Partial Achilles Tendon Tears after taking Levaquin

by Lydia
(Killen, AL USA)

My story begins Thanksgiving weekend of 2004. I was coming down the stairs in my extended garage and completely missed 2 steps causing me to fall and feel some pain in my heel and foot. After the fall I was thought oh no I have sprained my ankle but went on about my work and everything. After the fall and by the time Christmas break was over I was having a lot of pain with swelling and tenderness in my left heel. I finally went to the doctor with the pain but also with fever and bronchitis. I am pretty sure that the doctor prescribed Levaquin as I am prone to bronchitis and have taken Levaquin many times before.

I found out in April of 2005 that I had a partial tear of my left Achilles tendon and underwent surgery to repair it. Everything was going along just fine until the summer of 2007 when I partially tore my left Achilles tendon once again. I also had most likely gone through more rounds of bronchitis and used Levaquin more but cannot remember. I do know that in July of 2007 I had to have a redo surgery on my left Achilles tendon and didn't make it a year before I had a partial tear of my right Achilles tendon. So to date I have had 3 surgeries to repair my achilles tendon and now I put on any medical form that I am allergic or sensitive to Levaquin.

I read on a print out of one round of Levaquin about the side affect of tendon damage and it specifically mentioning the Achilles. Don't know if this is helpful or not but this is my story of how I wound up and had to have 3 surgeries on my Achilles tendons. By the by the way I tore the right Achilles is when I turned to run to my house and get a pair of shoes. I turned and set my foot down hard on the ground and felt a sharp pain shoot up through the bottom of my heel. I have more black boots than I know what to do with but I do know that they make great bird houses for the wrens.