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What is levofloxacin?

Levofloxacin is in a group of antibiotics called fluoroquinolones (flor-o-KWIN-o-lones). Levofloxacin fights bacteria in the body.

Levofloxacin is used to treat bacterial infections that cause bronchitis, pneumonia, chlamydia, gonorrhea, skin infections, urinary tract infections, and infections of the prostate.

Levofloxacin may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Precautions

Instructions

Side-effects

Interactions

Precautions

You should not use this medication if you are allergic to levofloxacin or other fluoroquinolones such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro), ofloxacin (Floxin), norfloxacin (Noroxin), lomefloxacin (Maxaquin), and others.

Before taking levofloxacin, tell your doctor if you have:

• kidney disease;
• seizures or epilepsy;
• diabetes;
• low levels of potassium in your blood (hypokalemia); or
• a personal or family history of "Long QT syndrome."

If you have any of these conditions, you may need a dose adjustment or special tests to safely take this medication.

FDA pregnancy category C. This medication may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment.

Levofloxacin can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medication without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not give this medicine to a child younger than 18 years old. Levofloxacin may interfere with bone development in a child.

Avoid taking the following medicines within 2 hours before or after you take levofloxacin. These other medicines can make levofloxacin much less effective when taken at the same time:

• antacids that contain magnesium or aluminum (Tums or Rolaids);
• the ulcer medicine sucralfate (Carafate);
• didanosine (Videx); or
• vitamin or mineral supplements that contain iron or zinc.

Avoid exposure to sunlight or artificial UV rays (sunlamps or tanning beds). Levofloxacin can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight and sunburn may result. Use a sunscreen (minimum SPF 15) and wear protective clothing if you must be out in the sun.

Antibiotic medicines can cause diarrhea, which may be a sign of a new infection. If you have diarrhea that is watery or has blood in it, call your doctor. Do not use any medicine to stop the diarrhea unless your doctor has told you to.

Levofloxacin can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert.

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Instructions

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have taken too much of this medicine. Overdose symptoms may include loss of balance or coordination, drooping eyelids, weakness, decreased activity, trouble breathing, sweating, tremors, or seizure (convulsions).

Take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If you are more than 2 hours late in taking your medicine, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

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Side-effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

• diarrhea that is watery or bloody;
• seizure (convulsions);
• confusion, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior;
• dizziness, fainting, fast or pounding heartbeat;
• sudden pain or swelling near your joints (especially in your arm or ankle);
• easy bruising or bleeding;
• urinating less than usual or not at all;
• numbness, burning, pain, or tingly feeling in your hands or feet;
• pale or yellowed skin, dark colored urine, fever, weakness;
• fever, sore throat, and headache with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash; or
• jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious side effects may include:

• nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, constipation;
• feeling restless or anxious;
• headache, dizziness;
• muscle pain;
• sleep problems (insomnia), or nightmares;
• vaginal itching or discharge; or
• mild skin itching.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Tell your doctor about any unusual or bothersome side effect.

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Interactions

Many drugs can interact with levofloxacin. Below is just a partial list. Tell your doctor if you are using:

• a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin);
• cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf);
• insulin or diabetes medication you take by mouth;
• theophylline (Theo-Dur, Theolair, Slo-Phyllin, Slo-Bid, Elixophyllin);
• aspirin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil), diclofenac (Voltaren), indomethacin, naproxen (Aleve, Naprosyn), piroxicam (Feldene), nabumetone (Relafen), etodolac (Lodine), and others; or
• heart rhythm medicine such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), dofetilide (Tikosyn), disopyramide (Norpace), ibutilide (Corvert), procainamide (Procan, Pronestyl), quinidine (Quinidex, Quin-Release Quin-G), or sotalol (Betapace).

This list is not complete and there may be other drugs that can interact with levofloxacin. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

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