Nerve Damage, Neuropathy And Ruptured Tendons Are Side Effects
Levofloxacin is the generic name for the powerful Levaquin antibiotic, prescribed for a wide variety of bacterial infections in the body. It is marketed and sold by Ortho McNeil, a division of the pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson, and is just one of several brand names sold to consumers filling prescriptions. Other names include Tavanic, Cipro, Avelox, Floxin, Noroxin, and Maxaquin. Each of these drugs technically falls under the classification of fluoroquinolone anti-infectives.
This Levaquin antibiotic is typically prescribed after a doctor diagnoses a patient with a bacterial infection rather than a viral infection. What follows is a short list of ailments commonly treated with levofloxacin-type drugs, ranging from the minor to the life-threatening:
• Nosocomial Pneumonia (acquired when admitted to a hospital)
• Community-acquired pneumonia (acquired outside of the hospital)
• Acute Bacterial Sinusitis
• Acute Bacterial Chronic Bronchitis
• Skin and Skin Structure Infections (including certain rashes)
• Chronic Bacterial Prostatitis
• Urinary Tract Infections
• Acute Pyelonephritis (an infection of the kidney and ureters)
• Inhalational Anthrax (Post-Exposure)
Patients need to take great care while treating any illness with a round of Levaquin antibiotic treatment. It has been known to have negative interactions with many foods, drugs, and some supplements and herbal remedies common in the marketplace. Some patients have experienced extreme caffeine overdoses, for example. Patients using Cipro have developed hypothyroidism, a condition that can lead to depression and fatigue, among some other troubling problems.
Most victims of the medicine start to feel painful side effects very quickly. Some reported major problems within 48 hours of taking their first pill. Although severity varies from patient to patient, most people experience only mild discomfort. Some examples of mild side effects include:
• Diarrhea of varying degrees
• Restlessness, anxiousness, and depression
• Headache and dizziness
• Muscle pain, fatigue, or exhaustion
• Sleep problems from insomnia or nightmares
• Mild skin itching
• Fever
• Sore throat
But these are not the worst ailments associated with the Levaquin antibiotic. In a small, but quite significant number of cases, patients develop painful, debilitating problems that can require extensive and painful surgeries, and years of difficult physical therapy. Often, patients experience some nerve damage, or neuropathy, typically associated with their extremities. More common, however, are the following complaints:
• Achilles tendon tenderness, pain, or rupture
• Biceps aches
• Burning or painful thumbs
• Sore rotator cuffs (shoulders)
• Abnormal heart rhythms
Some victims are filing lawsuits because after they were prescribed the medication to deal with a bodily infection, they contracted another malady, showing symptoms of painful conditions, especially involving the Achilles tendon, biceps, and hands. Some patients have even required surgery to fix problems associated with ruptured tendons. As these victims pop up all across the country, and lawyers begin the process of representing them in various personal and class action lawsuits, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also requiring more prominent labeling on the packaging.
If you have experienced any of the problems or adverse effects mentioned above and are taking this medication, please contact your healthcare professional immediately. Though you should never discontinue a prescription without consulting with a doctor, they may be able to suggest a different treatment for your bacterial infection. Additionally, you will need to determine how much damage has been done to your body. Once you are completely analyzed by a physician, contact a lawyer. There are several lawsuits pending against the makers of this drug, and you may be due recompense under the law.
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