Levaquin and gallbladder

I had acid reflux for about 4 weeks with no relief. My doctor checked my liver, pancreas, and gallbladder and all were fine. She thought perhaps I had an infection so she gave me a 7 day course of Levaquin. I questioned her nurse and the pharmacist if the medication was safe to take or if it had side effects that I should worry about. Both said it was safe and that there were no known "bad" side effects. Both failed to warn me of the dangers of this medication. On the fifth day I noticed a "hives" like rash on both my arms. At the time, I didn't connect them to the Levaquin. After the 7th day (yesterday) I began to wonder if it could be a reaction to the drug. Last night the rash got worse, and this morning I had a very difficult time getting out of bed. I took a Benadryl last night thinking that perhaps I was having an allergic reaction to something I had eaten. This morning when the rash was worse I came on line and did a "Goggle" search on Levaquin and rashes... OMG, how could the doctor and pharmacist not told me about the problems associated with this drug??? They both were totally negligent about warning me about possible side effects. The worse part is that I was trying to be a knowledgeable patient, I asked the right questions and got the wrong answers!

What do I do now and will this rash go away and the pain in my legs go away without permanent damage???

This is a total lack of responsibility from the medical community and the drug company!

I have taken Cipro, another quinolones drug, before without any major side affects. I also was given single treatments of Levaquin by my uro after treatments for IC with no major problems. I was put on Avelox another quinolones drug a couple of weeks ago for a sinus infection and my neck and shoulders became very stiff and sore. I continued the meds. I had been on them a few days when I got a large cyst on my face ( I don't believe this was related to that drug but maybe another one I am on for IC.) The doctor put me on K-FLex and gave me shots of another antibiotic. I still had the shoulder pain but still didn't put it together. I went back for a recheck a couple of days later and the doctor added Levaquin to the mix. The first night I took it I woke up a couple of hours later with my whole right side in pain....worse than when my gallbladder died and had to be removed. I had to sit up to sleep and got little rest. I am on Vicodin for my IC and that helped some. I told my doctor when I went in that day for the recheck and he said it was muscle pain. I took it again that night with the same reaction only worse. I took myself off of the Levaquin as my cyst is getting much better and the K-Flex is working. I still took the Avelox then next night with the same pain result. I have taken myself off of that too. Today my pain is down by about half to the point that the Vicodin is keeping it down to a dull roar. I have a follow up appointment tomorrow before returning to work. I will tell my doctor to never give this to me again and will be getting a medic alert to protect myself for receiving it in the future. I was ready to go to ER thinking my Liver or Appendix was in trouble. I will still have my doctor do another liver function test tomorrow, I had one just before going on this medication for other things and it was normal then.

I know that you can take qunolones one or more times without any major problems because I have. But be aware because the next time you take them it may not be the case.