Comments on: Cipro and Levaquin lawsuit filed by consumer group due to poor warnings about risk of tendon injury

By: brittany

brittany — Sat, 19 Sep 2009 02:22:17 +0000

I am 23, was diagnosed with a kidney infection 6 days ago and was prescribed Cipro 1000mg for ten days, 6 of which I have taken. I’ve had chronic bladder infections for years and have taken it numerous times. This morning I was making the bed and completely tore something in my elbow, I can barely move it. I also have had problems with a weak ankle in the last few years, I sprain it by walking sometimes. Never had anything remotely wrong with my joints before. I am infuriated, what if this doesn’t get better? I will not take any more meds, but i’m really worried. A bit of advice, I recently looked into d-mannose for UTI’s and kidney problems, it’s an all natural supplement at the health food store that cures them immediately! Please look it up, DO NOT TAKE QUINILONES!!!!( cipro or levaquin!

By: Violet

Violet — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:58:22 +0000

I was recovering from pneunomia, still not well, when I saw a doctor, who prescribed Lovaquin 750 mg, for 7 days. After a few days, I experienced urinary tract infection, dry mouth, swollen tounge and difficulty to sleep. The week went by and I did not improve. I called my doctor, who responded by telling the nurse to tell me that “You will be allright” I am slowly recuperating. Would you trust this doctor?

By: Missi

Missi — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:32:05 +0000

I took one 500 mg Levaquin Sept 8, 2007. Went numb on left side, severe debilitating headache and dizziness, blurred vision, muscle weakness, unable to stand, nauseated, could not walk for many days. Called doctor, who said, KEEP TAKING IT, he had given me 10 days of samples. My husband helped me to the computer and I researched Levaquin, found out it was a POISON, so was CIPRO, same stuff. I called back and DEMANDED another antibiotic to treat the painful UTI and they tried to give me CIPRO, I told the PA that I refused to take it also, she acted offended and got miffed that I would question her judgment. I told her to give me something else like BACTRUM as I had no problems with sulfur based. She agreed, I took the bactrum and the UTI started clearing up, I had no strange reaction to it. BUT, since taking the Levaquin, my shoulders and arms started going in and out of socket and going numb when I lie down to sleep, EVERY JOINT IN MY BODY, hurts, crackles, and goes in and out of place, especially my left hip. For several months, my ribcage hurt very much, felt like someone was ripping the cartiledge apart, could not walk more than 3-5 minutes for months. My sleep was not the same, very interrupted, muscle cramps, shoulder pains, numbness in arms, hands, fingers. My toes continue to have intermittent numbness, weird rash appears sometimes. My bowels are very upset intermittently, sometimes severe pain, some days I’m so weak I cannot get out of bed. I was very healthy before taking Levaquin. I had no antibiotics for about 13 years before taking the ONE Levaquin pill. My husband has been helping to pray me through this ordeal. I have just been suffering with pain, weakness, and debilitation for two years now. I didn’t know what was happening to me or that each of the weird symptoms were related. Then I received a SPAM email that said, HEY HAVE YOU EVER TAKEN LEVAQUIN? CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT, MANY HAVE BEEN INJURED. Yes, I know, a SPAM email, but I thought well maybe I’ll read about it since I took one and had so many problems with it. I started researching the internet, and crying and crying because I have been experiencing the same things as so many others, although many have had even more tragic problems than I. I will be praying for all of you who have been damaged and ruined by Levaquin, etc. My husband has prayed for me many times and the pain would ease up so that I could function. I’m still looking for answers to reverse the poison, an anti-venom of sorts. Meanwhile, these people who made the medication must be held accountable. Maybe someone could MAKE THEM DO MORE/PROPER TESTING AND PROVIDE A CURE FOR THE DAMAGE THEIR DRUGS HAVE DONE. I’m only 42, and I am tired of limping around and being in pain, and having to stay in bed some days. I took the medicine during the last semester of completing my Master’s Degree in Business Administration. I couldn’t work the way I had hoped, I tried but ended up having to telecommute and work mostly in a chair using a computer. This ordeal has certainly changed my career plans and options. I have to cling to hope, and pray that there will be something done to help all of us who were damaged by this JUNK!

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 13:56:02 +0000

I can’t believe all that I’m reading here. I was prescribed Cipro for possible kidney infection, two days ago. I took one 500 mg pill and felt fine. A few hours after the second dose, however, I felt some “heaviness” and a little numbness in both my right leg and right wrist. This didn’t seem right; I called the Doctor and explained that I didn’t think the Cipro was agreeing with me, and could I stop taking it after two doses (I know you’re not supposed to just stop taking antibiotics suddenly). Doctor said yes, after only two doses I could stop taking and no harm should be done. Then I found this website, read all these awful stories, and am almost paralyzed with fear. I still have some achiness and numbness in my knee joints and (especially) right hand – my ring and pinky finger feel numb and it’s a bit difficult to type. Even though I only took two doses – and will NEVER take another – I wonder if I’ve caused myself permanent damage??? Or maybe I’m just scaring myself by reading all these stories, and “tricking” myself into feeling achy… I admit I am a hypochondriac. But if I had any idea Cipro could have such horrific side effects, I would never have taken it. Just 2 pills but is the damage done? Now I’m just sitting here wondering what’s in store for me.

By: Michele

Michele — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 21:16:10 +0000

I was prescribed Levaquin (500 mg) on 8-20-09 with 7 pills. I was also prescribed another medication, both for Diverculitis..an inflamation of the intestines. One of them was giving me this horrible metallic taste in my mouth, so I went online to see which medication it was. Well as I started reading, I read about what side effect the Levaquin has. A few days ago, after working at my computer, I got up to go to the kitchen to get a drink, and I could not stand straight up. The muscles had somehow contracted (is what it felt like) and I got this burning pain on both sides of my ankles just below the ankle bone. I thought this was from sitting too long, so I kind of shrugged it off…until I read it was the Levaquin. When I got up in the morning, I had to walk to the bathroom hunched over like an old man. Today when I got up, my left elbowwas sore. My ankles do not stop hurting. Sometimes its bad, sometimes its bearable. This is after only 5 pills. I still have 2 left. I called my doctor and all the nurse said was, “Stop taking it. We will prescribe you something else.” Like everyone else above me on this board, my question is the same. Is this a lifelong injury or will it subside? I am 56 years old and I also suffer from Panic Disorder and was left with a good bye gift from my ex-husband – Hepatitis C. Is this Levaquin going to damage my liver? I definitely do not need this on top of all that. I consider myself healthy for the most part…no symptoms of the Hep C so far but if this triggers it….I’m a doomed person.

By: Judith

Judith — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 15:57:37 +0000

I was given Levaquin by the Nurse Practitioner at my Dr.s office for a bacteria problem in my lungs. I only took 7 of the 10 pills. A day or so later I had bad pain in my left shoulder. I made an appointment with a Orthopedic Dr. and the tests showed my bones were in good shape, he had no idea what was causing this. Next my right hip and leg started to hurt the same way. A friend saw the TV notice about Levaquin and said it mentioned tendons, rotary cuff, musles etc. I took the first pill on August 3, 2009. This is a problem as I really need the use of my arm and leg. They were working fine before I took this terrible medicine.

By: Sharon

Sharon — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 06:35:15 +0000

I feel that I am also one of the unfortunate ones that trusted their doctor and the medicine they prescribe. I had surgery on July 17, 2009 at Barnes Jewish Hospital in St. Louis. I was in the hospital for 2 days, after having surgery on my neck for cervical disc disease with three impinged nerves to my left arm after 7 days I was back in the ER for an infection in my incision. They lanced open the infecton and took cultures then admitted me to the hospital. The next day several different doctors came in but they had me so drugged up that I don’t really remember who came in and what they were telling me. Thank goodness my daughter was with me the whole time so she pretty much new what was going on. Then the infectious disease control doctors came in and told me they were running cultures to find out what kind of antibiotic they could give me to control the infection. Finally they started me on an antbiotic of course it was cipro and given through an IV. I was not told about any side effects or given any kind of information except it was the only antibotic that would take care of the infection I had. Finally they released me from the hospital after 3 days. They gave me a prescription for cipro 500mgs to take for 10 days, well within 3 to 4 days I ended up in the ER again because the infection got worse. This time I ended up in the hospital for 5 days with the cultures and the infectious disease people, finally they took me back to the OR and they did what was called a wash out. They had to open me up again and wash out all the infection. This all happened the night I had went back to the emergency room. After that I was given a stronger dose through an IV at least 6 to 9 bags while I was still in the hospital. Through out all of this I was given morphin, norco, percocet,soma, zanaflex, and xanex, so of course I was’t feeling much pain. Several days later when I went home they gave me a prescription for 750mgs of cipro for another 10 days.I pretty much spent the whole time in bed because I couldn’t move or I hurt so bad I couldn’t get up without help, then someone had to stand next to me to make sure I didn’t fall over. One day I had to go to court and all of a sudden my legs felt like jello, my daughter had to hold me up so I didn’t fall and my grand-daughter went to get help. I have had the jello legs about 3 times while at home and have fallen, one time hitting the back of my head that hurt for several days. I loose my balance alot and I talk about things and mention wrong names and places, my daughter thinks I’m going crazy sometimes and always corrects me when I mess up. Now I’m having pain in my left shoulder, I have had surgery on my left shoulder for a tear in my rotator cuff, and thats what it feels like again. So here I go again back to more doctors and the possibility of having another tear in my rotator cuff. It’s bad enough that I hurt all over and don’t feel like getting out of bed everyday, and sometimes I don’t, but I’f I have to go through rotator cuff surgery again I will probably go out of my mind. My neck still hurts enough and I can’t imagine going through another surgery, especially since I hurt all over now. I just hope I don’t have to live like this for the rest of my life. I do blame the doctors, the drug companies and hospitals for what they have done to each and everyone who has left a reply on this page, lets all just hope this will improve for all of us and they will bane these drugs so no one else with have to live this hell !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: Anna

Anna — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:22:31 +0000

I am not sure when exactly I took Levaquin and Cipro. It was definitely withing past couple of years. I had a recurrent UTIs and tried many different antibiotics. I am pretty sure Levaquin and Cipro were two of them. A nurse practitioner from my College prescribed Cipro. Levaquin I got from my doctor. During that time I tore a tendon in my ankle and been having joint problems in my knees wrists and ankles. I am wondering if these problems could be related to Levaquin or Cipro I was taking for utis.

By: Ann

Ann — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 03:01:46 +0000

I started taking ciprofloxacin on July 20, 2009. The dr prescribed it for a uti. I took the drug twice a day for 7 days. Within the week I took the drug, I developed what looked like mosquito bits and hives on my upper left arm, on my left hip and buttocks, and my left leg. I also develop pain in both knees and 5 large round spots down my spine. When I would reach behind me and touch them I felt pain. Each one hurt individually. I can only sit down for short periiods of time because the back of my thighs and buttucks begin to hurt. I experience all my joints aching for a day and my left had was a bit numb for one day.

After retuning to the dr, he prescribed benadryl, which I have been taking for the past 4 days. It helped clear up the upper part of my body, but my left leg isn’t getting any better. I am hopeful that my leg will get better soon.

It is obvious that we have taken an extremely toxic drug that has weaken, if not totally destroyed our bodies. Since no help is forthcoming, many of you will try to heal yourselves through whatever means you or the people around you can come up with.
If you discover a way to reverse the effects of this toxic drug, I hope you will share it with the rest of us. I certainly will.

By: Barbara from SC

Barbara from SC — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:31:18 +0000

I have taken Levaquin several times since 2003. I had to have a picc line put in in 03 to take 2 more weeks of antibiotics since the 7 day stay in the hospital for cellulitis didn’t completely clear up and that caused a blood clot in my arm. The line was removed on the third day and I was hospitalized again the next day for another 8 days for that and what they said was a infection in the arm too.

I didn’t have any immediate pain as some of the others have said that they did, but I did have the insomnia. I had never had a problem with sleeping. I also noticed that my right arm at the elbow and my right shoulder were getting sore and hard to bend. I just figured it was coming from the problem with the blood clot. I also noticed that my joints were sore and would be worse with daily activities. I just chalked it up to age, since I was pushing 50.

I was in the hospital in 2008 for pneumonia and was given Levaquin through the IV. No personal phycian now, so was admitted by the ER doctor. Again, no immediate pain, but still the insomnia came back.
I did notice that the bottoms of my feet would get so sore when I was on them, that I can’t hardly walk. They feel like someone has beat the bottoms of them with a hammer or something. They have been getting worse since. If I am on my feet a lot the pain is excruciating. When I sit down and are get off of them, it feels like pins sticking in the bottom of them and like they are on fire. I can’t hardly get up after sitting down and want to cry with the pain when I do get up on them. It takes me several minutes before I can even take a step and have to hold on to something to be able to walk, and the pain is so severe. Have not seen a doctor about it, because I just thought it might be from the job that I had with the cement floors. Up and down all day.. But then I think, I had worked before that for 2 years at a job where the floors were cement too and was on your feet constantly except for breaks or lunch and never had a problem there…

It’s getting worse as time goes by and just wondering if this problem could be caused from the Levaquin?

By: Doug

Doug — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:43:54 +0000

My wife was given Levequin in the spring of 2006 for a severe sinus infection. She was on several antibiotics prior to L but nothing worked. She was on L for 6 weeks. After taking L she went down hill. Severe muscle pain, joint pain in all joints, hot flashes, fatigue you name it has happened to her. We have been to every doctor and they can’t find anything wrong. Yes, the “fibr..” word has been mentioned. Before taking Levequin she was a healthy vibrant person. I had a hard time keeping up with her. Now she can hardly leave the house to put gas in the car. Her livlihood is nil. Our livlihood is almost gone. We have two young children that have suffered greatly. No vacations. Very little contact with the outside world. She has become trapped. She had an online business. Due to her inability to perform simple daily functions we had to stop the business. We lost tens of thousands of dollars and had to declare Bankruptcy. three years of pain meds, every medication you can think of. Countless Dr visits, Neurologists, Pain Mgmt Doctors, Rheumatologists, Internal Med Docs…again you name we saw it. NOTHING. She has O.K. days and bad days. Depression etc…

Don’t know what else to do. We are at a loss.

After seeing an ad on T.V. about Levequin I decided to check into it. Here i am angry as hell. I see many of you have the same symptoms she has had for three years. Generally speaking I am not a litigist person. But I want some answers, retrobution and most of all NO-ONE else to have to go through what we have been going through.

What can i do?

By: dan

dan — Sun, 17 May 2009 22:14:20 +0000

I was damaged by cipro when I was just 15 years old. 9 years later I am still completely messed up. I try to lead a full life but the makers of Cipro caused my life to be altered forever. They should be paying for this.

By: Connie

Connie — Sat, 02 May 2009 02:38:16 +0000

I have Lupus,and get sick quite often, I get pneumonia,bronchitis,UTI and sinus infections a lot. I have been prescribed Levaquin and Cipro quite often. This past Jan. and Feb. I was given Levaquin and Cipro due to them not taking care of the problem. Then a month ago I was walking across a soggy field to get to my daughters softball game and took a step and felt something in the calf of my right leg rip. I had previously had a heart catherization,my cardiologist called to check on me and I told them of my muscle pain in my calf; they told me to go directly to the E.R. they feared that I may have a bloodclot. I went to the E.R. and they did an ultrasound, but said I didn’t have a bloodclot,and told me to hold ice on it. I did and it eased up some, but just wasn’t right. Just this past monday, leaving another softball game, I took a step and felt another rip in the same leg. Yesterday, 4/30/09 I went to my Dr. and told them of the two times that my calf had a ripping sound and that I couldn’t walk right. They send me immediately for a MRI, and they called and told me they made an appt. for me with a Orthopedic Specialist, that I have two tears in my tendon. Then today while hobbiling on my bad leg, my left calf is starting the same problems. I can’t believe that the FDA is still producing a medication that is injuring people like these prescriptions. I am 49 yrs. old. I’m very frustrated about this problem. I would not have known about this problem w/ these medicines but my 16 yr. old daughter was telling one of her teachers today at school and the teacher told her about Levaquin and Cipro. We just got home from a softball game and I decided to look it up on the computer. OMG!! This is horrible!!!!!!!!!

By: Angela

Angela — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 01:16:27 +0000

My husband took levaquin in 2006 and has just about lost use of his right arm. His pain is located down the tendon from the bend of his arm to his fingertips. Just wondering if this could be caused by the levaquin. He was told by one dr. that he had tendonitis . Another Dr. has told him that is a torn muscle . He is only 34.