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Hypos Seem To Stop Me Coughing

Dodo

Dodo

Well-Known Member
Messages
418
Location
Shropshire
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Insulin
After 50 years of diabetes I realise that colds are always going to take longer to get over and they always have. I'm always left with a cough that has lingered on but for years now I've noticed that during a hypo my cough seems to disappear and my chest clears. As soon as my blood glucose rises I start coughing again. Is it just me or have others had this experience? Or am I just crazy?
 
I have read that the coughing that lingers after a virus is often a very mild form of asthma, which is triggered by the virus itself.

Can't remember where I read it, but once (after the d*mn cough had lasted about 6 weeks) I trundled into the doc, and after doing the usual chest-listening and lung capacity test, I walked out with an asthma inhaler - and the cough disappeared with a single puff.

Having said that, I have no idea why a hypo would suppress it... and I honestly can't remember whether my coughs have ever been affected by a hypo. But I will keep an eye out in future. :)
 
rockape37 said:
Think you may have been so confused in your hypo state that you didn't notice you were coughing

Regards

Martin
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After experiencing hypos for 50 years I don't think so. It's something that I've been wondering about for years now and my partner has noticed it too. Just getting over a hypo right now and my chest feels wonderfully clear after coughing continuously for the last week, but it won't last.
 
Brunneria said:
I have read that the coughing that lingers after a virus is often a very mild form of asthma, which is triggered by the virus itself.

Can't remember where I read it, but once (after the d*mn cough had lasted about 6 weeks) I trundled into the doc, and after doing the usual chest-listening and lung capacity test, I walked out with an asthma inhaler - and the cough disappeared with a single puff.

Having said that, I have no idea why a hypo would suppress it... and I honestly can't remember whether my coughs have ever been affected by a hypo. But I will keep an eye out in future. :)
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I am also mildly asthmatic but my inhaler actually makes me cough more. I just find that a hypo just seems to stop it completely until my blood glucose returns to normal. Just wondering if anyone had had a similar experience. I've noticed it over a number of years now.
 
I haven't noticed a cough temporarily going away because of a hypo. However, I have noticed a couple of other dodgy 'false positives' like feeling incredibly happy and relieved as I come up from a hypo; or, feeling icy cold and shivering but enjoying the luxury of a warm blanket and unconscious that normal life is continuing around me...
Hypos are so strange and though they can be terrible, they can also give me a sense of well-being, which I interpret as being my body in panic-mode. Maybe your coughing stops during a hypo for the same reason?
 
Hypos can do bad things to your cardiovascular system - http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/34/Supplement_2/S132.full - this explains the possible physiological impact of a hypo on your cardiovascular system. I had thought that this might be in some way be connected to to coughing ceasing. But I'm not sure I understand the article well enough to figure out if any of the cardiovascular impacts might also stop the cough... I don't think so though. But then, it could just be a weird diabetic thing, we all have a few of those.
 
catapillar said:
Hypos can do bad things to your cardiovascular system - http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/34/Supplement_2/S132.full - this explains the possible physiological impact of a hypo on your cardiovascular system. I had thought that this might be in some way be connected to to coughing ceasing. But I'm not sure I understand the article well enough to figure out if any of the cardiovascular impacts might also stop the cough... I don't think so though. But then, it could just be a weird diabetic thing, we all have a few of those.
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Interesting link. I also have cardiovascular disease so may be it's all related. As you say, a weird diabetic thing but for a good hour during and after a hypo there is no sign of my cough although I wouldn't recommend it as a cough relief.
 
@Dodo Just a thought, but if you're taking an ACE inhibitor, a pill which ends in 'pril' like perindopril, then the cough could be due to that. Then, when you have a hypo, it may temporarily disrupt bradykinin which causes the cough. When it's all over you're back to normal with the cough. I'm not a physiologist, just put 2&2 together after perusing @catapillar 's link. Oh, plus I cough something wicked when on ACE inhibitors!
 
Struma said:
@Dodo Just a thought, but if you're taking an ACE inhibitor, a pill which ends in 'pril' like perindopril, then the cough could be due to that. Then, when you have a hypo, it may temporarily disrupt bradykinin which causes the cough. When it's all over you're back to normal with the cough. I'm not a physiologist, just put 2&2 together after perusing @catapillar 's link. Oh, plus I cough something wicked when on ACE inhibitors!
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Not able to take ACE inhibitors due to being asthmatic, not just making me cough but not able to breath. As my doctor once said, I don't have a lot going for me and that was before the heart failure. My cough's clearing now on its own which is good, as prior to my heart op it was always necessary for me to take antibiotics for chest infections.
 
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