is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery

What is the most important information I should know about Levaquin?
• Take all of the Levaquin that has been prescribed for you even if youbegin to feel better is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Your symptoms may start to improve before the infectionis completely treated is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water (8 ounces) is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Drink several extraglasses of fluid each day to prevent the formation of Levaquin crystals in theurine is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Do not take antacids that contain magnesium or aluminum (e.g., Tums orRolaids), the ulcer medicine sucralfate (Carafate), or vitamin or mineral supplementsthat contain iron or zinc for a minimum of 2 hours before or 2 hours after adose of Levaquin is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Taking antacids, sucralfate, or vitamin or mineral supplementstoo close to a dose of Levaquin can greatly decrease the effects of the antibiotic is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.

What is Levaquin?
• Levaquin is an antibiotic in a class of drugs called fluoroquinolones is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. It fights bacteria in the body is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Levaquin is used to treat various types of bacterial infections is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Levaquin may also be used for purposes other than those listed in thismedication guide is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Levaquin?
• Before taking Levaquin, tell your doctor if you
· have kidney disease;
· have a seizure disorder;
· have a heart condition known as prolongation of the QT interval;
· have a slow heart rate that is considered a medical condition;
· have low levels of potassium in your blood; or
· are being treated for heart rhythm disturbances (irregular heartbeats)with drugs such as quinidine (Cardioquin, Quinidex, Quinaglute, others), procainamide(Pronestyl, Procan SR, others), amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone, others), sotalol(Betapace), and others is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• You may not be able to take Levaquin, or you may require a dosage adjustmentor special monitoring during treatment if you have any of the conditions listedabove is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Levaquin is in the FDA pregnancy category C is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. This means that it is notknown whether Levaquin will be harmful to an unborn baby is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Do not take this medicationwithout first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnantduring treatment is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• It is not known whether Levaquin passes into breast milk is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Similar drugsare known to affect bone development is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Do not take Levaquin without first talkingto your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Levaquin is not approved for use by children under 18 years of age is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Itmay interfere with bone development is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.

How should I take Levaquin?
• Take Levaquin exactly as directed by your doctor is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. If you do not understandthese instructions, ask your pharmacist, nurse, or doctor to explain them toyou is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water (8 ounces) is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Drink several extraglasses of fluid each day to prevent the formation of Levaquin crystals in theurine is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Levaquin may be taken with or without food is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Take Levaquin at evenly spaced intervals is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Do not take antacids that contain magnesium or aluminum (e.g., Tums orRolaids), the ulcer medicine sucralfate (Carafate), or vitamin or mineral supplementsthat contain iron or zinc for a minimum of 2 hours before or 2 hours after adose of Levaquin is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Taking antacids, sucralfate, or vitamin or mineral supplementstoo close to a dose of Levaquin can greatly decrease the effects of the antibiotic is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Take all of the Levaquin that has been prescribed for you even if youbegin to feel better is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Your symptoms may start to improve before the infectionis completely treated is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Store this medication at room temperature away from moisture and heat is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.

What happens if I miss a dose?
• Take the missed dose as soon as you remember is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. However, if it is almosttime for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take only the next regularlyscheduled dose is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Do not take a double dose of this medication unless otherwisedirected by your doctor is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.

What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• The most common symptom of a Levaquin overdose is seizures is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.

What should I avoid while taking Levaquin?
• Avoid prolonged exposure to sunlight is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Levaquin may increase the sensitivityof the skin to sunlight, and a severe sunburn may result is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. If sun exposure isunavoidable, wear protective clothing and sunscreen is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Call your doctor if youexperience severe burning, redness, itching, rash, or swelling after exposureto the sun is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or performing other hazardousactivities is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Levaquin may cause dizziness is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. If you experience dizziness, avoidthese activities is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.

What are the possible side effects of Levaquin?
• If you experience any of the following serious side effects, stop takingLevaquin and seek emergency medical attention or contact your doctor immediately:
· an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat;swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
· seizures;
· confusion or hallucinations;
· irregular heartbeats, chest pain, or fainting;
· liver damage (yellowing of the skin or eyes, nausea, abdominal painor discomfort, unusual bleeding or bruising, severe fatigue); or
· muscle or joint pain is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• If you experience any of the following less serious side effects, continuetaking Levaquin and talk to your doctor:
· nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation;
· headache or lightheadedness;
· drowsiness;
· insomnia;
· ringing in the ears; or
· increased sensitivity of the skin to sunlight is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.

What other drugs will affect Levaquin?
• Do not take antacids that contain magnesium or aluminum (e.g., Tums orRolaids), the ulcer medicine sucralfate (Carafate), or vitamin or mineral supplementsthat contain iron or zinc for a minimum of 2 hours before or 2 hours after adose of Levaquin is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Taking antacids, sucralfate, or vitamin or mineral supplementstoo close to a dose of Levaquin can greatly decrease the effects of the antibiotic is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Before taking Levaquin, tell your doctor if you are taking any of thefollowing drugs:
· theophylline (Theo-Dur, Theolair, Slo-Phyllin, Slo-Bid, Elixophyllin);
· warfarin (Coumadin);
· insulin or an oral diabetes medication such as glipizide (Glucotrol),glyburide (Micronase, Diabeta, Glynase), and others; or
· a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) such as ibuprofen (Motrin,Advil, Nuprin, others), naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn, Anaprox), ketoprofen (OrudisKT, Orudis, Oruvail), and others is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• You may not be able to take Levaquin, or you may require a dosage adjustmentor special monitoring during treatment if you are taking any of the medicineslisted above is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Levaquin is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery. Talkto your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines, including herbal products is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.

Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about Levaquin written forhealth professionals that you may read is levaquin 500mg safe to take after throat surgery.

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