I took Levaquin (a fluoroquinolone antibiotic very similar to Cipro, Avelox, etc.) for bronchitis on 4/8/2008. After the 2nd dose of 500 mg. I had a toxic reaction to my cns and pns which consisted of extreme anxiety, frequent panic attacks, difficulty breathing along with extreme hyperventilation, worsened sinus mucous production, tacycardia (160 bmp), tremors, muscle tightness, no sleep, agitation, etc. I notified my primary GP and he stopped the Levaquin and wanted me to take Xanax but I refused knowing the side effects of benzodiazepines. On 4/12 I went to the ER and explained all the above symptoms which now also encluded fluctuating BP, diarrhea, chills, sweats, blurred vison, cog fog, DR, fatigue/weakness, right-sided numbness and tingling, fascuculations, eye symptoms, horrid muscle cramps, hip pain and horrid agitation/rage. All my bloodwork was wnl's. I finally succumbed to taking 0.5 mg X3 on 4/14 due to worsening symptoms and no sleep for 6 nights. I took the 1.5 mg xanax for 1 week and then lowered the dosage to 0.5 to .875mg for another almost 3 months. I finally stabilized at 0.5mg 7/15 and was xanax-free 8/16. I suffered terribly with almost 100 symptoms during the first year and frequent relapses thereafter. In 2009 my GP tested me for Lyme's Disease and my Western Blot from Quest showed IGM bands 23 and 41 to be reactive and the IGG bands were all non-reactive. I refused doxycycline and was put on amoxicillin for 30 days. I had another Quest Western Blot done on 3/2011 and it showed band IGM band 23 reactive and IGG bands non-reactive. As far as my GP and Quest labs were concerned I no longer had Lyme's disease.
I continued to be very sick with all the above symptoms but at the 3 year mark many of the symptoms left but I am still dealing with lethargy, weakness, breathing problems, lower leg fasculations, muscle cramps, extreme decrease in mental cognition, eye problems, rashes, agitation, difficulty swallowing, tight diaphragm, itching at times, red/ burning feet, DR, ocassional edema, hair loss, hyperreflexia and other symptoms.
On 1/10 I requested an Igenix kit and my GP filled a script for bloodwork to test for co-infections which proved negative.
Levaquin and all the other fluoroquinolone antibiotics and benzodiazepine withdrawals (Xanax, Valium, Ativan, Klonopin, etc.) can mimic all the same symptoms as Lyme's disease and their co-infections and the symptoms can last for years so I have been hanging on in the hopes of getting better from the 2 meds just mentioned. As a matter of fact, fluoroquinolones have been black-boxed for tendon injuries and many are wheel-chair bound.
I, again, was tested by Igenix Labs on 5/12 and was positive for IGM bands 18, 31, 41` and 83-93 with bands 23-25 and band 39 IND. IGG band 41 was positive with bands 31, 39 and 39 IND.
Tomorrow is my first visit with Dr. H in Summit, NJ.
This has been a long haul and I guess it is just beginning for treating the lyme's infection. This may not be the appropriate place to post this but when I see the members here talk of benzos and fluoroquinolones it makes me very worried for them. There is alot of info on the net regarding these meds.
This site is so very helpful. I still have alot of reading to do. Thank you to those who take their time and support to help the newbies.