Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Causes Severe Headaches, Eye Pain And Neck Stiffness After Taking Levofloxacin?
Question: About a month and half ago I had a vasectomy done and the doctor gave me levofloxacin (Antibiotics) 1000mgs per day for two weeks. Since then i have been getting horrible headaches starting in my temples. My eyes hurt, and the back of my head and neck are stiff. Everyday seems to be a little worse from the last day. Could this be a result of the antibiotics that I took?
Any help would be appreciated.
Any help would be appreciated.
Brief Answer:
Levofloxacin can cause headache.Are you still continuing levofloxacin?
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for being on healthcaremagic.com.
I am Dr.Ajay Panwar,a neurologist,here to answer your query.
If you would have presented to me as an outpatient,I would have told you that-Yes-Headache is one of the most common side effects of levofloxacin and it may cause severe headache too.This should subside gradually as the offending drug is stopped.
Although,if we count 2 weeks starting from one and a half months back,it indicates that you may have stopped the drug by now but just to reconfirm-are you still on levofloxacin or have you stopped it?
If you are still on the drug-consult with your treating doctor as it should be stopped and observe yourself for improvement in symptoms.
If you have stopped the drug by now?How many days back did you stop it?If it has been over 2 weeks-please tell a few details:
1)Are you having vomiting also?
2)Any sensitivity of eyes to light,so that eyes can't tolerate light and closes on shining light?
3)Any history of double vision,abnormal eye movements,clouding of consciousness or facial deviation?
If any of the above 3 is Yes,than it is a red flag and you should immmediately get examined by a physician.
Though sometimes headache may persist for over a month even after stopping the drug which caused the headache.
Waiting for your follow-up question.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Levofloxacin can cause headache.Are you still continuing levofloxacin?
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for being on healthcaremagic.com.
I am Dr.Ajay Panwar,a neurologist,here to answer your query.
If you would have presented to me as an outpatient,I would have told you that-Yes-Headache is one of the most common side effects of levofloxacin and it may cause severe headache too.This should subside gradually as the offending drug is stopped.
Although,if we count 2 weeks starting from one and a half months back,it indicates that you may have stopped the drug by now but just to reconfirm-are you still on levofloxacin or have you stopped it?
If you are still on the drug-consult with your treating doctor as it should be stopped and observe yourself for improvement in symptoms.
If you have stopped the drug by now?How many days back did you stop it?If it has been over 2 weeks-please tell a few details:
1)Are you having vomiting also?
2)Any sensitivity of eyes to light,so that eyes can't tolerate light and closes on shining light?
3)Any history of double vision,abnormal eye movements,clouding of consciousness or facial deviation?
If any of the above 3 is Yes,than it is a red flag and you should immmediately get examined by a physician.
Though sometimes headache may persist for over a month even after stopping the drug which caused the headache.
Waiting for your follow-up question.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
I dont have any vomiting or sensitivity to light. And no abnormal vision issues. Could this be temporal arteritis? Or just a cluster headache?
And yes i stopped the drug about two weeks ago.
And yes i stopped the drug about two weeks ago.
Brief Answer:
Temporal arteritis or cluster headache is unlikely.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for being in follow-up.
Drug induced headache should have stopped by now as it is about 2 weeks since you have stopped the offending drug.However,as I already told that sometimes the drug induced headache may take over a month to resolve even after stopping the offending drug.So,if levofloxacin induced-it should resolve in a few more days.
It is unlikely to be temporal arteritis for the following reasons-
1)It is unlikely at your age as temporal arteritis usually occur above 60 years of age.
2)Temporal arteritis is characterised by the painful or tender temporal arteries.(Touching the temple area on scalp may be very painful or increase the pain,which is apparently not the scenario in your case).
3)It is associated with vision loss.
4)It is associated with jaw claudication or jaw muscles pain.
It is unlikely to be cluster headache for the following reasons-
1)Cluster headache is episodic with multiple short episodes of headache in a day.Your headache is apparently persistent.
2)Cluster headache is unilateral(on one side of head)
3)It is associated with excessive lacrimation or redness of eyes.
However,there is one red flag in your case that headache is gradually worsening in severity day by day as you said 'Everyday seems to be a little worse from the last day'.So,I think you should get to a physician and get examined for signs of meningeal irritation like neck rigidity.He may also examine you for papilledema and if thinks logical after the physical examination, may get a Brain imaging like computerised tomographic scan(CT scan) of head done to rule out any intracranial pathology like brain infection.
Hope I have answered your query.If you have some follow-up queries,I shall be glad to answer else,please close the thread-rate it and write a review.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Temporal arteritis or cluster headache is unlikely.
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXX,
Thanks for being in follow-up.
Drug induced headache should have stopped by now as it is about 2 weeks since you have stopped the offending drug.However,as I already told that sometimes the drug induced headache may take over a month to resolve even after stopping the offending drug.So,if levofloxacin induced-it should resolve in a few more days.
It is unlikely to be temporal arteritis for the following reasons-
1)It is unlikely at your age as temporal arteritis usually occur above 60 years of age.
2)Temporal arteritis is characterised by the painful or tender temporal arteries.(Touching the temple area on scalp may be very painful or increase the pain,which is apparently not the scenario in your case).
3)It is associated with vision loss.
4)It is associated with jaw claudication or jaw muscles pain.
It is unlikely to be cluster headache for the following reasons-
1)Cluster headache is episodic with multiple short episodes of headache in a day.Your headache is apparently persistent.
2)Cluster headache is unilateral(on one side of head)
3)It is associated with excessive lacrimation or redness of eyes.
However,there is one red flag in your case that headache is gradually worsening in severity day by day as you said 'Everyday seems to be a little worse from the last day'.So,I think you should get to a physician and get examined for signs of meningeal irritation like neck rigidity.He may also examine you for papilledema and if thinks logical after the physical examination, may get a Brain imaging like computerised tomographic scan(CT scan) of head done to rule out any intracranial pathology like brain infection.
Hope I have answered your query.If you have some follow-up queries,I shall be glad to answer else,please close the thread-rate it and write a review.
Dr.Ajay Panwar,
MD,DM(Neurology)
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
