Archive for February, 2008

Levaquin side effects-tendons

Tuesday, February 12th, 2008


I’m 53 years old and active. 11 weeks ago I took Levaquin for 14 days. I had slight tendon side effects during treatment. After treatment, effects got worse – pain countenance within the load bearing ligaments and the achilles heels. The pain was crippling. In this account, I’ll refer to time in weeks since stopping Levaquin.
After 1 week, I started reading forums, physicians’ accounts, and all These will scare the hell out of you – ruptured tendons, recovery periods lasting years, and so on and so fourth The following were the most useful: 1) One physician’s report states that he had 4 patients with ligament side effects. Of the 4, 1 recovered in 3 weeks and all recovered within 3 months. 2) A physical therapist provides a brilliant case history.(Google “Dr Greene physical therapy levaquin tendons”.) In this, the patient sees his first therapist for 4 weeks with poor results. He begins with Dr. Greene. For 7 weeks the goal is, protect the heels. Over the next 4 weeks they begin “loading” his tendons and he improves greatly. At 5? months, he’s fully recovered. 3) each and every persons’ recovery period is unique. Some recover in days, others weeks, months or years. But, all seem to recover. 4) Recovery is not linear. You experience improvement one day only to have it reversed the next. you can most defiantly plateau for weeks with no progress.(Items 3 and 4, are very frustrating causing fantastic anxiety.) 5) A small tip: before injury, I owned quality hiking sandals with spongy soles and adjustable straps. During my recovery, these have been lifesavers since I wear the sandals with the back straps loose applying no pressure on the excellent heels. 6) Everybody will offer advice, but they have no idea what you’re going through or how to cure you. There is no magic pill. Time is the unsurpassed medicine. FYI: I take: Aleve, collagen, magnesium, calcium, chondroitin and a multivitamin.
My case report:
Weeks 1 and 2 - I was flat on my back always uncomfortable or in pain. If I owned crutches, I could’ve new them.
Weeks 3 to 4 - I would move around the house with sore leg tendons and stiff painful heels. Most nights I had gone to bed in pain, waking up feeling stiff and sore but better. Soon feeling worse. Not being able to leave the house even to go to the mail box without raising pain and feeling tired. Anxiety setting in.
Weeks 4 to 6 – Some improvement, now moving around the house with only stiffness and soreness. had gone to supermarket but had to set down at register and for several days had pain increased. Frustrated and worried to tears.
Weeks 7 and 8 – No change. Recovery clearly going to take three or more months. I filed an FDA Med Watch Report.
Weeks 9 and 10 – A little progress, stretching both leg and heel tendons but they remain tight. Tire easily. Despair is setting in. Considering life as a cripple.
Week 11 – Out of nowhere, burst of improvement. first day of the week, Sunday, started out classically. Later felt better and rode bike a short distance (easy on the magnificent heels). When I returned, my legs were tired but a couple hours later felt better. So, I took my son to the tennis court and hit balls to him. The legs got tight and achy, but no carryover pain to next day. Monday, rode the bike a little further. Later, had gone to tennis courts to hit a few balls with friends. Couldn’t cover a vast number of ground and after 15 minutes was done. But again, no carryover pain. Tuesday, rode bike again going further. Later, played doubles (standing in one place) with boys resting on the high-school team. Managed to play an hour still stiff and sore the whole time. On Wednesday, had gone shopping to several stores. Still sore and tight, but recovered in an hour. Later, hit balls for a couple of hours with restricted movement but for the first ? hour, little soreness or pain. Later, the heels tight. But, after sitting down 15 minutes, continued for another hour with soreness. Again, no carryover pain to today.
I’m now hoping for full recovery between 3 and 5 month period noted in 1 and 2 above.
Hope this is handy.

Levaquin worked for us!!

Tuesday, February 12th, 2008


No problems for me or my husband.
I just finished a 10 day dose of Levaquin 250mg 1 per day. I experienced NO side effects at all. I was very concerned because I had read all the problems on this board and other boards and highlight within the past I have had severe reactions to sulfa and Macrodantin also codiene and vicodin. I obtain hives and horrible swelling and severe respitory distress. I had no reaction at all with Levaquin.
I was prescribed Levaquin for a uti/bladder infection that did not go away after a 10 day dose of Cipro 1000mg per day. It turns out the reason it did not go away with the Cipro was because I actually have a kidney stone and until I pass that the uti will not completely go away (the Cipro did knock the infection down considerably! hence the low dose of Levaquin).
I was first alerted to the possible side effects of Levaquin back in November 2007 when my husband was prescribed a 750mg 10 day dosage for pneumonia. He had been taking it for 2 or 3 days with no problems when his Mom checked the internet and found these sites with some pretty scary stories on them. She insisted he stop taking the Levaquin and read these boards. He did read them but since he hadn’t had any problems with the Levaquin to that point (or any problems with any other medications highlight within the past) he decided to maintain taking it. He did finish the complete dosage of Levaquin and did not suffer any side effects at all and his pneumonia was completely cleared up.
We both have had wonderful success with Levaquin.


Caffeine, Cipro, Levaqui

Friday, February 8th, 2008


I am a practicing internist in used York City and Long Island, used York. I am 34 yrs old, and have had chronic prostatitis for 2 years. Only recently did I start eliminating ALL CAFFEINE from my diet, including all coffee
products, sodas (diet and regular), as well as tea.The results have been quite remarkable- my symptoms have been greatly
reduced, and my sense of debilitation from this troubling disease diminished considerably. After multiple courses of antibiotics, I was ready to try acupuncture and any other sort of alternative medicine. I can proclaim as a patient that taking Cipro or Levaquin for a 6 week period is extremely difficult, and I was oftentimes experiencing bad side effects after 2 weeks which could make me discontinue treatment. As a physician and a chronic prostatitis sufferer, I encourage all to discontinue caffeine products for a short time to observe clinical effect. I am no longer aware of my symptoms for a large portion of the day. According
to my reading, other men are affected by alcohol, red wine, and spices– this however has not been the case for me. The main aggravating agent is most certainly caffeine. I am hoping that I will keep on to stay in remission while avoiding caffeine. I hope other men can find out this information useful.