Antibiotic-Levaquin

[BB_1]

Having my transperineal biopsy this Wednesday. I just noticed one of the antibiotics that will be in my IV drip will be Levaquin and the other Rocephin. Levaquin is one I do not want to have. I called the Dr.'s office and requested an alternative to Levaquin. Thoughts are welcomed. Thank you.

[Tall_Allen]

I'm surprised they give antibiotics at all. That defeats the purpose.

thelancet.com/journals/lani...

[BB_1 in reply to Tall_Allen]

I will gove copy to dr...thank u...

[BerkshireBear]

Levaquin certainly would scare me. One look at the published possible side-effects should make it a drug of last resort. For me it pushes my body into that extreme of hives and swelling called 'red-man syndrome' and my doctors warn that any accidental dose would result in 'Stevens-Johnson Syndrome'. A couple of co-workers had it wreak havoc with their tendons. So for me, that entire family of Fluoroquinolone antibiotics is off the table. That's about me, but for me the cautions are very real. Consider them. For you, it would appear that Tall_Allen's reference from the Lancet should obviate the question.

[BB_1]

Requested an alternative.

[Stoneartist]

I also got a transperenial with no antibiotics - you maybe want a mild local anasthetic if it bothers you - but the process is uncomfortable but not painful.

[BB_1 in reply to Stoneartist]

Thank you for your comment. No local anesthetic, they are knocking me out.

[addicted2cycling in reply to BB_1]

BB_1 wrote --- "I just noticed one of the antibiotics that will be in my IV drip will be Levaquin ... "

I thought the following might be of interest >>

*Fluoroquinolones such as Cipro, Levaquin and Avelox are antibiotics approved to treat or prevent serious bacterial infections, including skin, bone and joint, lower respiratory tract and urinary tract infections. They work by killing or stopping the growth of certain bacteria.*

*FDA adds “black box” warning label to fluoroquinolone antibiotics. This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. The US Food and Drug Administration has told manufacturers of fluoroquinolones to warn doctors and patients of the raised risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture.*

For my 2 Saturation Transperineal 3D Prostate Mapping Biopsies ( 1st yielded 100+ cores and 2nd yielded 60+ cores) I had Generals.

[BB_1 in reply to addicted2cycling]

Thank you

[addicted2cycling in reply to BB_1]

I was minutes from being wheeled in for a PCa procedure when my Dr. walked in to say HI and he saw an IV antibiotic bag to be used. He QUICKLY called for a nurse and told her to ditch it and bring another that was not FDA Black Boxed. This was years ago so I am still confused why some doctors still allow these antibiotics???? to be used on their patients.

GOOD LUCK !!!

[BB_1 in reply to addicted2cycling]

thank you!

[Currumpaw]

Refuse Levaquin. Refuse it!

My uro used a combination of six, 500 mg. Cipro pills, 2X daily, the day before, the day of and the day after biopsies. Just prior to a biopsy a nurse delivered what she called, "a humongous shot of Levaquin", using a long needle for the intramuscular shot. I commented on the length of the needle noting that it was about as long as the needles used for the cortisone injections in one of my shoulders when it was injured--in 1981. As an athlete I had injuries to both shoulders and once a ripped SI ligament. I was about to open a one on one, personal training business.

One morning as I was just using my warmup weight for incline bench presses, my right shoulder audibly shredded. I let the bar hit my chest and got out from under it.

I went to a chiro for therapy. She asked if I had been prescribed any fluoroquinolones naming Levaquin and Cipro. She began her practice when the fluoros came on the market. She told me that her patients that had older injuries--she is a chiro--that had been given a fluoro prescription were at a high risk for the injuries to reoccur. It seems that the fluoros go for old injuries, even those that have been healed for decades.

I called and reported my chiro's diagnosis to my uro's office--adverse reaction. When it was time for another biopsy the Cipro prescription arrived. I was told that it would be okay, that some "therapy" would take care of my shoulder, that he himself had gone to a therapist for shoulder problems affecting his golf game--yes--the Levaquin injection just prior to biopsy as well!

A couple months later, in February of 2014, as I was getting out of bed one morning, the SI ligament ripped again! The old injury returned just as my chiro had told me was likely to happen! A few weeks later the other shoulder went but not as badly. That was the end of my business and I also had difficulty with normal activities such as arranging something on a baking sheet. I couldn't bend over long enough to complete that task without standing upright to relieve the pain. In October of 2013 I had been doing deadlifts with 350 lbs. reps and sets--but standing on a 2" block to increase the range of motion. Using the 45 lb. Olympic plates the bottom of the bar is 8" from the floor. I was pulling from 6" to increase the difficulty. Then I find that I can't bend over to arrange food on a baking sheet!

You see that I put the word "called" in italics and bold font. I did that for a reason. My uro could have looked for an alternative antibiotic to use but he didn't--for whatever reason. He could have even asked a pharmacist that he works with or is friendly with for an alternative. He could have asked his office staff to do find an alternative to the fluoros. My advice to you is to send an email to his office with your concerns and maybe even a couple links about the dangers of fluoroquinolones including a study that notes that those who have been prescribed fluoroquinolones have twice the incidence of aortic aneurysms. Print a copy of that email and retain it. Use the Bcc, option even if you only send it to yourself. Bcc stands for, "blind carbon copy", which could be addressed to your lawyer!

Word of mouth, trust and a gentleman's handshake only go so far today. I had notified his office in a telephone call immediately when my chiro told me to. It was obvious I needed to heal to get my business back online within a year or so. When meeting my uro he assured me that all was well, I just needed therapy. He used the fluoros again. Write the email! That will be evidence that you are an informed patient.

Copy all between the lines.

__________________________________________________________________________________

Common and Rare Side Effects for Levaquin - WebMD

originalText › ... › levofloxacin-solution-oral › details › list-sideeffects

___________________________________________________________________________________

My best to you,

Currumpaw

[BB_1 in reply to Currumpaw]

Thank you!

[Currumpaw in reply to BB_1]

You are welcome. I just edited it and inserted some dates.

Currumpaw.

[Hidden in reply to Currumpaw]

We have asked several times to use an alternative, not any of the flox. Seems like they hate an informed patient and refuse to change, with always the same answer..”it’s the only one suitable for this” !! Makes me hate the medical profession when they act like you are the only patient that has asked for such a ridiculous substitution 🤬

[BB_1 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you!

[Currumpaw in reply to Hidden]

Cefdinir and Rocephin are alternatives which are safely and effectively used by some doctors.

I have messaged with men whose doctors have used these antibiotics without any issues.

Currumpaw

[BB_1]

Rocephin is the other one they are using. Thank you.

[Hidden]

Thank you !

[Hidden]

Thank you BB I am not backing down next time!

[tdouds]

I’ve had a couple of friends who popped Achilles tendon‘s after taking Levaquin… My wife was a nurse, and she feared that the Rosen with all of her might. I wouldn’t recommend it to my worst enemy!

[fourputt]

My personal experience with Fluoroquinolones is that a short term course (1 or 2 doses) fortunately causes no side effects. I have also taken a longer course of Levaquin and ended up with severe Plantar fasciitis. So for me a dose or two is OK but definitely no more prolonged treatments .

[Hidden]

I had to take Cipro, an antibiotic similar to Levaquin, twice -- once for conventional biopsy and again for HIFU surgery. Yes I read those pages of side-effects including the weird achilles tendon damage possibility. I managed to get through without any side-effects. I think they wanted me on Levaquin for the HIFU. I said no, give me Cipro instead -- I used it once without harm so let's stick with that.

[Hidden]

Going back to 2003....... prostate biopsy, wished that I had had a general. Twenty-fours hours later, fever of 102 followed by 5 days in the hospital alternating Cipro IV with Levaquin IV...... not a weight lifter..... glad that my infection was arrested. One thing that I learned over the years, almost all side effects are mitigated through medicine and staying in one’s lane...... a common sense approach works best. My attitude.... there is no sense in taxing one’s body during any treatment. Heck, even in 2003, possible skeletal damage was noted with these two powerful antibiotics.

I’ll not criticize anyone who fears side effects; while noting that prostate cancer, metastatic prostate cancer, and infections in the vascular system are serious life-threatening diseases.

GD