I am on 250mg day of levinquin for the third week. Ever since I started it, my dizziness is much worse but what I have noticed is my head feels foggy, slower thinking, cannot focus. Asked my llmd yesterday about this and she said probably herxing. I am also having alot of night sweats which is not so common for me off this med. I have qt interval issues in the past and am borderline as we speak awaiting a new ekg. Is this a bad side affect or herxing? How do I know the difference. I was on rifampin for three months, had hyperness, aggitation, anxiety worse, insomnia, finally llmd said after three months to go off because it was probably side affects not herxing. I am confused!!!! When do you know when you are in danger of a serious side affect vs herxing. Diana
Posted by feelfit (Member # 12770) on :
hi dian,
I, too, am on 250 mg levaquin per day....was at 500mg for a week and can't handle that dose. At 250 mg. I can report the same sx. as you do..re: fogginess, slower thinking, focus.
however, where i had prior to levaquin been sweating and flushing, on levaquin i have been very chilled, even in 86 degree weather, I have been under three blankets.
No real heart sx. with levaquin....
and i don't know, whether herxing/side effect. I have come to the conclusion, for myself, that it is a result of impacting the illness somehow.
I tolerated abx very well before TBI's. No side effects and just got better, the way that things are supposed to work!
Posted by Haley (Member # 22008) on :
I think the biggest concern with Levaquin is joint pain. If you begin to have joint pain that is a serious side effect.
I did Rifampin in the beginning of my treatment. I almost ended up in the ER after 2 weeks. I had BP 196/151, bruising, plus all the symptoms you mentioned. I went off thinking it was a bad side effect but I always wondered if it was actually pounding the bug to a pulp. About a year later I tried it again but ramped up slowly. After a few months I began to see progress. I added Levaquin every other day. I have the same side effects as you. The combination seems effective.
I believe the Rifampin is hitting Ehrlichia and RMSF as well as Bart. That may be why I had such a herx as it was hitting so many infections at once plus the bacterial load was very high.