I've been taking Levaquin for about 2 weeks and I am so sore - EVERYWHERE. My shoulders, inner thighs and upper thighs are killing me on both sides. No achilles pain though at all. Could this be a herx or is it definitely something from the Levaquin?
My LLMD said that it's usually the achilles pain that is problematic but this seems worrisome.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
IF it were ME, I'd stop that stuff in a heartbeat. It can affect any joint.
Have you had this type of pain before taking levaquin?
Posted by mmnn1385 (Member # 31582) on :
No, never before. Is it usual for it to affect so many joints? Or does it tend to be just one..?
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I can't believe you're not getting more responses here. I'm not the expert on Levaquin.
All I know is that when I take quinolones, they set my nerves on fire.
It just concerns me that what you are experiencing could be a reaction to the med, not a herx.
Posted by Lymetoo (Member # 743) on :
I was sore all over with Levaquin for six weeks. Then it went away and I had progress.
Call your LLMD to be sure it's not the start of a problem .... but it sounds like what I had, a really bad flare. Epsom salt baths helped me more than anything.
Posted by TerryK (Member # 8552) on :
I was much sorer on levaquin. My LLMD said that is typical.
Posted by erikjh1972 (Member # 20964) on :
is it muscle soreness or tendon soreness???? if its muscle i would guess a herx like reaction.
Posted by mmnn1385 (Member # 31582) on :
How do I tell the difference between muscle and tendon soreness? It seems to be most around my joints? LLMD says it's dieoff but I worry...
Posted by mmnn1385 (Member # 31582) on :
I've seen all of the warnings, which is why I worry, but I don't know how to tell what is what.
Posted by lyme1987 (Member # 35189) on :
After reading all these posts regarding Levaquin and Cipro now I am beginning to wonder what my problem really is. I have a history of chronic lyme. In September this year I was given cipro for a UTI (I had never had problems with it before) and that night after I took the first dose of 500 mg, at 2 AM I woke up drenched in sweat with adrenalin rushes pulsing through my body. It was frightening.
I called the doctor the next day and he told me to halve the dose but he did not think it was the cipro. Because I have allergies to any other med for a UTI, I continued to take the cipro for ten days (I kept stopping and starting because I was sure it was the drug).
Every day I felt like I was taking poison because within a few hours of taking the med all the symptoms would get worse again. But the doctor said it could not be the cipro.
So here I am three months later, still with anxiety, adrenalin rushes, sweating. I have lost 20 pounds since then also. I have brain fog, headaches.
Is it the cipro, or is my lyme flaring again?
Posted by randibear (Member # 11290) on :
I can't take either one. Causes horrible leg and Shin pain.
Posted by WhitneyS (Member # 25666) on :
AHHHH I'd stop!!!
I just went through this. I wasnt sure if it was tendons or muscles, but I had a soreness that wasn't typical for me.. and three days after stopping it was GONE.
Levoquin can cause permanent tendon damage, so take it seriously
Posted by Lemon-Lyme (Member # 19229) on :
Yeah, it's really tricky with Levaquin in regard to muscle/tendon pain.
All I can say is for myself, I was generally sort of achy, but my calves really, really ached. And they also became super tight. I considered stopping it at about two weeks.
I decided to continue and the calves got better. I also took it real easy during this time period, as I didn't want to accidentally snap my calf muscles off or anything...
But by the 3rd month, I got definite tendon pain in my left knee (an area that normally never bothers me). I stopped after 12 weeks, and that pain went away. Although interestingly, after several weeks off of levaquin, I had some pains in both Achilles... lasted about a week, but that too went away.
If you continue with it, consider loading up on magnesium.
Posted by fourwinds (Member # 14114) on :
quote:Originally posted by lyme1987: Every day I felt like I was taking poison because within a few hours of taking the med all the symptoms would get worse again. But the doctor said it could not be the cipro.
Well, FWIW... many doc's haven't even read the
black box warning re Cipro and Levaquin. So it
doesn't surprise me that he told you "it wasn't the Cipro"
Your statement about feeling like you were taking
poison is EXACTLY how I felt after taking it for
about 8 days back in 2007.
I remember sitting on my kitchen floor crying to
my husband about how bad I felt My right knee also blew up bigger than a softball (this was before
I was diagnosed with Lyme)
I will never take them again...
Posted by hopeforhealth (Member # 23673) on :
I am on cipro, third week, and up to full dose. I am definitely in more pain but I think its a herx. I'm achy all over and I am very emotional, I had a huge breakdown last night. Anxiety is also through the roof.
I have to believe it's going to be the drug that makes a difference for me and give it a chance.
I don't however have any tendon pain.
I hope you are feeling better soon.
Posted by hopeforhealth (Member # 23673) on :
mmnn1385- also if you don't mind me asking, what are you taking it with?
Thanks
Posted by mmnn1385 (Member # 31582) on :
taking 750 mg with doxy!
Posted by lymeboy (Member # 24769) on :
you must take A LOT of magnesium when taking Cipro or Levaquin. You should load up on it before starting the drug. Levaquin can cause Tendonitis, so make sure you contact your doc about this.
Posted by TF (Member # 14183) on :
Tendon pain is generally above and below each joint.
Tendons attach muscles to joints. So, the achilles tendon is above the ankle joint.
Then, you have your calf muscle, then a tendon that attaches the calf muscle to the knee joint. And so on up the leg and each arm, etc.
So, now you know where tendon pain would be. It could also be at the joints since the tendons end at each joint.
The feeling of tightness in the tendons is the exact sign you want to watch out for.
This website tells you about how to take magnesium while taking levaquin: