluminum in the maalox are all positively charged. This has helped her. Also you must be very careful of poultry, because poultry farmers are dumping Quinolones into poultry food (at least in the States). My daughter and others on the forum have gotten very sick from eating a piece of chicken. We now only eat organically raised chickens. Some members on the forum will eat regular chicken and take a TUMS antacid or the equivalent in order to prevent any reaction to the Quinolones.

There is a book written by an American investigative reporter whose wife was floxed. The author's name is Stephan Fried and the name of the book is "Bitter Pills. You will be shocked when you read this book.

I have also recently re-posted the sites for the Harrell Report and the sites for the SOuthern Medical Journal and JOurnal of Sports Medicine. Look in the August postings from NO1DOSMOm on the forum for these sites, go to them, and read them. Print them out for your doctors. Hopefully they will convince them about the dangers of this family of drugs.

You must keep a positive attitude and know that you are not alone. If it hadn't been for this site, we would never have known what had happened to my daughter. The doctors at first wouldn't believe the medication was at fault, but after they ruled out every other possibility, they finally came to the conclusion that the Levaquin had caused the problems. The people on this forum have been so supportive for my daughter and my whole family, because, believe me, it has taken its toll on our whole family to see our once bouncy, happy-go-lucky, straight A student, suddenly so racked with pain that she couldn't get out of bed for the first 2 1/2 weeks and then see her become almost a "ghost" of the person she had been before the Levaquin.

Good luck and God bless you.

~Pat

Doc 49
2301From: lesley18@t...
Date: Thu Aug 31, 2000 9:44am
Subject: Please, Help and advice needed from newbie...

I have just found this forum - and thank God I did. I thought I
was
the only one. I am in the UK. I was given the British version of
floxin after sinus surgery on May 24th. Ten days later I had
everything I see in these posts, and almost three months later I am
still suffering from..._extreme_ anxiety and fearfulness, weird panic
attacks with feelings like my body is slowing down, or 'seizing up',
loss of fine motor skills (cant turn jar lids, thread needle etc),
weird thoughts and feelings, feelings of unreality, palpitations,
frontal tight headaches, weakness and numbness/tingling in limbs,
terrible insomnia, (with `explosions' in my head when I lay
down and
jerking awake suddenly all night as I am on the point of drifting off
to sleep.) I also wake every morning with completely numb arms hand
and shoulders, and frequently wake during the night with a
completely numb leg or arm. I get `electric shocks' down my
arms and
legs. I also have tendonitis/arthritic pain in finger joints. It
seems from what I have read here I escaped pretty lightly.

My doctor will not take me seriously. I cannot find a website like
this in the UK. The posts here are so huge I don't know where to
start...and I need as much information on this as I can....please,
can
anyone point me towards other net information on Floxin, ( proven
adverse effects, newspaper articles, neurological
info.....anything.)

Thank you all so much, I am SO glad I found this place. Life starts
(again) here. At least I can put a name or a cause to this
nightmare.
Lesley


Doc 48
2295From: jeannemwelling@n...
Date: Mon Aug 28, 2000 4:08am
Subject: Adverse reaction/ HELP

I am new to this forum. Four weeks ago my husband was a
healthy 39 year old man. After taking 10 levaquin for a prostate
infection he is now suffering from tendonitits like the rest of you.
Also he talks about feeling disconnected. He used to love his
job now he has no motivation either sleeps all of the time or can't
sleep at all. He seems to be depressed. I am frustrated as to
what to do to help next. I would appreciate all help and
suggestions from those of you who have been through this. We
are from Michigan if anyone knows of a Dr. who is familar with
this. Thanks