Levaquin® Side Effects
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Despite being an effective and widely used antibiotic treatment for over 20 years, Levaquin® is known to cause cause a range of mild to very serious side effects. In most cases, Levaquin® patients will only develop mild side effects, some of which include:
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Mild itchiness
- Muscle pain
- Nausea
- Photosensitivity (sensitivity to sunlight)
- Restlessness and/or anxiety
- Sleeping problems (including nightmares or insomnia)
Rarely, more very serious and potentially fatal side effects arise and threaten a patient's life including:
- Agranulocytosis, a dangerous decrease in white blood cell levels
- Arrhythmias, irregular heartbeat
- Autoimmune hemolytic anemia, in which the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks red blood cells
- Blood clotting disorders, characterized by swelling and tenderness at the site of the clot
- Dysglemia, a disorder of blood sugar metabolism
- Epilepsy, seizures
- Hepatotoxicity, liver damage marked by dark urine and yellowing of the whites of the eyes
- Peripheral neuropathy, nerve damage marked by tingling, pain or numbness
- Renal toxicity, kidney damage characterized by bloody urine and excessive fatigue
- Severe allergic reaction, marked by hives, skin rash and facial or tongue swelling
- Tendinopathy, an injury or tear affecting the tendon
- Thrombocytopenia, low levels of blood platelets that can cause excessive bleeding
- Toxic epidermal necrolysis, in which the top layers of skin separate from the skin’s internal layers
Levaquin® was introduced to the U.S. market in 1996. Soon thereafter, reports of tendon problems in Levaquin® treated patients began to arrive at the offices of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA case database now includes more than 250 cases of tendonitis, 260 cases of tendon ruptures (i.e., completely torn tendons), and 275 cases of other tendon damage related to treatment with a Fluoroquinolone antibiotic.
To date, over 800 individuals have reported to the FDA that they have sustained tendon damage following Levaquin® use. A number of other patients have died after taking this medication. These serious injuries and deaths have resulting in Levaquin® lawsuits.
To minimize the risk of developing potentially fatal side effects, it’s essential that patients discuss their complete medical history with their doctor before starting Levaquin® and immediately report any side effects.
It’s vital that injured Levaquin® patients seek emergency medical attention to prevent further health complications and follow through with long-term prescribed treatments for the best chances of recovery.
Speak With A Levaquin® Lawyer
If you or a loved one suffered serious side effects from Levaquin® use, you may qualify for compensation through a Levaquin® lawsuit. Contact us to speak with a lawyer who can help you with your legal claim.
