This is Michael Brady Lynch, lead trial attorney for The Michael Brady Lynch Firm.
There are new concerns over the popular drug Levaquin (levofloxacin), which is is an antibiotic medication linked to severe and sometimes permanent nerve damage.
Levaquin (levofloxacin) is an antibiotic medication that has been linked to a condition known as peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage). In 2013, the FDA published new warnings about the risk of Levaquin and peripheral neuropathy. This serious type of nerve damage from Levaquin can occur rapidly (within days) and cause permanent disability and/or chronic pain.
On August 25, 2014, a new study published in Neurology has found a doubled increased risk of peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage) from the use of antibiotics in the fluoroquinolone (FQ) class.
On September 10, 2014, the first Levaquion peripheral neuropathy lawsuit was filed in California federal court by a woman who was diagnosed with peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage) after taking Levaquin.
 
What is Levaquin?
The antibiotic drug Levaquin (levofloxacin) is prescribed to treat bacterial infections, pneumonia, skin infections, and bubonic plague. It was created by the drug company Janssen Pharmaceuticals (now a part of Johnson & Johnson) and approved by the FDA in 1996. It has been available as a generic drug since 2011. Every year, over 6 million people are prescribed oral Levaquin, and over one million are given intravenous (IV) Levaquin in a hospital setting.
 
FDA Safety Warning for Levaquin and Peripheral Neuropathy Side Effects:
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued the following warnings for Levaquin and peripheral neuropathy:
September 2004 FDA Warning for Levaquin and Peripheral Neuropathy
August 2013 FDA Warning for Levaquin and Peripheral Neuropathy
The FDA issued new warnings because the original warnings did not adequately describe the risk of rapid onset and permanent nerve damage.
According to the FDA, “In some patients the symptoms had been ongoing for more than a year despite discontinuation of the fluoroquinolone. Several patients were continued on the fluoroquinolone drug despite the occurrence of neuropathic symptoms.”
 
A little about Peripheral Neuropathy (PN):
Peripheral neuropathy (nerve damage) occurs when nerves between the brain and body are damaged, causing a condition called paresthesia in the arms and legs. There are over 100 different types of peripheral neuropathy, depending on which nerves are involved. Many people suffer from general numbness, muscle weakness, and problems with coordination, which can cause problems with walking, fastening buttons, or balancing. Some types of peripheral neuropathy can cause severe, chronic pain that is extremely difficult to treat.
 
Symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy
Pain
Burning
Tingling
Numbness
Weakness
Change in sensation to light touch, pain, or temperature
Change in sense of body position
Loss of reflexes
Paresthesia
Muscle wasting
Paralysis
If you or a loved were prescribed Levaquin and suffered symptoms of Peripheral Neuropathy, please contact The Michael Brady Lynch Firm for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
About the Firm: The Michael Brady Lynch Firm is a trial firm with a focus on pharmaceutical mass tort cases involving SSRI and Anti-Seizure Medication Birth Defects including Lexapro, Zoloft, Effexor, Prozac, Celexa, Paxil, Depakote and Topamax, Xarelto bleeding injuries, Testosterone cardiac events, Mirena IUD, Actos Bladder Cancer, Lipitor diabetes cases, and medical device cases including DePuy Hips and Trans-Vaginal Mesh cases. Contact us today if you or someone you know has experienced side effects involving these products.