Avelox Adverse Reactions from the Trenches

March 24, 2011, 1:30PM. By Gordon Gibb

Washington, DCA serious infection, such as a sinus infection, often calls for a robust antibiotic in order to fight off the infection. And to be fair, those who have been battling such persistent infections lob plaudits to Avelox for ridding them of serious illness. But Avelox hasn't been coming up roses for everybody—especially those who experience aggravating Avelox side effects.

Here's one recent contributor to Askapatient.com who weighed in last month…

"This stuff is scary," writes a 41-year-old man who reports taking Avelox 400 mg once per day for 14 days.

"On about my seventh day of treatment, I was working out at the gym, having just a routine day of light weights and some cardio. After about one hour, I started feeling very flush, and walked over to get a drink of water. My heart rate shot through the roof, went to 175 bpm [beats per minute] when I was doing nothing. I talked to a gym employee and they suggested I lay down. I did so, for 30 minutes, and my heart rate was fluctuating wildly between 125 bpm and 175 bpm, even after 30 minutes

"I finally asked to call a paramedic, who checked me out for all the usual cardiac stuff, nothing. Gave me oxygen, and after about one hour total, my heart got back down to 90 bpm. I didn't even think side effect from anti-biotic, until three days later, when almost identical experience happened this time after a very light work out. A google [sic] search on side effects leads me to believe it is the drug that screwed me up."

The manufacturer of avelox antibiotic, Bayer, touts the fact that Avelox has been employed to treat millions of patients worldwide for a host of serious infections, with excellent results. But for some, adverse reactions such as Avelox tendonitis far outweigh the benefits. To that end, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requested a black box warning for Avelox out of concerns for tendon rupture and tendonitis (tendinitis) some time ago.

And lest one suspects this is a recent phenomenon, here is a shopping list of symptoms and Avelox adverse reactions from a contributor who posted in 2005…

"Severe adverse reaction, which included bilateral unlar neuritis (nerve damage in both elbows), allergic vasculitis in arms and hands, chronic tendonitis in Achilles tendons, mylagia (muscle pain), severe insomnia (sleeping three hours a night for four months), loose bowels, intestinal spasms, and extreme anxiety. Some symptoms have persisted 15 months after taking Avelox. Doctors have confirmed the connection and I have no prognosis for recovery."

The writer, a 34-year-old man who had taken Avelox for 14 days, was adamant that in his view Avelox is "extremely dangerous, and should only be taken in life or death situations in which all other antibiotics have failed. Thousands of people have been severely affected, and dozens have died." The Avelox adverse reactions, in his view, are not worth it.