posted
HI, I'm on treatment for bartonella with Levaquin. I have been on it for 4 days and I'm getting burning sensations along my gatstrocnemius/soleus muscles area (lower leg calf ) as if I have been running and as if my muscle are about to go into cramps. I am worried this might be the beginning if tendonitis...can anyone give me some advice on this? Thank you for you help. Maude
Posts: 5 | From UK | Registered: Oct 2006
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Ann-OH
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2020
posted
It very well could be tendonitis. I would call my doctor and tell him/her about that right away.
If it is tendonitis brought on by levaquin, which is a fluoroquinolone, it isn't going to pass, it will only get worse while you are on the med.
I wouldn't push it, get lots of rest and don't exercise it. You can use ice packs and take ibuprofen for inflammation, too.
lymewreck36
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4395
posted
Hard to say at this point. When my tendons were injured, it was NOT just the achilles. It included shoulder and wrist tendons. The damage is more global when it happens. It is a tough call, until after the fact. I know that isn't helpful.
If you get too worried, try stopping the treatment. If it is a herx, your new pain will resolve a good deal in a week. If it is tendon damage, it will not.
That is all I know to tell you as this is a very complicated thing. As Dr. P in CT used to say to me, "The waters are muddy."
Mary
Posts: 1034 | From North Carolina | Registered: Aug 2003
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posted
I was told by my top LLMD that when I was on Levaquin for the Bartonella- I needed to increase my magnesium for the muscle aches. No doubt levaquin can really target the tendons but just make sure you have enough magnesium in your system because that can offset the muscle aches that come with levaquin.
Posts: 238 | From Bethlehem, PA | Registered: Oct 2004
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posted
Maude, i definatly agree with hides1, if you are not on magnesium, get on it, my llmd definatly recomends it especially while taking levaquin, good luck!
Posts: 163 | From maine | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
I was on Levaquin and it was rough. Large muscle pain in my shoulders and knees. Burning over the entire lower part of my body. I had to quit taking it. If you look on the website, they indicate it causes low magnesium, but sometimes the lower magnesium causes some of the reactions.
-------------------- LJS Posts: 12 | From Maryland | Registered: Aug 2006
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
Maude,
Here's the rub. Bart causes muscle pain. So is it tendinitis or a Bart herx?
I had burning pain in my quads while taking Biaxin and Levaquin. While never diagnosed with bartonella, I am pretty sure I had it and was herxing. The pain stopped when I stopped the Levaquin.
I'm not a doctor, but my experience is that muscle pain and tendon pain are different. The tendon pain feels closer to the bone.
If the pain is mid calf, in the middle of the muscle, it would suggest muscle pain and maybe a bart herx. If it is down by your achilles or up by your knee, then it would suggest tendon to me.
But I am going off of what I've learned from my own body. Please don't rely on me if you suspect tendinitis.
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
thanks for all your help and advice. I am already taking magnesium but I will increase it. Mayby it is just muscle related, it really feels like it is in the middle of the calf as of Iv'e been running too hard and it might just be an herx from Bartonella, I guess its hard to know...Im going to my doctor on friday and will mention this to him. Thanks to you all, regards Maude
Posts: 5 | From UK | Registered: Oct 2006
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