[image-1]On Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) called for new restrictions and warnings to be placed on the antibiotic Fluoroquinolones, commonly prescribed as Levaquin. Levaquin fights bacteria in the body and is prescribed to patients to treat skin, sinus, kidney, bladder or prostate infections. With any medication there are possible side effects that could occur, but Fluoroquinolones side effects are turning out to be quite detrimental. According to a WEWS investigation, it was discovered that at least 3,000 patients’ deaths have been linked to the drug and another 200,000 patients experienced disabling and potentially permanent side effects.
Patients to this drug have been sharing their stories for years, but are now just starting to create media attention. Facebook group “The Fluoroquinolones Wall of Pain” was founded in 2009 for people to share what happened to them because of this drug. Leading to heart problems, death, depression and suicide, the group is calling for action against this drug.
Solon High School senior Ally Benjamin was prescribed this drug (in the form of Levaquin) in 2011 for a sinus infection for eight days. Soon, she began to experience adverse side effects.
“A couple of days into taking it my right knee went numb and swelled up,” Benjamin says. “After that all my joints — knees, ankles and everything — became swollen and really painful.”
Benjamin was unable to walk and was forced to miss school for six weeks. Not until after stopping the medication, frequent trips to physical therapy and a rheumatologists did the symptoms slowly begin to stop and she realized that the drug was a cause. But still to this day her doctors refuse to admit the obvious correlation. Benjamin was extremely lucky that her symptoms relieved after six weeks, while others lasting years or permanently.
Side effects from this drug can involve the tendons, muscles, joints, nerves and the central nervous system. There’s a strong possibility of tendon rupture, sudden pain, immobilization, numbness, burning pain, and confusion/hallucinations experiences.
In July 2008, the FDA warned of the possible side effects but claimed they were mild and that rarely they were serious or fatal. Although the FDA does continuously review the safety of drugs for patients, it wasn’t until August 2013 they decided that side effects were more serious, they then required a label change to stress possibility for permanent damages. But the harm of Fluoroquinolones has not stopped.
Now the FDA has came out requiring a new label with new safety information and explained that the side effects outweigh the benefits of the drug. It’s recommended to only prescribe this drug if there are no other possible medications and to stop treatment immediately if any symptoms appear.
This article appears in May 11-17, 2016.
This drug made me ache from head to toe for weeks. Nearly half my hair fell out. And I had a vitreo macular separation. If your doctor prescribes it, say no. There are other drugs that can be used to treat you.
This CHEMO drug (which they pretend is an “antibiotic”) caused heart problems for me and damaged my liver. It also affected my muscles and tendons. I now live my life in daily pain after taking this drug more than two years ago. I was given the drug in the hospital with no warnings whatsoever. Once you are injured by this drug, doctors have no ideas on how to help you. Do yourself a favor and stay away from this poison unless you are dying!
both on the US market and my body. I was 25, vibrant and ready to take on the world…..not the Devil *(fluoroquinolones)*. I have been prescribed fluoroquinolones at least 50 times, probably more. I wasn’t able to connect the dots until my last floxing this past January 2016, which almost killed me. I was battling an acute case of bronchitis, which was teetering on pneumonia. It was the middle of the night on the 6th night of my 7 day dose, when a commercial came on the TV about a lawsuit involving Cipro and Levaquin. I have rewind on my dvrand I kept replaying that commercial. I got up off the couch and stumbled to the kitchen for a pen and paper to take some notes on this commercial. I took some notes and then went back to sleep. The next morning, I was too sick to research it on the internet, so I rested as much as I could. It was time to take my last dose of the poison and within 30 minutes of taking it, my whole body broke out in a rash, not hives, more like blisters all over my body, except for my face. I dragged myself upstairs to wake up my Husband, as I was scared and wasn’t feeling right at all. My breathing was quite labored, I had a fever, this blister type body rash, chills, a heaviness on my chest, a non stop, dry, hacking cough, a migrane, etc.. He wanted to take me to the Emergency Room, but I refused to go and just asked him to please check on me, every so often, as I was very scared. I stumbled back downstairs and took a couple of zanex, as my anxiety was getting the best of me. I awoke about 5 hours later and the rash was gone. I was relieved, but still didn’t feel right. I went to get up to get something to drink and go to the bathroom, but I couldn’t stand. My ankles and feet hurt so bad, I couldn’t walk. Then I felt the numbness, burning sensation throughout my body, my ears ringing, my eyes feeling like they were going to explode, a piercing pain in my spleen, dry hacking, painful cough…I yelled for my Husband and he came running downstairs, I was in excruciating pain, crying hysterically. He helped me to the bathroom and back to the couch, got me something to drink and held me, until I calmed down. He wanted to take me to the Emergency Room again, but again I refused, as frankly I felt, if I went, I wouldn’t be coming back home. This last dose of fluoroquinolones left me with tendon damage, more eye problems, hearing problems, all over peripheral neuropathy, SJS/TENS, as the skin on my hands, feet and ankles came off in sheets, anxiety off the charts, hallucinations, nightmares, tremors, etc. My list of side effects is never ending and continues to this day, 4 months later. My body has finally reached it’s threshold for fluoroquinolones and I can’t take them again, as I’m sure the next dose will kill me! I have been prescribed fluoroquinolones for the last 29 years and they have ravaged my body. I have lost jobs, relationships, friends, family, time, events, my health, money….you name it I’ve lost it. I also have had numerous kidney stones, lithotripsky, 1/2 of my right kidney removed, left adrenal tumor and surgical removal, relentless UTI’s, pituitary tumor, migraines, broken bones that never heal, bruised kidney, enlarged spleen, pettechiae – all over my body, vision problems, hearing problems, stomach problems, hair loss, no energy, lethargic, insomnia, etc. But the real slap in the face is from the medical professionals that have labeled me as a hypochondriac, pill seeking, baby. Their nonchalant and dismissive attitude towards me. I truly cannot stand their flagrant disregard for my pain and suffering, inflicted by them and their lack of knowledge of the drugs they prescribe. This is NOT just a USA issue! This is a worldwide issue and needs to be addressed on that level! This is crimes against humanity – PERIOD! These poisons need to be pulled from the market and only be used in a hospital with knowledgeable Dr’s, as the great majority of Drs prescribing them do NOT have the knowledge of the side effects they cause and have a pompous attitude, when we their patients question their knowledge. As for myself, I will never take another drug made by Big Pharma. I will find it in nature or die trying, but my death, when it comes will be on my terms, not by the hands of Big Pharma, pompous Dr’s or an overreaching Government. Also, my Mother, may she Rest In Peace, was diagnosed with ALS. She didn’t die of ALS! She died of chemical poisoning by fluoroquinolones!
My experience with BRAND name Levaquin in 2009 is simple…I went to one of the doctor’s on my regular GP’s team due to a mildly sore throat..just to be on the safe side because I was a taking care of my Mother who had Addison’s and I just wanted to be sure I wouldn’t give her a virus..I was so busy with life I figured it was the antibiotic’s I always got that I would take probiotics for my stomach due to antibiotics intestinal side effects….but this was no antibiotic I ever had. The second dose caused me to stop dead in my tracks as I warmed up on the treadmill..my feet were burning, very quickly my feet turned into pain that was unbearable, and I started sleeping constantly, always extremely tired (chronic fatigue). I ended up bedridded and needing help to get to the restroom and didn’t eat….food became gross to me..I was a foodie now I never feel the urge to eat because it is painful to my intestines if I do eat like I used to, now it’s healthy food or I have pain…no more decadence, no more shopping, no more social life, no attending family partiesm no more career I loved and worked hard for just a disabled shut in due to pain medication and the fear of pain flare ups if I do go out for more than an hour or so. Levaquin and Cipro (doctor used while under anesthetics, noted in my file NO FLOROQUINOLONES… doctor didn’t care he didn’t believe my symptoms were caused by the levaquin..THEY WERE!!!!! So in adding the Cipro to the already floxed body of mine…I woke up screaming in pain it made me worse! Some people seem to dodge the bullet it seems afte t taking LEVAQUIN, CIPRO OR AVALOX, I really wish I was one. I am here to warn anyone of the dangers of the what IS the medicine of the decade for profit gain and not “Not to do no harm” to patients oath doctors are to honor, these medcations are the scam of the decade, the doctors don’t even know the dangers due the our Government & FDA hiding the true effects of these medications…We are not protected by our Government who appointed FDA members who kept the whole truth hidden due their investment in the Floroquinolone market..we are truly being used for their financial gain on top of the basic facts of human suffering due to the lies it’s all a big game to those American’s who pay their taxes to in hopes of integrity and Policing anything that might be harmful to Americans….it is not being done at all.
Thank you for writing about this antibiotic. I have never heard about it, but will definitely NOT accept a script for it.
Finally this has come out!
In 2000 I took Levaquin for a minor sinus infection that would have no doubt cleared on its own, but I was in college and finals were coming up so I wanted to focus better. I had never taken it but my doctor (now retired) said it worked well. I was really healthy and doing well other than the sinus inflammation, but once I started the Levaquin I had to be rushed to Fairview Hospital in an ambulance. I looked fine but thought there were earthquakes, my body would go numb, I couldn’t regulate temperature…a whole list of horrible, nightmarish symptoms. They told me it was only anxiety, which was ridiculous because I’m really easy going and even called 911 and changed my clothes calmly, although the whole time I thought I was about to die. Long story short, for the next 16 years doctors just kept saying it was anxious or had no idea. Then another doctor laughed at my claim that Levaquin wrecked my life and gave me Cipro for a UTI (that it turns out I never had!). Only 20-30 minutes after taking one Cipro I developed a burning sensation in my feet, even though I was lying down quietly. The pain was excruciating!!! I could not walk normally for a whole month and could not touch the bottom of my feet. I rolled around at my office in my chair trying to do things. This whole time my symptoms were never reported to the FDA because no one would take it seriously. It was always obvious to me that I took the meds and boom! immediate physical trauma.
Finally I found three doctors, two of which were personally damaged by this class of drugs, who took me seriously. My neurologist has confirmed I have autonomic nervous system dysfunction from the meds, wreaking havoc with my temperature regulation, heartbeat, nausea, and so many other things. A friend from high school had a heart attack from these medicines in his 20’s, and was in good shape. A friend’s mom has had 3 Achilles tendon surgeries in one year and says she lived over 50 years, but right after she took the Levaquin things started popping. All this suffering and really none of us needed such a strong medicine. Something milder or better medical guidance would have helped more! I always think if I had a neti pot back then, then maybe I wouldn’t have had to drop out of sports and could have had a job sooner. Autonomic nervous system dysfunction still doesn’t seem to get the attention it deserves related to these drugs! Thanks to Levaquin, I cannot go run on the beaches of Lake Erie on a hot summer day…probably ever again.
It is amazing that our legislators allow new drugs to be released based on the manufacturer’s studies. It takes years to get drugs removed from the market due to post marketing complaints.
Having been there, done that, it is appalling that the patient is diagnosed with anxiety disorder when ill effects are reported. This business of blaming the patient when drugs don’t live up to their manufacturer claims is a pile of junk.
Part of the problem is with the manufacturers and much more responsibility should be placed on the brainwashed medical community for their belief in manufacturer’s miraculous claims and disbelief of the patient’s complaints.
The patient needs to be more educated, as antibiotics are not appropriate for viral infections; many people demand inappropriate treatment.
There is a lot of responsibility to be passed around: manufacturer, medical providers, and the patient.
It is a shameful reminder that major facets in the delivery of U.S. health care is operated by lobbyists — who could care less about meticulous guidelines to ensure patient safety.
My husband was also damaged by levaquin. He is still suffering. He’s had two week long hospital stays over the summer and is seeing Dr.s every week still trying to find the cause. He has a neurologist, hematoligist and a rheumatoogist in addition to his primary Dr. I am not going to detail his different ailments but want everyone to see this…thanks Obama, thanks HRC.
Link points to former FDA Commissioner charged with a RICO lawsuit regarding levaquin.
http://ahrp.org/former-fda-commissioner-charged-in-federal-racketeering-lawsuit