My Levaquin Symptoms
The following are a list of MY symptoms; Symptoms can vary person to person
Initial Symptoms:
7/10
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6 months
Update: 1/11
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8 months
Update 3/11
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13 months
Update 8/11
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16 months
Update 11/11
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Extreme fatigue
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This has greatly improved, but I still tire easily.
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This is starting to increase again. Does not take much activity for me to feel I have “over extended” myself.
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muscle weakness/fatigue, most significant in upper body
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This is continuing to cycle. I have periods of time that are not as bad. However, never has gone away. It continues to be one of my biggest problems.
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Continues to be my biggest limiting factor. Arms fatigue with any repetitive movement, which really interferes with doing household tasks. Legs fatigue quickly when out for errands that require lots of walking.
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muscle pain, joint pain (joints popping and grinding), joints feeling "unstable"
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This continues to cycle with the muscle pain, but not ever to the degree it was initially. Joints don’t feel unstable anymore. Still have joint popping, but significantly decreased.
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Still have muscle pain, joints feel unstable again especially in spine, popping of joints in shoulders/hips~ all occur when over tired.
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Numbness/tingling/buzzing in hands, fingers, feet, and toes
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This continues to be a problem.
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Continues and actually feels it has spread to a broader area.
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A burning feeling in arms, legs (like being burned by acid from the inside-out
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Now feels like a low voltage current at all times.
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This is still my worst symptom, it is not as constant as initially, but occurs daily. Worst at night.
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This has greatly decreased. I am no longer taking Gabapentin, Never at the acid burning level anymore. Feels like a low voltage current.
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Starting to have periods of acid-burning again throughout body. However, my activity level has increased which could be contributing to the increase. Low voltage current feeling almost all of the time.
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Muscle twitches, spasms, cramps
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This continues to be one of my biggest problems.
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This has increased with frequency and strength of the fasciculations. Feel it more at night, and when at rest. Seem to not notice it when moving.
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Myoclonic jerks
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These have stopped
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Tremendous insomnia
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Occasional when pain is at its worst, but mostly just feel I could sleep all of the time now
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When first stopped Gabapentin, this became an issue again, but it has gotten better.
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Not a problem for me
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extreme fluctuations in weight
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This has leveled off, unfortunately on the high side.
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Now 10 pounds lighter. Yippee!
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inability to concentrate or stay focused (initially could not read, or follow TV programs)
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This has improved
significantly, but still not back to normal. Can't multi-task and lose focus easily. Still difficulty with reading comprehension. Math is very difficult. Word finding and short term memory problems.
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This is still a problem, but I feel it is more related to the Gabapentin I am taking now.
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Greatly improved since stopping the Gabapentin, but I have always been guilty of being an airhead. :-)
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I still have periods of time when I feel I can’t move forward in my thoughts, as if they are getting stuck. Can’t think of words mid-sentence, Math still difficult, poor short term memory, but feel overall it has improved.
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Emotional lability
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Not crying all the time like I was, but still cry more easily
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No longer a problem
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heart racing and palpitation
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These have stopped
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hypersensitivity to sounds, light
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This has improved, but becomes a problem when pain is at its worst.
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No longer a problem
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This is starting to occur again when over tired, but as stated before my activity level has increased.
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nausea
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Not as frequent.
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gone
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Recently started having issues with this again.
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Stopped since being treated for Diverticulitis in 9/11
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shortness of breath, especially when really tired, difficulty producing a voice
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Does not happen as often, but still occurs.
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This has greatly improved, but when very fatigued, I still have this happen
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Continues to improve, but still occasionally happens.
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Voice still gets “weak” or hoarse when over tired. Have tried to return to singing, and really have a problem with voice production. Voice tires VERY quickly with singing.
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numbness/tingling in face/lip
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No longer a problem
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Raynaud's syndrome
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No change
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Same~ Continue to have freezing hands and feet with color changes.
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Difficulty walking long distances, spasticity increases in leg muscles
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This had improved, but the last few weeks it has returned.
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I feel I am close to walking at my normal pace again if having a good day. Still get tired when walking, but it is at a functional level now.
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Functional speed of walking for short outing, but can’t keep up with family if out for long outings….get slower as the day goes.
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Decreased balance
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Has improved with walking, no longer use cane. However, cannot do yoga poses I did before because of balance
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My balance has decreased again, and I have dusted off the cane for its use.
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No longer use a cane, and feel my balance is getting close to normal now.
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No longer using cane, balance better, but still occasionally lose balance if over tired.
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Changes in blood pressure, resting heart rate- both have increased
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This was back to my normal levels on my March appointment
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Having problems with low blood pressure. Get dizzy when stand from lying down, or sitting. Sometimes feel I am close to passing out. Body temp on a good day is between 96-97 degrees. On a bad day, when I am confident I have fever, it is 95 degrees.
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slowed digestion
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Still a big issue
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Continues to be a big problem. Diagnosed with Diverticular Disease 9/11 after suffering from Diverticulitis.
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inability to sweat
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Still a problem
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Still not sweating.
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ice cold feet and hands, as if walking in snow with no shoes
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Still a problem
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Same~ Continue to have freezing hands and feet with color changes.
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hair loss
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Taking Biotin which is causing new growth. Also adding Epsom’s salt to my shampoo. My hair is actually looking fuller now, but I am still losing hand fulls of hair.
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This has stopped and the biotin has helped greatly. Actually hair is more full and curly than before.
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This has started back again, and is as bad as it was in the beginning. Hairdresser notices this too.
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severe menstrual cramps (I did not have this problem at all before Levaquin)
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This improves each month
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Diagnosed with Dermoid Cyst 9/11 and will have to be removed.
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*I had one IV (intravenous) dose of 500 mg of Levaquin in July 2010. Prior to that I took Levaquin in May 2009 and had a mild reaction....I think I only took 2-3 pills at the most then, can't really remember. I just know I started feeling achy, fluish, joint pain, and shallow breathing. I bounced back fairly well after the 2009 reaction, but then 4-5 months later I started having MS type symptoms (muscle fatigue and constant muscle twitching). Of course, I never related it to the Levaquin. I had just been referred to a neurologist to test for MS, when I got the IV dose of Levaquin in an emergency clinic (just prior to the neurology appointment). That reaction was immediate, the second it entered my IV, I felt most of these symptoms. I had not recovered from my symptoms from the May 2009 dose when the second happened, so I am sure that contributed to the severity.*
