Levaquin Patient Faces Constant Battle with Pain

Pearson, GAKimberley S. says she was given Levaquin when she was sick, but she had no idea about the serious side effects, which include tendon ruptures. If she had known, she says she would have asked for a different medication.

"I was in the hospital about a year ago because I had pneumonia," Kimberley says. "They gave me Levaquin for it. Shortly after [within a week] I started having pains in my ankle, in the Achilles area.

"It's hard for me to work. I'm on my feet 12 hours a day working. I've got swelling pain and bruising in my ankle. It's continuous and it's been going on for about a year now.

"I didn't know that Levaquin could cause tendonitis until after the fact. The pain is in one foot and it's inflamed and sore. When I'm on my foot it always hurts. I have to watch how I walk so I don't irritate it more. There's a lot of pain and pressure in the foot.

"I asked about whether the Levaquin could cause the pain and they said it was highly possible that's what caused it. I've been told there's nothing I can do but wrap it and take anti-inflammatories. I was supposed to stay off my feet, but I have a family and I have to work. I can't stay off my feet.

"It's greatly affected my day-to-day life. It's constant pain; I can't run around and I can't chase my kids. They told me to take time off work. I tried to take a week—as much as I could afford to take off—but I can't afford a lot of time off.

"When I'm sitting, it doesn't hurt but when I walk and move, it hurts. At first, my ankle hurt all the time. Now, as long as I stay still and stay off it, it's not as bad. But, with two small children, I can't stay off my feet, even at home.

"I've taken Levaquin before and not had this problem. If I had known then [at the hospital] that Levaquin could cause this—if I had a choice, I wouldn't have taken it. I would have made them give me something different. I had pneumonia, so they had to give me something, but this wasn't worth it. I've never had this problem before. It's a constant everyday battle with pain."