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 13 March 1999
I am reposting this from original post because was hard to read. My name is Patty, I'm 44 and took Levaquin for 10 days for sinus infection from Jan7th to Jan 16th. On day 4 I had bad pain in my foot, so I made appt with foot dr. I am a RN and night before my appt. looked up Levaquin, just to see if it might cause problems. I seen it caused tendon problems and I wondered if it might be related. I wish I would have read adverse reactions more because I would have probably stopped taking it. However I thought I would ask Dr and let him make the decision. The foot dr. diagnosed me with tendonitis and even suggested cast for 2 weeks. I opted for a splint. I told him I was on Lecvaquin and what I had read, He told me to remove my shoe so he could look at it again, he then said it was not the achilles tendon so to keep taking drug because, my sinuses probably needed it. He then also gave me Daypro which is NSAIDS, which is not to be given with Levaquin. I listened to the Dr, because he was the doctor why should I doubt him,.I di not have 10 years of med school. I ashould have listened to my body with foot pain and joints aching., Because I now too am living the quinolone nightmare!!!! Several days later I began to have chest pain, and I called the Cardiologist. I did not think to mention the Levaquin because I had a cardiac ablation done on Dec 18th. and I thought maybe I was having a problem from that{this is where they do a cardiac cath and place catheters in your veins to your heart and burn with the catheter, the pathway causing abnormal heartbeat.} This was a shortstay procedure I was in and out of hospital in 5 hours and it was sucessful I was back to exercise routine and normal activites in 5 days. I had absolutely no problems until the Levaquin.5 weeks after my surgery. First the foot snd joint pain then the chest pain.I finished Levaquin and the chest pains went away, but he foot and joint pains did not. When I seen the cardiologist he was perplexed because now my heart rhythm was screwed up.The Levaquin was screwing up my repaired heart.The heart still is in srewed up beat but I can live with that, what I can not live with is my other problems. The BIG problems are my muscles and nerves, my legs started to twitch and pop, my knee joints became sore,and I have severe muscle spams, my knees feel like they are locked.I have extreme weakness and burning pains[parethesias]all in my legs, toes go numb.I had to cancel a cruise I was taking, me and my hubby had planned it 2 years ago, I was wondering if I was going to be walking. I seen 2 neurologists, a rhematoidologist at Cleveland Clinic, who said after MRI of spine and EMG to rule out MS, that this was strange, and SOME KIND OF NERVE DANAGE SHOWED ON EMG NO MS. My FAMILY Dr.right away said this was caused by levaquin, I told the other doctors this and they said it was far fetched and looked at me like I was crazy. They said to wait a month and see if I get better,and if it was the Levaquin it was too late, the damage was done and I would have to wait and see if I got better. I AM SO GRATEFUL for this group, I was advised by a pharmacist friend to got on the net to see if other people had this problem, I even got a computer whren I seen all your responses, so I could write because I sure could use some support. It has been 3 weeks of sheer HELL!! I am an active person, or was, I excercised 4x a week at Bally's until now. I too can hardly sleep at night because of twitching, burning, spasms, they put me on Senaquin, it helps the nerve pain by slowing conduction down, the neuro said she could put me on neurotin, but that might further screw up my heart. I have a treadmill that I have pushed myself to do,on the advise of the docs, and I seem to have less spasms, and the weakness has greatly improved. I cry a lot because of the pain, I want my life back!! I was suppose to be on a cruise ship in the carribean, but thanks to Levaquin, I'm typing this and going to doctors and medical libraries trying to figure out what happened and how I can fix it. I would like to share some nutritional things I found that help and asked the Dr. about:: GLA{in evenung primrose oil} is good to heal nerves, and amino acids such as Omega 3 and 6, can be found at health food store, Coenzyme 10 is good for the muscles amd cells and is antioxidant, grape seed extract is powerful antioxidant, and Vitamin C 3000mg a day, along with a good multiple vitamin and multi B, also a protein drink such as whey protein or soy protein, has all the essential ammino acids for nerves and muscles. I was never into all these health things but I feel better after these, I've got as long way to go and I pray a lot. I will pray for all of you too.

Originally posted on the Quinolone Adverse Reaction Forum at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/quinolones/message/111