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What Causes Weakness In Hands And Legs?

Posted on Thu, 5 Feb 2015

Question: My brother (66 yrs) is experiencing weakness in his hands, arms and legs. My brother has had stents implanted twice, he has diabetes and high blood pressure and he is morbidly obese (probably about 150 lbs overweight). He has a lot of trouble moving around anyway, and this weakness, which came on suddenly and which he says isn't getting better or worse, is almost crippling him. He is in a dusty environment permeated with bird dander. He is desperate for a diagnosis because it's stopping him from working. His doctor doesn't seem to have any ideas, nor is he suggesting any tests other than some blood tests which he said were "normal." Can you help?

Answered by Dr. Moumita Chakraborty,MD (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Warning signs of stroke/fluctuating glucose level

Detailed Answer:
Hello Sir!

Welcome to Healthcare Magic.

I understand your concern. After reading his disease history and condition, I would like to rule out stroke warning signs. Since he has high blood pressure and diabetes, brain and any heart disease could be a silent killer. I would like him to go for a CAT scan brain and an electrocardiogram to get a confirmed status of his brain and heart.

Secondly his body might be having blood glucose fluctuations. Sudden low blood glucose level might go unidentified in body causing weakness. Consult a diabetologist and get him a proper dosage of anti diabetic medication.

And also check blood pressure regularly.

Can you upload blood reports those you have done.

Hope this helps. Feel free to ask more.
Dr. Moumita Chakraborty

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju

Follow up: Dr. Moumita Chakraborty,MD (2 days later)

Now my brother is reporting that he can't tell whether the water coming out of the tap is hot or cold. He also has extreme problems with shortness of breath and sometimes when he is just sitting watching TV he finds himself gasping for air. I know this might sound farfetched, but someone suggested to me that he might have a condition called "allergic alveolitis," aka birdkeeper's lung. I'm sure you are bombarded with misinformation from the web but I'm putting it out there anyway. I am feeling desperate to help him. I don't have access to his tests. I think he received the results by email from his Kaiser doctor but he is very defensive about me butting in. A few days ago he realized that these weakness symptoms coincided exactly with starting a course of ampicillin on Dec 28. Unusual weakness is a known side effect, so he has stopped taking the ampicillin (without telling his doctor). Do you think this could be related?

Answered by Dr. Moumita Chakraborty,MD (23 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Unusual weakness not related to any antibiotic

Detailed Answer:
Hello Sir!

Thank you so much for writing back!

I would first like to say that taking antibiotics does make you little weak but not unusually weak.

No antibiotic causes such side effects in which patient looses sensation of hot and cold.This is some serious issue ,you need to work right on.Ampicillin will help him to alleviate his chest discomfort,so I would advise him to start it and complete the course.

But meanwhile you definitely have to go for a CAT scan brain,to look for abnormality before things worsens.

Hope this helps.Please rate this answer and close this discussion if you have no further queries.
Thank You!
Dr.Moumita XXXXXXX

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Raju A.T