Q: My wife was prescribed a 14 day supply of 750mg levofloxacin for acute sinusitis. Do we have a case?
Levofloxacin has severe and major side effects, and for this reason the FDA says not to prescribe it for sinusitis because the potential side effects outweigh any benefit when the infection is minor. The most common major side effects are Peripheral Neuropathy which is chronic and can be debilitating, tendonitis and can even cause the tendons to burst, and chronic joint pain. The normal dosage for this antibiotic is either 500mg for 10-14 days or 750mg for 5 days.
She was prescribed 750mg for 14 days for an infection that the FDA says not to prescribe it for, and she was not told anything of the potential side effects.
She has been in severe pain for the last week, and has stopped taking the prescription with only two days left of it. She has joint pain, and severe muscle pain and weakness (which could be Peripheral Neuropathy.)
Do we have a case?
A:
Save the drug,wrapping,receipt,box,etc.
Right now it's hard to tell if a) her getting the rx was inappropriate b) what it is that's causing her problems. The FDA does approve it so it's not wrong to prescribe.
Get a referral to an ENT/sinus specialist. Do not get into the above issues and just keep quiet and see what they say.
If her symptoms don't resolve, then contact a member of the NC Assn for Justice who handles product cases.
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