Levaquin and suicidal thoughts

I was diagnosed with Diverticulitis and put on the usual regime of Levaquin (500mg a day) and Flagel. The case turned worse and was admitted to the hospital (they thought I had a blockage but turned out did not) and was put on IV of the same medication. Released from the hospital 4 days later and stayed on the Levaquin as prescribed. When I ran out, I called my regular doctor who sent in the renewal prescription. However the his aide made an error and the bottle read 500mg 4 times a day…nobody including the pharmacy caught it. So for 3 days I was taking 2000mg a day of Levaquin. When I started getting worse (truly thought I was dying), I got to the doctor and he said I had taken turn for the worse and could not figure out why. He asked if I was taking the meds and I said yes 4 times a day…his face when white. I had the bottle with me and he panicked. They apologized for the error and I was told to stay off my feet, no heels, they ran ekg’s that day and the following Monday, blood work to check the kidneys etc.

Subsequently, I have had extreme pain in my joints and muscles – everyday, all day. Some days I just cry it hurts so bad. If I bend down I can hardly get back up because of my right knee. I have talked with a doctor I happened to run into about this and she said that Levaquin dosage has saturated my body and gotten into the joint and muscles and takes a long time to work it out. I can hardly lift my arms above my shoulder without severe pain. Stabbing pains in my knees, shoulders, arms and hands.

I have not gone back to the doctor because when I mentioned the pain the when I was in that last time…he just wanted to give me more meds! I have been seeing a massage therapist who specializes in deep tissue restoration and repair. It helps some, but he as well says this is going to take a lot to time to work out.

I have depression to the point of feeling like I am a nothing and what good am I to anyone feeling like this. So like snoop45...that is exactly what i feel like!

dawn62

J.

Im sad to find out all the problems people are having from levaquin. But now Im able to put 2 and 2 together because Im realizing whats been compromising my health. This is my second year with bronchitis and my second prescription of levaquin. I now believe its what has caused me horrible nightmares, suicidal thoughts, irritation, mental anguish, stress tendon/muscle pain in my arms and shoulders. I bent over to pick up my dog to help him into the car and I got a terrible pain in my chest. I thought I was dying. And I still have a rattle in my lungs after 2 weeks of levaquin so it has not helped at all. If anything it has caused me more problems that has opened the door for additional medications of unknown origin. I wish I could find a real witch doctor.

Hi

I just ran upstairs to look at what Antibiotic I was on last and it's the same one. I got a rash on about day 7 and googled it and saw all the patients with lots and lots of complications. Actually I mentioned this to the doctor when I went back and she said lots of people react badly to it ...she could even take it. You think they should have to warn you of the serious side effects ...
I wonder why they are using this antibiotic all of a sudden as I have never heard of it before!!!
Interesting ....you should have this in your medical records in case you are in an accident.

There are on line sites that people post reactions to things that others can read....you should add yours....like I said SCARY!!!!

Jackie



-------------- Original message --------------
From: "Heather" ******
I just googled Levaquin and read this: Quinolones, including LEVAQUIN, may also cause central nervous system stimulation which may lead to tremors, restlessness, anxiety, lightheadedness, confusion, hallucinations, paranoia, depression, nightmares, insomnia, and rarely, suicidal thoughts or acts. That describes what happened to me.

I was prescribed Levaquin by my Dr. for a sinus infection. There were 10 pills and I was to take one a day. No one mentioned any of the side effects or drug interactions except to not take antacids within 2 hours of taking the meds. During the coarse of me taking the medication I began having substernal chest pains which I thought was just horrible heart burn, but it got so bad that I woke up screaming multiple nights from the pain. I also started having pain in my ankles, legs and especially my knees. The pain in my knees gets so bad that I think my knee caps are going to shatter when I walk especially when going down the stairs. I didn't know any of the drug interactions and my father in law who is a physical therapist has always advised me to take ibuprofen for muscle and joint pain so that's what I did, but little did I know that was only increasing the effects on my central nervous system. I am also experiencing bouts of nausea, confusion, light headedness, difficulty sleeping, anxiety and I actually thought I was having a mental breakdown.. I was freaking out on my husband and very depressed even having suicidal thoughts. It wasn't until my mother randomly mentioned that she had heard about the FDA issuing the Black Box warning that I connected the dots and had already finished the meds. I called my doctor's office right away and was told that the symptoms I am having are not side effects of the medicine. Maybe the Dr. doesn't listen to the news either.

My 16 year old son took Levaquin 6 months ago and had a bad reaction to it. His symptoms were severe muscle weakness (he would get exhausted walking from the parking lot to a store and back, severe joint pain (in thumbs, wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles), dizziness (he felt like the room was moving away from him and would lose balance), and headaches (a severe pressure in the back of his head that was constant and then shooting pains in his his head that would come and go for no reason). I should say he was in top shape before this and wrestling in the 125 pound category. He took Levaquin to prevent an infection after sinus surgery.

Now 6 months later, his joint pain is completely gone except for his knees. They still hurt when he does squats and they are not good enough for him to go back to wrestling, but he can walk around pain free. His dizziness is also gone as well as his muscle weakness. His headaches are still there and still constant, but not as bad as they once were; however, he has had them 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 6 months. He is on Lyrica which has helped make the headaches subside.

I have taken him to more than 16 medical doctors of all specialties, had multiple MRIs, CT Scans, blood tests, spinal tap, and an MRA. All come back negative. Thankfully, despite all of this, he still remains happy and positive that he will once again be 100% healthy; it will take lots of time, but he will get better. I know the first three symptoms (joint pain, dizziness, weakness) are clearly Levaquin related, but I haven't heard much about the headaches from people. Anyone else out there that has suffered from a constant headache after Levaquin? I REALLY want to hear about headaches from others!!!!

By the way, we have filed a medwatch already. I also know that Levaquin is not approved for anyone under 18 years old and he never needed such a powerful drug to prevent an infection, but there is nothing I can do about that now except to warn others. One of his UCLA doctors wants to write a case study on him to make this more known to others and I am helping him with that.

If anyone has questions, please feel free to ask. If you have had a headache from Levaquin, please let me know where in the head the pain was, if it is constant, what it feels like (pressure, shooting, throbbing), how long you have had it, and what, if anything, helped. THANKS.

i used levaquin for 7 days before stoping. i was taking 500 mg and right away i found i could not sleep. my lungs filled up to the point that i had to go to the emergency room for treatment. after 2 weeks of no more then 2 hours of sleep a night, my doctor gave me ambein. a sleeping pill. i have had anxiety attacks, panic attacks and a feeling that some thing was terribly wrong and even had suicidal thoughts. i have never felt so sad and depressed in my whole life. it has been a couple of weeks since i quit the levaquin and i have times that my heart races, blood pressure go's up, and feel like i can't get enough air. i get a pressure head ache above my eyes and aspirin just don't seem to help. i didn't know what was causeing this till i read postings from this site. thanks for the info and i hope this don't last as long as it has for most of you. at 66 years old, i don't need this kind of problem, luck to us all----******

I have taken Levaquin for bladder infections 6 times. I have Interstitial Cystitis and sadly one of the side effects is frequent UTI's. I have tolerated this drug better than any other antibiotic I have ever taken, and I have taken many.

Walgreens lists the vast majority of "possible" side effects and the Ortho-McNeil web site (the company who manufactures the drug) has a very detailed PDF file which lists all of the side effects complaints I have seen here and more. Some of the other side effects include suicidal thoughts and death!

ANY drug can cause side effects that may be severly adverse. It is impossible to know who will have such a reaction. In order to avoid all posssible reactions to drugs the healthcare industry would have to stop using medications of any kind.

I had a bizarre reaction to oxybutynin (which generally causes no side effects) that went far beyond drowsiness, it more resembled Narcolepsy. I could not safely care for my child or drive my car. I still took the pills for 2 months hoping the side effects would go away, which they didn't. I know that my reaction wasn't the "norm, and would not tell someone not to take it simply because it didn't work for me.

Please if you have been prescribed Levaquin, take it. As with any drug, over the counter or prescribed call your doctor immediately if you have any reaction that is uncommon or you feel requires medical attention. All medications can have risks, just use your head :)

What are possible side effects of LEVAQUIN?
LEVAQUIN is generally well tolerated. The most common side effects caused by LEVAQUIN, which are usually mild, include nausea, diarrhea, itching, abdominal pain, dizziness, flatulence, rash and vaginitis in women.

You should be careful about driving or operating machinery until you are sure LEVAQUIN is not causing dizziness.

Allergic reactions have been reported in patients receiving quinolones including LEVAQUIN, even after just one dose. If you develop hives, skin rash or other symptoms of an allergic reaction, you should stop taking this medication and call your healthcare professional.

Ruptures of the shoulder, hand, or Achilles tendons have been reported in patients receiving quinolones, including LEVAQUIN. If you develop pain, swelling, or rupture of a tendon you should stop taking LEVAQUIN and contact your healthcare professional.

Some quinolone antibiotics have been associated with the development of phototoxicity ("sunburns" and "blistering sunburns") following exposure to sunlight or other sources of ultraviolet light such as artificial ultraviolet light used in tanning salons. LEVAQUIN has been infrequently associated with phototoxicity. You should avoid excessive exposure to sunlight or artificial ultraviolet light while you are taking LEVAQUIN.

If you have diabetes and you develop a hypoglycemic reaction while on LEVAQUIN, you should stop taking LEVAQUIN and call your healthcare professional.

Convulsions have been reported in patients receiving quinolone antibiotics including LEVAQUIN. If you have experienced convulsions in the past, be sure to let your physician know that you have a history of convulsions.

Quinolones, including LEVAQUIN, may also cause central nervous system stimulation which may lead to tremors, restlessness, anxiety, lightheadedness, confusion, hallucinations, paranoia, depression, nightmares, insomnia, and, rarely, suicidal thoughts or acts.

If you notice any side effects not mentioned here or you have concerns about the side effects you are experiencing, please inform your healthcare professional.

For more complete information regarding levofloxacin, please refer to the full prescribing information, which may be obtained from your healthcare professional, pharmacist, or the Physicians' Desk Reference (PDR).