Bedridden for 10 years from 500mg Levaquin bad drug reaction

by Diane
(New Hampshire)

I had a bad drug reaction after receiving Levaquin 500mg IV with surgery. General muscle weakness and low stamina ensued. Two years later, I tore at my upper inner thighs while lifting a patient at work. With each physical therapy session, I became more bedridden until I was told to 'just walk' as well as 'don't aggravate it and don't work against it'.


After 10 years, I can now sit or stand for five minutes at a time twice an hour - relatively pain-free. Further activity increases pain and limits mobility. I am also limited with debilitation and muscle wasting.

Effective homeopathic treatments:

Ice for flare-ups
Boswelia for inflammation
Bryophyllum for nerve pain
Narcotics for severe pain

For pain and healing: Traumeel, Arnica and Comfrey ointments

Multi-vitamins
Vitamin B complex for central nervous system
Sunshine for Vitamin D

Magnesium for muscle spasm
Warm shower and sunshine to relax muscles
Support legs and torso with pillows

Anti-inflammatory diet of vegetables and grains

Essiac to detoxify, as an anti-inflammatory and anti-depressant St. John?s Wort as an anti-inflammatory and anti-depressant

I'm thinking of asking about a stem cell cream.

I am currently on disability, but it took three years to find a physician to diagnose and treat me, because MRI?s were negative. (Tendonitis may not appear on x-ray, because it can be microscopic damage.) My inflammatory level was three times the normal rate, but remains a little less elevated with meds and diet. Overt symptoms consist of swollen inner thighs. My pelvis was misaligned for a whole year until it was manipulated back in place by an osteopath.

Quite a painful episode.

Luckily, I'm not in a nursing home, because my boyfriend has agreed to continue to care for me.

The majority of my family was considered to be "dysfunctional" by the physical therapist, because they rarely assist us in any way.

Ten years ago, when I was healthy, I used to assist my elderly mom two or three times a week. She's 83 now and wants to continue living independently.

I was recently informed
that everyone in the family has been very angry with me - ever since I could no longer assist her. Several relatives live nearby, but refuse to help her when asked. This just adds to my burden...



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Joshua Answers:

Hi Diane.

Sorry to hear about the Levaquin cytotoxicity, and the family toxicity.

But I can really only speak to one of those. :)

1. So you've been doing all that self care for approx 8 years. It doesn't seem to have really helped......or at least, it has helped as much as it has.

2. Tendonitis almost never shows up on an xray. Doctors are really just checking for bone health and big tendon tears.

See: What Is Tendonitis?

3. Rest in no way, shape, or form, helps Levaquin damage heal.

4. You say you're eating vegetables and grains for anti-inflammatory reasons. You're not eating wheat at all, are you?

5. What else do you eat, besides vegetables and grains?

6. What is your Vitamin D level?

7. How much Magnesium do you take?


As you know, Levaquin Tendonitis can be BAD news.

And while there's a lot of things one CAN do for self care in the hopes of making things better, if you don't do the RIGHT things, and ENOUGH of the right things (for instance, you're not getting enough B12, nor the right kind of B12), then you're body isn't going to get what it needs to have a chance of recovering.

Point is, you're doing stuff, but from what I can see, you would benefit from some fine tuning.




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Please reply using the comment link below. Do not submit a new submission to answer/reply, it's too hard for me to find where it's supposed to go.

And, comments have a 3,000 character limit so you may have to comment twice.
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Joshua Tucker, B.A., C.M.T.
The Tendonitis Expert
www.TendonitisExpert.com








Comments for Bedridden for 10 years from 500mg Levaquin bad drug reaction

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Oct 24, 2013
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		bedridden for 10 years
by: diane

Just found your reply.

My lab work is normal, except for an elevated ESR.

I eat wheat and legumes as well as other veges and grains.

The magnesium is 1/8 teaspoon at betime. It's a homeopathic powder from Waleda.

Should I be taking sublingual B12?


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Joshua Comments:

There's almost no reason NOT to take b12 methylcobalamin, so yes.

How much magnesium is in 1/8 of a teaspoon? In general I'm a big fan of homeopathy...however, not for the intake of magnesium.

Personally, I would stop the wheat. Gluten is an inflammatory agent as is a HUGE player in a vast array of health issues.
Sep 28, 2018
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Levaquin another bad drug
by: Anonymous

My 88 year old father was given this medication 2 years ago. On the second day of the therapy, he developed pain in his feet and legs.

Being an RN, I looked it up, and guess what I found, tendon rupture, peripheral nerve damage. He was given the med from a young P.A., in case he was getting pneumonia. It was not like it was the only choice. Of course he stopped taking it, and I called his primary care giver and told him what was going on, and that he stopped taking it.

That pain traveled up his legs, through his pelvis, back, shoulders and down his arms. After a week or so, it just seemed to linger in his feet and legs. I have questioned the doctor he see's about it, and he is very reluctant to say much of anything about it, he dosn't need to, I have done quite enough research on it, and I am completely convinced it is the result of this med.

He has an appointment to see a vascular surgeon net week. His left lower leg and foot have been mottled and ice cold, and his legs and feet are so numb, swollen, and he has pain to the point that he can't walk. He loses his balance, because he can't feel his feet.

He went to a chiropractor, and he told him to soak his feet in vinegar and they seem a bit better.

They are not ice cold, and the color is better, but I am concerned, the back of his left leg is dark blue, is there a big clot in there, or is it his tendon tearing away?

They are going to do an ultrasound next week. I'v made him keep his legs elevated constantly and am not encouraging him to ambulate, which is fine with him, it is very painful.

I have been concerned about this for sometime now, to the point where I have sought legal consultation, but you won't believe this. If you are given the generic form of a medication, and you have an untoward side affect, you can not sue the drug makers. This law was put in effect by the supreme court. What the heck? I wonder how much they were paid to come up with that?

The only thing I can do, or he, I take care of my father, and I have been forced into retirement because I took care of my Mother until she passed away last March.

And now my Dad is getting worse every day with this problem. Don't get me wrong, I am thankful I can handle it, and have the knowledge to have done this, but it has been very stressful. And my poor father did not need this. He should have never been put on this med., his age is one factor, he has taken massive amounts of steroids through his life due to asthma, and arthritis.

It is so hard to see him in pain, and I am getting more angry everyday. So, my next steps, like tomorrow, will be to find out if he was given the generic drug, and who gave it to him. I know the urgent care center he went to, but am not sure of the P.A.

It was a young girl according to Dad. But, she made a mistake giving him that particular drug. And he has been paying for it for two years now. If it was generic, the only thing we can do is file a claim in small claims court, and I believe the most we can sue them for is $10,000.00. Which in my opinion, is not enough, I'm sure there are ones out there who will agree.

This is bad stuff. And be careful, they are using this med as a pre surgery antibiotic as a standard of care, I think that is outrageous! I know this because I had surgery, and I ask my Doctor what antibiotic they were going to give me, when he told me, I politely declined it.

They were going to give it to my 15 year old granddaughter when she had her tonsils out this last summer. This drug was created to use on the super bug infection, which I think would be MRSA, so why are they using it so flagrantly?

My father has and still is really suffering because of it. And it is 50% of the reason I feel like my life is over. I am 67, now financially in a good position to be living on social security, its not enough. And I don't have a pension. I'v not worked in two years, and in the specialty area I worked, O.B., I'll never find a job. So, I am hoping to try to get into home health.

It is a bitter sweet thing. But the Lavaquin really broke my Dad, and if I leave him, he would have to go into a home, or have someone here at home, he
can't do the ADLs, and he has fallen a few times, due to weakness and numbness. What a mess, and when I see all of the responses here, I get madder than heck, what is wrong here? Why are they using this dangerous drug? I don't really think there is anything to help him.

I guess my question is, does anyone out there know of any law firms who are ready to go after them? This needs to stop. There is a class action suit in Indiana, but I'm confused about the whole process. I say, everyone, hang in there and don't give up. I hope you all will recover, and I hope they get the rats who are promoting this drug!!! We will see what this specialist has to say, and what the ultrasound shows.


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Joshua Comments:

I'm so sorry to hear that.

Unfortunately I don't have any good answers as to why the medical industry is prescribing Fluoroquinolones like cipro and levaquin out like candy. Only bad answers that revolve around easy money and lazy doctors.

As far as lawsuits, I don't believe that class action lawsuits are worth trying. Even if you win you get nothing (the lawyers sure do though) and the company gets barely a slap on the wrist.

An individual malpractice suit, however....

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