Levaquin ? ? Anyone?

[CathrynRose]

UGH! The internet *is* a WEALTH of information - but for hypochondriac freaks like me - it's a panic attack waiting to happen.

I got prescribed Levaquin for nasty sinus infection that WONT go away - like on and off again, for a year.

Soooo, I get it and even thought Ive taken it before, go and look it up: http://www.askapatient.com/viewrating.asp?drug=20635&name=LEVAQUIN

And now all I can imagine is my tendons rupturing all over the place and me going insane.

Anyone take it, and can calm my nervous butt, down?

 

[Tigger_Magic]

Been there, taken Levaquin -- for pnuenomia. Nothing bad happened and I did get better. It did give me a little case of diarrhea. Taking it on an empty stomach wasn't much fun I discovered -- better to take it after a meal. Otherwise, no serious problems for me.

 

[Parkhopper]

I was prescribed Levaquin for a strep infection that would not die (lasted over 3 months off and on). I had heart palpatations and wound up with one wicked yeast infection, but it DID clear up the strep. Good luck to you - I hope you feel much better soon.

Suzi

 

[Fire14]

I highly suggest taking with food and eating lots of yougurt or other food to counter act the yeast infection that usually comes.

 

[Steffi]

I took it earlier this year for pneumonia. It worked quickly and I had no side effects. I'm a hypochondriac, too, so I know how you feel; taking new meds is never pleasant or simple for a hypochondriac!

You'll feel better after a couple days on the Levaquim, so just forget about the scary things you read and take your medicine!

 

[CathrynRose]

I took it earlier this year for pneumonia. It worked quickly and I had no side effects. I'm a hypochondriac, too, so I know how you feel; taking new meds is never pleasant or simple for a hypochondriac!

No!!! It's not, is it?!?!?

I go so far as to tell everyone around me "I am taking *such and such*, if I passout, begin choking, fall down from a ruptured tendon, please call the ambulance!" And Im serious!!!

Ive taken this before, a few years ago - and thought it was the best antibiotic Id ever taken, ever! Within hours I felt better....but I didnt have a chance to read through the "ruptured tendon" and "hallucination" reviews, back then.

 

[kimwim8]

I just took it two weeks ago for 7 days. I have an allergy to penicillin (sp?) so I can't take ammoxicillin or any antibiotic in that family. I've also had an allergic reaction to Zithromax.

I took the Levaquin for my tonsilitis 2 weeks ago & it worked immediately. I felt 99% better by the next day.

I also agree to take with food!!

 

[Tigger_Magic]

I'd take what you read on askapatient.com, whether good or bad, with a big shaker of salt. This is an anonymous feedback form and it doesn't appear to have any process to evaluate or verify what people post. I prefer to check out drug info on webmd.com and with my doctor.

 

[Candace]

My son got hallucinations. We didn't think about it being caused from the levaquin until we ruled out everything else, and when we read about possible side effects, there was the hallucinations! You just never know!

 

[Steffi]

I go so far as to tell everyone around me "I am taking *such and such*, if I passout, begin choking, fall down from a ruptured tendon, please call the ambulance!" And Im serious!!!

I don't mean to laugh at you, but it sounds just like me! I worry about any horrifying side effects of a medicine, no matter how obscure. If there's a one in a zillion chance that the medicine may cause my eyes to eject themselves from their sockets, I'll ask DH over and over if it looks like my eyes are protruding.

 

[Jen_in_NH]

I've taken Levaquin for pneumonia without any problems. Definitely take it with food. The drug information lists everything that could ever possibly happen, but it usually also lists the rates as compared to placebo.

Good luck, hope you feel better

Jen

 

[justhat]

I've taken it many times for sinus infections and never had any problems with it at all. Then I had sinus surgery and all those infections and antibiotics went away!!

 

[CathrynRose]

I don't mean to laugh at you, but it sounds just like me! I worry about any horrifying side effects of a medicine, no matter how obscure. If there's a one in a zillion chance that the medicine may cause my eyes to eject themselves from their sockets, I'll ask DH over and over if it looks like my eyes are protruding.

R FL! ! !

Yes - I took my first dose, called my fiance, and let him know I took it... Like when the hospital calls and says "We dont know whats wrong with her! ! ! She's convulsing, seizuring, drooling, and her tendons are rupturing left and right!"

He would then be able to answer them, and save me "SHE TOOK LEVAQUIN!"

 

[CathrynRose]

I've taken it many times for sinus infections and never had any problems with it at all. Then I had sinus surgery and all those infections and antibiotics went away!!

I heard about some kind of sinus surgery that **WARNING GROSS!!** involved stuffing your entire nasal cavaties with a big long strip of cotton (like alllll the cavities, allllll the way back into the back of your skull) And it like absorbed all the gunk, and made it all better - forever!

And I want it done so BAD! (thats where I get all my infections - waaaay in the back of my skull! owie!) I like obsess about it - Im imagining that -good- feeling you get when you suck things up with a vacumn, or clean your ears with a q-tip, and it's icky.... Go figure. Im a weirdo!

 

[Steffi]

R FL! ! !

Yes - I took my first dose, called my fiance, and let him know I took it... Like when the hospital calls and says "We dont know whats wrong with her! ! ! She's convulsing, seizuring, drooling, and her tendons are rupturing left and right!"

He would then be able to answer them, and save me "SHE TOOK LEVAQUIN!"

That's hilarious!! (I'm going to have to show this to my DH to let him know I'm not the only one!)

 

[liamsaunt]

Levaquin was the second of the three antibiotics I took to get rid of a nasty case of pneumonia last month. I suffered no ill effects from it. It was the third antibiotic that did my digestive system in! I will admit that I was a little freaked out by the whole tendon thing too. I am very, very accident prone, and was wondering if my ankle would give out halfway down the stairs!

FYI, My doctor told me to avoid yogurt and calcium supplements while taking it (and all the others), as calcium interferes with the absorption of the antibiotics.