Levaquin

Levaquin goes by a generic name known as levofloxacin. In December 1996, the Food Drug and Administration (FDA) approved the drug to treat bacterial infections. Levaquin is part of fluoroquinolones, a class of medications. Typically, it works by preventing the growth of bacteria in both adults and children. In addition to that, the drug eradicates bacteria from your body. Here is what you need to know about levaquin.

Benefits

Levaquin is helpful in treating a variety of ailments. Doctors prescribe the drug to manage symptoms in the following:

• Infections of the lungs, sinuses, skin, ears, and airways
• Infections of the bones and joints
• Mastitis or infection of the breast
• Plague originating from Yersinia Pestis
• Urinary infections
• Infection of the prostate
• Infectious diarrhea
• Inhalational anthrax exposure
• Chronic bronchitis
• Pneumonia (community-acquired and nosocomial)

Side Effects

Just like any other drug, levofloxacin has side effects. They can be mild, severe, or adverse in other cases. Here are the common side effects that you can expect:

• Headache
• Nausea
• Difficulty sleeping
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Dizziness

According to webmd, you need to contact a doctor if you experience serious side effects as follows:

• Loss of appetite
• Dark urine
• Abdominal pain
• Excessive nausea and vomiting
• Yellowing skin or eyes
• Strange bruising or bleeding

In other circumstances, levaquin presents adverse side effects. Seek medical assistance immediately when the following occurs:

• Chest pain
• Massive pain in the stomach and back
• Irregular heartbeat
• Shortness of breath
• Fainting
• Severe dizziness
• Seizures
• Hallucinations

Due to the side effects above, children below 18 aren't suitable candidates to take levaquin. The bright side is that you can manage the side effects without any trouble.

Interactions with Other Drugs

Drug interactions tamper with how a specific medication functions. What’s more, the risks of side effects heighten when you combine certain drugs with levaquin. The best way to mitigate the problem is by informing your doctor about your current medications. Also, you can make a list of the drugs, including herbal products, and share it with your pharmacist.

Here are possible levaquin interactions with other drugs:

• Ofloxacin: It is similar to levofloxacin; thus, you could be overdosing.
• Warfarin
• Drugs with zinc, calcium, magnesium, strontium, and iron
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)
• Medication with didanosine and sucralfate

Dosage of Levaquin

Usually, a doctor prescribes levaquin depending on the infection that you exhibit. You will ingest the drugs after every 24 hours for a certain number of days. Adults with more than 50kg will have the following dosing.

• Inhalational anthrax: 500 mg for 60 days
• Chronic prostatitis: 500 mg for 28 days
• Uncomplicated skin infections: 500 mg for 7 to 10 days
• Acute bacterial sinusitis: 750 mg for 5 days
• Community-acquired pneumonia: 500 mg for 7 to 14 days
• Nosocomial pneumonia: 750 mg for 7 to 14 days
• Plague: 500 mg for 10 to 14 days
• Complicated skin infections: 750 mg for 7 to 14 days
• Complicated urinary tract infection: 750 mg for 5 days
• Chronic bronchitis: 500 mg for 7 days

Pediatric patients who weigh less than 30 kg have a different dosage. For inhalational anthrax, the prescription will be 250 mg every 12 hours for 60 days. You will take 250 mg every 12 hours for 10 to 14 days to treat plaque in this category.

How to Store Levaquin

The ideal storage conditions for levaquin is about 15°C to 30°C (59° F to 86°F). Store them in a sealed container to keep moisture at bay. In addition, keep the drugs away from kids and pets.

Administration

Levofloxacin comes in the form of tablets, injections, or oral solutions. Tablets are 250 mg, 500 mg, and 750 mg. On the flip side, an injection is 500 mg/20 ml and 750 mg/30 ml, while an oral solution is worth 25 mg/ mL.

You can ingest the tablets on an empty stomach. In addition to that, you should take levaquin two hours before or after consuming antacids. This way, the drugs won’t interfere with how levofloxacin works. Drink a lot of water to stay hydrated and minimize the production of concentrated urine.

Can Pregnant and Breastfeeding Mothers Take Levaquin?

Typically, pregnant mothers can’t swallow levaquin because the drug leads to bone and joint deformities in infants. On the other side, breastfeeding mums can only take the medication when they decide to stop breastfeeding. Otherwise, you shouldn’t breastfeed and use levaquin at the same time. The drug gets excreted in breast milk and could cause harm to your baby.

Final Thoughts

Levaquin is an essential drug in treating bacterial infections. It has common, severe, and adverse side effects that you can manage or call a doctor. You can purchase levaquin after approval from an online doctor on our website at Kiwi. Customers around the globe can order the medication for worldwide shipping. Contact us today for more information.