Do Cold and Allergy Medications Affect Blood Sugar?

Medically reviewed by Anna Goldman, MD.

Earlier than I got here down with a nasty chilly final February, it had been years since I’d been sick — not even COVID-19 felled me. So, my medication chest and I have been unprepared with over-the-counter meds once I awoke with a sore throat from post-nasal drip, a foul cough, and a stuffy nostril. I dragged myself over to the neighborhood drug retailer to purchase cough medicine, cough drops, and a decongestant. However I used to be in no situation to cope with an aisle overflowing with each triangulation of choices, and had no thought what influence any given medicine would have on my blood sugar. I lastly wilted beneath the stress and made some random picks so I might get again dwelling and crawl into mattress.

If this has occurred to you, too, the hope is that this text will make clear learn how to choose the appropriate medicine. Ideally, you’ll do that once you’re feeling effectively, forward of coming down with a chilly, flu, or seasonal allergic reactions. That approach you possibly can fill up on over-the-counter meds so must you get sick, you’re ready to deal with your self with out additionally impacting your blood sugar.

Congestion

Perhaps you’re stuffed up as a result of you could have a chilly. Or perhaps you could have allergic reactions. When you have diabetes, you may need to be cautious of utilizing any product that options or consists of pseudoephedrine. 

In response to the Mayo Clinic, pseudoephedrine works to open your nasal passages by constricting the blood vessels within the nostril, which are inclined to swell with extra blood to battle an infection. Pseudoephedrine is an lively ingredient in nasal decongestant merchandise together with:

• Sudafed
• Zyrtec-D
• Allegra-D

However this ingredient could trigger blood glucose ranges to rise, together with blood stress and coronary heart fee. In reality, the labels on these merchandise particularly embody diabetes of their checklist of circumstances during which it is best to, “Ask a health care provider earlier than use when you have…”. 

We’re not conscious of any proof that pseudoephedrine causes severe blood sugar issues, but it surely is perhaps good to comply with these instructions and seek the advice of your physician first. 

Phenylephrine is one other widespread decongestant, often present in multisymptom drugs equivalent to:

• Advil Multi-Symptom Chilly & Flu
• Sudafed PE
• Vicks DayQuil Chilly & Flu. 

Phenylephrine, too, can enhance your blood sugar ranges, in keeping with the Mayo Clinic. There’s additionally one other good purpose to query taking phenylephrine. In 2023, the FDA stated it might not work!

When you have allergic reactions, you might be tempted to take an antihistamine like chlorpheniramine or diphenhydramine, which is the lively ingredient in Benadryl. Whereas antihistamines don’t immediately influence blood sugar, they will make you drowsy, which may make it tougher to trace your blood glucose ranges.

A nondrowsy antihistamine is perhaps a greater possibility, equivalent to:

Nonetheless an alternative choice for allergy victims is a category of medicine referred to as intranasal steroids or corticosteroids. This consists of nasal sprays like Flonase, with the lively ingredient of fluticasone propionate. Although some steroid therapies can immediately trigger hyperglycemia, at least one examine has proven that intranasal steroids haven’t any influence on blood sugar ranges in individuals with diabetes. 

Simply remember that some medicine mix a number of lively components, equivalent to Zyrtec-D, which has each cetirizine and pseudoephedrine. Learn the label and examine first together with your physician should you’re involved.

There are additionally nonmedical methods to ease congestion, in keeping with the Cleveland Clinic, together with:

• Taking a sizzling bathe 
• Ingesting sizzling liquids like water, tea, and, sure, rooster soup
• Staying hydrated with water
• Nasal irrigation utilizing a neti pot 
• Consuming spicy meals
• Use a humidifier
• Use a saline nasal spray
• Open up nasal passages by making use of an adhesive strip

Coughing

There are two normal sorts of cough medication. Cough suppressants make you cough much less typically. Expectorants enable you take away extra mucus once you cough.

The most typical OTC cough suppressant makes use of dextromethorphan, together with the next medicines and plenty of others:

• Robitussin Most Power (and plenty of different Robitussons)
• Vicks Method 44
• DayQuil Cough

The most typical expectorant is guaifenesin, present in Mucinex and plenty of different manufacturers. Dextromethorphan and guaifenesin are sometimes utilized in mixture; these mixture medicine typically have the initials DM of their names, equivalent to Robitussin DM.

We might discover no indication within the analysis that both of those two components is dangerous for individuals with diabetes. In reality, there may be one examine displaying that dextromethorphan will increase insulin ranges and improves glucose tolerance amongst kind 2 diabetes sufferers. 

Although the lively components could also be completely protected, there’s an enormous however right here, nonetheless: sugary “excipients” (inactive components). Cough syrups and cough drops typically embody sugar for a wide range of causes.

Sadly, should you attempt to examine the labels they checklist solely the ingredient names, not quantities, making it difficult to guage what number of carbs are in a single dose. Some sources report {that a} shot of NyQuil, for instance, has 19 grams of carbohydrates! In lots of instances, you possibly can choose as a substitute for diabetic variations that comprise synthetic sweeteners. 

Fever, Aches, and Ache Reduction

The ultimate part of a nasty chilly or flu will be fever, aches, or pains. Fever reducers are usually thought-about protected to take over-the-counter, however there a couple of troubling stories within the medical literature.

There may be some proof that nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicine (NSAIDs) like aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen are related to unhealthy occasions in individuals with diabetes. NSAIDs can enhance insulin launch from beta cells, which may decrease blood sugar, however could trigger hypoglycemia in individuals utilizing glucose-lowering medicine equivalent to sulfonylureas. Moreover, a 2023 examine discovered that short-term use of NSAIDs is linked to coronary heart failure amongst individuals with kind 2 diabetes. After all, it is best to examine together with your physician to search out out if you should utilize it brief time period.

The higher selection could also be acetaminophen (like Tylenol) to handle fever. There’s no proof that it impacts blood sugar ranges. However a 2019 examine discovered that older sufferers with kind 2 diabetes taking acetaminophen had 3 times the chance of getting a stroke.

Acetaminophen has one other stunning impact. American Diabetes Affiliation states that some steady glucose monitor sensors will be affected by acetaminophen and provides false readings. The Dexcom G7, as an illustration, could falsely present elevated readings should you take multiple gram of acetaminophen each six hours. However, FreeStyle Libre has discovered minimal influence and the producer has issued no warning. Learn your person guide to be taught if this could possibly be a possible concern.

Sick Day Administration

Being ailing with diabetes is usually a irritating and even harmful expertise as a result of sicknesses just like the flu could cause quickly escalating blood sugar ranges and enhance the chance of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). 

When you haven’t thought-about learn how to plan for sick days within the context of getting diabetes, we’ve got some good solutions right here. Moreover, under are a number of takeaways that will help you wrap your head round learn how to deal with your physique once you’re downed with a chilly or seasonal allergic reactions whilst you’re dwelling with diabetes:

• Be ready. Speak together with your physician at your subsequent bodily or ship a word asking about what you possibly can and can’t take when it comes to over-the-counter drugs, after which fill up on them earlier than you might want them. Even have all the opposite provides you might want, like a thermometer, packing containers of facial tissues, adhesive respiration strips, a neti pot, a saline spray, rooster or vegetable soup, decaffeinated tea, and a humidifier. 
• Learn labels. Keep in mind that many OTC medicines aren’t essentially stand-alone formulation. A chilly or allergy treatment could embody a wide range of lively and inactive components, and a few is probably not wholesome for individuals with diabetes. Ensure no matter is listed is protected for you. Solely choose what you want. When you have a stuffy nostril from an allergy you most likely don’t additionally want a cough suppressant. If the labels are complicated, converse to a pharmacist to get clarification on what your most suitable option is.
• Be vigilant about measuring your blood sugar. Simply the bodily stress of being sick could cause your blood sugar to rise. 
• Ask your physician should you ought to regulate your insulin or oral drugs, particularly if the OTC meds might influence their effectiveness.
• Be sure you have loads of your common diabetes provides at all times readily available.