Singulair (montelukast) Drug Issues (2 Viewers)

[PIK95]

Long story short, after having pretty bad Covid in August, and a Sinus infection in September, my doctor pushed me to take this medication. I have been on it for about ten days, and have had many of the side effects listed. It's
been the most evil drug I have ever been involved with mental health wise. Anyone else take it and have big issues? Positive or negative stories? I decided yesterday to just stop taking it. I am feeling big withdrawals but I already feel a bit better mentally. I'm just happy nothing truly bad happened.

The side effects my family and I noticed in myself were agression, irritability, agitation, disorientation, attention disturbances, stuttering, insomnia, memory impairment, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, anxiety, depression, and strange dreams.

 

[PIK95]

Just looking online a little more now. My doctor didn't give me any warning that this drug had any danger. I'm pretty shocked what I'm seeing here....

Singulair, also known as montelukast, is widely used to treat allergies and asthma. In March 2020, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) strengthened previous warnings for Singulair, requiring a “black box” warning. A black box warning (also called a boxed warning) is FDA’s strongest warning, similar to the ones used for cigarettes. It warns about serious risks of a medication or treatment. The black box warning for Singulair describes psychiatric side effects such as aggression, depression, agitation, sleep disturbances, suicidal thoughts, and suicide.

This is not great...."Any person can report problems arising from the use of a medication or medical device to the FDA. These side effects or complications are called “adverse events.” Adverse events can be reported using FDA’s MedWatch program through this website. Of the over 19,000 reports of adverse events that FDA has received since the drug’s approval in 1998, more than 10,000 of those reports have been about psychiatric or nervous system adverse events. They included aggression, irritability, agitation, disorientation, attention disturbances, stuttering, hallucinations, insomnia, memory impairment, obsessive-compulsive symptoms, anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts, and even suicide. More than 7,000 of those adverse events are considered serious, and they occurred almost equally in adults and children.2 From 1998 to 2019, FDA received reports of 82 suicides among people using Singulair. Only 64 reports of suicides included the patient’s age, but 19 of those were in patients ages 16 and younger. Most of the patients who committed suicide had no history of mental illness."

 

[Terminalxylem]

It's a well tolerated medication, in general. IIRC, it's just FDA approved for asthma, which makes it a strange choice for post-covid and/or sinusitis. I'd just tell your doc and stop it.

ETA It looks like it’s also approved for allergic rhinitis, as noted by Marco below.

 

[Mrs. Rannous]

My doctor didn't give me any warning that this drug had any danger.

You're kidding. I would not EVER go back to this quack. (I get warnings for the completely normal stuff.)

I'm glad you are doing better. Hope the other stuff clears up, too.

 

[PIK95]

My doctor didn't give me any warning that this drug had any danger.

You're kidding. I would not EVER go back to this quack. (I get warnings for the completely normal stuff.)

I'm glad you are doing better. Hope the other stuff clears up, too.

I am scared that they are giving this stuff to teens. That was my main motivation for posting it here. I really can't believe what it did to me in a week.

 

[PIK95]

It's a well tolerated medication, in general. IIRC, it's just FDA approved for asthma, which makes it a strange choice for post-covid and/or sinusitis. I'd just tell your doc and stop it.

I have had a history of asthma and allergies, and haven't been breathing great since the covid.

 

[The Dreaded Marco]

I’ve prescribed montelukast hundreds of times to my pediatric patients for asthma and allergic rhinitis. I always discuss the potential psychiatric side effects with parents but I’ve never seen them occur.

Sorry that you experienced those symptoms.

 

[Terminalxylem]

It's a well tolerated medication, in general. IIRC, it's just FDA approved for asthma, which makes it a strange choice for post-covid and/or sinusitis. I'd just tell your doc and stop it.

I have had a history of asthma and allergies, and haven't been breathing great since the covid.

OK, that makes a bit more sense, though still, montelukast is a second/third line agent for asthma, at best. Usually, you‘ll get prescribed an inhaled corticosteroid and beta agonist, or a combination inhaler. And inhaled ipatroprium may help post-viral cough. So it’s odd your doctor would “push” it on you, and problematic that the black box warning wasn’t discussed.

 

[bcat01]

I was just prescribed this after having sinus surgery as a prevention for future infections. After getting home and reading the potential side effects there is no way I will take this drug.

 

[belljr]

I take this regularly it was a game changer for me

 

[El Floppo]

I've taken this before as well...no issues. Also wasn't warned specifically by doc about any side affects. I don't recall docs ever really pointing those out tbh.

Sucks you got hit with all of them. Hope the side affects and primary issues are behind you.

 

[Chemical X]

you know, with any drug each individual may have issues. i have been taking this daily for at least 5 years i don’t even notice i am taking it……now codeine, i took it once in a cough medication and it had me running around SUNY Buffalo shirtless at 8a in sub zero temps thinking i saw bats.

 

[belljr]

I've taken this before as well...no issues. Also wasn't warned specifically by doc about any side affects. I don't recall docs ever really pointing those out tbh.

Sucks you got hit with all of them. Hope the side affects and primary issues are behind you.

Yeah - I've never had a doctor run down side effects to a prescribed medication. When I pick them up the pharmacy points out where to see the side effects listed on the attached paper and if I have any questions for the pharmacists.

 

[glvsav37]

Took it for years (should still be honest but I suck at taking meds), never had any of those side effects. Sorrry to hear it hit you so hard. Def change

 

[Don Quixote]

I’ve been taking for years as well with no side effects. Sorry to hear about that experience with it.

 

[Dezbelief]

My wife has been taking it for several years and doesn't appear anymore irrational than before. Everyone is different and reacts differently to different things. Thank you @PIK95 for posting this warning I wouldn't have thought twice about giving this med to my kids if the doctor prescribed it to them.

 

[Kanil]

I've been using montelukast for years with no noticeable side effects. It's a wonder drug for my allergies as far as I'm concerned.

 

[IvanKaramazov]

I took Singulair for a little while probably 25 years or so ago for asthma. Switched over to Advair when that came to market, but I never had any issues with Singulair. It worked fine for me.

Sorry it's not agreeing with you -- I'm sure a lot of what determines how different people respond to drugs is mostly random from our POV.

 

[PIK95]

you know, with any drug each individual may have issues. i have been taking this daily for at least 5 years i don’t even notice i am taking it……now codeine, i took it once in a cough medication and it had me running around SUNY Buffalo shirtless at 8a in sub zero temps thinking i saw bats.

I can take A.D.D. meds, Codine, Oxy, and high powered vikes on the reg, without noticing much. These things are a whole other level. It's cool that many of you have no issues with them. It seems that when some of us do, it's REALLY bad though. It was not fun finding out. I am like 48 hours out off of them now, and still not right. Trending slightly better I think.

 

[PIK95]

Was feeling ok earlier. Now I have nausea and I'm shaking like a crac whors! Not functioning well tonight mentally. Damn you singularerer!

 

[Terminalxylem]

I've taken this before as well...no issues. Also wasn't warned specifically by doc about any side affects. I don't recall docs ever really pointing those out tbh.

Sucks you got hit with all of them. Hope the side affects and primary issues are behind you.

The black box warning was a pretty recent addition (2020); I wouldn’t necessarily expect the doc to go over that, if you’ve been on it for a while with no complaints (although arguably, they probably should).

 

[Terminalxylem]

I've taken this before as well...no issues. Also wasn't warned specifically by doc about any side affects. I don't recall docs ever really pointing those out tbh.

Sucks you got hit with all of them. Hope the side affects and primary issues are behind you.

Yeah - I've never had a doctor run down side effects to a prescribed medication. When I pick them up the pharmacy points out where to see the side effects listed on the attached paper and if I have any questions for the pharmacists.

That’s kinda crazy. Or you haven’t taken many meds.

 

[jobarules]

I took this as a kid. Never had any side effects

 

[Dezbelief]

Was feeling ok earlier. Now I have nausea and I'm shaking like a crac whors! Not functioning well tonight mentally. Damn you singularerer!

Good luck!