Levaquin

scrummy3
scrummy3 Member Posts: 10
edited March 2014 in Lymphoma (Hodgkin and Non-Hodgkin) #1
Greetings,

Anyone have odd effects from being treated by Levaquin? Had a severe respiratory infection last spring and was given a course of this antibiotic. Experienced some of the more common side-effects but at a CT scan 2-3 months later in June, they found enlarged nodes. They confirmed with a PET that some were hot, and ordered a biopsy of one that returned normal. Now, about four months later, the nodes are still large and hot.

I've found one source that cites enlarged nodes as a side-effect of Levaquin but it is not a common one. Anyone else heard of or experienced this or any other anomalous enlargement of nodes?

Later.

---
JB

Comments

  • sandybe
    sandybe Member Posts: 40
    #2
    Levaquin
    Yes I have two enlarged nodes in my lungs. I was treated with Levaquin several times. They have not checked on my nodes yet and are waiting until the next CT scan. I find your posting very interesting and have not heard of this before. I will have to look into it now. Thanks.
  • scrummy3
    scrummy3 Member Posts: 10
    #3
    sandybe said:

    Levaquin
    Yes I have two enlarged nodes in my lungs. I was treated with Levaquin several times. They have not checked on my nodes yet and are waiting until the next CT scan. I find your posting very interesting and have not heard of this before. I will have to look into it now. Thanks.

    More on Levaquin
    Just to be clear, I'm not in denial or suggesting anyone ignore the obvious. In my case (Large B-Cell nHL), it is fairly reasonable to assume that the enlargement has to do with my cancer. I also know it is very unlikely I will ever discover the cause of my nHL, but I still keep looking. Yet, the inconclusive results of biopsies and PETs leave me scratching my head.

    That said, the Levaquin connection may be a reach, but I thought I'd ask. You hear about a few other drugs, like Enbrel, that can cause Lymphoma. I only found one reference that appeared to be a bona fide drug spec sheet that listed enlarged nodes, not necessarily Lymphoma, as a result. The rest of the drug spec sheets list the more obvious side effects. And the other sites I found are discussion groups about folks who have had some really bad effects. Need to be careful in all such sites, even this one, of "science by concensus."

    My oncologist is being prudent with the further testing, but even he suggests I could just have nodes that don't shrink quickly or some other anomalous condition.

    Later.

    ---
    JB
  • ExGI
    ExGI Member Posts: 9
    #4
    scrummy3 said:

    More on Levaquin
    Just to be clear, I'm not in denial or suggesting anyone ignore the obvious. In my case (Large B-Cell nHL), it is fairly reasonable to assume that the enlargement has to do with my cancer. I also know it is very unlikely I will ever discover the cause of my nHL, but I still keep looking. Yet, the inconclusive results of biopsies and PETs leave me scratching my head.

    That said, the Levaquin connection may be a reach, but I thought I'd ask. You hear about a few other drugs, like Enbrel, that can cause Lymphoma. I only found one reference that appeared to be a bona fide drug spec sheet that listed enlarged nodes, not necessarily Lymphoma, as a result. The rest of the drug spec sheets list the more obvious side effects. And the other sites I found are discussion groups about folks who have had some really bad effects. Need to be careful in all such sites, even this one, of "science by concensus."

    My oncologist is being prudent with the further testing, but even he suggests I could just have nodes that don't shrink quickly or some other anomalous condition.

    Later.

    ---
    JB

    It's bad stuff stay away if
    It's bad stuff stay away if possible.
  • seakelp
    seakelp Member Posts: 1
    #5
    levaquin
    84 year old dad put in hospital due to Levaquin.Dry Mouth,depression,weight loss,loss of apetite, peripheral neuritis of hands, vision problems, weakness, shortness of breath, balance problems, swelling of feet and ankles, dry eye, urination problems, pain in calves and shoulder,insomnia.......After being inundated with drugs and tests, doc announces that biopsy revealed b-cell Lymphoma in lungs.Cannot help but feel that Levaquin was involved since dad had widespread systemic reaction to this drug.Was given Retuxin on top of all the other stuff he was given and passed away after three weeks in hospital.Docs fail often to link effects of antibiotics to patient's symptoms.
  • Fran-HD
    Fran-HD Member Posts: 12
    #6
    levaquin?
    I have taken levaquin several times for respiratory infections and have not really had very many side effects. I did not get enlarged nodes in any way. I did not get better and had to be switched to another antibiotic to get rid of infection so am not thrilled about it as a drug of choice. That being said even though we all have the common thread of hodgkins that does not mean we all have the same reaction to antibiotics. I would just be careful about taking it anymore. If your doc wants to prescribe it ask what your other options are. It is good to be careful about which medications you take and definetly pay attention to side effects because our bodies have been altered with radiation and chemo.

    Hope everything works out well for you. Take Care God bless, Fran
  • Folks24
    Folks24 Member Posts: 106
    #7
    Fran-HD said:

    levaquin?
    I have taken levaquin several times for respiratory infections and have not really had very many side effects. I did not get enlarged nodes in any way. I did not get better and had to be switched to another antibiotic to get rid of infection so am not thrilled about it as a drug of choice. That being said even though we all have the common thread of hodgkins that does not mean we all have the same reaction to antibiotics. I would just be careful about taking it anymore. If your doc wants to prescribe it ask what your other options are. It is good to be careful about which medications you take and definetly pay attention to side effects because our bodies have been altered with radiation and chemo.

    Hope everything works out well for you. Take Care God bless, Fran

    Levaquin
    I've never had a problem with it myself but a co-worker has.

    She is a BC survivor of about 2-3 yrs and age 61. She was given Levaquin for an infection and got the rare bad side effect of a torn tendon! Wow I didn't know that could happen with that drug. She said it does happen to some folks but usually not to the severity that she had. She is going to physical therapy now to work on the shoulders and hopefully won't have surgery.

    It is really c*&^* when drugs you expect to help you make you worse off!
  • judyy
    judyy Member Posts: 19
    #8
    Levaquin
    I have not had any effects from levaquin. I took it almost the whole 8 months I was on CHOP.

    That is scarey. I will have to talk to my doctor .

    Thanks
    Judy
  • Booshi
    Booshi Member Posts: 4
    #9
    Levaquin Lymphoma Correlation

    YES! I took Levaquin and had severe nerve damage and torn rotator cuffs in both arms immediately after the dose finished. I was later diagnosed with Follicular Lymphoma (2years after). I searched and found that there is a definate correlation between the drug and B cell Follicular Lymphoma. I am now at stage 4. I was granted disability due to the nerve damage and rotator cuffs as I could not use either arm. But now am having an impossible time getting treated for the cancer because I do not have the copay! I have been waiting 2 months so far for treatment. It is related. I did file a lawsuit prior to finding out about the cancer. If you took it after Jan 2009 you will not qualify for any settlement due to an FDA Blackbox warning. I took it in May 2009 diagnosed with Lymphoma in July 2011 and recrurred again in June 2014. 

  • Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3
    Max Former Hodgkins Stage 3 Member Posts: 3,819 Member
    #10
    scrummy3 said:

    More on Levaquin
    Just to be clear, I'm not in denial or suggesting anyone ignore the obvious. In my case (Large B-Cell nHL), it is fairly reasonable to assume that the enlargement has to do with my cancer. I also know it is very unlikely I will ever discover the cause of my nHL, but I still keep looking. Yet, the inconclusive results of biopsies and PETs leave me scratching my head.

    That said, the Levaquin connection may be a reach, but I thought I'd ask. You hear about a few other drugs, like Enbrel, that can cause Lymphoma. I only found one reference that appeared to be a bona fide drug spec sheet that listed enlarged nodes, not necessarily Lymphoma, as a result. The rest of the drug spec sheets list the more obvious side effects. And the other sites I found are discussion groups about folks who have had some really bad effects. Need to be careful in all such sites, even this one, of "science by concensus."

    My oncologist is being prudent with the further testing, but even he suggests I could just have nodes that don't shrink quickly or some other anomalous condition.

    Later.

    ---
    JB

    .

    .

  • Soltek12
    Soltek12 Member Posts: 1
    #11
    Splenic Marginal Zone Lymphoma

    I took 750 mg on Levaquin for 10 days in January 2010.  Near the end of the 10 days my side was numb and quite swollen.  My spleen became

    very enlarged at the end of the 10 days.   I began to get enlarged lymph nodes and on June 10th, 2010 I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Type

    B Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma called Splenic Marginal Zone which I beleive is follicular.  This happened at the end of the treatment of this very high

    dose.  I think that is when I acquired the Lymphoma and that I received it due to this drug.  I did not have any cancer diagnosis or swelling of

    my spleen prior to this time.

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