In addition to alpha-lipoic acid, my doctor put me on Levaquin. Amazingly, the shoulder pain, chronic gall-bladder infection, swallowing problems, ankle swelling and chronic stomach ulcer went away. The numbness in my feet and fibromyalgia did not disappear but got better.

My point is that one of the symptoms of bartonella is numbness of the feet. It is rarely looked at as the cause of peripheral neuropathy. I had none of the diabetic or circulatory problems that normally cause it. I am still scratching my head as to why my now-retired doctor did not diagnose it earlier. It would have made my recovery from Lyme disease so much easier.

DEAR READER: Bartonella henselae, also known as cat-scratch disease, is a bacterium that enters the body at the site of the scratch. Adult cats can spread the disease, but it more commonly comes from kittens. Lymph nodes, primarily those around the arms, head and neck, become swollen. Lack of normal appetite, fever, headache, fatigue and transient peripheral neuropathy may result. Those commonly infected are people with a compromised immune system.

Lyme disease presents with the same symptoms, so it is no wonder your physician would have zeroed in on that possibility. You can perhaps understand why some diseases and disorders are discovered following a process of exclusion. The symptoms are the same, and, at times, the treatment is the same.

The Levaquin you were prescribed is a broad-spectrum antibiotic used to treat bronchitis, pneumonia, skin infections, the sinuses, UTIs, ears, chlamydia and more.

You are correct that peripheral neuropathy is not commonly linked to cat-scratch disease. It is not one of the more common symptoms, but there is a definite link that should not be overlooked when making a diagnosis. Thank you for writing and sharing your interesting case.