Levaquin And Shoulder Tendonitis, Will Surgery Help?

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Levaquin And Shoulder Tendonitis, Will Surgery Help?

(Canada)

I had sudden onset of left shoulder pain following use of Levaquin antibiotic in May 2008.

MRI shows tendonitis, bursitis, rotator cuff tear and frayed labrum. It is now September 2009, I have had physiotherapy (4 different treatment programs) and 3 cortisone injections.

Am waiting (months and months) to see a surgeon. Do you have any info about surgery for this type of problem.

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Joshua Answers:

I don't have any information on surgery for this, right off hand.

If the Levaquin caused the damage, and if that damage isn't going to heal, or not heal any time soon, I don't know how good of an idea surgery is.

If Levaquin indeed causes DNA damage to the tendon and other connective tissue, the only way surgery is going to help is if ALL the affected tissue is carved out. If that's a lot of tissue, that's may be more removal than anyone would want.

It depends on your case and specific circumstances.

And, a quick search on Scholar.Google.Com didn't show me anything about the results of surgery for Levaquin Tendonitis or other Levaquin negative side effects.

Questions:

1. How much Levaquin did you take? And, in what Levaquin dosage?

2. Did you have any symptoms in the shoulder before taking Levaquin?

3. Are your symptoms -any- better than they were?

4. BTW, Corticosteroid Injections are incredibly unlikely to help. Have any of the methods you've tried given any relief?

5. Levaquin pain and problem anywhere else in the body?

Joshua Tucker, B.A., C.M.T.
The Tendonitis Expert
www.TendonitisExpert.com

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Levaquin And Shoulder Tendonitis, Will Surgery Help?

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Sep 16, 2009
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PART 2 - My response - Levaquin And Shoulder Tendonitis, Will Surgery Help?
by: Canada

I was taking 500mg of levaquin for 10 days.

I stopped after 7 days after sudden onset of severe pain. I do not have any other symptons elsewhere in my body. The pain is better than it was during the initial onset, but has gotten somewhat worse in the last few months. It is there every day, day in and day out.

The first cortisone injection (December 2008) worked completely - removed all symptoms for 3 months, the second injection provided very little relief and the 3rd injection (into the tendon as opposed to the joint) provided a little relief. I have tried 4 sessions (6-10 appts at a time) over the last 1.5 years with no relief.

Any thoughts ?

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Joshua Answers:

Hmmm.

Well, if you hadn't said 'sudden onset' I would lean towards that you have a particular dynamic in your shoulder that just coincidentally started to hurt.

And that MRI shows so many structures in the shoulder as messed up....that gives me a little bit doubt it's Levaquin.

Although, your shoulder might have already been going down that hurting direction, and for some reason the Levaquin targeted it because it was already injured (even though you didn't have any pain).

Some people have pain all over, some people have very targeted pain and tissue degeneration.

Hmmm. I can't diagnose, of course, but let me ask a few more questions.

1. Activity wise, what do you do with your body and shoulder? Are you active? Sedentary?

2. History of Shoulder use? Sports in your past, etc?

3. How old are you?

4. General state of health?

Regardless, you have damage and pain. If it's from Levaquin cytotoxicity, that's much worse than if it's due to some other things, like maybe you have some nutritional deficiencies that your body turned into shoulder weakness and damage (which the Levaquin then could have been drawn to, or thereform affect it more).

There a lot of variables, and unknown variables.

I believe if we keep at it, we'll figure it out.

Answer the above questions, and we'll go from there.

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Sep 16, 2009
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Submitted by: Canada

Title

Comment
I was taking 500mg of levaquin for 10 days. I stopped after 7 days after sudden onset of severe pain. I do not have any other symptons elsewhere in my body. The pain is better than it was during the initial onset, but has gotten somewhat worse in the last few months. It is there every day, day in and day out. The first cortisone injection (December 2008) worked completely - removed all symptoms for 3 months, the second injection provided very little relief and the 3rd injection (into the tendon as opposed to the joint) provided a little relief. I have tried 4 sessions (6-10 appts at a time) over the last 1.5 years with no relief. Any thoughts ? ---- Joshua Answers: Hmmm. Well, if you hadn't said 'sudden onset' I would lean towards that you have a particular dynamic in your shoulder that just coincidentally started to hurt. And that MRI shows so many structures in the shoulder as messed up....that gives me a little bit doubt it's Levaquin. Although, your shoulder might have already been going down that hurting direction, and for some reason the Levaquin targeted it because it was already injured (even though you didn't have any pain). Some people have pain all over, some people have very targeted pain and tissue degeneration. Hmmm. I can't diagnose, of course, but let me ask a few more questions. 1. Activity wise, what do you do with your body and shoulder? Are you active? Sedentary? 2. History of Shoulder use? Sports in your past, etc? 3. How old are you? 4. General state of health? Regardless, you have damage and pain. If it's from Levaquin cytotoxicity, that's much worse than if it's due to some other things, like maybe you have some nutritional deficiencies that your body turned into shoulder weakness and damage (which the Levaquin then could have been drawn to, or thereform affect it more). There a lot of variables, and unknown variables. I believe if we keep at it, we'll figure it out. Answer the above questions, and we'll go from there.

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Sep 19, 2009
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PART 3 - My response - Levaquin And Shoulder Tendonitis, Will Surgery Help?
by: Canada

I am 53 year old female.

Relatively sedentary - have had 2 spinal fusions for a burst fracture of L-1 in 1995. Have no history of shoulder problems and didn't participate in any sports that would cause problems.

Coincidentally at the same time this problem developed in my L shoulder, I was undergoing physio for pain in my R shoulder caused by a rotator tear but have no idea why it happened.

The R Shoulder problem was annoying more than anything else - it didnt cause me to overuse the L shoulder.

The L shoulder was absolutely a sudden onset - went to bed and woke up with it.

The only other thing is that at the same time I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel in both hands and I was quite conviced the shoulder pain was related - I had carpal tunnel surgery on L hand with good results but no improvement in shoulder pain.

Shoulder pain is getting worse - while at the beginning I felt it more in my bicep-upper arm area it now affets my sleep due to pain in the shoulder and shoulder is very stiff in morning.

Any thoughts?

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Joshua Comments:

Yes Canada, I have a bunch of thoghts. But one more question.

Was the burst facture in the spine from an impact accident like a car accident? Or did it just 'happen?

Sep 21, 2009
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PART 4 - My response - Levaquin And Shoulder Tendonitis, Will Surgery Help?
by: Canada

Hi Joshua -

Thanks so much for this.

In answer to your question, the burst fracture (L-1) was the result of a car accident in 1995. I had emergency surgery with a posterior fusion, one year later the rods and pins were removed and the fusion collapsed, resulting in another fusion - anterior - with the placement of a permanent plate. I dont think the spine surgery has caused the shoulder problem - but you never know.

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Joshua Comments:

Well, I have to say, I'm having a hard time getting a picture of what is Levaquin caused and what was already happening. It's tough to tell partly because of your pre-existing pain and such.

So I'll just give you what I think at this point.

1. One component of the connective tissue degradation and inability to heal (with the fusion collapsing being a clue) is that you are almost certainly Vitamin D deficient. How deficient, I don't know.

I suggest you have your doctor test your Vitamin D levels, and if he won't I can point you to a $40 blood spot test kit you do at home and send in. And even if he will, educate yourself some about Vitamin D3 on the Vit D pages at my Kerri's
www.Easy-Immune-Health.com

For instance, make sure you get D3 and not D2.

2. If you do have Levaquin Tendonitis and cytotoxic damage, I suggest you go to the following page and get the described test. If there's any place to start finding a counter to Levaquin damage, that's it.

Everything I suggest below may help, but due to the kind of damage Levaquin delivers, it's more about the health of the system, as opposed to a Tendonitis level of damage.

3. For current pain and tendonitis issues...

A. Bone Broth as the best Tendon Supplements

B. Magnesium for Tendonitis

C. Increase your intake of water.

D. Get your Vit D levels up (this will help your system against the upcoming flu season too, least among many other benefits).

E. If you can find a good massage therapist, especially one that has good training and experience, it's worth it.

Massage can't really help directly with bursitis and damage to the inside of the joint, but it can do a lot to relax constriction on the outside of the joint that is in fact compressing the joint.

F. The more you can ice the painful areas, the better. Massage the shoulder area with a frozen water bottle. Lean against it against a wall, or on the floor, however you can get cold and pressure onto the shoulder area.

The How To Reduce Inflammation will give you some more info and ideas about that.

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Sep 21, 2009
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Submitted by: Canada

Title

Comment
Hi Joshua - Thanks so much for this. In answer to your question, the burst fracture (L-1) was the result of a car accident in 1995. I had emergency surgery with a posterior fusion, one year later the rods and pins were removed and the fusion collapsed, resulting in another fusion - anterior - with the placement of a permanent plate. I dont think the spine surgery has caused the shoulder problem - but you never know. ---- Joshua Comments: Well, I have to say, I'm having a hard time getting a picture of what is Levaquin caused and what was already happening. It's tough to tell partly because of your pre-existing pain and such. So I'll just give you what I think at this point. 1. One component of the connective tissue degradation and inability to heal (with the fusion collapsing being a clue) is that you are almost certainly Vitamin D deficient. How deficient, I don't know. I suggest you have your doctor test your Vitamin D levels, and if he won't I can point you to a $40 blood spot test kit you do at home and send in. And even if he will, educate yourself some about Vitamin D3 on the Vit D pages at my Kerri's <a href="http://www.easy-immune-health.com" target="_blank"> www.Easy-Immune-Health.com</a> For instance, make sure you get D3 and not D2. 2. If you do have Levaquin Tendonitis and cytotoxic damage, I suggest you go to the following page and get the described test. If there's any place to start finding a counter to Levaquin damage, that's it. Everything I suggest below may help, but due to the kind of damage Levaquin delivers, it's more about the health of the system, as opposed to a <a href="http://www.tendonitisexpert.com/what-is-tendonitis.html">Tendonitis</a> level of damage. 3. For current pain and tendonitis issues... A. <a href="http://www.tendonitisexpert.com/tendon-supplements.html">Bone Broth as the best Tendon Supplements</a> B. <a href="http://www.tendonitisexpert.com/magnesium-for-tendonitis.html">Magnesium for Tendonitis</a> C. Increase your intake of water. D. Get your Vit D levels up (this will help your system against the upcoming flu season too, least among many other benefits). E. If you can find a good massage therapist, especially one that has good training and experience, it's worth it. Massage can't really help directly with bursitis and damage to the inside of the joint, but it can do a lot to relax constriction on the outside of the joint that is in fact compressing the joint. F. The more you can ice the painful areas, the better. Massage the shoulder area with a frozen water bottle. Lean against it against a wall, or on the floor, however you can get cold and pressure onto the shoulder area. The <a href="http://www.TendonitisExpert.com/how-to-reduce-inflammation.html">How To Reduce Inflammation</a> will give you some more info and ideas about that.

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Levaquin And Shoulder Tendonitis, Will Surgery Help?

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