Avelox Sinus Headaches, Sinus Rinse, Ent Doctor, Cold Flu, Hay Fever

Posted over a year ago

I just looked at this site to see what side effects people are experiencing with this medication. Here is my experience: I went to see my ENT doctor-this is a great practice and I still have full confidence in their abilities despite what happened to me. I have been having trouble with lots of sinus headaches, and my tonsils becoming infected. However, I have severe hay fever type allergies so most of the time I put up with my symptoms and they go away. However, I knew that I probably needed an antibiotic because my symptoms were getting worse and I had caught a flu-cold thing on top of it. When I went to the ENT she said she thinks that my tonsils may need to come out and prescribed 10 days of Avelox along with a sinus rinse (saline only) she was concerned because I am allergic to a lot of antibiotics (mostly I get hives) so she gave me Avelox. I did not read the side effects before taking it. The reason being I get nervous taking antibiotics as it is because of my allergies and tend to freak myself out. So I just read the part about drinking lots of water, no vitamins,etc.. Even though I had a cold-flu thing I did not take my Allegra or even Tylenol to ease my other symptoms and no vitamins (which I usually take) I only took the Avelox. I also chose to take it at night because on the bottle it warned of dizziness or drowsiness. I have small children to take care of so I couldn't be dizzy during the day! The first night I took it around 10:00-I had trouble falling asleep, felt kind of woozy and high. However, I didn't worry about it cause I knew it could happen. I fell asleep and woke in the night feeling totally freaked out. I kept thinking someone was going to break in the house, I felt really scared for no reason. I wanted to wake up my husband so bad but I didn't because he had the flu and needed some rest. After that I kept drifting in and out of sleep and my mouth kept watering and watering. The next morning I told him to go in the bathroom and read the side effects to HIMSELF-I only wanted to know if what I mentioned was in there. He said yes. I continued to take the drug the next night-this time I felt lots better like my infection was clearing and the woozy feeling was less than the night before which made me happy. But again during the night I felt freaked out and had trouble sleeping all night. The next day I got diarrhea. Again, I figured minor side effects, I need to stick with this and clear up my infection. I took the pill for 5 nights. There were several times during the day that I weird pains (but not super painful-more annoying) a pain in my thumb, my hand, my shoulder, my calf. It was only here or there-not too big of a deal but I thought it was weird. Then I had something happen with my daughter (a family type emergency) which led to lots of crying and drama the entire day. That night I took the drug again (This was actually last night-the 5th time taking it) Again, trouble sleeping but better than the nights before. I woke at 6 this morning to get my daughter ready for school and as soon as I got out of bed I almost fell down. My legs and arms felt SO heavy I can't even describe it. I could barely make it across the room, then the dizziness hit and I started to feel really bad, I started to black out. I laid down on the floor and started sweating, felt like a cold feeling through my body and then my body started going numb. At first I thought "Oh god, I am having an anxiety attack of some kind from all the stress the day before." but it just got worse and worse, I felt like I was having trouble breathing and swallowing. The worst part was if I even tried to LIFT my head off the floor I started to black out (my vision was closing around me and my ears were ringing like crazy) then my mind went crazy-am I having a heart attack (no it couldn't be I am 39!) then the weirdest thing happend my thumbs felt like the muscles were cramping and being drawn into the palms of my hands uncontrollably. That is when I started freaking out. I was yelling-my husband had to leap out of the shower.I kept telling him, something is really wrong get me to the hospital. At one point told him to call 911. I seriously thought "this might be it, the end and I am gonna die here cause my stupid husband keeps rubbing me and trying to calm me down instead of calling 911!" Then I think he got freaked out because it just wouldn't stop and every time he tried to lift me up slightly I would start to faint. Finally, the blacking out thing eased enough he could sit me up, then I finally worked me into standing. He got me to the car and we decided to go to the urgent care versus the ER. They turned us away and told us to go to my doctor because of the antibiotic They said they would see me if I wanted but they really thought I should see her because the antibiotic is really strong and could be the problem. I thought they were crazy and I got really pissed off thinking "What the hell? I could be dying here and they want me to see my freaking ENT?!" My husband talked me into leaving because my ENT was in the next door building. Their office was just opening. They took my blood pressure, it was good, my pulse was good, they checked my ear pressure to see if it had to do with the dizziness and I argued my ears are fine! This is different from dizziness I had from past ear infections I was almost blacking out! But, alas one of my ears was off, and had inflammation. Then they gave me a steroid shot. They said that my infection looked gone in my tonsils but they are still concerned about my sinuses and what is going on there. I have to have a CT scan next week. They said they felt what happened to me was a combo of my ear swelling and a reaction to the antibiotic. They did not give me another antibiotic because they said 5 days was sufficient time to kill the infection. I came home today and tried to rest but it was hard because I had the kids. All day it was an effort to move or walk but thank god the other symptoms were going away. Now it is about 11:30 at night, I can't sleep and I was lying here freaking out about my legs being so screwed up. I have stairs and it is all I can do to walk up or down them. I started thinking the doctor may be nuts and that something really horrible is wrong with me (can you say paranoid?!) so I got on my lap top while my husband is asleep next to me. I found this site. Thank god. Now I can calm down and try to get some sleep! I am not dying of some freaky ailment-it IS the Avelox making me feel this way. While mentally I feel so much better and I am going to stop writing this book-I am still pretty concerned about how long the side effects with my legs are going to last. I am also a little freaked about going to the gym even after I do feel better. I will try to write later to let everyone know when my legs get back to normal. If anyone is experiencing the same symptoms I did. Stop taking this medicine and call your doctor right away. I felt so stupid complaining about all this weird stuff-my husband acted like I might be a little nuts! Now I know its the meds!! :)

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Suleny - I am a 43 year old female I was prescribe Avelox 400mg back in September of 2010, for what a Physician Assistant diagnosed as diverticulitis. No further test was done, no x-ray or scan, just a few questions were asked of me. Based on my description of my lowermiddle and left abdominal discomfort I was prescribed Avelox. I was not able to get the prescription until 5 days later at which time I took one. Now mind you, the earlier symptoms were no longer there, but I thought if I had bacteria presenting the condition in the first place then it’s still there. I had been on antibiotics in the past so I did not think anything of it. One hour after taking it I developed what seemed to me extreme tremors, anxiety and rapid heartbeat. I told my husband I was freaking out. I immediately called the P.A. who prescribed it and he told me to stop taking it. He even asked me why did I take it if I was no longer feeling pain. I should have asked him why did you prescribe it without a thorough exam which included and ultra sound or x-ray. The anxiety attacks seemed to come and go for a month after that. Since then I developed an involuntary movement of the tongue over 4 months now, tingly sensation of the tip my tongue when exposed to the cold. It feels like it’s going to spasm. I have recently seen a endocrinologist she did a throat ultra sound and blood work of which I haven’t received the results yet. Maybe my hormones are out of wack. I have also seen two neurologist both of whom said it seems that I may have had a allergy/toxic reaction to something I took. One of the neurologist diagnosed me with oral facial dyskinesia (The toxic neurological side effects of neuroleptic drugs that have been used long term) I have never had this condition or used neuroleptic drugs before in my life so why now. Although the doctors I have seen don’t think a onetime use of Avelox would have created this problem then why are the telling me that I may have had a allergy/toxic reaction to something I took. The only other thing I received into my body was a tetanus shot in June of 2010, which also has its side effects I recall feeling delirious weeks later sore in the injection site waking up out of my sleep with panic attacks. I just didn’t feel right. I recently came across an empty old bottle of ciprofloxacin 500mg (another family of quinolones) in my cabinet which I took in 2008, but never did I recall a reaction. Everyone responds differently to the same medications. I read the insert sheet that’s given when prescribed medication and it pointed out possible side effects to Avelox. Central Nervous System Effects Convulsions and toxic psychoses have been reported in patients receiving quinolones, including Levofloxacin. Quinolones may also cause increased intracranial pressure and central nervous system stimulation which may lead to tremors, restlessness, anxiety,lightheadedness, confusion, hallucinations, paranoia, depression, nightmares, insomnia, and, rarely, suicidal thoughts or acts. These reactions may occur following the first dose. If these reactions occur in patients receiving Levofloxacin, the drug should be discontinued and appropriate measures instituted. As with other quinolones, Levofloxacin should be used with caution in patients with a known or suspected central nervous system (CNS) disorder that may predispose them to seizures or lower the seizure threshold (e.g., severe cerebral arteriosclerosis, epilepsy) or in the presence of other risk factors that may predispose them to seizures or lower the seizure threshold (e.g., certain drug therapy, renal dysfunction.) Changes in sensation and possible nerve damage (Peripheral Neuropathy) Damage to the nerves in arms, hands, legs, or feet can happen in people taking fluoroquinolones, including Avelox. Talk with your health care provider right away if you get any of the following symptoms of peripheral neuropathy in your arms, hands, legs, or feet: o Pain. o Burning. o Tingling. o Numbness. o Weakness. Avelox may need to be stopped to prevent permanent nerve damage. Now when I visit any doctors I let them know my medication allergies so they know not to give me anything connected to Avelox. I hope this involuntary tongue movement goes away soon. I can’t stand the thought of living with this condition for the rest of my life. I’m going to consider a homeopathic route where I naturally rebuild my nervous system.

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Avelox Sinus Headaches, Sinus Rinse, Ent Doctor, Cold Flu, Hay Fever

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