After having taken Levaquin for 4 weeks, I had to stop 1 week ago due to sideeffects. Since then, increasing tendon- and jointpain started so it's hard walk.
I wonder, if there are there any measures I should initiate right now?
Who had the same experience and what helped?
Would really appreciate any advice. Thanks.
[ 02-02-2010, 07:33 PM: Message edited by: kadee ]
Posted by Beachinit (Member # 21040) on :
support for ligaments: glucoasamine, vit c copper, B6,(add iron only if you know you are low as don't want to encourage biofilms or bacteria) also vitamin d if living in temperate zone eg most of United States continental regions may need 2-3000 units for men or 3-4000 for women. Magnesium if neuropathic component to the pain eg sharp, stabbing, tingling or numb I use mag oxide 250 mg 1 tab 2-3 times per day. others use mag lactate etc Avoid heavy or sudden load on affected joints and tendons. While tendons rebuild collagen gentler activity like walking on flat surface may help increase circulation to affected areas.
By the way if a person takes a statin medication that could make this problem worse or more likely.
Hope this problem is brief for you.
Beachinit.
Posted by Lymeorsomething (Member # 16359) on :
kadee, I did Levaquin for 4 weeks as well and had to stop because of tendon issues. I still get pain once and a while and I stopped 3 mos. ago so it may take time.
I was worried about my calves. I had to rule out DVT. I'm fairly certain it's the lingering effect of the Levaquin.
Hang in there. Support with nutrients as stated.
Posted by merrygirl (Member # 12041) on :
I had a TON of pain on levaquin. I disagree with a lot of folks who say stop it. You have lyme in your tendons, and joints so the pain could be die off.
When I say severe pain , I mean 9 out of 10. But after a few months, I stopped and was fine. no tendon issues. Just run it by your doc and see what they have to say.
also increasing your mag may help.
Posted by Dawn in VA (Member # 9693) on :
I would recommend that you MUST be on high levels of magnesium 2 weeks before (outdated since you're on it now, I realize) and throughout Levaquin therapy. I got tendinitis and was on crutches for 3 weeks the first time I used Levaquin.
My LLMD says that he had a lot of success when people ramped up (to bowel tolerance) on their magnesium intake before and during treatment with it.
The second and third time I did doses of Levaquin with way up'd magnesium, I had NO pain at all in my tendons and did not do any damage to them.
Posted by Dr.Dave (Member # 24210) on :
Dear Kadee,
You have probably been what is called "floxed" by the community of people who have been injured by Flouroquinilone ABX. I am still recovering form Cipro and Avelox and am also dealing with Lyme. I can no longer take ABX presently and may not for years to come. 100's of people are being injured by these drugs daily around the world and there are forums for these people...many people do recover from these in months to years. There is a website that is kind of scary but anyone taking ABX should be aware of this family of drugs and it's adverse reactions. I wish you well . there are very few things that have helped people except time. I hope that you had a mild reaction and be very careful physically. If you read the website look toward the bottom of the home page for the Flox Report very informative. Do not take any more FLouroquinilone drugs. Your doctor will probably know nothing of these reactions and will say thats impossible. Good Luck to you. The website is www.fqresearch.org .MD's on this website have been injured by these also.
BTW I am not a MD and this info is based on my experience and the experience of others. Also if you read Dr. Mercola look up on his site Antibiotics to avoid like the plague. Sincerely, Dave
Posted by Haley (Member # 22008) on :
I have heard that one needs to ramp up on Magnesium BEFORE taking Levaquin but not to take it while on Levaquin. I don't know if there is any truth to this. This is my next medicine that I am supposed to take. I am scared to death to take it.
Posted by kadee (Member # 21199) on :
Thank you everybody for answering. Lots of useful hints. I had actually loaded up whith magnesium before - the bad reactions started only after the 4 weeks.
It seems, now I cannot do much, except hoping that it doesn't get much worse. Here i found lots of information and it is NOT encouraging.
I had not taken Levaquin if had known this much about the possible long lasting poisoning before. This means definitely playing Russian Roulette.
Posted by canefan17 (Member # 22149) on :
Can some of these meds be so taxing that our adrenals give way... which can cause ALL SORTS of joint pain in lower back, hips, and knees.
I notice when i go on any sort of taxing abx protocol I fatigue my adrenals.
And I know this because it knocks my sleep schedule off and I become very VERY sore and have joint pain.
But this happened with humaworm (not levaquin). Humaworm is very strong and can be taxing on the system.
I was prepared for it and able to get through first few days.
Just curious if all this joint pain, etc is directly caused by abx or is a side effect of the body sort of shutting down.
Hust wonderin
Posted by kadee (Member # 21199) on :
I had worked my way up from 125 mg to 250 mg. More was not possible so far. On the last day I started with 500 mg and had severe reaction that night.
Stopped taking it and since then the pains in tendons and joints started, numbness in limbs, dry mouth, new kind of floaters in the eyes, light sensitivity.
All this seem to be typical signs of chinolone-intoxication as I found out. So far the symptoms are getting more and worse each day and I'm getting really scared, what comes up next.
Posted by B4LYME (Member # 23222) on :
You may want to consider getting some magnesium shots to boost your levels.
Posted by linky123 (Member # 19974) on :
Got plantar fasciitis, inflammation in the heel, after taking levaquin and took MG chelate amino acid, Soloray brand. They carry it at Whole Foods. It took the edge off the pain.
I am now on an intense detox program, gall bladder, kidneys, urinary tract, and parasites. This seems to have finished the job as far as my heel pain; it is pretty much gone now.
Posted by nefferdun (Member # 20157) on :
I had really bad tendonitis - could not use my arm at all for over a month because of the pain in my rotator cuff. It was not a herx and not related to lyme. I felt the tendon snap like a rubber band.
Afterward I had aching at night for 8 months. I had to sleep literally sitting up. It is thought that levaquin reduces the blood flow to the tendons which is what causes the damage. Maybe lying down reduced blood flow too. I don't know but I was miserable.
Finally I tried a joint supplement that I had gotten called Rapid Response. The first night the aching was gone. I took it for a month and afterward made sure I had a lot of mineral support. I am ok now. RR is very pricey. I bought some for one of my horses too and it helped him. I just ordered more for another horse that is nearly crippled with pain. I just can't afford it. I am not connected to the company in any way but it is really good for pain. Another supplement seemed to help. It has a lot of magnesium, vitamin B1, B5, B9, niacin, folic acid but especially B12 (which really helps heal the joints), vitamin D3 and L Lysine and Methionine which are both very healing.
I hope you feel better soon.
Posted by kadee (Member # 21199) on :
Thanks for all your helpful advices. Good to hear that many of you got better.
After getting worse each day, finally there seems to be a turn (hopefully). The tendon pain crept to a new part of my body every day, today it were my wrists. Really strange.
The overall pain is lessening now and I feel not more so knocked down. I wonder, what shows up tomorrow.
Neffer, what ingredients does "Rapid Response" have?
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