posted
I took Levaquin for 12 weeks. It made me well except for babesia that I am still fighting.
I've been off it since December. I have no signs of bart any longer and have had no adverse symptoms.
When I first started taking it, I had terrible knee pain. My LLMD said that he has never seen tendonitis from Levaquin start in the knee, but that we'd watch it a couple days to see if it gets better or worse. It went away .... apparently it was a herx. It was worse knee pain than I had previously had.
Now I'm on all herbs for Lyme and symptom-free. No bart symptoms either. Just air hunger from babs, which is clearing up with aggressive babs meds. And this stupid flu I've had for a week now! But, the good news is, I have the flu, and NO Lyme symptoms!!! (except for the flu symptoms that seem a lot like Lyme, LOL).
For me, the risk was worth it and I'd use it again.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
I took Levaquin only for a month because my doctor thought that I had babesia and babesia needed to be addressed first. So my Levaquin treatment was interrupted. I will come back to it once I am done with Babesia. Actually I took Levaquin in a dose of 750 mg/day.
So far Levaquin was absolutly easy for me. No stomach upset and no side effects.
Posts: 98 | From BC | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
I've taken 4 cycles of levaquin 500mg for 3-4 mths each time.
were you "floxed"? no never had bad reaction - only helped me. never had any tendon trouble either.
did you improve and then relapse with new and frightening symptoms? yes improved lots on levaquin - hence why keep taking again - but everytime i stop i relaspe badly within 4-6 wks off the levaquin did you just improve?
would you use it again? yes -i'm back on it again now - best med i've taken. but my prob is coming off it as i relpase each time!
Posts: 83 | From UK | Registered: Oct 2005
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posted
Hello derek, I took levaquin for a nasty staph infection back in '05
I herxed on it but didn't know that's what was happening back then
This led to our "knowing" I had lyme and co
Since the infection was in my foot and hard to reach I took 500mg levaquin twice a day with biaxin to clear the staph
were you "floxed"?
I am not certain, but I don't think so
did you just improve?
I hadn't felt that good in 10 years
would you use it again?
I would use it again and I am going to try and get a rx for it soon
did you improve and then relapse with new and frightening symptoms
I improved and think it may have completely cleared the bart, and no relapse with new and frightening symptoms except for plain ol' lyme
I hope this helps
Good luck on your journey to wellness derek
Until that day
JayG
-------------------- JayG Posts: 42 | From North | Registered: Feb 2008
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djf2005
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11449
posted
thanks everyone for your responses.
i am going to discuss this with my dr.
maybe it can help me again.
id love to know if floxing is just plain old reactions to infections in peoples body or if the drug really does harm people.
for me i dont know or thing i was floxed because i didnt regress/experience these new sx until i did hbot, so it makes me think it was more that then the levaquin. i only felt good on that.
ahhhhhhhh. we will see.
thanks again,
much love
derek
-------------------- "Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you."
LisaS
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 10581
posted
Im on it again. And it always makes me feel better. TAking it for pneumonia now. And thatws finally going away. Along with some lyme/bart symptoms!
posted
I've taken levaquin a few times. The most recent round was for 4 months or so (500mg/once per day). I didn't notice any positive or negatives while on it but it was a bit hard to tell since I was on rocephin and a few other things at the same time.
My personal experience is that it is a very easy drug to tolerate but I know many others have had vastly different experiences. If the doctor said to try taking it again I would.
What is floxing? I don't think I have ever heard that term used before.
-David
-------------------- Same nightmare, different day! Posts: 401 | From East Coast | Registered: Nov 2005
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Aniek
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 5374
posted
were you "floxed"? NO
did you improve and then relapse with new and frightening symptoms?
NO, I improved but I was not cured. I did relapse some, but some of the symptoms like muscle pain in my thighs and my hip pain have never been as bad as before Levaquin. But I did not get new symptoms except vertigo over a year later that I don't think has anything to do with Levaquin.
did you just improve? See above
would you use it again? Yes
-------------------- "When there is pain, there are no words." - Toni Morrison Posts: 4711 | From Washington, DC | Registered: Mar 2004
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posted
I too am very concerned about this levaquin isssue and I would like to see more responses.
I have the same question, as I have been on levaquin for 9 weeks now, but have had quite a bit of tendon pain, and can't tell if it's the levaquin or the lyme itself. I was just on doxy for a couple weeks but had to come off due to sun sensitivity.
Sudden left shoulder pain has come one after last few weeks left knee, right achilles, right rotator cuff, and neck. Ribs are now hurting again too...I had that just before going on the doxy.
I have been very very active runner in my former life but have been laid low last few weeks due to patellar tendon and achilles pain, and I can't seem to do much with upper body due to rotator issue...walking just doesn't do it for me.
Anyway, I have tried to get llmd to answer the question, levaquin or lyme, but does not seem to be willing/able to answer it. I am trying to increase my magenesium malate uptake to 300 mg/d but struggle to take that much.
LM
Posts: 212 | From Eastern CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
Everyone knows that I'm a supporter of using Levaquin, that it worked wonders for me.
However, if I had achilles tendon pain, I'd personally stop it. By the time I was on it 9 weeks, I felt significantly better and by 12 weeks, felt totally normal.
I'd switch to Rifampin.
Of course, I'm not a doctor, but by 9 weeks it seems that this should be getting better not worse. My knee pain only lasted a few days the first couple weeks.
BTW, I take 300 mg. Mag. twice daily! I don't know whether the mag was what helped me with the Levaquin or not.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
Hi, I've now been on levaquin for 20 days. Definately herxed and am pretty miserable. But I'm not stopping! I knew this might happen, bu/t it only means that the bart was deeper than ever. Other than the intense pain, I am not sick to my stomach the way so many other drugs have made me feel. I recommend it based on my very short current experience.
Posts: 10 | From New England | Registered: Mar 2008
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posted
Hi Yes I do feel better in many regards after 9 weeks levaquin, and am trying to get to a full 12 weeks, but not sure if I will. The patellar and achilles pain did exist to a lessor degree prior to levaquin, but they are definitely worse now, possibly due to agressive skiing...I wish I knew.
I forgot to mention back/neck are going off too, possibly due to lyme acting up after bab/bart?
Posts: 212 | From Eastern CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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can you be somewhat active while on it? Does it increase the chance of tearing/pulling tendons?
Rebounding and Yoga...????
These save me...I would be really miserable if I had to stop...
just curious....
interested in discussing this drug with my LLMD at my next visit in May...
Love~
Fawne
-------------------- Energy flows where attention goes~ Posts: 302 | From Kauai | Registered: May 2007
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TerryK
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 8552
posted
I'm wondering about something. I see that many of you were on levaquin for only 3 months. My understanding is that bart lives in the cells. I think I read that it lives in the red blood cell too.
Similar to babs, wouldn't you need to treat for the life of the red blood cell (~4 months) in order to completly get rid of the infection?
Terry
Posts: 6286 | From Oregon | Registered: Jan 2006
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Rianna
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 11038
posted
My husband has been on Levaquin and after just a few weeks all of his symptos are going (he has bartonella) he could not hold a cup as he shook so much and his GI symptoms were so bad he was house bound a lot of the time - both have improved dramatically.
posted
Fawne, I continued to work out. I didn't start doing any new stuff, but I continued with my workouts. I lift weights and do the elliptical. I was very careful and cut back on things like squats.
Terry, I was switched to Rifampin for six weeks after Levaquin to be sure we got it all and see if maybe it hit things differently. The Rifampin was like taking a sugar pill for me by that point.
I don't really know the answer to your question, but I've been off Levaquin since last Dec. and have not had a return of any bart symptoms .... not to say they won't come back later. I ended Rifampin in January.
On the other hand, I'm STILL treating babesia! Fourteen months and counting. So they must be different. At least the strains I had.
-------------------- sixgoofykids.blogspot.com Posts: 13449 | From Ohio | Registered: Feb 2007
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posted
I've used levofloxacin @ 500mg for 12 weeks. (+40mg somac which is a proton pump inhibitor)
were you "floxed"? No, not at all. No side effects.
did you improve and then relapse with new and frightening symptoms? Did not improve at all. But when I quit I got worse. I get worse when I am off abx generally.
did you just improve? No, no improvement.
would you use it again? Don't think it's the drug for me.
Got a positive smear from Fry for bart + CDC borderline/positive antibody tests for bart.
Posts: 275 | From Home | Registered: May 2007
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map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
I started levaquin after a 5 year span of no abx and a completely different treatment protocol. Namely alternative stuff.
But I've been tick bite in that 5 yrs (more than once) and I believe I have a infection running rampant in my body. IMHO, it's either strep, staph or bartonella.
My experience with a staph infection (?) in my eye last fall turned serious and my primary doctor made me take Biaxin for 10 days. All I got from it was a very sore throat and ear infection that traveled around between the two areas. Oh yeah, my eye infection didn't come back.
I used my rife machine for 6 wks almost daily, sometimes two times a day. Symptoms would stop. I would stop attending with rife....and three days later...here comes the sore throat and earaches again.
So I'm doing levaquin for a reaction. I'm only doing 250 mg a day for the first month. I've been in herx h#@@ and I never want to go back there again.
I don't believe the harder the herx (toxic die-off) the better. Been there, done that and it failed me.
My body is responding to levaquin. I'm doing major detoxing and doing heavy supps/vit/herbs- on all the good things I've learned in the last 5 years.
The most positive thing that has happened in 7 days is my GI and colon have calmed down.
I don't like living my life in the bathroom. But I'm doing what the BM rule says. BM after every meal. I can do that. The last week, I'm doing zero meds for colon or constipation. Doing no Miralax.
Levaquin 250mg is a testing of the waters. Gotta go do a detox bath. Best pain meds of all. Short term, of course. But a couple hours relief is worth it.
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6478 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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just don
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1129
posted
Sorry to hijak this thread,,,but it goes so well with it.
JUST wondering if anyone had any old or even expired or about to expire Levaquin they would 'part' with,,unused and feel they ARENT going to use it?? same with Riphampin!!(or zith)
IF they have a use,I implore them to use it,,,just rather see abx go someplace useful than down the drain!! PM me IF you do??(people with NO insurance can use a boost once in a while!!)
If you dont agree with this concept,PLEASE scroll on by!!says--just don--
-------------------- just don Posts: 4548 | From Middle of midwest | Registered: May 2001
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map1131
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 2022
posted
just don, it is against the law to give away any rx medication. Expired or not. I don't think it is appropiate for you to be asking anyone or even hinting that they could help a non insuranced person with abx. No solicitation allowed on this board. Right?
Don't worry, you too are welcome to scroll on by. You trying to trap someone into doing something illegal?
Someone that might be in a brain fog and hoping to make some money to help pay the bills? Or someone with a really kind heart?
Pam
-------------------- "Never, never, never, never, never give up" Winston Churchill Posts: 6478 | From Louisville, Ky | Registered: Jan 2002
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posted
OK thought I'd update from my earlier post...
Yesterday LLMD nurse told be to drop levaquin due to potential tendon issues, after 9 weeks.
To add to my abx vs lyme symptom confusion my other shoulder is now popping and painful...argh....and I've been doing nothing with upper body these days, try to preserve torn rotator in other shoulder.
Am already on Septra for Bart (12 weeks now).
Adding Minocin to substitute for docycycline, which I dropped last week due to blistering of knuckles while driving.
Boy this looks bad when I write it down!
LM
Posts: 212 | From Eastern CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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posted
Hi there, new here. I'm struggling with Bartonella/lyme for past 4 years. A few days ago I started Levaquin and I herxed quite a bit immediately. Was taking 3 x 500 mgs per day. On the 3rd day I went for an easy jog (like local man I'm an active runner) and 10 minutes into had a flare of my achilles tendon and had to stop the run. It totally freaked me out (with much help from the net). After calling my LLMD he told me to stop the Levaquin and prescribed just Biaxin which has never worked for me. I want him to add Rifampin but he was reluctant to do so over the phone so I have to wait a couple weeks until my next appt. I've taken Rifampin before and that too didn't really seem to help but I'm willing to try it again with another abx like Doxy which I've never taken in my 4 plus years on abx believe it or not (been on many many others including a 3 months stint of IV Rocephin. My question for the group is should I attempt Levaquin again? I'm totally scared since not being able to be active due to the loss of a tendon would be horrific for me. I am so bummed.
Chris
-------------------- dx in Dec 2003 tested 2x positive for bart Lightly Chelating 3 weeks off abx and 1 week on:
10 day course a month: Plaq/Ceftin/Rifampin/Biaxin with Tindamax on last two days Posts: 187 | From PA | Registered: Apr 2008
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posted
Yes I really want to think my tendon pain is mostly coincidental to lyme itself, but pain is worse than my 'usual' tendonitis...I would like to see replies as I too want to finish out (?) levaquin but not at cost of my tendons.
To think a year ago I was running 60 miles/week and winning races..
LM
Posts: 212 | From Eastern CA | Registered: Apr 2007
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