I had a Methacholine challenge test that came back as my having asthma. I need to get a copy of the test yet to see specifically what it said. My PCP gave me a script for Proventil & the pharmacy filled it as ProAir. Both are Albuterol.
In reading the warnings, both say to use with caution with diabetics & thyroid patients. I have both. It has that it will cause BS problems but I can’t find exactly what kind of BS problems. Let’s just say calling my doctor and questioning this stuff won’t do any good and I have been looking for another PCP even before this test. I also know I need to find a doctor specializing in asthma.
I called the pharmacy this morning and they said the information that they have doesn’t even say what it will do so they have to check into it further.
I have asthma as well, and when using the albuterol, occasionally as I need it, I do not see an effect on my BG. YDMV. If you are using it frequently, it can have a raising effect on BG - but not a huge effect from my experiences anyway. Albuterol is a beta adrenergic stimulator (thus having some adrenaline properties), but at a minmal dose, taken by inhalation (with minimal systemic absorption), and taken as needed, shouldn’t have a huge effect on BG. I also take Advair twice daily, it had a longer acting preventative compund similar to albuterol (salmeterol), and it does not affect my BG at all.
Eric uses albuterol on occasion. It doesn’t seem to affect his BG, but I would imagine that it would depend on how often you use it, and he doesn’t use it that much. Steroids in general tend to push you higher, but inhaled steroids seem to have less of an effect on BG than oral steroids from what I’ve read – it was a subject on my mind recently because I had my first encounter with oral steroids (prednisolone) and wow, the impact they had on Eric’s BG was incredible. Sky high all the time. But the inhaled albuterol goes directly into the lungs, bypassing the bloodstream mostly, so you don’t get as big an effect.
Thanks Elizabeth. I just posted to Jennifer that he wants me to take 2 puffs 4 times daily. I knew that the oral steroids and even injected one cause BS to skyrocket - been there, done both of those! I wasn’t sure about the inhaled ones.
I’ve been inhaling steroids for years, started on Pulmicort and Serevent then Advair and now using Symbicort. I use insulin and haven’t noticed a real problem with Bg levels with daily use of the inhaled steroids. However, I’ve had several boughts of asthamatic bronchitis over the years requiring the use of a Medrol Med-Pak and that will easily jack up my Bg levels making it a bear to keep under 200 even with increasing the insulin.
As others said, these drugs do have the potential to raise Bg however by inhaling, your bypassing the blood stream and the doses are so much lower than an injected or oral steroid.
Kelly, when I used it, albuterol would make my bgs swing – from 280 to 58 that I caught – and it made me shake as if I were going low, even when I was quite high. The GP I was seeing at the time said it shouldn’t impact my bgs at all, but he didn’t seem to realize that we are all individuals and what’s true for some isn’t true for all. The inhaled steroids didn’t seem to impact my bgs as much as the albuterol. Having said that, this was 15 years ago and before I started insulin and albuterol has changed (when I took it, they were still using CFC-containing chemicals to keep it stable), as have I. So, I’d say YDMMV. Watch your bgs carefully while adding this to your medication routine. I hope you don’t have the problems I did and your experience is much easier!
Thanks Angela! I just tried it and my BS went from 74 to 162 pretty fast. Since yesterday was Thanksgivng & I have gastroparesis, it could be because of that - I can still taste stuffing today! My heart started beating really fast though. I have a rapid heartbeat anyway. I tried to use my BP meter to check my pulse rate and my BP is too high right now for my meter to work.
Kelly, I have asthma usually only a problem when sick though. Not being able to breathe seems to have a bigger impact on my sugars than the albuterol does. Once my breathing settles down so do my sugars even if I’m still on albuterol or oral steroids.
I don’t get as many symptoms of low blood sugar any more but back when I did the albuterol masked any lows because using the inhaler felt just like I was having a low blood sugar. It does make your heart pound. When I was on nebulizers they had to switch me from albuterol to Xopenex because of the heart rate.
Do they have you on an inhaled steroid? I found that helped me the most so I use it in winter months when I’m most likely to have asthma flareups.
If you are having frequent shortness of breath episodes, you may need to go on an inhaled steroid, and this may help keep the albuterol use to just as you need it. The inhaled steroids will not work immediately though. And yes, increased hear rate is definitely a side effect of albuterol. Increased work of breathing can also cause the higher heart rate and blood sugar as well. I would definitely speak to your PCP about this if you can. The recommendations are for inhaled steroid use if you are needing to use your albuterol often. The inhaled steroids work as a “controller” med whereas the albuterol works as a “rescue” med.
In my experience, proventil/albuterol tends to make my blood sugars rise… sometimes a little bit - like lower 200s… sometimes much worse - like over 400… Also, depends on if I take it by inhaler or neb… Nebs tend to make my numbers much higher.
I have found that I need to bolus when I take my albuterol (I only use it as an emergency inhaler, so I don’t have any warning of when I am going to need to dose…and my allergist switched me to Xopenex when it came out as it does not have the same cardiac side effects that albuterol does). I have a correction of 1:35… I usually bolus a unit and wait to see what happens.
Good luck and let me know if you want/need more info. I have been battling the asthma beast for 12yrs with diabetes for 21+…
I have not had an issue with inhaled steriods… We’re not talking about what my numbers have been doing since I was started on oral steriods Monday… Luckily, Mom made turkey and squash for dinner yesterday (and I ignored the carbs on the table…)!
Thanks Diana. He doesn’t have me on anything besides the albuterol. It really made my heart race so I am going to call him on Monday about that. I have a fast heartbeat anyway and it was really racing. I am going to hold off taking it for now because of that. That is good to know that it also masked your symptoms of lows because I am hypo-unaware and don’t want to compound that!
Thanks Jennifer. I have shortness of breath pretty much daily - it doesn’t take very much to cause it for me. I am going to call him on Monday. The only thing that he prescirbed was the albuterol and it was prescribed to use regularly, not as a needed type thing.
Thanks Emily. I am glad to read your message this morning because yesterday, I thought I would do a second dose of the albuterol and I thought I would pre-bolus for it. That time, I ended up over 300. At least now I know that your highs weren’t consistent either. I am going to call my PCP on Monday and see if he will switch me to the Xopenex.
The Xopenex doesn’t help even out the numbers, but you don’t have the feeling of being high as a kite… i.e. racing heart, lightheadedness, etc.
I would ask about starting on an inhaled steriod like: Flovent or Alvesco. It reduces the need to use the bronchodialators… I have had several healthcare providers recommend swimming for exercise. It is one of the best ways to help with lung capacity. However, wait until your asthma is stable before trying
