About your treatment  

Your doctor has ordered levofloxacin, an antibiotic, to help treat your infection. The drug will be added to an intravenous fluid that will drip through a needle or catheter placed in your vein for at least 60 minutes, once a day.

Levofloxacin eliminates bacteria that cause many infections, including skin, respiratory tract, and urinary tract infections. It also kills bacteria that cause many venereal diseases. This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Your health care provider (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) may measure the effectiveness and side effects of your treatment using laboratory tests and physical examinations. It is important to keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Before having any laboratory test, tell your doctor and the laboratory personnel that you are taking levofloxacin. The length of treatment depends on how your infection and symptoms respond to the medication.

Storing your medication  

• Your health care provider probably will give you a several-day supply of levofloxacin at a time. If you are receiving levofloxacin intravenously (in your vein), you probably will be told to store it in the refrigerator or freezer.
• Take your next dose from the refrigerator 1 hour before using it; place it in a clean, dry area to allow it to warm to room temperature.
• If you are told to store additional levofloxacin in the freezer, always move a 24-hour supply to the refrigerator for the next day's use.
• Do not refreeze medications.

Store your medication only as directed. Make sure you understand what you need to store your medication properly.

Keep your supplies in a clean, dry place when you are not using them, and keep all medications and supplies out of reach of children. Your health care provider will tell you how to throw away used needles, syringes, tubing, and containers to avoid accidental injury.

In case of emergency/overdose  

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Signs of infection  

If you are receiving levofloxacin in your vein or under your skin, you need to know the symptoms of a catheter-related infection (an infection where the needle enters your vein or skin). If you experience any of these effects near your intravenous catheter, tell your health care provider as soon as possible:

• tenderness
• warmth
• irritation
• drainage
• redness
• swelling
• pain

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