bilateral toe numbness

[whipple]

My husband is a quite healthy 55 year old.  He is slightly overweight but not excessively so.  He has no other neurological symptoms except for a one week history of bilateral great toe numbness that waxes and wanes.  He looked at his shoes and none of them seem to have toe boxes that are too narrow.  No family history of diabetes.  No family history of similar bilateral great toe numbness.  No change in bowel or bladder except he recently has been on levaquin for second episode of prostatitis (first episode 20 years ago).

Any ideas about what is going on?

thanks so much.

[slinc]

Hi,
Levaquin has been associated with Irreversible Peripheral Neuropathy. There is indeed a chance that your husbands condition could be caused by levaquin.
Please email me at fqhelp(at)gmail.com for more information.

[whipple]

Thank you.  
His fasting sugars have been borderline above upper limits.  Family history is reassuring but we will continue diet and exercise.

We thought about the lower cord/cauda equina too.  But no other dermatomal affectations nor pain or sensory radiations down both or either leg.  

The bilateral toe numbness began about a week into the Levaquin.  His prostatitis symptoms are much improved so we'll discuss with his doc about dose reduction vs discontinuation.

Your help is very much appreciated.

Thank you again,
Whipple

[Abhijeet Deshmukh, MD]

Hello.

Diabetes was a possibility but I guess it can be rule out since he is not diabetic. How are his recent blood sugars ?

Levaquin has some side effects of foot / toe numbness. You can ask his doctor about the dose of Levaquin. ( dose reduction might help.)

A third possibility is a nerve compression at the lower back. An MRI of the lower back will be needed, if the numbness persists for a few more weeks and even after Levaquin is stopped.


Regards