Last week, we posted an article about the link between fluoroquinolones antibiotics and a serious eye condition called retinal detachment. Retinal detachment can lead to permanent eye damage, vision loss, or blindness, but it is not the most serious side effect associated with fluoroquinolones. Fluoroquinolones may also cause a serious form of nerve damage called peripheral neuropathy.
Fluoroquinolones are a class of antibiotics used to treat respiratory tract infections and urinary tract infections. Fluoroquinolone antibiotics include moxifloxacin (Avelox), ciprofloxacin (Cipro), gemifloxacin (Factive), levofloxacin (Levaquin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), and ofloxacin (Floxin). More than 23 million prescriptions were written for fluoroquinolones in 2011.
Peripheral neuropathy is damage to the nerves that send information to and from the brain and spinal cord and the rest of the body. Damage interrupts this connection, and the symptoms depend on which nerves are affected. In general, the symptoms are in the arms and legs and include numbness, tingling, burning, or shooting pain.
Peripheral neuropathy has been known to be a side effect of fluoroquinolones for many years and has been listed on the label since 2004. In August 2013, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determined that existing warnings on fluoroquinolones drugs were inadequate. The FDA told drug manufacturers that labels must better emphasize the risk for potentially irreversible peripheral neuropathy.
Peripheral neuropathy is a form of nerve damage that affects the hands and feet. The symptoms of fluoroquinolones peripheral neuropathy usually begin within a few days of starting the drugs. The nerve damage may last for several months. In some cases, it is permanent.
Warning signs of Fluoroquinolone Peripheral Neuropathy:
- Numbness in the hands or feet
- Tingling in the hands or feet
- Muscle weakness in the hands or feet
- Burning in the hands or feet
- Shooting pains in the hands or feet
- Paralysis in the hands or feet
- Lack of coordination
Contact your doctor if you experience any symptoms of peripheral neuropathy while taking fluoroquinolones antibiotics. The FDA is asking patients who develop fluoroquinolones peripheral neuropathy to file an adverse event report.
If you are suffering permanent peripheral neuropathy after taking fluoroquinolone antibiotics, consider contacting a Salt Lake City pharmaceutical injury lawyer. You may be eligible for compensation through a Utah medication injury lawsuit. To learn more, contact the James Esparza Law Firm at 800-745-4050.