Levaquin vs. Cipro

• Are Levaquin and Cipro the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Levaquin?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Cipro?
• What Is Levaquin?
• What Is Cipro?
• What Drugs Interact with Levaquin?
• What Drugs Interact with Cipro?
• How Should Levaquin Be Taken?
• How Should Cipro Be Taken?

Levaquin (levofloxacin) and Cipro (ciprofloxacin) are fluoroquinolone antibiotics used to treat several types of bacterial infections.

Common side effects of Levaquin include:

• nausea,
• vomiting,
• diarrhea,
• headache,
• constipation,
• difficulty sleeping (insomnia),
• dizziness,
• abdominal pain,
• rash,
• abdominal gas,
• itching, and
• vaginal itching or discharge.

Levaquin has been associated with tendinitis and tendon rupture. Levaquin can alter the normal bacteria in the colon and cause pseudomembranous colitis. Patients taking Levaquin can develop photosensitivity (sensitivity to sunlight) and patients may sunburn more easily.

Common side effects of Cipro include:

• diarrhea
• dizziness
• drowsiness
• headache
• stomach upset
• abdominal pain
• nausea/vomiting
• blurred vision
• nervousness
• anxiety
• agitation
• sleep problems (insomnia or nightmares), and
• rash

Tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Cipro including severe dizziness, fainting, fast or pounding heartbeats; sudden pain, snapping or popping sound, bruising, swelling, tenderness, stiffness, or loss of movement in any of your joints; watery or bloody diarrhea; confusion, hallucinations, depression, unusual thoughts or behavior; seizure (convulsions); severe headache, ringing in your ears, pain behind your eyes; pale or yellow skin, dark colored urine, fever, weakness; urinating less than usual or not at all; easy bruising or bleeding; numbness, tingling, or unusual pain anywhere in your body; the first sign of any skin rash, no matter how mild; or severe skin reaction -- fever, sore throat, swelling in your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain, followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the face or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

Levaquin is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic medicine used in adults age 18 years or older to treat certain infections caused by certain germs called bacteria. These bacterial infections include:

• nosocomial pneumonia
• community-acquired pneumonia
• acute sinus infection
• acute worsening of chronic bronchitis
• skin infections, complicated and uncomplicated
• chronic prostate infection
• urinary tract infections, complicated and uncomplicated
• acute kidney infection (pyelonephritis)
• inhalational anthrax
• plague

Cipro (ciprofloxacin) is a quinolone antibiotic. Cipro is available as a generic drug and is prescribed to treat infections of the skin, lungs, airways, bones, joints, and urinary tract infections caused by susceptible bacteria.

Levaquin may interact with blood thinners, antibiotics, antidepressants, anti-malaria medications, medicine to prevent or treat nausea and vomiting, medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, migraine headache medicines, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), steroids, or narcotics.

Levaquin may also interact with antacids that contain magnesium or aluminum, sucralfate, didanosine, vitamin or mineral supplements that contain iron or zinc, insulin or oral diabetes medications, or theophylline.

Cipro may also interact clozapine, probenecid, ropinirole, theophylline, NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), or steroids.

• Take Levaquin exactly as your healthcare provider tells you to take it.
• Take Levaquin at about the same time each day.
• Drink plenty of fluids while you take Levaquin.
• Take Levaquin Oral Solution 1 hour before or 2 hours after eating.
• If you miss a dose of Levaquin, take it as soon as you remember. Do not take more than 1 dose in 1 day.
• Do not skip any doses of Levaquin or stop taking it, even if you begin to feel better, until you finish your prescribed treatment unless:
  • you have tendon problems. See “What is the most important information I should know about Levaquin?”.
  • you have a serious allergic reaction. See “What are the possible side effects of Levaquin?”.
  • your healthcare provider tells you to stop taking Levaquin
    Taking all of your Levaquin doses will help make sure that all of the bacteria are killed. Taking all of your Levaquin doses will help you lower the chance that the bacteria will become resistant to Levaquin. If your infection does not get better while you take Levaquin, it may mean that the bacteria causing your infection may be resistant to Levaquin. If your infection does not get better, call your healthcare provider. If your infection does not get better, Levaquin and other similar antibiotic medicines may not work for you in the future.
• If you take too much Levaquin, call your healthcare provider or get medical help right away.

Cipro should be taken once daily.