Pharmacies are known for giving long patient instructions with each prescription that you purchase.  Some healthcare professionals take the time to review potential adverse effects when prescribing medications; others do not. Many individuals can tolerate antibiotics, while others cannot. Drug tolerability is based on many factors- your healthcare provider must be informed of all current drugs and supplements that you are taking. Below is a basic review of things to be mindful of while taking Levofloxacin and Moxifloxacin.

• Levofloxacin and Moxifloxacin can cause inflammation of tendons. If you experience “joint pain” while taking these medications, it is probably a sign of tendon inflammation, and the antibiotic should be stopped.

• These drugs can also cause abnormalities in the heart conduction system, known as the prolonged QT interval. It is a good practice to have a baseline EKG in your medical files so you can use it for a comparison if you should experience any issues.

• These drugs have a “caffeine effect” and can interfere with sleep. Reducing or eliminating caffeine while taking this drug will result in better sleep.

• Do not take within 2 hours of dairy, antacids, or vitamin and calcium supplements.

Have you had a negative side effect with these drugs that you would like to share with the community?