Levaquin Injury "So Severe for Doing So Little"

Palmdale, CA"Just two months after I was prescribed Levaquin for walking pneumonia I ruptured my Achilles tendon," says Teresa, "but it took years to connect this drug to my injury??"I was shocked when I did find out…Levaquin changed the quality of my life forever."

Teresa wonders how on earth an antibiotic could cause such an injury. It's no wonder that she never talked to her prescribing doctor about Levaquin; who would ever connect Levaquin with ruptured and torn tendons 10 years ago? As Teresa now knows, it wasn't until July 2008 that the FDA required the Levaquin manufacturer to add a black box warning.

Levaquin promptly cleared up Teresa's pneumonia: It's a very powerful antibiotic but many doctors only use it as a "last resort." She was 42 at the time and in perfect health; she'd never even broken a bone.

"My Achilles tendon injury happened when I was playing indoor soccer," says Teresa. "I've played soccer all my life and I've never had an injury. I was running and turned to run the other way??"I wasn't even involved in a play; I planted my feet, heard a huge pop and fell to the ground in agony. I didn't even realize that noise came from me." Teresa was rushed to ER and had surgery four days later.

"After the surgery I kept thinking how in the world could this injury have happened to me," says Teresa. "I stretched before playing; I wasn't going above and beyond. I never clued in until a few years ago when I saw Levaquin commercials on TV; I would have never made the connection otherwise.

"I've never played soccer since??"Levaquin did change my life forever.

"I know that the Levaquin label now comes with warnings but I'm pretty sure it didn't 10 years ago. However, this injury has taught me to read all warning labels on all medications; I've had to take antibiotics in the past few years for other issues but I am very cautious.

"I can't have the same quality of life because of this injury. On the one hand I'm not big on lawsuits but on the other hand I believe that I should be compensated somehow because of the timing of my injury to the Levaquin??"when I wasn't injury-prone and had strong muscles is inescapable. Such a severe injury for doing so little."