Another Levaquin Lament

Philadelphia, PAFor no apparent reason, Lynn had damaged her Achilles tendon; it got so bad that she could barely walk. Then she had problems with the rotator cuff tendon in her right shoulder. Her injuries were baffling Lynn and her doctors, until she discovered the link between damaged and ruptured tendons and Levaquin.

"The first time I took Levaquin was back in 1999 for pneumonia," says Lynn. "The antibiotic eventually worked but I took a long time recovering and was out of work for at least a month: I had broken two ribs coughing and separated the cartilage where the ribs insert into the spine. That really hurt; it felt like someone stabbed me in the back.

I finally went back to work and everything seemed fine. Later I got another upper respiratory infection and my physician prescribed Levaquin again. I kept getting these infections and even tried allergy shots. They helped but I got sick yet again and even my allergist prescribed Levaquin. I must have taken this drug about six times, maybe more, from 1999 to 2006. Each time it was the same script: twice a day for 10 days, 1000 mgs (500gms twice a day).

I used to teach dance but suddenly my Achilles tendon hurt and I had to stop. My doctor said that I had tendon pathology, which meant that the Achilles tendon didn't have the natural healthy fibers; they looked damaged. I used to stand on points, on my toes, but never had any problems until after I took this stuff.

All of a sudden I had this nagging pain yet I still had good range. Now I could barely walk. It really made me wonder because there was no trauma and I hadn't over-extended myself, I hadn't suffered any kind of physical injury. And it got worse.

Next up I got problems with my rotator cuff tendon in my right shoulder. At first, I thought I had strained my shoulder and of course doctors always blame it on old age—I am 56 but my joints feel like I am 90; the pain in my shoulder and neck just got worse.

And now my knee is causing a problem: I have no clue what is going on. I have no meniscus (cartilage) left on the inside of the knee so the doctor took x-rays and then he said it looks like I am ready for a knee replacement! The inside of my knee is threadbare, almost bone-to-bone.

All these problems have happened since 2005. I had no clue that a drug could cause all this damage and not one doctor warned me. I had no idea what Levaquin could do until I read about it online. And I heard it on the news.

I asked my allergist about Levaquin and its link to ruptured and torn tendons. He told me that the warning is only for young children. Weird. I always saw drug reps when I visited my allergist, pushing some drug or another. I know the Levaquin reps were in there because Levaquin ads were all over the tissue boxes in his office!

Of course it is easy to blame the mess with my Achilles tendon on old age or because I used to dance. But the last time I danced was in the late 1980s. How about walking? Do I have to walk with pain? I was fine up until I took Levaquin.

Now my muscles seem weak, like they are starting to atrophy. There is nothing like this in my family--my twin sister is fine. I'm probably going to have surgery but which joint should I do first? I really don't want surgery on my shoulder; I will avoid that like the plague. Right now I am getting cortisone shots and there is nothing else to be done except replace my knee. My doctor has ordered an MRI and I might need it for evidence in a lawsuit.

When I first heard about Levaquin and the link to tendon damage my ears perked up: these pharmaceutical companies had to put up black box warnings but they should have done it years ago.

I am joining a lawsuit against the Levaquin maker because I would like to get some kind of remedy and relief from all this, so I can return back to normal activity; I shouldn't have to be a couch potato for the rest of my life. I also want to add that if anyone has problems with their joints or tendons when they got older, find out if you were ever prescribed Levaquin. And don't take this drug-- it is too risky.