My 16 y.o. daughter recently switched from doxy to Levoquin (she's in month 16 of antibiotic treatment for Lyme and BabesiaWA). She was fine for the first week, then crashed! She has been unable to get out of bed for 3 days, severe headach, unable to focus her vision, severe fatigue, stomach ache. Any suggestions to help her feel better? I'm stopping the meds for a while. I can never tell if it's a herx or the chemicals! How do you know?
Posted by jjeennnniiee (Member # 7964) on :
Hi Dunc,
I have a few posts here regarding my reaction to taking Levaquin. If you will do a search for them, I'm sure you will find them. There are also links to other sites contained in them, which you might find useful.
Your daughter may or may not be having a reaction to it, but I just thought I would throw this out there, so that you can gather some more information.
I hope you find what you need to assess your daughter's situation and make a decision!
Love, Light, & Health, Jennie
Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :
She might need to cut back on the Levaquin. Have you called your LLMD?
Posted by jjeennnniiee (Member # 7964) on :
Hi Dunc,
I just want to tell you too that, according to the FDA, Levaquin is not supposed to be administered to anyone under the age of 18.
I'm not sure if your doctor is aware of that or not, but I just thought that you should know. Since I have had a severe reaction to taking it, I have learned alot about it, most of which I am not too happy about.
There are those that can take it without any ill effects, but for those that are the opposite, its affects can be life altering.
Love, Light, & Health, Jennie
Posted by Aniek (Member # 5374) on :
Jennie,
Very few drugs are approved by the FDA for use in children (under 18). This is because tests are not often done on children.
Do you know if there is a particular warning about Levaquin and children? Or is it possible what you are referring to is a pretty generic statement that the drug isn't approved for people under 18.
I know Levaquin can cause serious problems in some people. But it helped me turn a corner. There is a risk balancing that needs to happen with all our treatment.
Posted by Dunc (Member # 9148) on :
I'm new to Lymenet so I don't know if people will continue this thread. I just found out from my LLMD that Levoquin is the best treatment for Bart and if my daughter herxed it is because her Bart hasn't been well treated. he did tell me about the age concern, however said it was related to bone maturation and since my daughter is 5'11" he said we shouldn't be concerned. thank you all fro responding. Dunc
Posted by Dave6002 (Member # 9064) on :
Beware of its side effects.
Posted by jjeennnniiee (Member # 7964) on :
Hi Aniek,
Here is what some of the package insert says about giving Levaquin to children. I didn't copy and paste anything not concerning children in regards to warnings, but they are highly worthy of following the link, searching for them, and reading them also.
LEVAQUIN Tablets/Injection and Oral Solution are indicated for the treatment of adults (�18 years of age) with mild, moderate, and severe infections caused by susceptible strains of the designated microorganisms in the conditions listed below.
WARNINGS THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF LEVOFLOXACIN IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS, ADOLESCENTS (UNDER THE AGE OF 18 YEARS), PREGNANT WOMEN, AND NURSING WOMEN HAVE NOT BEEN ESTABLISHED. (See PRECAUTIONS: Pediatric Use, Pregnancy, and Nursing Mothers subsections.) In immature rats and dogs, the oral and intravenous administration of levofloxacin resulted in increased osteochondrosis. Histopathological examination of the weight-bearing joints of immature dogs dosed with levofloxacin revealed persistent lesions of the cartilage. Other fluoroquinolones also produce similar erosions in the weight bearing joints and other signs of arthropathy in immature animals of various species. The relevance of these findings to the clinical use of levofloxacin is unknown. (See ANIMAL PHARMACOLOGY.)
ANIMAL PHARMACOLOGY Levofloxacin and other quinolones have been shown to cause arthropathy in immature animals of most species tested. (See WARNINGS.) In immature dogs (4-5 months old), oral doses of 10 mg/kg/day for 7 days and intravenous doses of 4 mg/kg/day for 14 days of levofloxacin resulted in arthropathic lesions. Administration at oral doses of 300 mg/kg/day for 7 days and intravenous doses of 60 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks produced arthropathy in juvenile rats. Three-month old beagle dogs dosed orally with levofloxacin for 8 or 9 consecutive days, with an 18-week recovery period, exhibited musculoskeletal clinical signs by the final dose at dose levels �2.5 mg/kg (approximately >0.2- fold the potential therapeutic dose (1500 mg q24h) based upon plasma AUC comparisons). Synovitis and articular cartilage lesions were observed at the 10 and 40 mg/kg dose levels (equivalent to and 3-fold greater than the potential therapeutic dose, respectively). All musculoskeletal clinical signs were resolved by week 5 of recovery; synovitis was resolved by the end of the 18-week recovery period; whereas, articular cartilage erosions and chondropathy persisted.
Pediatric Use Safety and effectiveness in pediatric patients and adolescents below the age of 18 years have not been established. Quinolones, including levofloxacin, cause arthropathy and osteochondrosis in juvenile animals of several species. (See WARNINGS.)