Generic Name: Levaquin for Pneumonia (levofloxacin)
Levaquin for Pneumonia Reviews
"I am in the medical field and this is by far the best antibiotic you can get outside of the hospital. If you have a bacterial infection in your lungs and you want it to clear up right away, then this is the medicine for you. On the downside, it is very expensive, but at some point, you get tired of being sick and realize it is worth every single penny. You will be well in no time!"
"My husband had the very beginning of pneumonia (doctor almost didn't recognize it on the x-ray). After taking 1 dose of Levaquin, he started having seizures. He developed Torsades de Pointes, which is a heart condition. He spent a week in the hospital and died 2 weeks later from an enlarged heart. He never had heart problems before this. He was 50 years old."
"A HORRIBLE DRUG. BEWARE. I was diagnosed with pneumonia one week ago at the local emergency room. The ER doctor gave me 1 pill of Levaquin, and I took 2 more from the pharmacy. I took a total of 3 500 MG pills that gave me constant, deep, sore pain in my arms from my shoulders to my elbows. The pain was so bad on day 3 that I could hardly drive a car, put on a seatbelt, put on a shirt, or turn on a light switch. I stopped taking the drug and went to my family doctor for a different antibiotic. Neither the ER doctor nor the family doctor knew anything about muscle and tendon problems. I'm really angry about this. I am over 60 with no significant health problems and don't appreciate being poisoned."
"I have been fighting upper respiratory and sinus issues since the end of January. Even after three antibiotics, steroids, etc., I ended up with pneumonia. The doctor at the ER gave me Levaquin, and within four days, I was beginning to feel like my old self. My only adverse reaction is nausea, but you deal with the bad if the good outweighs the bad."
"Was sick for a week with pneumonia and went to urgent care. 102°F fever, cough, no appetite, severe fatigue. Prescribed Levaquin and started feeling better in 2-3 days. Fatigue and cough continued for several weeks. Lost 7 pounds. I did not experience any side effects at all. Would highly recommend this medication."
"Went to the ER with severe coughing, chest pains, and fever. After X-rays, CT scan, and blood tests, I was diagnosed with pneumonia. The doc started me on Levaquin via IV and gave me a 5-day dose of 750mg. I am on day 4 and feel SO much better! Still coughing a little, but nothing compared to before!"
"After six hours, I began to feel relief. After day four, I'm close to 100% cured...but I have six more days to take Levaquin 750mg. I'm also eating a cup of yogurt per day. Make sure you drink lots of water with this medicine, or you will feel horrible! Otherwise, I love it."
"This antibiotic is really helping. I had horrible chest pain, mucus, hard time breathing, fever, etc. I was diagnosed with pneumonia and sinusitis. I was given a 10-day course of 500 mg of Levaquin. I am on day 7 and only a few side effects. Minor dizziness, headaches, MAJOR fatigue, and feeling of being in a fog. Overall tolerable but I cannot wait to be done! I feel pretty much back to normal with only a tickling cough left. Also, I should note that I sleep VERY well and my appetite has not been affected. I am pleased considering how sick I was and the fact that other antibiotics made me feel horrible in the past."
"I was prescribed Levaquin due to pneumonia. It seemed to help with the illness, but I had trouble with an erratic heart rate and felt ill, including pain in my back legs and other random joints. I didn’t finish the prescription due to increasing pain, dizziness, and had the feeling I was at the point that the medicine was poisoning me. This drug can be quite dangerous. It’s been several months, and I continue with pain in areas for no reason. This drug is not safe."
"I am a serious marathon runner. Started suffering from strange respiratory problems 3 weeks before the Chicago marathon. Flew into town to run with a 102°F fever. Doctor prescribed this. Within 48 hours, things started improving. Now 6 days in on a 10-day treatment and most symptoms gone. No side effects. Didn't run the marathon, but this medicine seemed to break a nasty infection."
"I was hospitalized with pneumonia, receiving Levaquin and fluids via IV. By the fifth day, the fever was gone, and the cough was almost gone. I felt overwhelmingly tired for several weeks, but my doctor said that is to be expected with pneumonia."
"This medicine made me feel absolutely horrible. Funny chest feeling, foggy head, dizzy, and an overall bad feeling. I never want to take it again. For the last three days, I took half in the a.m. and the other half in the p.m. That was a lot better. I have been off for about two weeks, and I am still foggy and light-headed. I do not want to take it again ever. I am 71 years old, and it is not recommended for older people."
"Took it for 3 days. Numb skin, lips, hands, and feet. I can't sense temperature. Heart rate irregular. Seeing the cardiologist tomorrow. Severe pain in lower extremities, only when trying to sleep, though! Oh, and my legs feel like they weigh 200 lbs each. Today is 11 days off the medicine and still no relief."
"Just finished a 7-day course of Levaquin (500 mg oral tabs) for pneumonia. My infection was not severe, but I noticed effects practically immediately. Within 24 hours, I felt so much better. It did make me slightly nauseous at first until I began taking it only on a full stomach. Did not notice any other side effects. I drank a lot of water while I was sick, which may have helped."
"Permanently damaged and disabled from 500 mg x 2 Levaquin. Check the black box warnings. I was a healthy young person. Started experiencing side effects a few hours after administration. Adverse reactions got worse. It's been almost 5 years and I have bodywide peripheral neuropathy, bodywide tendonosis, dry mouth, dry eyes, nose, tinnitus, crepitus all over. The drug is poison and destroys human as well as bacterial mtDNA. Just Google 'Fluoroquinolone toxicity.' There are safer alternatives for pneumonia. Don't ruin your life with this garbage that the FDA has failed to remove from the market."
"I have taken Levaquin twice in the past 2 years. The first time I went to the doctor with fever and chills, chest X-ray and labs revealed pneumonia and a kidney infection. I was getting close to being septic. My doctor sent me home with Levaquin and asked me to return in a few days to follow up. I took one dose and felt a million times better. On the 3rd day, I felt fine and returned to the doctor who confirmed I was much better. The second time I got sick with an ear infection and I flat out requested Levaquin, it works so well for me."
"I've been given this medicine twice - once for serious bronchitis/pneumonia that nearly required hospitalization. Since I am a well-trained athlete, hospitalization for a lung infection was serious. Doctors tried several other drugs before Levaquin, but Levaquin was the best. Now dealing with a relatively minor bronchitis and have it again. I've never had any of the side effects others listed - bear in mind that weakness, headaches, and many other symptoms might just be the progression of the disease and not due to the drug. It's hard to tell since each bout is different but compared to many other drugs, this is statistically a very good bet. If you have bronchitis or a respiratory infection, take your medicines with lots of fluids."
"I was given this horrific medication as my provider thought I had pneumonia, and after taking it for 8 days, I could hardly walk, and my knees were stiff, and I could not get up or put any weight on my legs. My hands were swollen, and I could not make a fist or open my water bottle. This drug should be taken off the market immediately! How can a physician in good conscience prescribe this medication to anyone? I just hope that I am not permanently crippled by this medication. My chest X-ray came back negative, so I did not even need an antibiotic and just needed a cough medicine and Mucinex to clear up my cough. The one time I did not have time to read the drug information because I was moving, and my doctor decides to prescribe me this!"
"Came down with pneumonia, and this medicine fixed me right up. Was on it for 10 days, and the only side effect I noticed was feeling extra tired, but that could have been the pneumonia as well. Wonderful experience."
"As of right now, it is the best antibiotic I've ever taken for pneumonia. I'm highly allergic to almost all antibiotics, so this is kind of my last option. I had 50% fluidization in my left lung, so it was treat the pneumonia or die. I have taken one dose, and my fever has gone from 103.7 to 101.4, and I'm already coughing up fluids. So while the side effects are scary if you get them (I haven't), it works very well."
"This medicine is amazing, and I would like to thank all the inventors and people involved in developing and commercializing this medication. I was afflicted with pneumonia, and after I started taking it, I began seeing a benefit within 24-48 hours. Seven days of treatment did the job, and I have myself back."
"Took Cipro for a Pseudomonas infection and then five months later took Levaquin. Joint and tendon pain just kept getting worse, and I'm still suffering from these side effects two months after discontinuing."
"I was prescribed Levaquin for pneumonia. After two days, I felt so much better. I had some lower back pain, which I expected, as I know medications well. I am a practicing RN for 23 years. My appetite was poor but has improved. I had some mouth pain with probable thrush related to the antibiotic. 750 mg x 5 days was worth it!!"
"Adverse reaction to Levaquin. Extreme numbness and tingling in my fingers and toes, ongoing dry mouth. First prescribed a few years ago for an infection. After complaining about the numbness, I was told to discard them and given another antibiotic. Went in this time for pneumonia and was given a tablet before I realized this was the same medication I had an adverse reaction to before. Experiencing the same reaction after only one tablet, it's now 3 days later."
"750 mg dosage for five days apparently cleared pneumonia, but now, six weeks later, I still feel some side effects of pain and swelling in ankles and feet that immobilized me immediately after taking. Additional side effects included internal bleeding in the ankle area, black toes, areas of skin on the lower leg showing bruise-like areas. Difficulty walking due to stiff and painful joints in feet and ankles."
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