levaquin antibiotics

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 levaquin antibiotics. Your symptoms may start to improve before the infectionis completely treated levaquin antibiotics.
• Take each dose with a full glass of water (8 ounces) levaquin antibiotics. Drink several extraglasses of fluid each day to prevent the formation of Levaquin crystals in theurine levaquin antibiotics.
• 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 levaquin antibiotics. Taking antacids, sucralfate, or vitamin or mineral supplementstoo close to a dose of Levaquin can greatly decrease the effects of the antibiotic levaquin antibiotics.

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

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 levaquin antibiotics.
• 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 levaquin antibiotics.
• Levaquin is in the FDA pregnancy category C levaquin antibiotics. This means that it is notknown whether Levaquin will be harmful to an unborn baby levaquin antibiotics. Do not take this medicationwithout first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant or could become pregnantduring treatment levaquin antibiotics.
• It is not known whether Levaquin passes into breast milk levaquin antibiotics. Similar drugsare known to affect bone development levaquin antibiotics. Do not take Levaquin without first talkingto your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby levaquin antibiotics.
• Levaquin is not approved for use by children under 18 years of age levaquin antibiotics. Itmay interfere with bone development levaquin antibiotics.

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

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

What happens if I overdose?
• Seek emergency medical attention levaquin antibiotics.
• The most common symptom of a Levaquin overdose is seizures levaquin antibiotics.

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

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 levaquin antibiotics.
• 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 levaquin antibiotics.
• Side effects other than those listed here may also occur levaquin antibiotics. Talk to yourdoctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome levaquin antibiotics.

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 levaquin antibiotics. Taking antacids, sucralfate, or vitamin or mineral supplementstoo close to a dose of Levaquin can greatly decrease the effects of the antibiotic levaquin antibiotics.
• 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 levaquin antibiotics.
• 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 levaquin antibiotics.
• Drugs other than those listed here may also interact with Levaquin levaquin antibiotics. Talkto your doctor and pharmacist before taking any prescription or over-the-countermedicines, including herbal products levaquin antibiotics.

Where can I get more information?
• Your pharmacist has additional information about Levaquin written forhealth professionals that you may read levaquin antibiotics.

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