joalo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12752
posted
What does tendonitis feel like?
I have been taking levaquin for a couple of months and have noticed the last few weeks that after sitting for any length of time my legs, between my knees and feet, are extremely sore when I stand up and try to walk. It feels like muscle pain but it goes away after walking about twenty feet.
Do you think this could be caused by the levaquin?
-------------------- Sick since January 1985. Misdiagnosed for 20 years. Tested CDC positive October 2005. Treating since April 2006. Posts: 3228 | From Somewhere west of the Mississippi | Registered: Aug 2007
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Tincup
Honored Contributor (10K+ posts)
Member # 5829
posted
Could be.. but do your bones hurt? Is it tender along your shins?
And in the event it could be drug related, you should contact your doctor and report this.
Lymeorsomething
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 16359
posted
joalo, I know Levaquin used to make my Achilles tendon sore in my left leg....so to answer your question....yes, you could be experiencing a side effect...
Run it by your doc just to be safe...
-------------------- "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong." Posts: 2062 | From CT | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
Definitely talk to your dr .. and do some research on it, so you'll know what to look for. You may have other symptoms you're not realizing are related to the levaquin.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
My tendonitis from levaquin started as muscle pain. It was in one of my arms and my back. I thought it was a herx and so did the doctor so I continued taking the drug. Then I had a very sharp pain in my shoulder that felt like I had been stabbed. I could not use my arm. My back also hurt but not as though something had snapped. I quit the drug and began to improve. The back pain went away and I could slowly lift my arm. But I was riding my horse jumping and he ran out - had to use the arm to hold on and that is when I really damaged it. It was again like being stabbed. I could not use it at all for a month - needed help to get dressed. It is more painful than a break. The pain got better and in a couple of months I was using it again but I could not sleep at night because my shoulder would ache so badly. I had to sleep sitting up. I found out taking a lot of minerals really helps it to heal so I imagine taking before and while you are using levaquin would be even better. I believe you should be very careful while on this drug. The first snap happened when I was just reaching out to pick something up.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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posted
Neffer.. aren't you supposed to take extra magnesium while on this drug? Thanks for mentioning the minerals.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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joalo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12752
posted
Thanks guys!
I didn't take any levaquin today and won't take any until I can talk to my doctor.
Tincup - It feels like muscle pain in my lower legs and bone pain in the bottoms of my feet.
Dang, I feel old.
-------------------- Sick since January 1985. Misdiagnosed for 20 years. Tested CDC positive October 2005. Treating since April 2006. Posts: 3228 | From Somewhere west of the Mississippi | Registered: Aug 2007
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quote: aren't you supposed to take extra magnesium while on this drug?
Yes, but watch out:
quote: Iron, calcium, zinc, or magnesium can attach to levofloxacin and other fluoroquinolones and prevent their absorption from the intestine into the blood. Therefore, products (for example, antacids) that contain iron, calcium, zinc or magnesium should be taken at least 2 hours before or 2 hours after levofloxacin.
disturbedme
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12346
posted
If it's tender in your shins that can't be tendon pain, right? Because there are no tendons located in that area (where the shins are). I often times get shin splints... Even before I was on any type of drug that can cause tendon damage. I am not on Levaquin now but I am on Factive.
-------------------- One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar. ~ Helen Keller
My Lyme Story Posts: 2965 | From Land of Confusion (bitten in KS, moved to PA, now living in MD) | Registered: Jun 2007
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posted
Factive users. I am happy to report that the pain is better today in my shoulder and back. Thinking it must be a herx. I am using Magnesium but many many hours away from the Factive. I am only pulsing (5 days on 5 off)so let see how it is with the 5 days off now.
Posts: 476 | From Columbus, Ohio | Registered: Aug 2007
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joalo
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 12752
posted
Update:
One day off of the levaquin and the aches and pains are gone.
I took levaquin for several months about two years ago without any problem...
-------------------- Sick since January 1985. Misdiagnosed for 20 years. Tested CDC positive October 2005. Treating since April 2006. Posts: 3228 | From Somewhere west of the Mississippi | Registered: Aug 2007
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nefferdun
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20157
posted
You need to be very careful if it is near your achilles tendon which is the one most likely to rupture. I read that one doctor tells his patients to back off and then carefully start up again. Another doctor will not give it to any of his patients because when he did all of them had tendon problems. I heard after the damage was done that you are supposed to take magnesium. My LLMD did not emphasis this. I am also over 60 which makes you much more vulnerable.
-------------------- old joke: idiopathic means the patient is pathological and the the doctor is an idiot Posts: 4676 | From western Montana | Registered: Apr 2009
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Rumigirl
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 15091
posted
Watch out about the possible tendon issues! I did two 5-day pulses of Factive, and was supposed to continue pulsing. But my thumbs joints started hurting like crazy and gave way (sprained sort of just from ordinary movements)!
I looked up online, as I suspected tendon problems from the Factive. And I saw another problem I had from the 4th day of the first pulse from fluoroquinolones: seeing double! I didn't know to associate that weird sudden symptom with the Factive. It's from damage to the tendons in the eye---yikes! And my eye sight is somewhat better, but I still have the problem.
According to Dr. B, taking A LOT of magnesium before, during and after (watching the timing, of course) is essential. Plus, vit C a lot to help reverse any damage. And I was doing the magnesium, too.
The scary thing that you see online is that for lots of people, the damage was permanent.
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