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 January 2002
I'm a 55 year old female who was prescribed Levaquin for an upper respiratory infection. Prior to taking the Levaquin, I was healthy and active, taking aerobics classes three times per week for the past seven+ years.

I took my first 500 mg. pill on January 4 and went to bed. Woke up approx. eight hours later feeling as though my head was going to explode. This was accompanied by loud head noises and ear ringing. I foolishly attributed it to my sinuses, took an Ibuprofen, (probably a mistake), and went back to sleep.

The next morning, I again checked the adverse warning insert the pharmacist had given me and saw no mention of ear ringing, so I took a second pill that evening. The next morning, I awoke with a solid, purplish-red rash that covered hips to groin, underarms, and under breasts. I recognized this as an allergic reaction and took no more pills.

On the third day, my Achilles tendons felt tight and fatigued. It was a Sunday and I couldn't get in touch with the doctor who had prescribed the antibiotic. I stayed off my feet and the next day dropped off a letter at the doctor's office describing my reaction and asking why he had prescribed such a powerful antibiotic for a simple upper respiratory infection. I requested that he look into how long my problems might persist and if there was anything I could do to reverse or minimize the adverse reactions. I included my telephone number.

No word from him, so I went to his office the next day to speak to him in person. He said maybe I should see an ENT doctor about the tinnitus, noted the rash, and had no comment about the tendinitis. He had no advice and said he had prescribed this drug many times before and had never heard about a problem with it.

I had included information on the Levaquin adverse reaction website with the letter I had dropped off at his office. I told him that if he wanted to know what was happening to the many, many unfortunate people who had been prescribed one of the fluoroquinolone drugs and who had experienced serious reactions, then all he had to do was go investigate the site. I won't hold my breath.

One week after the original rash, I broke out in more rash, covering the torso, front and back. Lots of itching, with a concentration of rash along the spine. On the eighth day, my Achilles tendon pain, which had pretty much abated, was back with a vengeance. It seems to move around, sometimes in the calves, sometimes in the heels, sometimes in the knees, with an occasional crawling sensation in my right heel and several episodes of numbness in the right leg. There has also been tenderness in both forearms.

I went to the quinolone website and started to search for solutions. I also contacted several people from the site who were using vitamin/mineral supplementation, as well as other natural healing approaches, took their advice, and began the regimen.

Today, it is the 22nd of January. My ear ringing and crackling is still there, but it is considerably less. It had been so loud the first ten days or so that I had to sleep with a ticking clock next to my left ear (the one more affected) in order to try to distract myself from the hissing and ringing. I can see only the faint signs of the rash around my hips, and the itching has gone. The tendon tightness and pain is still there. Sometimes it is minimal, but if I walk around too much, it gets worse, so I am taking things slowly.

I found some interesting sites on fluoride poisoning and some of its effects, such as hypomagnesemia and hypocalcemia. I also read that the body attempts to rid itself of toxins through the skin and the kidneys, so I drink lots of fluids and soak in a hot bathtub with epsom salts.

I am pretty much following the advice of Sally Dietz. I take one- quarter teaspoon of dolomite per day, with an additional one-quarter teaspoon of a magnesium supplement that you mix with water. I use the extra magnesium to guard against kidney stones from the increased calcium intake. I take a good B-complex that includes the fat soluble vitamins, two fish oil capsules, one tablespoon of olive oil combined with liquid lecithin, choline/inositol (good for the liver) acidophilus, flaxseed, and the glucosamine chondroitin supplements. I have decided not to take any supplements on the weekends, except for the glucosamine. I have also begun to drink distilled water, as we are in a rural area and get our water from a deep well. I don't know what kind of fluoride levels we might have.

I am thankful for this forum and all the people who have contributed. Colleen

Originally posted on the Quinolone Adverse Reaction Forum at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/quinolones/message/6104