Question
I had to be on 35 days of Levaquin during a course of lumpectomy and catheter insertion for mammosite delivery surgery because of a strept infection. Since then I have had pain & difficulty walking, have now been diagnosed with osteoporosis, osteonecrosis and despite ingesting 500iu per day of vitamin D only test to having 14 ng. Could the levaquin be the culprit, as I am only 44 and despite the isolated 5mm DCIS breast tumor was basically healthy?
Answer
Flouroquinolones, including levaquin, have been implicated in a painful tendinopathy syndrome that can affect the Achilles tendon and potentially make walking painful. The incidence of this syndrome is quite rare, but appears to be definitely related to the drug. In even rarer cases, tendon rupture has been reported, although most cases resolve over time.
