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Levaquin Side Effects
Serious Tendon Damage


Levaquin Side Effects are quickly proving the Levaquin medication to be a dangerous choice of antibiotic.

All across the country, complaints about increased pain and tendon damage and tendon rupture have been coming in from people that have been prescribed Levaquin.

Levaquin has a significant side effect of tendon degradation (Tendonosis) and tendon rupture, even in people that had no tendon issue before taking the drug.

While people have been getting damaged by floroquinolone antibiotics, people are starting to wonder "What is Levaquin?" and 'Why did it hurt me so drastically?". It's been hitting the medical news and even main stream news.

Of course, lawyers are jumping all over it and looking forward to class action lawsuits. As they should be.



What is Levaquin?

Levaquin belongs to a group of medications known as fluoroquinolones, sometimes known just as "quinolones" for short. These are used as anti-biotics.

Levaquine is a 'broad-based antibiotic', so it is used with the shotgun approach, as it is not targeted to a specific bacteria. Ideally a doctor will test and identify what bacteria seem to be the problem and pick the best antibiotic, instead of just seeing an infection and Levaquin dosing and hoping that that will do the job.

The use of Levaquin as an anti-biotic seems like a good idea until you start to notice that large numbers of people are experiencing severe unexplained Levaquin tendon damage and pain, sometimes require extensive surgery, and even end up with unrepairable damage.


What is Levaquin used for?

Levaquin medication is used to treat a variety of different infections in adults (only from certain kinds of bacteria) including:

* Sinus infections
* Bronchitis
* Pneumonia
* Skin infections
* Urinary tract infections (UTI)
* Kidney infections
* Prostate infections.

Interestingly enough, Levaquin is also 'approved' to prevent infection after exposure to inhaled anthrax in adults and children. I wonder how they discovered that.....

Plus, Levaquin is approved for the use with children only in cases of Anthrax poisoning. Makes me wonder how often that happens.


How Does Levaquin Work?

Levaquin works by interfering with two important bacterial enzymes (topoisomerase IV and DNA gyrase). These enzymes are necessary for bacteria to be able to copy and repair DNA (important steps required in order for bacteria to multiply).

Whether delivered in pill form, by injection, or by IV Levaquin targets certain kinds of bacteria and disrupts their ability to replicate.

Levaquin Side Effects, at least tendon tissue related side effects, may or may not have anything to do with that enzyme targeting process. Doctors and researches don't seem to know how exactly Levaquin damages tendon tissue.

Visit David Fuller's Levaquin Research Site www.fqresearch.org


Side Effects of Levaquin

Levaquin Side Effects - What are the Side Effects of Levaquin?

Like all antibiotics and drugs, the medication Levaquin has side effects.

Levaquin Side Effects like:

* Yeast infections
* Shortness of breath
* Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
* Vomiting
* Indigestion or heartburn
* Water retention
* Chest pain
* Pain at the injection site (when the medication is given by IV)
* Vaginal irritation or infection.

Of course you are at risk of yeast infection and Candidia overgrowth if you kill all the good bacteria in your digestive tract.

There are many other side effects that I'm not going to list because every drug has a huge list of side effects, which normally aren't a problem.

But the tendon related side effects of Levaquin are much more significant. This is the first drug I've heard of that specifically targets tendon tissue and damages it.

People have reported tendon ruptures in the week or two after first taking Levaquin. That is fast and significant damage.

For the most part, Levaquin side effects and dangers aren't any worse than other antibiotics'...except for the tendon damage.

Irreversible Tendonosis from the antibiotic you were give for a cold?? Oops. (BTW, antibiotics don't work for colds, doctors give them just to make people think something beneficial is being given to them.)

Cipro and Floxin are also bad guys from the same quinolone family that cause joint pain, burning nerve pain, and possible tissue damage.

www.Levaquin.com says this: "Fluoroquinolones, including LEVAQUIN™, are associated with an increased risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture in all ages. This risk is further increased in older patients usually over 60 years of age, in patients taking corticosteroid drugs, and in patients with kidney, heart, or lung transplants."


Levaquin Tendonitis

Levaquin Side Effects - Levaquin Tendonitis and Tendonosis


Tendonitis is rip and tear damage to the tendon.

Growing knowledge of tendonitis is pointing to a particular issue of 'Tendonosis', which basically means that due to lack of blood, the outer layers of a tendon begin to die and deteriorate.

Then the dying areas get pulled apart due to the stresses placed on the tendon from muscle contraction.

Somehow, Levaquin causes targeted degeneration of the tendon.

This can happen quickly, like in a week or two, even as soon as 2 hours after delivery to the body. Or due to extended Levaquin use, it can slowly do damage over time. It just depends on the person, their body's reaction to Levaquin, and the Levaquin dosage they take.

A common Levaquin dosage is 250mg to 500mg. I just spoke to a woman yesterday whose doctor gave her 1gram dosage of Levaquin.

Looking around the internet I also see that a 'common' dose of Levaquin 750 mg.

So depending on how much Levaquin a person takes, and how their body reacts to it, and a host of other factors that haven't yet been identified, a person on Levaquin may or may not experience tendon damage.

Levaquin Side Effects are a serious consideration if you are thinking of taking that particular antibiotic, no matter how young or healthy you are. The woman who was prescribed 1g is 25 years old, and suddenly has severe Achilles Tendonitis pain and limitation.


What To Do If You Have Tendon Damage From Levaquin

Levaquin Side Effects - What to do about them

Doctors don't have anything to offer. I can't find anything on the internet that shows how to counter and heal Levaquin Tendonitis or the side effects of Levaquin antibiotic use.

I'm certainly not a pharmaceutical research scientist, I don't have the 'Levaquin Side Effect Cure'. I don't know if there is one.

But some common sense and some understanding of how the body works is a good place to start.

I have some thoughts on how to support, help, and possibly heal the tendonitis, tendon damage, and tendon rupture that is caused by Levaquin on the Healing Levaquin Tendonitis page.

There is a strong case to be made that the damage can't be healed. If that is so, then the game becomes how to support the body for as much strength and health as possible, as well as keeping pain levels down.

For a more indepth and technical description, see my conversation with David Fuller, Director of the Fluoroquinolone Toxicity Research Foundation. Side Effects Of Levaquin Conversation



Have You Taken Levaquin and Had A Bad Experience?

Do you have a story about you or a loved one taking the Levaquin antibiotic? What were the Levaquin side effects? Levaquin Tendonitis or tendon rupture?

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What Other Visitors Have Said About Levaquin

Click below to see contributions from other visitors to this Levaquin medication page...

4 Bags Of IV Levaquin for pneumonia. Bad Drug  starstarstarstarstar

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I am a 45 year old male who was prescribed Levaquin for a prostate infection. After 3 doses, I had a severe reaction, started with neverousness,...

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I was given Levaquin 500 mg. 10 days on a tuesday for a sinsus and throat infection. I have taken it for similar conditons (3 times last year, and ...

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I took Levaquin for 6 days, now I can't walk.

The End



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i was hospitalized 2 weeks ago with pneumonia and congestive heart failure. they treated me with a couple of antibiotics and when i was released, i ...

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In short, I had pneumonia following bronchitis.

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My levaquin story. I need to vent.

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Joshua ...

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March 17, 2006

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