Peripheral neuropathy, or damage to the peripheral nervous system is a listed side effect from fluoroquinolones such as Levaquin (levofloxacin) and Cipro (ciprofloxacin), to name a few. There are many reports of such damage becoming irreversible, and even worsening after treatment.

It's hard to imagine that an antibiotic can cause permanent damage and pain to anyone.

A research study by JS Cohen regarding Peripheral Neuropathy caused by fluoroquinolones can be found at: http://fqvictims.org/fqvictims/News/neuropathy/Neuropathy.pdf

Some symptoms to look out for are:

Tingling, numbness, prickling, burning pain, pins/needles sensation, “electrical” or shooting pain, skin crawling sensation, hyperesthesia, hypoesthesia, allodynia, numbness, weakness, twitching, fasciculations, tremors, spasms, contractions

It is possible to start experiencing these symptoms long after quinolone treatment.

It has also been acknowledged in drug packet inserts that quinolones can lead to "irreversible" peripheral neuropathy. If you experience any of these symptoms while under treatment, it is highly recommended that you stop taking quinolones. You should also be aware of the risk of permanent side effects when taking quinolones. Unfortunately, most doctors fail to warn their patients about this serious problem.