Question:
Has anyone noticed lightheadedness as a side effect of Albuterol
(specifically, Proventil HFA in my case)? (Dizziness is listed as a
possible, albeit rare, possible effect in the literature I've seen.)
I've been experiencing some lightheadedness when exercising, and since
my peak flows are not any lower than usual at these times, the doctor
says the asthma is unlikely to be a cause. But it occurs to me that
the bronchiodilator gets used consistently before exercise, so I'm
wondering if it could be responsible.
Answer:
Yes. In fact the whole sets of dizziness/headache/lightheadness and
nervousness/shaking side effects from albuterol are not rare at all.
Something like 10% of people get them. If you are not using some form of
spacing device (preferably an Aerochamber) you should be, and it will reduce
any side effects you get. I get such side effects even WITH a spacer....but
it's better than not breathing. However...another possibility is that it's
from dehydration. Make sure to drink a glass of water before and after you
exercise and have water on hand during exercise, and to just generally drink
enough water.
Ah--I didn't realize that a spacer could reduce side effects (aside
from thrush for inhaled steroids); been thinking it might even be the
reverse, since one gets a higher dose. I'll have to be more diligent
about using a spacer for the albuterol, which unlike the inhaled
steroids I now tend to grab sans spacer when I'm away from home.
Are there other (short-term) bronchiodilators in which these effects
are lessened? Seemed to me based on my research that most of them
were more likely to have these effects, rather than less, though...
(Been having heightened blood pressure, too, which is unusual for me,
and which I'm now realizing may also be an effect of the albuterol.)
I am indeed careful about water with exercise (on account of living in
a dry clime), but thanks for mentioning that, too. In fact, what made
me think about it today was that I'd premedicated, but for various
reasons had not yet started my exercise, and noticed the
lightheadedness kicking in anyway--and thus finally made the possible
connection. I've been getting it other times, too--just was noticing
it most with exercise, and so at first attributed it to exertion and
(directly) to the resulting asthma, before I began measuring peak
flows and seeing that this wasn't so...
Of course, if regular lightheadedness is going to go along with the
exercise, this is a problem of its own (since unlike with occasional
rescue use, this would mean pretty frequent dizziness), and may be
something to talk to my physician about, if it really is the cause.
(May try going a few controlled days without exercise or the
inhaler--assuming no rescue use is needed--and see what the results
are to get a feel for whether the albuterol truly is to blame.)
