Meds reactions?

[mytie]

I have been diagnosed with T2 Diabetes and have had some episodes that concern me.  When diagnosed with pre-diabetes I was put on Metformin.  This was the first time I experienced this reaction.  It was like symptoms for a stroke or heart attack.  After this happened a couple of times I quit taking the Metformin.  About a year later I was then diagnosed with T2 and am now on Glimepiride and have since began having these episodes again.  They begin in the jaw area primarily the glands just below my jaws, with a sting/tingling that intensifies and radiates out all around my ears, neck throat and surface of my chest, and my upper torso goes ice cold.  This takes place any where from a 30 second to a 3 minute cycle.  My heart is fine after undergoing all the tests in the book.  I do take atenonol which we recently cut in half (a resting pulse ranging around 45 - 55 and BP around 112/60).  My BP has come up to around 122/65, but the pulse still maintains in the low 50s.  My gp is at a loss with the symptoms, and I can't find any similar where ever I look.  Any thoughts?

[Anita Ramsetty, MD]

Hi,
I apologize for the late response. Your question did not come up in the usual queue.

Those certainly are concerning symptoms, and I have never heard of them associated with either of those two medications(it certainly does not mean that you as an individual cannot have specific side effects, but they are quite unusual). Have you ever had these symptoms while OFF all medications?

Depending on the severity of your reaction, the  re-challenge test is often used to determine if indeed it is caused by the medication. If you have the symptoms while on the medication, then they go away when the med is stopped, you  should then re-try the medication at a low dose and see if the symptoms return. If they do, it is probably from the medication ans you should not be taking it. PLEASE DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR DOCTOR PRIOR TO TRYING IT AT ALL.
Also, you may want to consider  another medication besides Atenolol if possible given that your  heart rate is already so low. Another important matter to discuss with your doc.
Take care.

[madgeOwens]

Is it like a ringing in your ears?  Could you be taking aspirin and that is causing tinitis I believe it is called?

[mytie]

Although I do have tinitis which is not caused by aspirin (my case anyway), it is nothing like the sensations that are going on.  I believe that it is more than likely side effects from the glimepiride for the T2.  I am curious whether anyone has had similar side effects.