Anisocoria and Albuterol Inhalers?!
Question: Yesterday I had some troubles with my asthma, and ended up taking two hits, five minutes apart, off of my albuterol inhaler at approximately eleven in the morning.
When I got home at about 4pm, I was feeling very dizzy and nauseated, was more light-sensitive than usual, and my neck was quite stiff. When I washed my face, I noticed that my left pupil was extremely dilated, dispite the relatively bright lights around the mirror. When my husband got home, he commented on it and also noted that the pupil was fixed and did not change regardless of the light. I chalked it up to my feeling lousy and went to bed.
This morning the pupil is still slightly enlarged, but is responding appropriately to differing light conditions. I still feel lousy, but am no longer dizzy.
I've read that albuterol nebulizers have been known to cause anisocoria - does this hold true with inhalers, as well?
Answers: Yesterday I had some troubles with my asthma, and ended up taking two hits, five minutes apart, off of my albuterol inhaler at approximately eleven in the morning.
When I got home at about 4pm, I was feeling very dizzy and nauseated, was more light-sensitive than usual, and my neck was quite stiff. When I washed my face, I noticed that my left pupil was extremely dilated, dispite the relatively bright lights around the mirror. When my husband got home, he commented on it and also noted that the pupil was fixed and did not change regardless of the light. I chalked it up to my feeling lousy and went to bed.
This morning the pupil is still slightly enlarged, but is responding appropriately to differing light conditions. I still feel lousy, but am no longer dizzy.
I've read that albuterol nebulizers have been known to cause anisocoria - does this hold true with inhalers, as well?
Yes - they contain much of the same medications. Rather odd, though, so check with your pharmacist or doctor if you are concerned about it happening again.