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/).

Avelox + Cipro + Levaquin
Posted on 23 February 2002 [See also 5 Nov 2002 for one year update]
Hi, so glad I found this site! I have been living the nightmare since November with very few answers. I am just now beginning to understand what has happened to me.

My story:

I have suffered from sinus infections for a couple of years. Finally the Dr said we will tackle them for good! He started me on a course of Leviquin. One course, and I still had congestion in my sinus cavity, so he prolonged the course to 21 days. I was feeling better, but one month later the sinus condition was still there. The good old Doc said no problem and put me on a course of Avelox...10 days. I went back and complained of terrible facial pain under my eye...he said it must still be the sinus cavity and prolonged the Avelox to 21 days. I felt someone was pulling my eye from the backside with a pair of plyers. I kept asking if it was a reaction from the Avelox, and was told that that wasn't a side affect of the drug! At the end of the Avelox (the day of the last dose) I came down with what I thought was the flu. 103* temp, shooting pains in my back. That lasted for five days. After that bout I never seemed to cool down and was always in a cold sweat. Two weeks after that I developed severe pain on my right side...mid back and three other spots going down my right side. I thought I was having a gall bladder attack, but I knew it wasn't because I don't have a gall bladder! I had a fever of 100.4* constantly. I made an appointment with the Dr. and asked if it was from all the antibiotic's that I had taken. Of course the answer was a flat "NO". At this point I was scared and was what I seemed thinking strange thoughts that I was dying. The Dr. claimed that I had blood in my urine and said it was a kidney infection. I asked about the pain in my high right back and eye and he dismissed it. He gave me Cipro for seven days. On the last day of the Cipro I was worse. I had started with unspeakable night sweats and terrors, I couldn't sleep for more than 20 mins at a time and would startle and jump in my sleep. I would wake up an cry and drive my poor husband nuts. I called the Dr.....he gave me Cipro for another 10 days and ordered CT scans of my whole body including my head....All clear...nothing....Then he ordered ultra sound of my body...nothing. I kept going back to the Dr. and was told it was menopause. He handed me Paxil and sent me home. I called him again and said I was no better. He suggested that I go to a Kidney specialist because I still had blood in my urine and fevers. The kidney specialist said my kidneys were fine, but the nerve bands on my right side were inflamed from working too hard and lifting. He said there was no corrilation with the antibiotic's that I took.

I hated nighttime, and cryed daily. My husband was wonderful. He forced me to go back to the Dr. I begged the Dr to listen to me. He finally did. I was told that for some "unknown" reason I have inflamation of the central nervous system and was given Neurontin and told that it should go away in about 9 months. The Neurontin has been a God send, and has helped greatly. That was two weeks ago. The neuopathy has spred to my whole body, on both sides. My skin burns when I touch it. Where do I go from here?

My Symptoms:

Extreme burning sensation on back
Burning skin when touched
Feeling "hot" all the time
Fatique feeling in muscles and nerve bands
Pain in right hand
Shooting pains in feet at night
Terrible facial pain and eye pain. It feels like arthritis in my eyes!
Horrible full body pain if I orgasim (sorry for this one, but it's true!
Thanks for listening! Linda

Originally posted on the Quinolone Adverse Reaction Forum at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/quinolones/message/6899