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More Accounts of Cipro/Levaquin Side Effects

Jeff Rasansky — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:20:16 GMT

Last week we blogged about Cipro and Levequin, two antibiotics that have been known to cause some pretty bad side effects. The FDA released a statement on July 8, that requested black box warnings for these drugs. Talk about side effects! These drugs have been linked to a risk of tendinitis and tendon rupture!

I decided to dig around a bit and see if I could find any first-hand accounts of people who have taken these drugs and experienced the side effects. I was amazed at what I found:

I have taken Levaquin 500 mg tablets for 11 days (until 2 days ago) against pneumonia.

I have developed severe pain in my achilles tendons (mostly on the left side ). I can hardly walk in the morning. Not having had any problems before I could not figure whatever could be the reason for this problem, especially since I have been doing stretching exercises for years.

I was diagnosed in an emergency room with pneumonia after some mysterious symptoms that included blood pressure over 200 and pulse of 110 with sputum containing blood. I was given a prescription for Levaquin for the "pneumonia."

After two days, there was tremendous swelling of my right arm and left leg.

There was acute weakness and pain of the left Achilles tendon. My left leg bothers me to this day--about 8 months later.

I was in doubt about the pneumonia diagnosis to begin with, and still am. Doubly in doubt about the prescription, since I have never been allergic or had any reaction to drugs in 85 years.

I just finished taking Levaquin for 10 days for a sinus infection. After the 5th day I noticed extreme pain in my muscles through my entire body. I just finish my 10th pill 3 days ago and am still in extreme pain. I feel like I'm an 80 year old woman in a 34 year old's body.

I’m not sure if a “black box” warning will do anything for the pain these people have already experienced. What about you? Have you experienced any of these side effects with Cipro or Levaquin?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

FDA To Seek Black-Box Warning on Cipro and Levaquin

Jeff Rasansky — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 14:41:05 GMT

The FDA has announced that it will be seeking to add black box warning to Cipro and Levaquin. Both are antibiotics that are used to treat bacterial infections. Apparently, each carries a risk of tendon rupture that needs to be addressed. Six months ago, the consumer group Public Citizen sued the FDA to require it to add the warnings to the drug packaging.

Reports of tendonitis and tendon rupture have been on the rise with the use of these drugs, which has prompted the FDA to ask drug companies to add the stronger labeling. Ruptures that have been associated to these drugs include Achilles tendon, shoulder, hand, biceps and thumbs. This risk is especially increased in older patients and those who have received organ transplants.

The FDA believes that the addition of this warning will strengthen the existing warning information already included in the prescribing information.

Other side effects of taking these medications include “seizures, hallucinations, depression, heart rhythm changes and intestine infection with diarrhea.”

The FDA also suggests that physicians “advise patients, at the first sign of tendon pain, swelling or inflammation—symptoms that typically precede tendon rupture and tendonitis—to stop taking the fluoroquinolone, to avoid exercise and use of the affected area, and to promptly contact their doctor about changing to a non-fluoroquinolone antimicrobial drug.”

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Cipro: A Case of Fluoride Poisoning?

Jeff Rasansky — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 15:53:44 GMT

After my last two blogs about Cipro and Levaquin side effects, you guys have responded with an overwhelming amount of feedback. After reading all of your replies, it definitely seems like something is going awry.

So I decided to dig a little deeper and I came across this article. It’s called, The True Story of Cipro and is written by Andreas Schuld, Wendy Small and Trent Harris. These are the founding members of an organization called Parents of Fluoride Poisoned Children (PFPC), located in Vancouver, BC, Canada. You can check out their website at bruha.com/fluoride.

These people claim that the gastrointestinal side effects of Cipro are signs of fluoride poisoning, not unlike what happens if you digest copious amounts of toothpaste. Still, that doesn’t account for the ruptured tendons and the like.

What do you guys say?

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Scheduled Execution of Bobby Wayne Woods Stopped

Jeff Rasansky — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 16:48:18 GMT

The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has stopped the scheduled execution of Bobby Wayne Woods due to claims that the 42 year old man is mentally retarded. Woods was scheduled to be executed in Huntsville today for the 1997 death of his ex-girlfriend's 11 year old daughter.

Woods claimed that he wasn't responsible for the young girl's death and blamed it on his cousin who ended up killing suicide. Woods was to be the second prisoner in the State of Texas this week to have been executed. Two more men are scheduled to be executed next week.

The appeal that Woods' lawyers filed cited IQ tests and records that showed Woods received failing grades in most of his special education classes when he was going to school. Woods has been proven to have severe deficiencies in reading and writing skills, understanding the concept of punishment and understanding that actions have consequences.

However, Woods made a statement to police at one time, saying that he had taken drugs before he went to his former girlfriend's house and he admitted to the abduction. DNA found on the murder weapon was traced back to Woods.

The fact that Woods' execution has been delayed brings quite a bit of media attention to a very hotly debated topic in today's world. Texas currently leads the nation in executions of inmates, with 13 already this year.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Cipro Warning An Overreaction?

Jeff Rasansky — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 11:27:45 GMT

I read an interesting article in The Brownsville Herald that says physicians aren’t worrying so much about the proposed label warning and still plan on prescribing them. They say that if used both properly and sparingly, Cipro and other fluoroquinolones are safe for most patients.

This certainly conflicts with many of the first hand accounts I’ve read.

Still, one of the physician’s interviewed in the article says that the FDA’s decision to add a black-box warning “might be an overreaction”. Many doctors prescribe this medication regularly to treat urinary tract infections and illnesses that don’t respond to other antibiotics. Children do not get prescribed these medications.

According to the FDA, the risk of tendon rupture is greater in the elderly population and those who have had organ transplants.

So the question is why are these doctors not worried about the obvious risk that this class of drug presents? Are they not aware of the countless reports of horrible side-effects, some of which are permanent?

If you or someone you love has been injured by these drugs, don’t hesitate to contact us. Use the form to the right of this blog to submit a free case evaluation and someone will get in touch with you right away.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Young Girl Chokes to Death at Dallas Daycare

Jeff Rasansky — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 11:14:38 GMT

A child has died after being found unconscious while under day care supervision in Dallas. While her death was ruled accidental, her family is still completely shocked and angry.

Isabella Estep was pronounced dead after being transported from the Woodbridge Day School to Baylor Medical Center in Garland. Sources report that she somehow swallowed a rock and choked while inside the day care. At this time, we are unsure of WHO was responsible for her supervision. However, one thing is for certain:

Isabella should not have died.

This is something that was completely preventable. Sources report that the day care employees believed that Isabella was taking a nap at the time of her death. It took them TEN MINUTES to realize that something was wrong. And how could she be left unsupervised long enough to choke on the rock and no one notice???

The owners of the day care center made a statement to the press that they were concerned and devestated by the death. I'm sure no one is more devastated than the family of young Isabella. This is is DAYCARE NEGLECT. A problem that has become more and more prevelant as daycares become increasingly lackadaisical in their practices.

Someone must be held accountable for this tragedy. Our hearts go out to the Estep family in this difficult and tragic time.

Source: wfaa.com

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Dangerous Dental Drug Septocaine

Jeremi Young — Tue, 17 Jan 2006 10:09:07 GMT

Septocaine, an anesthesia used in routine dental procedures, may be a dangerous drug permanent paresthesia (numbness) and dysethesia (persistent pain) in patients. These symptoms are mild in most patients and may fade with time. But in other patients the side effects are permanent and debilitating

These problems typically occur when Septocaine is used for mandibular blocks, which involve injecting the drug to block pain in the lower jaw during dental procedures like a root canal.

A Texas jury recently found Septodont, the manufacturer of Septocaine, liable for misrepresenting the safety and effectiveness of the drug awarding over $300,000 to the patient for pain, suffering and medical costs.

For anyone who has ever had a root canal or even a toothache that wouldn't go away, it's not difficult to imagine how a jury might be angered by an irresponsible big pharmaceutical company that failed to disclose dangerous drug side-effects.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeremi Young

Victoria's Secret Bras Containing Formaldehyde?

Jeff Rasansky — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 14:26:23 GMT

Uh oh. Look's like Victoria has been keeping something else a secret. Women have been coming down with blistering rashes and sever itching as a result of some of the Victoria's Secret bras! Recently, a woman in Ohio filed a lawsuit after discovering that there was formaldehyde--an embalming chemical--in her bras. The bras that she ended up purchasing were the Angels Secret Embrace and Very Sexy Extreme Me Push up bras.

The lawsuit has been filed, but court approval of the class action has yet to take place. There have been several other women who have come forward with similar complaints. According to the ABC News, Victoria's Secret has claimed that they do not use formaldehyde in their bras.

So how did that noxious chemical get into these bras? More than likely, somewhere in the manufacturing process when products are exposed to dangerous chemicals.

Consumers rarely have protection from these types of injuries. It is super important for government regulation agencies to get involved in the manufacturing processes to prevent this sort of thing from happening.

If you have been injured by one of these bras, make sure that you contact a personal injury attorney to be informed of your rights as a consumer. Simply fill out the free case evaluation form to the right of this blog post, and someone will review your case shortly.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

Top 10 Worst Insurance Companies in the United States

Jeff Rasansky — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:16:35 GMT

The American Association for Justice (AAJ) has recently published a lengthy report detailing America's ten worst insurance companies. The majority of these companies are household names, each of which advertises as the best company and most customer friendly. The report provides damaging evidence to the contrary, that each company employs different tactics trying to take advantage of their policyholders. These companies are ruthless and will stop at nothing in their pursuit of profits, usually employing the slogan of &ldquo;profits over policyholders.

Several of these insurance companies, including Allstate, State Farm and Torchmark, employed the consulting firm McKinsey & Company. This consulting firm was hired to help the company raise their bottom line. Once employed, McKinsey helped each company establish a 'three D approach' for handling customers: delay, deny and defend. Insurance companies were taught to deny the claim, delay the payment and do anything to defend against the lawsuit. This approach taught insurance companies the value in using their litigation team to defend against lawsuits brought upon because of not paying claims.

Profits over policyholders is a slogan used by many of these insurance companies as an approach in handling their business. Basically, insurance companies should do anything possible to gain profits, even at the expense of their policyholders. Many of these companies identified their company goal as earning the maximum amount of return for their shareholders as possible.

Another tactic that many of these insurance companies employ is abandoning of their policyholders. Companies have identified policyholders in hurricane prone areas, Louisiana and Florida, to be more risky policies than others. Companies have become very stingy in their claim payments to policies in these regions evidenced by Hurricane Katrina.

One unfortunate lasting image of Hurricane Katrina involves State Farm and their deceptive ways in avoiding paying claims. An example involves the Nguyen family who lost their home in Hurricane Katrina and whose claim was denied by State Farm. State Farm&rsquo;s own engineers surveyed their damages and concluded the damage was caused by wind. Eye witnesses shared their account that another house was literally picked up and thrown into the Nguyen&rsquo;s home.

State Farm hired other engineers to come to a different conclusion, that the damage was caused by flooding, allowing them to deny the claim. Bob Cochran, a CEO of an engineering firm employed by State Farm to assess Hurricane Katrina damage, was told to alter reports that State Farm did not agree with. This led to ethical issues from Cochran's employees regarding State Farm's position.

We cannot overstate the importance of understanding each policy provision with regards to an insurance company. Many insurance companies trick their policyholders by adding complicated portions to their policies which confuse policyholders. Consultation with an attorney before signing anything not completely understood is highly advisable.

After reading this report, I am shocked by the practice of leading companies in the insurance industry. I want a company that is reliable and will handle my claim with honesty and speed. None of these insurance companies listed will do that. This report should alert consumers to the danger of working with insurance companies. Policyholders should be very cautious and understand exactly what they are covered for and not covered for.
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Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky

How to Wreck, Ruin, and Terminate Your Personal Injury Case

Jeff Rasansky — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 17:14:32 GMT

Warning:
Your Facebook, Myspace, and Twitter profile may keep you from getting the money you deserve after an injury.

Consider this:
Information is flowing faster and more effectively than ever before – all without your explicit consent. While you may set your own profile privacy, other individuals can link their pictures and comments to you – all under their own privacy settings.

Evidence from online profiles is already used regularly by the media, police, and insurance companies looking to characterize you as an undesirable plaintiff and witness.

Through the course of mediation, litigation or trial, the defense is always looking for damaging information to your case – photos, videos, blog posts, comments from friends, Twitter posts, stories, press coverage – anything with your name, personality and actions clearly documented.

All of this evidence is publically available, documented by date and time, and can be admissible in a court of law. Investigators are employed by insurance companies all the time. These investigators set up surveillance alerts for your name, your families’ names - even your friends’ names. Insurance companies look at this information to:

Confirm or disprove the severity of a person’s injuries;
Confirm or disprove the ability to resume normal activities;
Confirm or disprove the ability to work;
Confirm or disprove the ability to interact with family members and friends;

Confirm the type of “witness” you may make at trial

Also keep in mind that during a trial, juries may also look at these social networking sites, even though they may be instructed not to conduct any type of internet “research” regarding the case.

Removing all content and avoiding social media and social networking sites may be the best solution while in the course of litigation. This solution, though optimal, may not be realistic.

To protect yourself in this situation, we very strongly recommend the following steps:

1. Allow immediate unrestricted access to your social media sites, postings, and content to your attorney and paralegal. This will allow your attorney and paralegal the opportunity to review and spot-check your profile for anything potentially damaging or controversial throughout your case.

2. Take a critical eye to anything – and everything – attributed to you online. This means running a Google, Yahoo, Facebook, Myspace, LinkedIn, YouTube, Flickr, and Twitter search for your name and any keywords associated with you. This means removing everything with anything you wouldn’t want your grandmother or boss seeing, even if you think it’s restricted and private. Investigators are experts at taking a few bits of innocent-looking information and twisting it in a negative fashion.

3. Check your privacy settings. Most sites will allow you to actually block certain people altogether. Block the opposing lawyer and law clerk. This is not foolproof as there will be others regularly looking for you that you don’t know. Do not allow any access to anyone other than immediate friends.

4. Do not accept friend requests or answer emails from people you don’t know. On Facebook, as with other sites, sending a response to a message will grant the sender access to your profile for a certain number of days. This is a common way to get access to your profile.

5. Throughout the course of mediation, litigation, or trial, do not post anything about your case, the people you’ve interacted with since filing your claim, information or details about the accident or injury, or any compromising materials to your claim. Have your attorney review your online profiles, and when in any doubt about photos, videos, friends’ comments, do not make them available online until after the conclusion of your case.

The Rasansky Law Firm strongly encourages our injured clients and their families not to open their lives to social networking until the case is closed. Victims should pay very close attention – daily attention – to anything posted or attributed to them throughout the entire duration of a claim and case, reviewing not only their own profiles, but any information that appears in friends and family members’ profiles as well.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Jeff Rasansky