33 replies to this topic

[Shay]

Hello all,
I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light on my predicament. I'm attempting to benefit from nootropics but have what I think is an unusual problem with piracetam. I've scoured the forums and found no link between piracetam and sinus issues.

Several years ago I bought some relenentless improvement brand piracetam and it appeared that they caused a sinus infection in me. I attributed it to coincidence or a bad batch so I bought a second bottle. Same thing weeks later.

Now, finding inspiration from a recent thread, I've tried again to develop a good stack which includes some racetams.

I'm taking in the morning with a glass of whole milk:
800-1600mg piracetam
750mg aniracetam
250mg cdp choline
100mg phosphatidyl serine

By the evening of day 2, my sinuses had a slight irritation which felt like the precursor to an infection. Now, on the morning of day three, I've been sneezing and things feel very much like they're developing along to sinusitis.


This can't be coincidence. Any ideas?

[nanothan]

Wow, that is weird. I just started using piracetam for the first time several days ago and a sinus infection started the next day and got it worse. I still have the sinus infection and stopped using piracetam a couple days ago. It doesn't seem to make any sense that piracetam would cause a sinus infection, but you never know. I have used pramiracetam before for weeks though, and did not get a sinus infection and they supposedly have similar effects, which makes it even weirder.

[Neuronic]

Interesting, I've never had that problem with piracetam, I had wondered the same thing about Nuvigil. For a while almost every time I took it my sinuses would hurt.
I think it may just be the wintertime allergies and possibly these nootropics make sinus pain stand out more than normal. When I 1st took it I never had a problem, then for over a month I had a sinus headache every time, but for the past 2 weeks at least I haven't had any trouble.

[Shay]

As an update, the sinus issue seems to have resolved. I have still experienced mild sinus pains, but no full blown illness. Perhaps a coincidence after all.

[Solitude]

For what little it's worth, I had sinusitis for year, and I'm still very prone to sinus problems. It had been gradually improving with time for about 6 months (for no specific reason) when I started with piracetam. Piracetam for several months had no effect on my rather sensitive sinuses.

[matter_of_time]

I solved my sinusitus with a capsaicin nose spray, it does burn a little but it is the only thing which works.

For what little it's worth, I had sinusitis for year, and I'm still very prone to sinus problems. It had been gradually improving with time for about 6 months (for no specific reason) when I started with piracetam. Piracetam for several months had no effect on my rather sensitive sinuses.

[Solitude]

Have you researched the implications of that? I imagine it could potentially cause damage to the mucous membranes.

After 4 years of sinus problems, they began resolving spontaneously for me, which seems quite unusual. Now, it's completely better.

[prince98]

Hello all,
I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light on my predicament. I'm attempting to benefit from nootropics but have what I think is an unusual problem with piracetam. I've scoured the forums and found no link between piracetam and sinus issues.

Several years ago I bought some relenentless improvement brand piracetam and it appeared that they caused a sinus infection in me. I attributed it to coincidence or a bad batch so I bought a second bottle. Same thing weeks later.

Now, finding inspiration from a recent thread, I've tried again to develop a good stack which includes some racetams.

I'm taking in the morning with a glass of whole milk:
800-1600mg piracetam
750mg aniracetam
250mg cdp choline
100mg phosphatidyl serine

By the evening of day 2, my sinuses had a slight irritation which felt like the precursor to an infection. Now, on the morning of day three, I've been sneezing and things feel very much like they're developing along to sinusitis.


This can't be coincidence. Any ideas?

[prince98]

Hello all,
I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light on my predicament. I'm attempting to benefit from nootropics but have what I think is an unusual problem with piracetam. I've scoured the forums and found no link between piracetam and sinus issues.

Several years ago I bought some relenentless improvement brand piracetam and it appeared that they caused a sinus infection in me. I attributed it to coincidence or a bad batch so I bought a second bottle. Same thing weeks later.

Now, finding inspiration from a recent thread, I've tried again to develop a good stack which includes some racetams.

I'm taking in the morning with a glass of whole milk:
800-1600mg piracetam
750mg aniracetam
250mg cdp choline
100mg phosphatidyl serine

By the evening of day 2, my sinuses had a slight irritation which felt like the precursor to an infection. Now, on the morning of day three, I've been sneezing and things feel very much like they're developing along to sinusitis.


This can't be coincidence. Any ideas?

Hello,

I have had serious sinus issues for many years. I started using this homeopathic nasal spray and it has really worked great for me. It kills the germs / bacteria in your nasal passages and is gentle enough to use everyday. I usually do two pumps in each nostril, blow out any mucus / debris, and spray once more (gently sniff to make sure it reaches deep in the nasal passage). I do this once in the morning and again in the evening before bed. You can check the website for more info.

Edited by Brainbox, 09 October 2011 - 01:09 PM.

[whiskey]

Can racetams cause infections as side effects? Because I've had similiar problems as Shay with eyes.

[brain]

Only when I snorted it

Honestly, I'm not that surprised to hear this. I don't believe there is anything documenting an immunosuppressive effect, I've looked this up in the past after noticing similar problems. I had a severe sinus/lung infection early last year when i was taking piracetam, which lasted a month and a half. I kept taking it, thinking it didn't make any difference and not wanting to have to start all over again, thinking the infection would pass. three weeks later i was violently sick, coughing blood-tinged green all day, with bad enough chest pains from all the coughing that i would have to jump out of bed and onto the floor into a girly pushup position, which was the only position that wasn't painful to cough in. I stopped taking it and seemed to get better. after about a week, i noticed that i was nearly better, and started taking the piracetam again. I became getting extremely sick again and had to go to the doctor to get prescription cough syrup and an antibiotic, something i'm not too keen on taking. unrelated? related? I can't say for sure.

I'm also pretty sure it reduces testosterone and possibly all steroid hormones. I'm young and how often I have to shave is measured in days. Those days turn into weeks on piracetam. Is there any evidence that it does this? none.

Edited by brain, 06 February 2010 - 12:25 AM.

[Solitude]

Are the sinus problems described in this thread just pain? Or, is there congestion, too? Has anyone noticed other symptoms?

After a long break without taking piracetam (Primaforce), I began again recently. I am experiencing left maxillary sinus pain with no congestion or other symptoms. I thought it tasted less bitter than it used to when I tried it this morning. Have others who report sinus pain tried a different batch? Were you using old piracetam? How was the taste? What brand?



Of course, it's entirely possible that I'm just finding things to attribute my sinus pain to. I'll see how I feel the next few days.

Edited by Solitude, 06 February 2010 - 08:18 AM.

[Shay]

Are the sinus problems described in this thread just pain? Or, is there congestion, too? Has anyone noticed other symptoms?

After a long break without taking piracetam (Primaforce), I began again recently. I am experiencing left maxillary sinus pain with no congestion or other symptoms. I thought it tasted less bitter than it used to when I tried it this morning. Have others who report sinus pain tried a different batch? Were you using old piracetam? How was the taste? What brand?



Of course, it's entirely possible that I'm just finding things to attribute my sinus pain to. I'll see how I feel the next few days.

After reading about possible excitotoxicity from piracetam, I've been stopping use on the weekends. This had given me the opportunity to witness these effects (sinus and eyes) on a weekly basis, every monday morning!

It's been about 1 month that I've been using piracetam after several years break. When I first started taking it, the sinus issues manifested as pain and congestion. This resolved after a few days. The next Monday they were back but to a lesser extent. Now the sinus issues only show up as occassional sharp pain that flares and dies. I have definitely noticed a very clear "dry eye" response every morning (when I take my racetams), with occasional pain as well. Very odd.


As for piracetam quality, apparently it's the "best". It's fresh and in pill form from a highly reputable seller on these boards.

[Solitude]

I stopped taking it again a few days ago due to the sinus problems - they were gone the first day I went without. I tried it again yesterday (sinuses were completely better), and the problem came back the same day. Didn't take any today, I feel fine.

It's too predictable to be a coincidence.

[BlueCloud]

Just found this thread while searching on sinusitis. I have exactly the same reaction with piracetam. I was using the RI brand at first , and at any dose , i would get severe sinusitis in the following hours that would last days. Now , i'm already prone chronically to sinusitis , but every time i take piracetam , the symptoms would very severely flare up .
This has unfortunately prevented me from taking pira on a regular basis , and i just take it from time to time as needed.

I later switched to the original brand made by UCB , and even though the sinusitis symptoms are less severe this time , they still immediately appear a few hours after taking a dose ( and i take pretty low doses , between 400 to 800mg )

As the poster before says , this can't be a coincidence . There must be an explanation to this side-effects some of us have.

[longevitynow]

Whenever I get a headache, it is sinus related. When I take Piracetam without choline, sometimes I get a headache, and it tends to come with some sinus congestion. I don't get these headaches I I use choline with my Piracetam. I'm guessing that Piracetam, perhaps with or without choline, may cause some swelling in sinus cavities (at least in some people). If you are congested, then that provides a breeding ground for bacteria and viruses.

So I'd suggest trying Choline. If that doesn't do it, a Vicks inhaler (more natural) or Afrin nasal spray or pseudoephedrine (which might be synergistic with Piracetam anyway, as it is a mild stimulant).

[curiouskid23]

I've got a bad case of congestion, but I'm not sure whether I can attribute it to the piracetam, because I took it for a long time with absolutely no problems.

[manic_racetam]

Pramiracetam seems to give me a scratchy voice. No real soreness or anything just sounds like I have a cough or am beginning to lose my voice.

Could these sinus issues stem from adrenal deficiencies? Piracetam seems to be linked to the adrenals... that's vague but I'm having trouble pulling up any studies. The closest I came was this article mentioning a berkley study with a broken link. But an adrenal connection might be something to check out.

If I mega-dosed piracetam at night before bed I'd usually wake up drowsy and with slightly puffy eyes. I figured it was dehydration or water retention, but that's the extent of any side effects I got.

[Wilberforce]

Hi, I appreciate this thread is old but it seemed like a good place to suggest an additional supplement that has recently helped me alleviate sinus symptoms and bloating with piracetam - acidophilus/probiotics. My theory is that like some other meds negatively affects friendly bacteria in the gut and sets off a chain reaction in the immune system. Basically I now take a dose of acidophilus with each bunch of pills.

Hope this helps!

Wilber

[manic_racetam]

Hi, I appreciate this thread is old but it seemed like a good place to suggest an additional supplement that has recently helped me alleviate sinus symptoms and bloating with piracetam - acidophilus/probiotics. My theory is that like some other meds negatively affects friendly bacteria in the gut and sets off a chain reaction in the immune system. Basically I now take a dose of acidophilus with each bunch of pills.

Hope this helps!

Wilber

Very interesting and something I never considered. I think I'll start taking my handfuls of pills with Kefir. Thanks

[stillwater]

It's really weird reading this as I first started using piracetam just over a week ago, and almost right away I got a sinus infection. I never thought to link the two together. I had to stop taking it a couple of days ago because it was disrupting my sleep too much, and conicidentally my sinus infection disappeared at the same time.

[nezxon]

I take probiotic supplements for a month about every 6 months. I've considered adding it to my stack daily, but it seems that by doing it once or twice a year, my digestive system seems to stay in excellent shape.

I started the probiotic due to gastrointestinal side effects of Alli. A few years back, swayed by the commercials, I thought maybe Alli would be helpful. I only took it for about 2 weeks, and my stomach just wasn't quite right anymore, painful cramping, etc. so I stopped taking it. I was surprised but my digestive system didn't revert to normal when I stopped taking it. More than a year went by and I was still having the same symptoms, daily.

A friend mentioned trying a probiotic, so I stopped by a drug store and bought a box of capsules. I didn't really expect it to work miracles, but if I recall correctly, it was only about 3 days before everything was back to normal and all of my gastrointestinal symptoms disappeared. I'm pretty sure I didn't even finish the package, I only took about 12-16 capsules and my system was right back to normal like a switch. I didn't take a probiotic again for about another year and not for any particular reason, just because of the positive impression that experience left on me; I've gained enormous respect for the symbiotic microorganisms that escape my conscious awareness.

This was years before I ever heard of nootropics and before I took many daily supplements (although almost certainly fish oil and possibly vitamin c). It seems possible my occasional round of probiotics is one reason I've avoided the gastrointestinal side effects of nootropics.

Edited by nezxon, 26 March 2012 - 07:34 AM.

[BlueCloud]

Adding zinc seems to help with this problem. I take an additional 23mg per day ( zinc lozenges ) and the sinusitis symptoms are lowered and controlled. But they do reappear if i take more than 800mg of piracetam per day.

I might try the probiotics next and see if this works better.

[BlueCloud]

wow, i stopped piracetam for a while, started taking it again recently, and after three days at a 1600mg dosage.. boom : sinus infection, sore throat, feeling sick all over again...
It 's definitely doing some nasty things to the immune system. There must be an explaination to this.
I can't find any references to similar side-effects on pubmed despite looking into it....

[JChief]

Hi, I use piracetam almost daily.. no such problems. Might take lots of Vit C.. hmm and quit dairy.. but you didn't want to hear that Take care everybody!

[majkinetor]

Rhinitis Medicamentosa
http://www.jiaci.org...16issue03/1.pdf

Parasympathetic nerves release both acetylcholine, which increases nasal secretions,

I doubt it makes infections more likely.
But u should keep C high anyway. My side effect is myokimia, starts almost instantly but feeling is too good on pira.

[LORDDiESEL]

Very strange. The first time i used it, i too got a sinus infection.

[majkinetor]

I am looking into acetylcholine / infection issues. So far I found few papers.

Activation of Latent Pseudorabies Virus Infection in Mice Treated with Acetylcholine
Airway hyperresponsiveness to acetylcholine and to tachykinins after respiratory virus infection in the guinea pig
Effect of Acetylcholine on St. Louis Encephalitis Infection in the Mouse
Systemic infection and delirium: when cytokines and acetylcholine collide


How relevant is this, I don't know, I still have to read it fully and hope to understand it well, but I posted it here as somebody else might also want to look it up.
The one also needs to see how piracetam changes AC level throuought the body, not only in CNS.

Edited by majkinetor, 30 January 2013 - 10:13 AM.

[Stavros Alexandrakis]

Hi, i've noticed a similar phenomenon while having toothaches. After some days on-off trials i came to the conclusion that Piracetam made me "more alert" of the pain. Could this be the case in some of you, e.g. that you had a latent infection and just became aware of it? I can't imagine a possible way that piracetam otherwise could induce any infection.

[Strelok]

I've been taking piracetam for about two weeks now, and 3-4 days ago I started getting allergy/cold like symptoms such as runny, stuffy, and itchy nose, and sneezing. I'm also taking a lot of other supplements. I don't really think it's the piracetam... but who knows?