Subject: Symptoms list - June 25

LEVAQUIN

AGE 31, sinusitis

I was diagnosed with sinusitis May 2000, prescribed Levaquin 500 mg for 7 days. Symptoms started a week later. Peripheral neuropathy: tingling, burning, numbness due to small fiber nerve damage which affected most of my left side of the body (cheek, neck, both arms, left leg). Hypersensitivity to hot and cold. Anxiety, depression. 4 months into ADR tendon problems occurred with both arms (primarily wrist and elbow joints). Muscle weakness followed. 1 year later I'm still recovering with mild flare ups of the above symptoms.

AGE 52, prostatitis

Joint pain & tendon problems: arches in both feet, Achilles tendons, knees, elbows, unable to lift arms above horizontal without extreme shoulder pain. Pain in lower back, rib cage & neck. Sprained my little finger 12 weeks ago it won't heal. Took exactly 504 CIPRO in twelve months for prostate troubles in 1996 (my condition would reoccur or never clear up completely -so I would be on them for a while then off then back on ,till I finally decided to just live with the problem and just quit going to the dr. for the prostate thing) !

Now disabled, unable to work. Doctor says it's osteoarthritis, fibromyalgia & and unknown polyneuropathy--what's your opinion?

PNEUMONIA, Feb. 2001

Tendonitis which finally resulted in rupture of the Achilles tendon. I am currently recovering from surgery to re-attach; the tendon had a lot of necrosis (which had to be scraped away) and my doctor has no idea what kind of recovery I can expect from my thinned-out tendon. I think this finding of necrosis is very important, because the people suffering from tendonitis may well have a lot of dead tissue in there and if it's not removed, can they ever get past the pain?

I suffered excruciating pain before the rupture: after surgery, although I'm in an uncomfortable brace and can't put weight on that foot, I am at least free from pain for the first time in months

PROSTATITIS

dry mouth, dry eyes, severe joint pain: hip & leg, especially L leg' inability to walk due to pain 3 days into Levaquin therapy

testing for: Sjogren's Syndrome

TIGRESS

I took five 250 mg Levaquin pills - took the last one 5/29.

Severe muscle cramps and spasms in my right leg. Sharp pain in Achilles tendons that comes & goes Persistent pain in elbow and feet, mostly heels. My heart rate is now irregular and my blood pressure is high. (This was not the case prior to taking the drug). Persistent & severe overall weakness. Peripheral neuropathy: left eye has been twitching. My eyelids no longer look the same. One loose, the other tight. Visual problems. Lightheadedness and sometimes nauseous.

I'm still experiencing many problems.

Now working part time.

I am waiting for a lot of test results.

TOOK 250 mg Levaquin pills for five days, two weeks ago.

Severe leg weakness, Severe muscle cramps in stomach and legs, Severe pain in elbow and shoulder, Severe nausea, Severe headache, after which one eyelid is droopy and the other remains tight. Peripheral neuropathy: Tingling in hand, numbness and tingling in my hands and more.

I've been unable to work

My doctor told me to go to an acupuncturist for the shoulder and elbow pain. She seems aware of an ADR with this drug but other than that is unwilling to help me further. She said "this drug has helped a lot of people". I have asked her to refer me to someone who can help me and I'm waiting for a referral.

AGE 39 prostatitis

muscle spasms, Severe joint pain: elbows & arches of both feet, sleeplessness, Anxiety (Depersonalization, Derealization), stomach problems.

AGE 40, sinus infection, 500mg Levaquin for 21 days, June 2000

Initial Symptoms: Pain in upper arms, shoulders and balls of feet 2-3 days, after first dose, pain behind right knee a few days later. Subsequent Symptoms: Approximately 1 week following the last dose, side-effects had in fact gotten worse, not gone away. ALOT of pain, often unable to even lift arms by the end of the day. I was also having numbness, twitching, tingling, burning and the crawling feeling. Referred to a neurologist, given an EMG, & diagnosed with Demyelinating Neuropathy. Tested negative for mineral deficiency and diabetes, referred to physical therapy.

30-45 days Following Last Dose: Heart palpitations, chest pain had shortness of breath. Referred to cardiologist, all tests normal. Heart palpitations stopped about 2 months later. When I was in to see my doctor about the heart thing, I brought up it also being a side-effect of Levaquin. She continued to deny my symptoms were Levaquin related. That very day, my doctor had another patient come in with the exact side effects I was having - also having taken Levaquin. At this time, my doctor started looking into the possibility of both of us having ADRs to Levaquin. My doctor did file an ADR on me with the FDA.

Continuing Symptoms: peripheral neuropathy: pain, numbness, twitching, tingling, burning and crawling mostly in my upper left arm, occasionally in right arm as well. I am not under any treatment and I have just resigned myself to this pain for as long as it is here. I have had virtually no change in symptoms (no better or worse) since March of this year. I had a really bad three weeks in January and early February... no idea why.

I took Levaquin 500 mg/day for 20 days in late August & September, 2000

Joint pain: hands and knees, Insomnia/due to pain' panic attacks during the middle of the night, Peripheral neuropathy: nerve pain and that electrical tingling feeling

AGE 49, infected cyst on leg:

500 mg/day for 9 days

Initial Symptoms: depression; insomnia; cardiac distress; abdominal pain; joint and muscle pain; cramps and muscle spasms; severe paresthesia; altered smell and taste; weight loss.

Continuing Symptoms: disturbed sleep; difficulty concentrating; frequent cardiac arrhythmia and elevated blood pressure; persistent burning sensation of skin; pain in most major joints, including left shoulder injury; persistent rib cage soreness. Severity of some of these symptoms appears to have become cyclical.

PELVIC ABSCESS due to abdominal surgery: diagnosis for taking quinolone

Levaquin- 500mg for 16 days

torn Achilles tendons, pain in joints and tendons, brain fog, mental confusion, Sensory nerve damage, peripheral neuropathy: mushy feeling in the area of my Achilles tendons. I also experienced the tingling and crawling feelings.

CHRONIC SINUSITIS: diagnosis for taking quinolone

heart palpitations, Pain and weakness in my chest, ribs and generalized pain, severe pain that seemed like it was in my nerves. Joint pain: shoulders, arms and knees, Inability to lift my arms after about a week on LEVAQUIN, Insomnia, fatigue, depression, fear that my heart would stop if I fell asleep. I've not taken any quinolones for 7 months (since November). Getting better, but still not the same as before. I'd taken LEVAQUIN off and on 2 or 3 years. I'd even taken Raxar (now off the market) after a bout with pneumonia. I finally put it all together one night while I laid in fear of closing my eyes. My chest felt so heavy, it felt like by own body would crush my heart. I was also so swollen, I thought my arteries were getting closed off. My doctor had also started treating me for depression. The chronic illness really gets to you after about 4 years. I got up and looked online for any sort of side affects for both Wellbutrin, and LEVAQUIN. Lo and behold, nothing similar to this for Wellbutrin, but TONS of info on the LEVAQUIN. I quit taking it immediately. I did have bronchitis once, and took Biaxin with no ill affects. I kept feeling like I was having a relapse though, then found they were feeding quinolones to poultry. I've now quit eating poultry about a month ago. I seem to have less joint pain and swelling. I eat very little beef for fear of what antibiotics they may be being feed. I also eat seafood. I guess I'm almost turning into a vegetarian out of necessity.

 48, 2(two) Levaquin, November 2000

Skin rash: broke out 30 minutes after the second dose, persistent, recurring.

Mouth: Sore throat, Candida, ulcers - a lot of mouth ulcers all at once; a new one started 2 days ago on my gum and bottom lip right center of my mouth.

I also had dry mouth the first few weeks - there were about 2 weeks that there was no saliva.

Peripheral neuropathy: complete numbness in fingers and thumbs, for a couple of days now my scalp has been itching and has the crawly feeling.

Short term memory loss

I am on Effexor XR for depression. I also have problems that have nothing to do with Levaquin that has contributed to the depression. The ADR just made it worse.

Fatigue

Joint & Muscle pain: knees, ankles, shoulders, neck, and hands are the worst. They seem to be continually getting worse. I am so stiff of the mornings I can hardly get out of bed.

Visual difficulties: had to go into bifocals about 3 weeks after the Levaquin.

Increased blood pressure: Yesterday, I almost had a stroke just looking at my numbers :-o 175/107 YIKES!! They took it several more times before they let me leave. I know it can go up from the anxiety of being at the doctor's office, but that was scary.

Tests: for arthritis and lupus.

Here I am 2 carpal tunnel surgeries later, still constantly fatigued, and joint and muscle pain that gets worse daily. Until last November, I was quite healthy for a 48 year old that has worked hard all her life.

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