[Debbie Sue]

Does taking Metformin cause chest/sinus congestion? Just wondering because it's the only new med I'm taking and I'm sneezing up mucous ever-so-often. It could be something else, but was just curious if there is a link.

[Marge65686]

Originally Posted by Debbie Sue

Does taking Metformin cause chest/sinus congestion? Just wondering because it's the only new med I'm taking and I'm sneezing up mucous ever-so-often. It could be something else, but was just curious if there is a link.

I've also wondered about sinus congestion while taking metformin. Seems like I have had so much congestion and I have been on the metformin for some years now. I asked my endo but she never did answer me to my satisfaction. Please, if someone knows or can find out about this, keep us updated. Thank you

[Harold]

Have no idea and have not heard of that affect from met. However my sinus/bronchial congestion have increased since about four weeks into the cotton falling. Since then we have had the wheat harvest, which throws up a lot of the pollen that showed up during the spring. The last couple of weeks they have been burning off those wheat fields and that puts up a lot of irritants the harvest missed. Oh, yes I have even smelled rag weed on and off for the last 3 weeks. When I was dx'd, I was told that since I now have diabetes everything will now affect me tenfold. So this might be why your now noticing it and not in the previous years.

[shutterbug]

I've been on Met for the last 4 months and never had a cold or congestion. I haven't seen this as a side-effect of met. May be its a coincidence ?

[kgm0612]

I'm a type 1 pumper, also taking Metformin (5 years) and can't say it attributes to any chest/sinus congestion.

If you're experiencing very warm & humid temps in your area, then it possibly could be that. Here in New England, we have high humidity levels and it does a number on my sinuses.

Karen

[Debbie Sue]

Originally Posted by Harold

When I was dx'd, I was told that since I now have diabetes everything will now affect me tenfold. So this might be why your now noticing it and not in the previous years.

I go to see Dr. Michael in September so I'll add this to my list of Q's for him. I just think it's odd. I had a head cold back in Feb. so maybe the diabetes has brought it back to an extent? I don't feel sick...

[princesslinda]

I think that as diabetes affects our immune system, we are more prone to colds and the like. Make sure you're taking a good multivitamin.

Also, we've had so much pollen around here that i've sneezed and had runny nose all summer long, much more than I did in the past.

[Achilles]

I've been on Metformin for about 4 months now and don't have any sinus or congestion problems.

[cyberus]

I've been on Met for 5 weeks now and haven't had any sinus or congestion issues.
Now if you want to talk about the GI side effects of Metformin aka metfarting aka metpoopin boy can we have a powwow

[slipperyelm]

I've never heard of any such side effect with metformin. However it is quite true that you are more susceptible to things like colds, with high A1c. And 13+ is definitely high.

In the two years before I was diagnosed I had a cold almost all the time. It would take me at least two weeks to get over a cold, sometimes three! Sometimes I think one cold just blended into the next cold. And I had bronchitis three times in those years. And oh, good grief, pneumonia once.

In the 15 years since being diagnosed, I have probably only had five colds total. I'm just not as susceptible since my A1c's are below 6. Plus I guess I have immunity now to an awful lot of the cold virus strains out there since I've already had so many of them!

Keep working on getting the BGs down and you may see your problems clear up. But don't hesitate to see you doctor about chest congestion either, especially if you have fever with it. If it is bacterial, it can be treated. If it is viral, all the extra mucous can make you more susceptible to a secondary bacterial infection anyway. So don't let it go forever without seeing a doctor.

[Debbie Sue]

I did see a doctor and she didn't really do anything. She took me of the Lisinopril and assumed it was that causing it.

Have you ever noticed when you go in for one thing, they can't figure it out so the visit becomes for something else? I have experienced this many times throughout my years.

[slipperyelm]

If she took you off lisinopril and the cough did not clear (how long has it been since you stopped lisinopril?), then it wasn't the lisinopril causing it, I'd say. Besides, I don't think lisinopril causes a mucousy cough or sneeze, or chest congestion. I think it would be a dry cough, as from irritation. Did you tell her you had congestion?

Anyway, if you did not get to the root of it, you should tell your doctor again, even though she already tried one thing for you.

In the meantime, keep up the work to get your blood sugars down.

[Debbie Sue]

Originally Posted by slipperyelm

If she took you off lisinopril and the cough did not clear (how long has it been since you stopped lisinopril?), then it wasn't the lisinopril causing it, I'd say. Besides, I don't think lisinopril causes a mucousy cough or sneeze, or chest congestion. I think it would be a dry cough, as from irritation. Did you tell her you had congestion?

Anyway, if you did not get to the root of it, you should tell your doctor again, even though she already tried one thing for you.

In the meantime, keep up the work to get your blood sugars down.

Dr. told me it would take 3 or 4 weeks for the cough to stop. The cough I have is a deep chest type, but not very bad like with a cold. I told her about the way the cough feels and the mucous I cough and/or sneeze up from time to time. Her main concern was to get the coughing stopped so my head wouldn't hurt any more. Kinda glossed over the mucous thing.

Also I switched to Stevia and will give it a try in my coffee tomorrow. Maybe, just maybe, I'm sensitive to Splenda and that is where my headaches are coming from. Time will tell.

[becks7]

I've been on Metformin now for a while and because I have had alot of sinusitis attacks in the past I would be the "one". I've been okay. Not after being on the initial Januvia I came down with fluid in my left sinus and I know that one has sinus effects. One thing that is crucial for me to do on a regular basis is flush out my sinuses with a salt rinse and that's done tremendous wonders. And I also need to do Mucinex sometimes to help with the mucus. Hope you feel better.