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2nd day on levofloxin did not want to take it.

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pam34048
pam34048

i have been on 9 different antibiotics in nine months, chest infection, bladder and now sinus they work for a bit and then flair up again.  My new dr has prescribed levafloxin.  I have watched all the you tube stuff, ect.. So I got scared and would not take it for a week.  So anyway I got worse the dr called me in regarding my xray and assured me this drug is safe.    I will be on 750 for 10 days and I worry every time I take it.  Any advice?

0 likes, 2 replies

2 Replies

  • miriam65408
    miriam65408 pam34048

    Posted

    Hi Pam, one thing doctors don't like is clever patients telling them something might be a bad idea!  You sound like you've had a lot of problems and they're probably running out of options for which antibiotic might be best for you but I would always say NEVER take a quinolone whether it's Ciprofolxacin, Levofloxacin or any of the others.

    You've done your homework which is more than the people who made the youtube videos had the chance to do.  They were all normal people who took a quin and found their lives have been devastated.  750 mg for 10 days is quite a high dose - you say you worry every time you take it so I guess you've started already.  

    Of course your doctor assures you it's safe - it is safe for everyone who hasn't had a reaction yet.  Some people can tolerate more than others but if you take enough of the stuff it will damage you, no doubt about that.  My advice is not to wait for any nausea or pain to start but to go back and ask for a non-quinolone antibiotic.  I can't tell you to stop taking it as I'm not medically qualified but my experience is that this is a very dangerous drug and the adverse reactions are under-reported and not generally  recognised by doctors  as they sometimes don't manifest themselves for months after you've stopped taking it.  

    Are you in the UK or US?  The FDA in the US announced last July that, for many infections, the risk of adverse reactions to Quins are greater than the benefits.  The EMA (Europe) are reviewing their warnings in July and it's very likely that they will also increase the warnings.  Doctors need to know this but they are simply taught that the risks are very rare.

    Follow your instinct and ask for a different antibiotic.  Try to et them to do cultures to find out exactly what bug is bothering you so it can be treated by a specific antibiotic rather than a quinolone, which is broad spectrum (and kills everything - including your mitochondrial DNA!)

    Good luck!

  • sandra40102
    sandra40102 pam34048

    Posted

    I would not take it due to the possible side effects.  I took Levaquin and the tore the tendon in my ankle.  I believe it was caused by the drug.  I alsohave pain in the bottoms of my feet.  Maybe ask for a drug not in the flouroquinolone family.
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