This personal story was originally posted to the Quinolone Adverse Reaction Forum. If you are a victim of a quinolone antibiotic and need support or advice then please visit the Quinolone Adverse Reaction Forum (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/quinolones/).
 

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This personal story was originally posted to the Quinolone Adverse Reaction Forum. If you are a victim of a quinolone antibiotic and need support or advice then please visit the Quinolone Adverse Reaction Forum (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/quinolones/).

Levaquin
Posted on 22 October 2002
Dear group, I was prescribed Levaquin for protatitis for 2 months, starting in the 3rd week of August..It has caused tendon and joint pain..I can't walk like before or do any exercises..and driving my car for more than 30 minutes causes pain ..my legs and my pelvic area ache and become numb..my shoulders ache and the range of the arm movement is very limited now. When waking up in the morning, it is hard to stand up because of the pain in my heels.. I also have numbness, tingling and occasionally skin crawling sensations.

My physician did not tell me that it would cause problems like this..and the drug insert was vague about it..in fact they mention it is vary rare to have side effects like this..when I told my doctor that I had leg pain, he didn't take it seriously..unfortunately, my prostatitis was initially painful in my lower back and pelvic area,, so I assumed the pain in my legs and heels was also from prostatitis, and I continued to take the Levaquin for 54 days..then I noticed joint aches and then searched the internet and realized it was the side effects of Levaquin..

I stopped the medicine and went back to my physician, and he simply prescribed Medrol, saying I have tendinitis, but the tendons are not yet ruptured..

But I am not taking Medrol after reading from many sites that it can actually worsen the condition and cause rupture of my tendon..I can't even take Advil because it causes my eyes to swell-- looks like this is an allergy, but I didn't have such an allergy until I took the Levaquin..

I am stuck with pain all over the body(heel, joints, muscles)..also the body becomes numb often..especially the arms, neck and legs.

I am taking a Vitamin supplement (Magnesium, Calcium and Zinc.) in the hope it will help.

Can you suggest anything I can do to remove the toxic effects..what is the prognosis in the group's opinion? Are there any doctors here?

Has anyone treated the toxicity successfully? Do you think this will last forever?

Should I go to a neurologist and a physiotherapist? I want to switch my family physician..can anyone suggest a physician or neurologist in Maryland who is well aware of the side effects of Levaquin and ways to counteract its toxic effects?

By the way, as a software engineering consultant, I spend long hours sitting in one place at work..

Now my prostatitis has improved, but it may be because I take Saw Palmetto and Zinc supplements and not because of Levaquin..

P.S. Is there any way to take legal action against my primary care physician and others for the debilitating side effects and gross negligence in not closely monitoring such a toxic medicine? The doctor's cavalier attitude in the face of such debilitating side effects enrages me. Thanks very much for any help

Originally posted on the Quinolone Adverse Reaction Forum at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/quinolones/message/10227