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Levaquin for Sinusitis User Reviews (Page 2)

Levaquin has an average rating of 5.5 out of 10 from a total of 108 reviews for the treatment of Sinusitis. 42% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 37% reported a negative experience.

Reviews for Levaquin

  • Loves...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • October 23, 2013

"I was prescribed Levaquin after suffering for 2 weeks with a severe cold and sinusitis. The Levaquin took care of the cold, but I got such severe tendonitis in my right ankle the day after stopping a 10-day course of it that I couldn't even touch my foot to the floor. It has improved by staying off my feet and icing - ice is really your friend here - but almost two months later I am still icing and wearing a brace, and now the pain has migrated up my leg. But the real problem is that I have breast cancer for the second time, and the doctors do not want to operate until my body is infection-free and inflammation-free. My son's way to ice is the best: ice the spot with a cube until it has completely melted."

2 / 10
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  • No...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • March 29, 2016

"Levaquin is not for me, even though it did help clear up my sinus infection. The tendonitis and joint pain were just too much for me. What they fail to tell you is that with lots of people who take this drug, the side effects do NOT go away with discontinuation of the drug. I now feel like I have arthritis in my hips, knees, elbows, and hands that simply will not go away, and I blame the Levaquin for these lingering symptoms. I would not recommend the drug to anyone unless their sinus infection simply will not respond to other treatments."

3 / 10
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35 Report
  • Great...
  • May 12, 2016

"I cannot give Levaquin a good rating. I was a healthy, active college student minoring in dance when I took this for a sinus infection. After a few pills it completely destroyed my life, for an infection that would have cleared on its own. No more than hour of sleep for over a year due to neurological damage that destroyed my sleep cycle. It gave me dysautonomia so now I have tachycardia, POTS, heat intolerance, & all sorts of crazy problems. I got peripheral neuropathy, but it got better over the years. Still I am limited in what I can do, cannot fulfill my dreams, and miss going out in the summer since the heat intolerance causes me to not sweat but actually respond like I have heat exhaustion. No more laying on the beach in July...ever."

1 / 10
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33 Report

Frequently asked questions

  • Beware
  • November 7, 2009

"Was prescribed levaquin 750mg/5 day dose on June 22, 2009. First week no bad symptoms except for insomnia and nightmares. It did knock out sinus infection temporarily (10 days) but then sinusitis returned. It wasn't until week 3 after using this drug that I started noticing joint pain in elbows, knees, shoulders and lower back. It's November now and things haven't improved. Along with tendinitis symptoms I've also loss muscle strength in calf's, biceps and will experience burning in hamstrings after doing simple things like cutting my lawn. I hope this goes away or somebody offers a remedy to counter these effects. "

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  • Sick
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • December 14, 2020

"I was given Levaquin for Sinus. I am now disabled with complete body wide nerve damage. This drug has been black boxed by the FDA. I was contacted by the FDA after filing a complaint. My records were used to complete the warning. Do not take this or any other Fluoroquinolone antibiotic. My life has been ruined."

1 / 10
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Are you taking this medicine?

  • Anonymous
  • November 26, 2011

"After being sick for three months and experiencing everything from lung actelecasis to confusion bleeding nose and extreme headaches my doctor put me on levaquin. It is mid day on day three of takin 500mg once a day. I feel a little light headed and my hands are shaky but I am starting to feel a bit better. Shaky hands and light headed are nothing compared to pleurisy, collapsed lung and bleeding infected sinuses. Recommended."

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  • Tweet...
  • April 30, 2015

"Well it did the job, and then some. It cleared up my sinus infection, plus I had the lovely experience of having severe acne on my back from the drug. I never break-out. Then, a week after I stopped the 10 -day medication, I have a UTI, and vaginal bleeding (in between periods). I think it is insane that medication for a simple sinus infection can leave to several other complications."

1 / 10
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More FAQ

  • toot
  • May 16, 2011

"Saw a PA for sinus infection secondary to bronchitis and acute asthma. Prescribed Levaquin daily for 10 days. After the 2nd day on it I noticed severe right shoulder pain and mild left shoulder pain. I did not make the connection until day 7. I called my pharmacist and was told to stop taking medication. That was 6 days ago. I now also have pain in my right bicep. I had just finished a course of steroids for my asthma which may have made me at increase risk for this side effect. Good news is my sinus infection is gone. Public needs more info on side effects of medication. i"

5 / 10
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  • Worsh...
  • February 27, 2010

"I have been so blessed to start using Levaquin. I have been sick for 1 months so far. I thought it was a cold, but I couldn't recover. After 2 weeks I took a Z-Pak for 5 days, and my symptoms got better, and then it came back. So, after 4 weeks of sickness, I started the Levaquin and after the first dose my ear infection that I also had at the same time was healing quickly. The second dose had me feeling so much better, that I believe this sinus infection will be gone soon. Yeah!"

10 / 10
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  • don_f...
  • August 30, 2007

"I've been taking levaquin for a sinus infection. I am on only my second dose, but yesterday after taking my first dose I felt immediate results. Much less nasal discharge than in the days and even hours prior. I had no problems with sleep, in fact that night was the first time I slept through the entire night in weeks, without even waking up to go to the bathroom. "

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  • Anony...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • May 16, 2015

"I was prescribed Levaquin 500mg 1x/day for chronic sinus infections. On day 8 (of a 10 day prescription), I woke up feeling like I'd been hit by a truck. Every tendon in my body hurt. Even the tiny ones in my fingers. It took me till the next day to realize it was the Levaquin causing this (no doctor or pharmacist had warned me). I threw out the day 10 pill. This was 3 mths ago. For the first two weeks, the pain got worse. I was unable to walk for a week. After that, it gradually began to subside and I began to be able to walk, albeit very slowly, again. I spent about a month on bed rest. I just saw an ortho yesterday and she is optimistic about my progress. She said it may take about 1 yr for me to heal. I am about 85% better."

1 / 10
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31 Report
  • dstie
  • May 20, 2015

"I am on day 3 of taking this medicine and feel horrible. I haven't slept in 2 nights and don't want to eat. I am calling my doctor in the morning and telling him I will not take anymore of this. I have never felt this bad from a drug before."

1 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • Taken for 1 to 6 months
  • August 6, 2014

"I have taken Levaquin many times for my sinuses and have had 2 sinus surgeries. I am currently on my 38th day of 750mg and have 11 more days to go of taking it. We are doing this for so long as a last resort before doing surgery again. I can not tell that it is doing much good this go around. It does not allow me to rest well so I take it in the morning but I can honestly say that I am over the vomiting daily because of it. It also gives me the shakes and just a very bad overall feeling until lunch or so."

3 / 10
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33 Report
  • Coco
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • March 18, 2018

"I rarely get a sinus infection. If I take Levaquin for 10 days, I am well. Most Dr.'s will not prescribe it. They give you weak antibiotics, that don't touch a sinus infection. My physician knows me well. I have never had a problem with it. Drink plenty of water and juice."

10 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • January 9, 2011

"I am immunodeficient and need antibiotics often. My doctors try to stay with the older generations of antibiotics for a lot of things, plus I'm allergic to a lot of them now; and Levaquin is prescribed for when I am having acute issues like sinus infection and it does work very well. I have never had any of the bad side effects from it other than feeling a bit out of sorts, maybe an upset stomach, but I'm also sick while taking it so I would feel "off" regardless. Unfortunately (because it's a fairly expensive antibiotic) it has over the last years worked quite well, even with me."

10 / 10
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  • KMahan
  • March 19, 2016

"My doctor prescribed me Levaquin, 750 mg for 7 days) after amoxycylin didn't do the trick. I had the sinus infection for almost a month at this point, and was willing to try anything. I took the Levaquin with prednisone the first night, and had an intense anxious reaction to the combo - my pharmacy recommended I stop the prednisone, so I did. The anxious feeling subsided, and within 12 hours, I could feel my head pressure go away. However, on the second day, and until now (on the 5th day) I've slowly felt new side effects. Mainly, fatigue, achy knees and shoulders, and I wake up in the morning feelig like im burning from the inside out. I would recommend to help sinus infections, but warning, the side effects are real. Hoping they go away!"

5 / 10
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28 Report
  • Kirann
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 25, 2019

"I've been on Levaquin before for an ear infection and have never had a problem. I am allergic to most antibiotics except for the tetracyclines and quinolones / fluoroquinolones. I've had a sinus infection for 2 1/2 weeks now and was on a round of doxycycline 100mg 2x/day for 10 days, which did absolutely nothing. Now I am on Levaquin 500mg 1x/day for 10 days. On day 5 and the only side effects are insomnia, slight abdominal pain and nausea. I will take that over the inability to breathe, post nasal drip and a cough any day because I know it's temporary. I usually run 3.5-4 miles/day and have no issues."

9 / 10
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  • touca...
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • April 12, 2016

"My dosage of Levaquin was 750 mg daily initially for 5 days & later extended for another 10 days after an ER visit. I discontinued the drug after 11 days due to: a) a general feeling of malaise after taking the drug b) I am a runner and I began experiencing tendinosis in the Achilles tendons & then on a routine run, I pulled up lame and could not continue due to severe pain in my left hamstring area - I attribute these injuries strictly to the Levaquin. I think this drug was effective in handling the infection but its side effects for me as described above are very real. I will not take this drug or probably any drugs in the fluoroquinolones class again. Anyone who is into exercising should think carefully about using this drug."

5 / 10
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  • S-Line
  • November 9, 2016

"I'm SUPER sensitive to medications. On 500mg for 5 days, had a sinus infection for about 6 weeks now. So far, I can't sleep really at all, but looks like you can take a Benadryl or something with it that may help you sleep. Will discuss with doctor. Hesitant about taking this because of all the comments here and the (black box warning) about the medication that everyone should read about Levofloxacin (google it). I'm feeling really scattered and can't focus mentally, insomnia and dizziness if I get up too quickly are the biggest issues. I am not taking any of my usual vitamins and no gym, but so far ok. Will update if any changes. *Update, I ended up having to cut the pills in half per doc ok. I felt so awful."

5 / 10
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  • Kareem...
  • June 26, 2016

"I was prescribed Levaquin for acute bacterial sinusitis after going to my GP for a congested nose, sinus pressure and bad headaches and fatigue which lasted 7 days. He said this should clear it right up...After reading all the warning I was hesitant with my pharmacist but they assured me it's a normal antibiotic, nothing too strong as since I'm allergic to penicilin it's a great alternative. The horror began immediately on day one, the skin on my left arm shoulder area began to burn so badly, and my arm started to get numb, even my pinky finger I couldn't move. I obviously freaked out and called the doc, he said I'm having an allergic reaction to it, not to worry it won't cause any nerve damage. Switched to Zithromax, much better & safer :("

2 / 10
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  • Evrim...
  • August 27, 2016

"Omg. This medicine is scary. Had a very, very bad sinus infection. I was desperate for relief. A day after taking this medicine, I felt a stiffness in my neck. Thought nothing of it, maybe I slept on it wrong? Switched pillows. Next night, worse. Three days in, could barely stand the pain in my neck. Then it hit me that the medicine was causing the muscle/tendon issue. Also, this medicine made me seriously feel out of it. I had to stop after 4 days. I'd rather deal with the sinus infection."

1 / 10
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  • Anonymous
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • September 18, 2016

"Lost 40% of Achilles' tendon! All my tendons in hands, feet shoulders, neck ---actually, all o we my body are sore all the time! Can't work out anymore, have a hard time doing housework, landscaping, sleeping, Can't open bottles. Put my bra on because of the soreness in my shoulder muscles etc. I hate this feeling all the time! I am not myself anymore. Used to be the poster child of health for a 69 year old"

1 / 10
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  • Another...
  • Taken for 2 to 5 years
  • June 22, 2017

"DO NOT USE THIS DRUG!!! I was prescribed Lavaquin for a sinus infection over 2 years ago & I am still suffering the side effects. The tendon pain was SO severe during & many months after finishing this med. Now, 2 & 1/2 years later, I still have severe tendon pain, stabbing, hot pain mostly in my wrists, hands & arms. I do not sleep through the night, due to the horrific pain & it persists constantly throughout the days! I have Achilles problems now & can not walk or stand up for any length of time. I am sure I have permanent tendon damage from this drug, which my doctor denies can be caused by this drug & wants to do further tests for autoimmune disease! Stay away from this drug it is poison and ruined my quality of life!!!!!!"

1 / 10
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  • PCano
  • Taken for less than 1 month
  • February 24, 2020

"This drug was awful for me. Was prescribed 750 mg for 10 days after rebound sinusitis after taking amox clauv which worked. But then got sick again and sinusitis came back. Anyway stopped after 5 days, severe headaches daily and heart racing and couldn’t sleep at all for 5 nights without getting any better. No thanks"

1 / 10
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  • marie...
  • March 17, 2008

"I was given levaquin for a sinus infection and bronchitis. After first dose the sinus pressure was gone and after the third dose the chest congestion was breaking up. I am on the fourth day now and feel much better than I did five days ago. I was also told to take Musenex. Next time I wont wait two weeks before going to the doctor. The only side effect I have is the itching all over, but that is much better than not being able to breath."

8 / 10
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40 Report

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.

Learn more about Sinusitis

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Symptoms and treatments

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