FDA Petitioned to Add Psychiatric Side Effects to Black Box Warning for Fluoroquinolones

In a survey of 94 people who experienced adverse reactions to Levaquin/levofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antibiotic, 72% reported experiencing anxiety, 62% reported depression, 48% reported insomnia, 37% reported panic attacks, 33% reported brain fog and/or cognitive impairment, 29% reported depersonalization and/or derealization, 24% reported thoughts of suicide and 22% reported psychosis.

Psychiatric side-effects of fluoroquinolones are common.  Though many of the psychiatric adverse effects of fluoroquinolones are listed on the warning label, they are buried in the “Central Nervous System Effects” section.  Dr. Charles Bennett of the Southern Network on Adverse Reactions (SONAR), has submitted a petition to the FDA requesting that a black box warning about serious psychiatric adverse events be added to the Levaquin/levofloxacin warning label.

More information about the serious psychiatric adverse effects of fluoroquinolones can be found in this post –

PSYCHIATRIC SIDE EFFECTS OF FLUOROQUINOLONE ANTIBIOTICS

Please spread the word about the psychiatric problems that fluoroquinolones can cause.  The serious psychiatric adverse effects of fluoroquinolones are under-recognized.

People are suffering because they are not adequately warned about the dangers of fluoroquinolones.

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