Painful Tendon Rupture A Side Effect of Levofloxacin
Recently, patients receiving a Levaquin dosage as treatment for various ailments have started reporting a wide range of dangerous adverse effects. The drug is marketed and sold by Ortho-McNeil, a pharmaceutical division of the chemical and health care giant Johnson & Johnson. The prescription medication is simply one brand of a common anti-infective known as levofloxacin. The same chemical compound is marketed by other companies as well. Other brand names include Cipro, Avelox, Floxin, Noroxin, and Maxaquin.
Patients are given a Levaquin dosage to treat common bacterial infections; it works by inhibiting the bacteria’s ability to replicate. This stops the infection from spreading to other parts of the body, typically allowing the body’s natural immune system to finish killing the bacteria.
The drug does not work on viral infections of any kind. Typical ailments treated with the drug include, but are not limited to:
• Nosocomial Pneumonia (acquired when admitted to a hospital)
• Community-acquired Pneumonia (acquired outside of the hospital)
• Sinusitis
• Bronchitis
• Various skin infections (including certain rashes)
• Bacterial prostate infections (prostatitis)
• Urinary tract infections
• Infections of the kidney and ureters (acute pyelonephritis)
• Inhaled anthrax
Some reactions to a normal dose are fairly mild, and tend to look like a cold, or the flu, which can be problematic for some victims, as a physician may misdiagnose the problems as other, unrelated diseases or conditions. Less intense side effects include the following:
• Diarrhea
• Restlessness, anxiousness, and depression
• Headache and dizziness
• Muscle pain
• Sleep problems from insomnia or nightmares
• Mild skin itching
• Fever
• Sore throat
These are, however, the least uncomfortable issues one can experience after taking a prescribed Levaquin dosage. Other potential complications are much more problematic, even life-threatening. Some of these include:
• Achilles tendon tenderness, pain, or rupture
• Biceps aches
• Burning or painful thumbs
• Sore rotator cuffs (shoulders)
• Abnormal heart rhythms
The most serious complication that patients should be aware of is the potential for tendinitis. The medication has been known to cause tendons to swell, become tender, or even rupture, especially in people ages 60 or above. This is not a situation that is simply painful. It can also be debilitating. For reasons unknown, the medicine seems to target the Achilles tendon in particular. Since this tendon is in the heel, a rupture of it in an older person can cause serious problems, causing them to need a wheelchair for the rest of their lives.
If you are a patient currently taking the antibacterial, and you are exhibiting any of the Floxin side effects listed above, you should contact your health care professional. Your physician will help determine if you should stop taking Levaquin or if there may be a safer alternative. He or she will also be able to tell you what, if any, damage was done by your prescription.
If any of the side effects are severe enough, find an attorney. There are several cases pending in the U.S. court system.
|
|