Levaquin and next morning

I was prescribed Levaquin 750 mg 3 days ago for a sinus infection. The first day I was just in bed. I could not sleep because my neck hurt so bad. I figured I had slept funny on my pillow. The next morning I woke up and took my second pill. I got so very dizzy and when the lawn guy wanted a check, I discovered I could not write. My hands were so shaky and weird that I could not even write my name. I had to call someone to pick my son up from school because I was scared to drive. I could not sleep that night but did take my third pill. Today I got up and could not lift my right arm. My shoulder hurts so bad and I can't lift my arm without extreme pain. I am not going to take another dose. The Dr. did not tell me any of this could happen. I won't take this medication again. I hope I will be able to lift my arm soon and this horrible shoulder and neck pain will go away.

I was prescribed Levaquin for a bout of diverticulitis six weeks ago. About a half hour after taking it each morning, I felt completely unwell--dizziness, fatigue, overall weakness, odd sensations of pressure in my head, chest, and bladder, weird bouts of sudden joint pain. The worst side effect was terrible insomnia. I'd go to sleep OK, but wake up after 3 hours and not be able to get back to sleep, sometimes for the rest of the night. Instead of getting the rest I needed to get better, I was getting more and more exhausted. Now, a month after stopping the medication, my sleep hasn't returned to normal. I'm still awake in the middle of the night for two or more hours. Is this a residual side effect from Levaquin? Has anyone else experienced it? When can I expect my sleep to improve? Is there a way to detoxify from this drug?

I was prescribed Levaquin 500 MG for a sinus infection5 days ago. After completing my third dosage I felt a sensation on my toes as if something was biting me. Then it started on my fingers, hands and up and down my arms. My toes and fingers started to swell. The rash then came up the backs of both legs. My feet felt as if they had been burnt very badly.They look like they have been very badly burned. I phoned the doctor and was told to take Benadryl (2 pills) ever 6 hours and to come into the office first thing the next morning. I did and was told to never take Levaquin again. I was prescribed Augmentin. Two days later and I still have the red burnt look on the tops of my toes and the sides of my feet. It looks terrible!

Wow.....after reading so many of the stories here, I am immediately stopping my prescription. While visiting another state I was hospitalized with fever, extreme tremors, and after having a burning pain in my upper abdomen. Was immediately put on IV Levaquin while tests were being run. After 3 days of numerous blood tests, urine tests and 2 CT scans the doctors determined I had a blood infection and the bacteria was E-coli (but not the kind that comes from eating something???). No determination was made as to where the infection came from. During this time I experienced extreme diareah, headaches, insomnia, pain in my right shoulder, extreme heartburn, acid reflux and loss of appetite. All these symptoms were reported to the doctor and nursing staff, but no relief (except a dose of Malox and 2 Tylenol every 4 hours if I asked for it, which offered no relief). They wanted to do more tests but I finally checked myself out with the promise I would see a doctor when I returned home and get more testing. Could barely walk without assistance of my husband for the first hour but improved drastically a couple hours later. Had the first best night's sleep that night. Boarded the plane the next morning with a prescription for Levaquin 500 (11 pills) and took the first one on the plane and within 10 minutes felt a warm rush spread through the back of my throat and into my head. Felt extremely exhausted immediately. After arriving home I felt normal again and the best I had in 4 days. I took my 2nd pill the next afternoon at the same time of day and again felt the same symptoms and went from fully functioning to barely making it to the bed. After a 2 hour nap I arose and within another hour was feeling well and "normal" again. Went shopping for some necessities but found it extremely hard to make a decision on anything and came home with unnecessary items and not the things I needed. Slept well that night and woke up to feeling "normal" and energetic. Shampooed my carpet and cleaned house until time to take the pill. Again, severe fatigue, warm rush in the back of throat and chest pain within 10 minutes. I found this site while researching side effects and am scared to take any more of this stuff. Am still feeling the side effects 4 hours later and not bouncing back like last night. I will immediately stop these pills!!!!!! If the infection comes back I will deal with that in some other way. Good luck everyone and hang in there. I will tell everyone I know about this drug.

First day, after I took 750 mg Levaquin I had cookies and cup of tea for lunch (loss of apetite probably). Next morning I felt lack of energy. Within an hour after taking the second dose I felt depressed and hopeless for a short time. If the symptoms remain where they are I will continue and finish the other 3 doses because have been suffering from sinus infection for almost a month. Thanks to all the contributors for their input. I can see how dangerous this medicine can be for some patients.

I am normally a very physically fit specimen, working outside every day. One 500 mg. tab of this poisencompletely debilitated me. Within six hours of taking levaquin I experienced excruciation soreness in my arms and shoulders. My throat swelled up and I could barely breath. I was perscribed steroids to stop the swelling - I took only ONE 500 mg time release tab 7 days ago and today I am still experiencing incredible pain.I am so sore I can't sleep. If anyone wants to start a call action suit I am in - I have NEVER sued anyone - but I am furious.Any advise out there as to how I can flush this poisen out of my system?
Chris

I am a caregiver for my 75 yo stroke victim Mom; on dialysis, diabetes and hypertension. I took her to the ER fearing she was suffering from either another stroke or heart attack but they couldn't find anything instead of spots of pneumonia in her lungs. The ER doc prescribe her Levaquin 500mg, and she became "looney" for 5 days; verbally combative, talking to herself incessantly while slipping in and out of consciousness in between. Short term memory was lost - big time! On the 5th day, I read the med literature Walmart Pharm inserted in the bag. IN BOLD LETTERS, IT WARNED: BE CAREFUL IN GIVING THIS MED TO ELDERLY. They may be more susceptible to suffer from side effects of dizziness, weakness and tremors. So I stopped giving it to her that very day, the next morning she open her eyes wide but slept for 2 days. As if to regain strength from what she went through for 5 days. Then, 2 days ago, she suffered from tremors or muscle spasm in her injured leg which caused her to scream in pain. I wonder if this still the side effects of Levaquin!?!

Leizel S.
Gloucester, VA

I was started on Levaquin 750mg for a sinus infection on April 27th 2007 for a sinus infection. I took it that evening and the next morning I could hardly open my eyes due to the severe sensitivity to light. I didnt connect the two at the time. So I continued to take the pills until May 5th. I felt as what I would describe as "loopy". It has been three days since I took the last one and I have never felt so awful in my life. While I was on them it felt as if i had a 10lb weight on top my head. It just felt so heavy!! Which I still didnt connect because I thought it was just a sinus headache. Today 3 days off the med I feel somewhat better but I have numbness on the right side of my face and hearing loss in my right ear also blurred vision in my right eye. I am so scarred that I will never feel normal again. I also have some confusion and short term memory loss. I was wondering if anyone else has experienced this and if so when does it go away? Does it ever go away? I told my NP and she said that it was probably just sinus pressure, but I have always had sinus problems and never felt like this. I think that it was this medication. I wish to god that I would have looked up possible side effects before I ever took this. I would have much rather dealt with a sinus infection than this war going on inside of my head. I need some help, please if anyone has experienced this or has any suggestions I am more than willing to try anything at this point. Oh yeah, I also had terrible joint pain in my right shoulder and elbow.

Took last of seven tabs(500mg) on Apr 23 2007, was fine until later that eve when pain around my heart and left arm started to flare up. Went to bed early thinking rest would help but pain was as bad the next morning. Called Physician who referred me to ER as I indicated I may have a reaction to Levaquin.( I am male, 39, in overall great health) All tests(EKG,CT,CBC) came back apparantly normal...but now 5 days later I still feel this shooting pain. ER Dr. prescribed Naprocin but what happens when that prescription ends.....Does anyone who has felt these side effects have an idea as to how long this may last. Logged info at fda.gov but cannot find remedy.

I took the first dose of Levaquin 500 mg before going to bed, for what was to be a 21 day treatment for sinusitis...I woke up very hot in the middle of the night a few times...Finally, at @5am I looked in the mirror It looked as if I had been on the beach all night instead of my bed.
My entire body was scalded. I took Benadryl 25 mg for 24 hrs and stopped the Levaquin. The next morning the redness had improved but the skin on my legs from the knees down was purple, I called my Physician who said I was having an "adverse reaction" and I should not take the rest of the Levaquin. The reaction as he described it may have been an allergy but since he was not sure he advised stopping and changing to another antibiotic. I'll NEVER take it again.

Boy am I glad I found this site! My dr. put me on Levaguin 750 mg for 5 days for a sinus infection. The first night I only slept a couple hours at time, woke up anxiety ridden, had strange dreams...The second evening I started having heart palpitations and "band around the chest" type pains that thankfully subsided after a short time. But that night I couldn't stay asleep for more than an hour at a time, but I wasn't at all tired the next morning (!). However I was NAUSEATED big time. By the 3rd afternoon all I could stand to do was lie in bed and stare at one spot on the wall. The dr. told me to stop taking the Levaquin and force fluids. That was yesterday and I'm slowly feeling better, but boy, I'll take a sinus infection any day over those pills!

02.22.2007 was prescribed Levaquin (750 mg) for sinus infection and cough. Took one that evening and another the next morning. Soon after the 2nd pill (an hour or so), I started feeling 'brain fog' and tingling up right side of neck into face and right side of head. I've had other health issues over the past year, so I am very suspicious of 'new' symptons and decided to see if levaquin had known side effects like the brain fog and tingling. Many sites report others having the same issues. I've only taken the 2 pills and won't be taking any more. Hopefully I won't have long term side effects. Best of luck to everyone.

I took just two doses of Levaquin for a sinus infection. The first was before bed. I lied awake all night, with brief periods of dosing off, but would rapidily have distrurbing, odd images. In the middle of the night, I got up to discover that my calves and ankles hurt really bad. I didn't associate any of this to the Levaquin. The next morning I took dose 2. I am a school teacher. At work that morning, I couldn't function. I kept becoming confused, disorientated and paranoid. My Principal, concerned, sent me to the ER. That night, I still had disturbing images and felt horribly "drugged" all day. Luckily, I found out what was causing my symptoms, but for a while I was scared. I thought I was losing my mind!!! Really!!! I will never take this drug again.

I took ONE pill of this medicine at dinner time, and the very next morning, I woke up with a swollen lip. A couple of hours later (today), my lip is still swollen, and my left cheek, the left side of my neck and left jaw are now also swollen. It is so obvious that people have asked me about it at work. After reading these symptoms, I refuse to take any more Levaquin before it gets worse! Thanks all who wrote. Where is the FDA when we need them?!?! They are always around any other time!

I was given 750 mg of Levaquin for sinus/ear infections, along with a prescription cough syrup. The first night, I had difficulty sleeping, along with racing heartbeat. I thought it was from the codene in the cough syrup, so I left it off the second night, but continued with the Levaquin. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING CRAZY! I had racing thoughts, pounding heart, leg cramps, terrible acid reflux and nausea, but worse than that, was CONSTANT thoughts of someone close to me dying. It was the next morning that I read in the 'packaging information' that the side effects 'could cause' sleeplessness, leg pain, anxiety, depression, nausea, etc. I won't take it again.
D

The company that manufactures Levaquin is called ORTHO-McNEIL. They have a main website.

I have entered here before also.

I can't believe that so many of us are telling the world here what happened to us taking Levaquin...and NOBODY...is doing anything about this !

These stories are not made up or exaggerated. These stories are telling us that we are being given a poison!

If someone just printed out all of the stories on this board and put them in a book form and mailed it to "all" the newspapers in the country...maybe then this insane denial and non-concern would end! Maybe then the nation would see and acknowledge the massive damage this drug is doing to thousands!

Just read these stories...what more does our FDA have to see before they shut down the administering of this toxic substance?

It's been a year since I took 7 days worth of Levaquin.

I did "not" have the swollen throat and hives and red skin "immediate" reaction to Levaquin. Therefore, my doctors say it didn't damage me. They get angry if I bring up this possibility.

But within 24 hours of taking this drug I awoke at home in the night with burning pain in my shoulders, arms and hands so bad I was calling out. I was so confused. I had never felt anything like this before. My hands would also get cold and go numb.

My insides went haywire this first time too. My bladder would feel the urge and then not. I was feeling wincing sharp pains all over. I could not sleep except for a short nightmare type thing. I was anxiety ridden. Shaking inside and out. My legs felt weird. My sensitivity to cold became unbelievablely extreme. I was freezing.

Next morning my stomach went into literal shock with pain and I had to call an ambulance to go back to the ER as I was seconds away from passing out. The weakness? So bad....let me repeat that...SO BAD that I could not lift my hands while laying down! My entire body felt like it was going to die.

I could not walk, legs so weak and body shakey, and feeling so unbalanced. Crying with pain and anxiety and just unbelievable crashing of everything. Lost 35 pounds in 2+ months! Couldn't eat. Metallic taste in throat. Still have most of these symptoms after 1 year! Sorry to tell you all this last point.

Since all my tests "supposedly" haven't shown anything that would explain these most extreme conditions...I have been relegated to the psychiatric area almost totally.

Yes, my nervous system has been effected...damaged.
Yes, I get so anxious and depressed and scared and frantic at times with my suffering and non-treatment and adversarial treatment. Have lost my self-confidence of my body.

My regular doctors have found ways to dump me or schedule me so infrequently they are really out of this situation.

It is like living in cold war Russia. I have made too much protests against my regular doctors refusal to consider levaquin...and now my record is full of psych visits. Once you have these on your record. Let me tell you...most new doctors eyes get real big when they first see these. They label you immediately and silently to themselves as a "problem" case. Your care is different because of this. It's an incredible injustice and almost Kafka'n in it's implications.

But that's just one of the "levaquin" poisoning problems. A medical community refusing to acknowledging it...and if you protest to much to their view...you will be sent off to the psych ward.

54 years and I never saw a psychiatrist in my life. 54 years and I never ever had a problem with drugs, alcohol, the law or even in my first and still on-going 25 year long marriage. I have raised two responsible kids...both working and in college. I had a wonderfully social job as a hotel concierge that I loved for 5 years previous to this "levaquin" poisoning.

But with this case, my normal past means nothing. I am just all of a sudden a nut case for complaining too much about my belief that Levaquin did this to me. That Levaquin destroyed me. Especially since the doctors say they can't explain why I got so sick and I am still so sick. I still feel like I am going to die almost every other day! And it's been a year.

Also, my statute-of-limitations one year period to sue the hospital that gave me this drug ( and never ever told me to quit taking it even after I came rushing back to them with these incredible, unprecedented symptoms just 1 or 2 days after they prescribed it to me and were told it was the only medicine I was taking ) and the drug company that manufactures Levaquin ( Ortho-McNeil ) are almost up.

Not one lawyer I have contacted out of maybe 50 will even consider taking this case. They say it's too hard to prove, drug companes can ruin them they are so rich and powerful and that Bush has limited suit awards to 250,000 dollars and they would need a lot of this to prove you have been damaged!

They say if my liver failed and I died and I had never had liver problems before I took Levaquin...that they would then "consider" taking on a case like mine. But as long as I am alive I haven't got a chance.

I wrote to Ortho-McNeil and told them their product Levaquin has destroyed me and I asked for their financial help with my tens of thousands of dollars I owe in medical bills as financially I am also ruined. I also asked them to help me finanically get more specific, technical tests done beyond my small ton area. Never a word back.

I just went through a hellish experience with Levaquin. On the 5th afternoon of taking it for a bronchitis, I began to break out in small hives. I thought I got bit by a mosquito or something, so I took my dose the next morning. By that night I was covered in huge hives and felt like I was on fire. Taking Benedryl calmed it down but the hives would get fire red after a while again. I had to take off work today and went back to my Dr. I have already started taking Methlyprednisolone. The hives have all but gone. Obviously, I am very allergic to Levaquin..

I was given Levaquin for a coinfection that can come with Lymne Disease. My doctor told me one of the side affects could involve pain in the Achilles Tendon. He said if I felt such pain, to stop the pills immediately. On the morning of the 8th day of taking the pills, the lower left heel had pain as I stepped out of bed. The next morning, both heels plus the Achilles Tendon on the right foot hurt. I did not take any more pills. I experienced pain and swelling in my feet, stayed in bed for 3 days, per nurses orders, as doctor could not be reached. I soaked my feet in warm to hot water for 20 mins with apple cider vinegar and then another 20 mins with Espsome Salts every morning before I left for work to ease the pain. Three weeks have passed. Both feet, shins and calves ache with occasional sharp pains throughtout the day, and always at night. My right knee has an muscle that is swollen and aches. Wearing sandels, bending, and walking or standing for lengths of time agravate the pain. I sometimes find my self whimpering at night when I get into bed because of the pain in my lower leg. Often have to get up and soak, my feet for comfort so I can get to sleep. My fear is that my muscles have been permanently damaged. I am researching what I can do to help myself.

My doctor started me on Levaquin for a UTI. When I asked him why that drug (I had never heard of it) he explained that it would also take care of any infection that may have occurred in the kidneys as well as the bladder, etc. and that it was very effective. Sounded good to me since I had all the symptoms that typically make a UTI sufferer miserable. What a trip! He told me to take two 250mg tabs that day and then take one per day for five days. I did as he said, and after taking the third day's dose, my heart started beating like a rabbit on and off. It was nighttime, so I went to bed hoping that rest would calm the heartbeat. I managed to fall off to sleep, and woke up within an hour and a half with cold sweats and a cramp in my right calf, heart had still not slowed to a normal acceptable rate. I got up and walked around a little, as shaky as I was, in order to get the cramp to go away. I sat and read a book all wrapped up in sheets like a mummy, sipped on water and only got short periods of rest that night as you can imagine. I told my doctor the next morning and he changed the prescription for me immediately. I normally read about all drugs that I take on the internet or from any other reliable source before taking them, but I had been feeling so miserable that I just trusted it and took it, uninformed. Big mistake. Know what you are taking, folks. Ask all the appropriate questions, and at the first sign of feeling weird, insist on something that is less of a thrill ride! Luckily though, those symptoms did not come back after discontinuing the Levaquin.

I was prescribed Levaquin for a sinus infection/ear infection. Never heard of it. I took the first pill (of 5) around 4pm in the afternoon. Thirty minutes later I felt disoriented, lightheaded, etc. I was driving!

Took the next pill first thing the next morning, same thing, kind of dizzy, lightheaded, etc. Then the joint pain set in. I have arthritis in both knees. My knee joints were so stiff I could barely walk. I took two more doses before I wised up and called my Dr.s office. Funny thing they had NEVER heard of such side effects with this medication. But, advised me to discontinue the Levaquin.

This drug is very scary. Finally, when I got back home (I was out of town for a holiday.) I went to see a different Dr. at the same practice. He informed me that my joint stiffness and swelling in both knees "was not from the Levaquin, but just my arthritis acting up". For the record, I am 46 years old, my arthritis has NEVER "acted up" like that before.

Never again. I hope they take this drug off the market!!!

I went to the Dr. last thursdays with a severy UTI....He first prescribed to me Bactim.. I took this for about 3 days and he called me back and wanted to place me on levaquin 750mg 5 day. I started it that night... I feel asleep... 2 hours later i woke up and could not go back to sleep. by the next morning i felt so disoriented, like i was in a haze.... my skin crawled I had a headache. upset stomach, completely drained.... I called the dr and told him how i felt... he said it was more than likely from the infection. and told me to go ahead and continue to take it.... 2nd night...still no sleep. i have severe dry mouth aches in my left side same dull headache...so so so drained i cant even concentrate kind of depresses and paranoid, even nervous. MY GOD this is awful.... I have missed work because of this. With me just being on this a couple of days with this go away pretty quick i cant handle this I am absolutely exausted. I refuse to take this ever again

Recently I was prescribed 500 MG of Levaquin daily for a bacterial infection. I took only ONE pill Friday night and the next morning my right ankle would not work. I could not walk and had extreme pain! I had not injured or strained my ankle...had never had any other problems with walking or joint pain. I called the on-call physician who said to go to an Urgent Care or an Emergency ward...(You can die in those places....very slowly LOL) I stopped the pills and the next day my ankle was fine. My Doctor switched me to Ceftin. The first doctor said it could NOT be the levaquin but my physician said it was a tendenitis caused by the levaquin and I should stay away from that "class" of antibiotics.

If you are a runner, do not take Levaquin without doing some serious research into its side effects. I was prescribed Levaquin after not being able to shake a sinus infection for over three months (it would go away and then come back). My doctor (who is also a runner) said he had seen a lot of resistance to antibiotics, and so wanted to give me something stronger. He prescribed a 5-day, 750 mg dose of Levaquin, and I have taken all 5 pills. I felt better almost immediately after taking the first dose. After taking 2 doses, I felt good enough to go for a run, which I did, and didn't notice any discomfort. However, two days after (4th day of medication), I went running in the morning and felt severe pain in both of my Achilles tendons. All through the day my lower legs were killing me, and when I woke up the next morning, I could barely walk (I took Naprosyn, a prescription anti-inflammatory, which did nothing). I did notice that it gradually got better, even though I was doing a lot of walking, so after taking two days off, I went running again. Only to feel the same pain, but even worse. Runners are stubborn, and will typically run through pain (you could call it stupid), but I couldn't do it because the pain was so severe. I began to worry that I had done some sort of serious damage to my Achilles tendons; when I rubbed them, they made a weird, "gristly" noise. 3 days after my last dose, I notice that I had visible swelling in the back of both of my lower calves (Achilles), and they were still fairly sore and tight to the touch. 5 days after the last does, the swelling *seems* to be going down a bit (maybe I'm just being optimistic), and I have been able to walk the dogs and such, but after reading all these posts, I will not run again until I talk to my doctor. I began suspecting that it was caused by the Levaquin because it happened to *both* legs; I've had lots of minor injuries, but it's usually to one leg or knee or foot; not both. So I was suspicious, and came to this site. After reading the post about the man whose wife ruptured both of her Achilles tendons, I got pretty scared, and feel terrible for her, and feel fortunate that hasn't happened to me, because I honestly felt that it was going to at one point. Without really knowing what's going on physiologically, it seems to me that in some people, Levaquin deteriorates muscle and tendon mass, causing weakness, possibly to the point of rupture.

Also, I concur with many other posts about frequent urination (for a time, I was getting up about every half hour during the night), and also with complaints about joint pain. I had been taking Naprosyn for pain in my hip, and it was really helping. Now, after taking the Levaquin, my hip hurts as much or more than it ever did, and the Naprosyn won't touch it.

If I had read these postings, I never would have taken this drug. I would rather put up with a sinus infection than contemplate the inability to run again. But after reading other things on this site, I suppose that should be the least of my concerns. I am worried about how long these side effects will last, and concerned about permanent damage, or things that haven't even surfaced yet. I am going to call my doctor first-thing tomorrow and tell him what's going on. Thanks to those who have posted and offered insight and remedies.

I am so glad I found this site, and very thankful that I only took one pill!! I have never hurt so badly in my life. I suffer occasionally with migraines, but the headache I experienced after taking Levaquin made a migraine look like NOTHING! I also immediately lost the vision in my right eye and the feeling in my left arm. I also experienced chills and shaking.

I endured this horror all night and then called the pharmacist the next morning. She indicated that I was suffering from severe hypoglycemia - a side effect of Levaquin. All I know is that it has been three days since I took that 500 mg. pill, and I still feel drained. I remember wondering the day I had my Rx filled why the pharmacist kept asking me if my doctor had given me samples. Now I know why. This drug is absolutely terrifying!!

Well my doctor prescribed Levaquin for a sinus infection. I took my first pill yesterday morning about three hours later I starting feeling Nauseous. At about nine that night I starting vomitting, then came the severe cramps in my stomach along with diarrhea which lasted until about 3am. When I woke up the next morning I still had a stomach ache and had to run straight back to the bathroom. I am calling my doctor now. I am afraid to take another pill.

I took only 1 dose of Levaquin, 500mg, at 7pm. Within 3 hrs I noticed tingling in my arms and hands and increased urination. Was wide awake all night, developed rash on abdomin, very red neck and face, ringing in my ears, dry mouth, back and neck pain, clenching of jaw and unable to relax it, and a disjointed/out of body feeling. I called my Dr. the next morning and quit taking the Levaquin. Day 2 and still having insomnia, twitching of muscles at corner of mouth, itchiness on palms and soles of feet, anxiety, abdominal pain and joint pain.

insomnia, anxietyconfusion, loss of focusconcentration, intestinal gas, loss of appetite, weakness, sweating, and labored breathing , restlessness, lightheadedness, confusion, hallucinations, paranoia, nightmares, and a feeling of being in another world. How can one be awake so long and time seems to fly by so quickly but your not sure what you were doing...I was afraid to move.... The nice doctor gave me 7 pills with no papers. Told me to make sure I took every one . Gave me a prescrition for predisone. I stopped the predisone thesecond day thinking that was the one causing the weird things to happen.... I knew the next morning at 3 a.m. When I found this site. I only took four of the pills . I want my old self back.

I was given two days worth of Levaquin, as well as a precription for another seven days, for recurring acute sinusitis. I took one tablet, and within two hours was having cold clammy sweating spells, a headache on one side, and was unable to sleep. The next morning, I had aches and pains all over. Called the doctor and got a different prescription, but the aches and pains continued for two more days.

I later realized that the samples that the doctor gave me had no drug information included, but upon looking at Ortho-McNeil's website, they have no information about the types of side effects I was experiencing.

I have told everyone I know to avoid this drug like the plague. I know it works for some people - but my three-day experience with it was more than I could handle.

I was given 500mg of levaquin for an ear infection, I took the first dose in the early evening (around 5 pm) I felt a little lightheaded, but nothing I could not handle. That evening I woke up in the middle of the night feeling like my body weighed about 500 lbs. Next morning I felt nauseated all day.
My doctor also told me there were no side effects. After reading these post I'm so glad I didn't continue with the medication.

I was perscribed 500 mg. Levaquin after Amoxoxillin didn't end an ear infection. I only took one pill. Within a couple hours I had diarhea that stopped after two hours only to return the next morning after eating breakfast. The diarhea persisted throughout the day while I only drank clear pops and water. I had terrible cramping as well. I called my clinic and was told these are normal side effects and to take some Immodium for diarhea and Tums to calm my stomach. Then 24 hours after taking one dose of Levaquin, I began vomiting violently. After several hours of this, I began to have bloody stool and my husband called the on-call doctor. He perscribed Phenergan for nausea and vomiting and lots of liquid. I dosed on an off all night interupted by trips to the bathroom. The vomiting finally stopped the next evening and the diarhea the next morning.
I was not warned of the side effects or given alternative treatments. This was three days of living hell!!!
AJ

In July 2002, I was given one dose of Levaquin (250mg I think) in the ER for asthma and bronchitis along with prednisone. I was also given a prescription for Levaquin to take home. The next morning I felt greatly improved as far as the bronchitis was concerned, but the calf of my left leg was hard and sore and I could barely walk. I assumed I must have injured myself some way without knowing it, so I took the second pill. The following morning I could not walk. I looked at the paper that the pharmacy had given me with the prescription, and it said if your calves hurt STOP MEDICATION IMMEDIATELY. I spoke to a nurse that sounded concerned but reassured me all would be okay and just drink a lot of water. I have days when it doesn't bother that badly, but every morning when I wake up the pain is there. My doctor and the pharmacy act non-chalant. I don't think it's worth the risk taking this medication, because the problem never goes away. People over 65 should never take this medication. It is worse on them. I think I will try seeing an osteopath.

Ths past week, I ended up in the emergency room with severe stomach pains. Turned out to be gallstones and I had my gallbladder removed. That was Tuesday I was admitted to the hospital. My DR. perscribed Levaquin by IV. The next morning, my entire face and throat were swollen, I was itching and had hives and rashes all over me. Today is now Sunday, and I'm still itching from head to toe. My worst itching is my head and hands. I had the same reaction to PCN, and I have added levaquin to my allergy alert.