Post Marketing Reports for September 2000

Doc 56
2360From: neil strauss <nfstrauss@y...>
Date: Sun Sep 10, 2000 7:39am
Subject: results of biopsy

I received the results of the biopsy. All tests were normal. The University of Chicago says that they are not aware of any of my symptoms caused by Levequin. The only side effects they found in the medical literature was tendonitis. The one interesting test result was that the nerves around the biopsy site indicated that regenerating of the nerves had occurred. My question was, what distroyed the nerves in the first place? Levequin.? My doctor is contacting Dr. Flockhart.


Doc 55
2344From: Rick Tyler <rick@r...>
Date: Thu Sep 7, 2000 2:29pm
Subject: Joints

It's been 15 months since I was FQ'd. I was diagnosed with rotator
cuff tendinitis in July, 1999, and had the usual round of joint pain,
muscle twitching, muscle pain, and other symptoms. As I've written
before, I've slowly gotten better and, starting about three months
ago, I've felt pretty good. The biggest exception has been the
rotator cuff tendinitis in my left shoulder, which has gotten better,
but never gone away, and the tendency of my arms and legs to "go to
sleep", especially while sleeping. I am still awakened an average of
once a night with my left arm tingling and sore.

Starting a couple of weeks ago, I've been having pains in my finger
joints. Usually one finger will hurt for most of a day, and then not
hurt the next day. The past three days I've had multiple sore finger
joints, both wrists, much worse than average shoulder pain, and elbow
pain. This joint pain is local, stabbing, and does not respond to
modest doses of ibuprofen. I also had a blood test last month that
showed elevated CRP levels (C-reactive protein is a plasma protein
that rises in the blood with the inflammation from certain
conditions.) Elevated CRP can be caused by infection or other
non-systemic problem, but it can also be caused by arthritis,
advanced cancer, or lupus and other inflammatory diseases.

I'm pretty sure I don't have advanced cancer, and I don't have any
other lupus-like symptoms. Since I really don't want to think about
arthritis, I thought I would ask if any of you have had this sort of
pain that you are pretty sure was part of your FQ reaction. There is
no swelling or redness, by the way, just pain. My range of motion is
normal.

Anyone else have elevated CRP's, or have any information they can
share?

(One strange idea, might the elevated CRP level be associated with
allergy desentization injections? I started getting allergy shots
early this summer, and am still in the increasing-dosage part of
treatment. I am wondering if the allergy shots might be triggering a
reaction -- perhaps histamines? -- that causes inflammation and
elevated CRP levels? I'll ask my doctor, but, as usual, I don't
expect to learn much.)

-- Rick



Doc 54
2335From: lesley18@t...
Date: Wed Sep 6, 2000 9:34am
Subject: Suspected Heart attack

Hello everyone,
I have not posted for a while - because I was admitted to hospital in
the early hours of Saturday morning with a suspected MI. I got home
this morning.
I think I told some people here I had been experiencing some very
strange and worrying palpitations recently (on top of all the other
neuro symptoms.) All day Saturday the palpitations were getting
worse - really scary rapid weak beats, along with a sensation of
feeling faint breathless and dizzy - along with a sudden 'dropping'
sensation, like you get in an elevator. I never slept - but at 3am I
began to get excrutiating pain and pressure in my chest, and a
juddering trembling/fluttering which I now know was fibrillation.
When I got to hospital and was wired up they found a very abnormal
ECG result, a systolic heart murmer, a carotid 'burse'(sp? it's an
odd noise in the carotid artery indicating a clot, or kink in the
artery) and very high blood pressure. I was put in the Coronary Care
Unit for emergency care and my family were told I had a suspected
heart attack. I was given beta blockers, heparin and asprin and told
I would have a coronary angiogram and posible angioplasty on Sunday.
I was told about furred arteries, angina etc. I told the
cardiologist I would be very surprised if he found furred arteries,
(I'm 38) and gave him my theory on quinolone. I told him of my
neurological symptoms and asked him it it was possible - just
possible - that the nerve damage had caused an interruption to the
electrolyte function of the sinus node. He looked at me like I was
nuts, asked if I was a nurse to which I replied 'not yet ( I am in
training) but I have had three months to research the adverse effects
of certain antibiotics'. Although he admitted that at 38 I was an
unlikely presentation for heart disease, my ECG indicated heart
failure and he was _not_ sympathetic to the quinolone idea, and kept
on about the causes and cures of blocked arteries.
Well guess what. After having a catherter shoved up my femoral
artery on Suday morning, that same cardiologist had to admit that I
had absolutely no sign of heart disease, blocked arteries or heart
damage. Thank God. He could not explain the SIX abnormal ECG
results, or the chest pain/tachicardia/fibrillation. He could not
explain exactly why my heart appeared to have been starved of oxygen
for a period of time. He told me it was probably either a 'spasm'
(in other words, my internal pacemaker/sympathetic nervous
system 'forgot' to send the electric signal to my heart to tell it to
pump) OR a blod clot which had been resolved by the heparin.
This morning I had my stress/treadmill ECG which was normal for the
first time as the beta blockers do their work.

I have to go back in tonight to get more drugs, and be wired up to a
48 hour holster monitor. I still have pain in my chest. My family
are shell shocked.

The worst, scariest thing about this is....no one will LISTEN to me.
Even if they humoured me and said they would look into it I would
feel better. Also, I don't know how scary THIS is (because obviously
there are other antibiotics out there doing the SAME THING)....I have
found out I was not give a quinolone. I was given another
antibiotic, Cepharoxin in antravenous form. I am tryig not to be
paranoid, and thinking someone got hte bottles mixed up and I must
have had a quinolone.... I have all the quinolone adverse reactions -
EVERYTHING from the weird anxiety attacks to parasthesias to
tendonitis. And now this.

The only good thing is that I have had an angiogram - and have been
assured that if I get another espisode it would not be fatal. ( I
asked for that in writing and was only half joking!) I absolutely
refuse to lie on my bed listening to every beat and pulse. I have
been taking it easy all day - spending most of my time looking up
more on quinolones and cephasorins (sp?)

I intend going to my GP in the morning and refusing to leave until I
am taken seriously.

Hope all is well with you all -
thanks for listening and for the support I received via email before
this happened -
Lesley


Doc 53
2331From: No1DOSMOM@a...
Date: Tue Sep 5, 2000 4:04pm
Subject: Re: Question about weakness and fatigue....

One of Cheri's chief complaints is terrible fatigue. This is so strange for
her. She was involved in so many activities inside and outside school. At 1
o'clock in the morning her Dad and I would have to remind her she had to get
up for school (7 a.m.). She'd be up, bright and bouncy, and ready to face
the world.

Now she has to drag herself out of bed. By the time she comes home from
school, she is gray and many times has to take a nap before she can start
homework. Now that she has therapy five times a week, she barely is able to
finish her homework. She is still a straight A honor student, but it is only
because of a supreme effort on her part.

Everyone said that Cheri didn't walk--she just bounced joyfully everywhere.
No one would believe that if they saw her now.

She's had every blood test in the book. Dr. F. did some more when he saw her
in July, but everything is normal. No one will ever convince me that it's
not the Levaquin. When she was first evaluated by the therapists for
endurance and strength on a scale of one to ten, they listed her at a one. I
should have known that this would be about right, but when they told me and I
saw it on the report, it still shocked me.

Pat

Doc 52

2329From: luffagus@a...
Date: Tue Sep 5, 2000 1:40pm
Subject: Re: A Cure Worse than the Disease

7 weeks is not bad. Try 7 years. And I cannot see any hope left. I had also
taken Leviquin 2x since taken the Floxin.


Doc 50
2310From: No1DOSMOM@a...

Doc 65
2441From: jason_cohen@3...
Date: Mon Sep 25, 2000 6:16am
Subject: Levaquin Adverse reactions - anxiety attacks

I am a 29 year old male who has very little history of health problems and I am
very athletic. Back in december of 99 I was diagnosed with a sinus infection
and was put on Levaquin for 10 days. After being on the medication for a couple
of days I started to feel better, but I also experienced what can only be called
a panic or anxiety attack. While driving in the back seat of a car I suddenly
felt as though my throat was closing up and my heart started to beat rapidly.
This lasted for about 5 minutes and was very disconcerting. I had never
experienced anything like this before in my life. Over the course of the 10 day
treatment this happened at least 2 or 3 more times. Being concerned I did some
research on the web and came across these postings. Needless to say I was very
concerened about how long these problems would last. The infection did clear up
and I started to feel better.
It is now almost 10 months later and I am still having strange problems that can
not be explained. I have had two or three "anxiety" type attacks in the last
four months that occured for no explained reason. The other night for no reason
I started to feel pressure in my ears and then my heart rate accelerated to over
120 beats per minute and when the paramedics arrived my blood pressure was
165/110. I was transported to the hospital and after 3 hours was feeling a
little better but my heart was still pounding at 100 beats per minute. The
doctor on call could not figure out what the problem was and said that it was
probably a panic attack and gave me an ativan to relax me. This seemed to work,
but I am very scared now as I thought that I was going to die. If this can
happen for no reason at all then I don't know what I am going to do. I am going
to see my doctor today and I will definately share with him what I have read on
this forum. Does anyone have any experiences similar to this where the side
affects are continuing so long after finishing the medicine? Thanks, Jason.


Doc 64
2426From: adnil@o...
Date: Sat Sep 23, 2000 2:06pm
Subject: new member

I have been reading the messages posted by this group for some time
now, they have been wonderfully informative and supportive.

I was given a 14 day course of Cipro in Dec. of 1998 of 1000 mg a
day for a sinus problem. They gave me the same dosage for 14 days
again in Feb. of 1999. Two weeks after I stopped taking the drug
I had a reaction that I now in retrospect believe was caused by the
cipro. I became detacted, confused, had difficulty seeing and had
tremor that increased in time. My muscles seemed to be constantly
contracted.

Over time my muscles became wasted and weak and I had tendonitis
in my neck and shoulders. The only diagnosis was "panic attack" and
peripheral neuritis. I was gradually inproving until I was given
Cipro again in June of 2000. I only took two pills since I
recognized
that awful feeling that I had in Feb of 1999. Suddenly it all made
sense. I have since developed tendonitis in my elbows, wrists and
achilles tendons. A lot of nerve pain, too. Two nights ago my
heart began to do 120 beats a minute with chest pain and pressure.
I was home alone and called 911. In ER my heart rate dropped to 20,
twice. My EKG, cardiac enzymes, all tests in fact were normal. I
stayed on the cardiac monitor overnight and was sent home. No
diagnosis, except non-cardiac chest pain. (I know they thought I was
a
psychiatric case. The cardiologist asked if I fainted at the sight
of
blood. Very odd since I have been a Medical Technologist for 30
years, working with blood everyday.)

The tremors have never completely gone away, the wasting/weakness
of my muscles and sore tendons continues. Also have had a return of
sudden panic since that June dose. It had gone away before that.

If it weren't for the vague memory of quinolones causing achilles
tendonitis I would never have found this group. You have been my
only thread to hang on to that I'm not nuts. Neurologist can't find
a cause, all lab work is normal, yet I have the symptoms.

I want to have my Dr. call Dr. Flockhart, in the hope that she may
get a better understanding of what is wrong. ( Oddly enough, my Dr's
mother-in-law has both achilles tendons in casts from taking Cipro,)
to she is aware that they have that specific ADR. This is not the
Dr. who originally gave Cipro to me, she says she never gives it.

Does anyone have any suggestion as to what I can do? I am reaching
the end of my rope. Thanks for being here and giving so much support
to each other.

Adnil


Doc 63
2417From: marymac@i...
Date: Fri Sep 22, 2000 11:01am
Subject: Mom

Hello Everyone...Here's our story. My mom was ill over the winter
and was on Levaquin for approximately 8 weeks from the beginning of
Feb. through March. In April she started having joint pain in her
shoulders and neck. The pain has spread to other joints including
her knees, wrists & fingers. She has an all over feeling of achiness
and pain. We would have never made this connection had it not been
for a lady who told us her husband had severe hip pain after taking
one Levaqin pill. Before knowing this, my mom has been to the
doctors several times and been prescribed Celebrex and Vioxx with no
results. I called Ortho McNeil and was told that this is an adverse
reaction to Levaquin and when I asked what she could do about it,
they said they knew of nothing to help and check with her doctors.
She has had pain for approximately 6 months now and I read that there
may be a link between how long you are on the drug and how long your
symptoms last. After yesterday's doctor visit, he's sending us to a
rheumatoid toxicologist at the University of Michigan and prescribed
Vicodin for the pain. The Vicodin is helping somewhat but we
know it's no long-term answer. She's holding onto hope that this
will someday go away. I hope I can give her some positive feedback.
Any suggestions? Please let us know. Also, please tell us if the
Vicodin was a smart idea. She is 73 and is otherwise in good
health. The U of M appointment isn't until December 15th. I will
let you know what happens. We're relieved that we found this website
and have finally found some answers. THANK YOU for your support.
Sincerely, Mary Ann McCray



Doc 60
2393From: darrellblackandblue <darrellblackandblue@y...>
Date: Tue Sep 19, 2000 0:56pm
Subject: Re: Levaquin Adverse Reaction, Joint and Tendon PAIN

I am now inspired to write from the sadness of this story.
4 weeks ago I got floxed.
Took 7 levaquin for a non-specific urethritis. By day
five, my knee welled up to the sizeof a football--hot and
tender. Then my feet my back my hands and a reddish rash

Had the exact same symptoms as Mike, here. All over body
arthritis overnight at age 40. A nightmare.
I was seeing a substitute doctor, my doc was on vacation.
He says "You are having an adverse reaction to the
levaquin, I'm putting you on tetracycline." Great. I
hobble off to work and think I'll be OK. THEN I JOINED
THIS LIST. OHMYGOD! You mean this can go on for years?

Then a woman (Linda??) posted a very positive alternative
approach, right after I joined this list. It really helped
me believe that I could get better.

WHAT I DID:

Took one naproxen with one tylenol with codeine. Dramatic
relief. Hobbled to my masseur for a full body deep
massage--1 1/2 hours. Went home--straight to bed. No
internet. Woke up. DRAMATIC improvement. This was after
ten days of confusion, fear and stiffness and pain. My
holistic hygienist says that I was able to improve so
quickly because I had a major intestinal detox last year.
She recommended another detox regime:( pills, vitamins,
herbs) stretching exercises, MSM, Glucosamine, periodic
accupuncture, massage and chiropractic
visits. All of this seems like a lot but all I have now 4
weeks later) is a slight crick in my neck and some random
tingling in my hands in the mornings, and I have only just
started. My main thing is that I REFUSE to be jacked up by
this. My life is not about being laid up with a chronic
illness. I have been HIV positive and healthy for 12 years
without meds and I am not about to be poisoned by the
latest jumped-up snake oil. I am going to join the letter
writing campaign and I am interested in any lawsuits around
this--at least to have more detailed information in the
adverse reaction section of the instructions. Hang on
people, your stories have given me such strength and hope.


My boyfriend called today, he has some slight fever and
some kind of renal infection (they think). They prescribe:
something for kidneys stones, and for any possible
infection:levaquin. My work has just begun.

PS. My blood pressure which has always been elevated, is
now sky-high.
My own doctor thinks Ive gone mad. Whatever.




Doc 59
2392From: Michael s-M. <as4603domsno@i...>
Date: Tue Sep 19, 2000 10:53am
Subject: Levaquin Adverse Reaction, Joint and Tendon PAIN

Hello,

I was suffering from allergy related bronchitis. Allergist
prescribed Levaquin after family practitioner prescribed antibiotic
(Keflex) did not work. A second 10 day prescription was given to me
(500 mg. per day) after a relapse. The Bronchitis was under control
but I am in extreme pain when I walk. I noticed some mild aches and
pains during the first course of Levaquin but assumed they were
related to being sick.

During the second course of Levaquin I began to have SEVERE knee pain
to the point where I cannot getup from sitting without lots of
support
and pushing up with my hands. Now ankles and heels are hurting with
twinges in wrists, shoulders and ribs. I asked the nurse at the
allergist about this yesterday. She looked in the PDR and joint pain
and inflammation was not listed nor was it on the patient information
sheet that came with the prescription.
Additionally, I have developed a headache,intermittent rapid
heartbeat, and my left calf has gotten warm and
tender and there appears to be a rash on the skin there.

My allergist prescribed a Medrol Dopak/4 decreasing over six days.
Yesterday he changed that to Prednisone 10 mg x 6 per day x 2day
decreasing to 1 per day x two days over eight days.

I felt like I was crazy, how could I have developed severe arthritis
inmy knees almost overnight at age 44. I feel much better reading
that
Iam not the only one. Have these side effects gotten better for
anyone?How long? Has anything been done to help with pain etc.? I am
not sure about the Prednisone but things have not gotten worse since
I
took them. The best I felt was with a few leftover Naprocyn and
Lortab that I had gotten with a broken foot in the winter but know
that they are not a long term solution. I am OK if walking or lying
down. Sitting,climbing stairs or standing are killers. Which I do
alot of at work.

Thank you,
Michael