Montelukast for Asthma, Maintenance User Reviews (Page 2)

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• August 3, 2012

Montelukast "I rate Singulair with a ten because it has done everything I could have hoped for. I am 15 now and started taking it when I was 10 or 11. I am able to live my daily life without worrying about asthma, and I use albuterol 15 minutes before exercise through an inhaler, but without Singulair, I'm sure it would be much worse. I have had absolutely no side effects whatsoever, and I am severely allergic to peanuts, nuts, shellfish, and have had allergic reactions to other medicines in the past. This is wonderful!"

• Anonymous
• October 21, 2008

Montelukast "Singulair has been a lifesaver for me. I am a newly diagnosed asthmatic, which had become debilitating. I was put on a course of prednisolone to relieve symptoms, then the doctor tried to control asthma with inhalers. Couldn't get it under control with only the inhalers, so I was prescribed Singulair. It is amazing, I hardly use my reliever. Before, I was using anything up to 40 times a day. Hay fever symptoms reduced also. Able to run again, I had reached the point where I could hardly walk, never mind run. Now I'm starting to get my life back."

• Pan...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 29, 2018

"I used to take Singulair for asthma maintenance, and it worked great. No side effects. Recently noticed a spike in needing my rescue inhaler, so went to the doctor to get back on Singulair. Well, he wrote me a prescription for Singulair, but at the pharmacy, they substituted it with montelukast, and it's making me have fatigue. I can't sleep at night due to coughing. Bad coughing until I've thrown up. Memory loss where I can't recall words, and I have a good vocabulary, now I can't think of words. I feel like I'm underwater or in a haze. Is anyone else experiencing these symptoms?"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 10, 2013

"My doctor put me on this, hoping it would help a chronic cough that I have had for the past four months. While I think it is helping, the side effects are just too strong for me. I take the medication at night since it makes me tired, but the sleepiness lasts all day. However, I am not getting much sleep because I keep having strange dreams that wake me up all night long. On top of that, I have started to have anxiety."

• Mar...
• May 4, 2017

Montelukast "Now, 67 years old, my health plan only permits generic montelukast medication (generic Singulair). I had a very bad experience with this medication. Suffered insomnia, anxiety, and, being with insomnia all night, went into a deep sleep. When my daughter arrived, I had a memory lapse, and being questioned by my daughter, I was giving incoherent replies. After being questioned for a while, I regained consciousness of my daily routine. I imagine I had a blackout experience. Now I'm trying to get original Singulair since I did use it before when I was younger and had none of this experience. I did quit taking this generic form of montelukast medication since the next day after quitting, I slept very well. I will try to purchase Singulair in its original form."

• Kel...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 13, 2020

"This medication, montelukast, stole 4 years of my son's life. My son was on this medication from the age of 3 to 7 years old. He came off 10 months ago when we finally made the connection with the troubles he was having. He suffered the most horrendous nightmares and hallucinations. He spoke about death all the time. Severe anxiety, night sweats, always paranoid, hyperactivity. He hated his own face. When he first came off the drug, he also developed facial tics from withdrawal and bouts of up and down behaviors. This lasted for around 4 to 5 months. We finally feel like we have our happy little boy back. If I could get those four years back for him, I would in a heartbeat. PLEASE DON’T TAKE THIS DRUG. The benefits do not outweigh the risk."

• NH ...
• December 29, 2008

Montelukast "I had been using inhalers - steroid (Serevent) and fast-acting ones for many years. I couldn't climb stairs without needing a 'puff.' I couldn't play with the kids without having to stop often. After one serious attack, I had to use an atomizer at the doctor's office, and I started Singulair the next day. I have not used or carried an inhaler for almost 10 years now. It has changed my life. I can run with my kids, walk up stairs, shovel snow, etc."

• des...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 19, 2015

"My GP prescribed it for my 5-year-old daughter to prevent further attacks of asthma with the hope to reduce or stop Fluticasone inhaler as she takes high doses of it, but thanks to heaven we have Fluticasone. Just a few days after Montelukast, she became a totally different person with episodes of agitation, rolling in bed for 1 to 2 hours before sleeping, aggressive episodes hitting her little brother, which she has never done before this medicine, waking at least 3 times in the middle of the night shouting at me to come and be with her because she is afraid, and she told me that she feels unhappy with tearful eyes and she doesn't know why. I had to stop it just after two weeks, and she started to return to her normality."

• Mom...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 19, 2020

"I have been taking Montelukast for several weeks, and my shortness of breath on getting up and moving around has worsened. Stopped it, and I can breathe better and can now cough up mucus. For some reason, I think the Montelukast made the mucus harder to move rather than loosening it."

• MDD...
• October 13, 2008

Montelukast "With Singulair, I don't have to take any inhalers, although my doctor tells me I should have them close by just in case. I haven't had to use a rescue inhaler for over 2 years. I don't need a steroid inhaler either. I had an anaphylactic reaction from allergy shots, so oral medicines are the way to go for me. Now I only have to take Allegra and Singulair, and I am virtually symptom-free after years of frustration and near death."

• Anonymous
• May 6, 2009

Montelukast "Although Singulair 10 mg tablets work great for me on a daily, regular basis for maintenance issues with asthma, I have found that one of its side effects has appeared. At first, it was not connected until recently when information came out that Singulair could cause ear infections. This particular side effect appeared about 3-4 months after starting Singulair, but no connection was made until recently after using it for two years. So be aware of side effects and keep close tabs on usage results."

• Jes...
• June 9, 2019

"I’ve been taking this medication, montelukast, since I was 7, and I am now 19. Since taking it, my asthma has been average. The mental side effects, in my opinion, outweigh any good effects it has had on me. I suffer from bouts of anxiety attacks and increasingly dark thoughts. It makes me aggressive. I find myself having severe mood swings. Every time I take a break from it, I find myself feeling better, but as I begin to take it again, I have another mental episode. I feel this drug needs more labels of warning and should not be prescribed until more research into the medical effects has been done."

• Cat...
• March 1, 2020

"On montelukast for breathing, and now my cough is well controlled. Now my lungs feel light and clear. I sleep deeper, longer, and more soundly than I have in years. Shortly after waking up, I can usually remember parts of some silly dream, and I welcome that because it means I was able to reach a deeper level of sleep."

• Luc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 10, 2021

Montelukast "Singulair caused suicidality for me. But it was a very strange kind of suicidality because it was very cold and intense. I didn’t feel super distressed, or sad, or even depressed, I just felt very clear that I should plan for my death and make it happen. Luckily, I realized that was weird and connected to the medication. As soon as I stopped the medication, the suicidal ideation went away. This medication could’ve literally cost me my life, and it shouldn’t be on the market."

• Anonymous
• March 24, 2009

Montelukast "Before I started on Singulair, I would have several serious asthma flares every year requiring prednisone treatment. Since starting Singulair several years ago, I have only had one serious asthma flare. My allergic rhinitis is also much better controlled."

• Su_...
• December 26, 2016

"I have been suffering from asthma since the age of 7, and I was recently prescribed montelukast sodium after a bad chest infection, which had me hospitalized. I have taken it previously about two years back as well. However, since I began taking it this time, I noticed I can't fall asleep, I'm badly constipated, and extremely lethargic, depressed, irritable, and get angered really quick. No medicine is worth feeling this way, and I'm stopping this immediately. If a simple drug manifests such tangible changes in your body, imagine what it does to your body silently."

• Coc...
• December 3, 2016

"Was prescribed for asthma to get me off my inhaler so often. It worked, but I gained 6 lbs in 5 days and started having random nosebleeds and waking up with lots of joint pain. Then I stopped sleeping more than 4 hrs a night, and I was taking it before bed. The days were filled with anxiety, brain fog, and confusion. Too bad because it really did help control the asthma. I stopped taking it. I'd rather cough than be in constant pain and crazy."

• I...
• June 14, 2017

"I'm a 19 y/o, and I've been on this medication for almost 2 months now. Since I've taken it, I have extreme nightmares and weird sleeping patterns. All this time, I've thought that it was helping me, but in reality, it has broken my life into pieces. I can't sleep on a normal pattern and have a lack of sleep, which has caused me to become irritable and not have a clear train of thought. If yourself or anyone you know is taking this medication, PLEASE monitor their behavior and sleep pattern."

• Chr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 31, 2019

"I had my doubts as doctors have been insisting my asthma was too bad for Singulair/montelukast; however, I asked to try it, and it has made a world of difference. I've been able to drastically reduce my ICS combo inhaler to 1 puff to none at all. Beware, though, cheap generics vary greatly. Unichem worked outstandingly; my CVS switched to Torrent, and it was like it didn't work at all. I asked for Unichem again, and it worked like magic again. If Montelukast stops working, you may want to switch generic manufacturers... My Montelukast experience made me read the book 'Bottle of Lies' ...very eye-opening... See also the Camber Pharma generic Montelukast recall in 2018; they mistakenly bottled a high blood pressure medicine and sold it as Montelukast...in short, BUYER BEWARE...."

• Fas...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 11, 2020

"Montelukast has kept my asthma in control along with Seretide. Very happy. Also, I now have a sense of smell, do not have a runny nose anymore. Also, a brilliant side effect. 10 years ago, I often had inflammation in my hip (arthritis), and after a 50-minute regular drive, I walked funny. Have not had inflammation in my hips or hands since taking Montelukast. Now walking up and down hills and stairs really fast, can run short distances. Without this drug, I think I would have had a hip operation. I live in the UK, so NHS."

• gad...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• February 28, 2017

Montelukast "I have been taking Singulair on and off for years. In the last two years, I have had four severe asthma attacks, and the Singulair has not helped. It may have helped my allergic rhinitis, but it does not help my asthma. I will probably stop it."

• CCa...
• May 15, 2019

"I’m a doctor and have been skeptical about Singulair as it’s used much more widely in France than here in the UK. I’ve developed adult-onset asthma, and for the first time, I had a bout where it was not well-controlled. I looked up the drug on medical websites, and every trial says how effective it is for suppressing eosinophils, reducing asthma preventer and reliever medication. So I started taking it. My sleep has been affected, I have insomnia. I was in a terrible, snappy mood with my kids over the weekend and couldn’t figure out why. And I feel so sad. Just low, can’t think of anything positive, and felt close to panic attacks last night. In the bath, my legs have felt shaky for a few nights, which is bizarre, and I put it down to biking at the gym, but I’m really fit and haven’t changed my routine, so this doesn’t make sense. I’m going to stop the medication and keep it for acute episodes, but unfortunately for me, I don’t seem able to handle it long-term. I wish I could."

• sad...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2016

"My 16-year-old daughter has the typical exercise-induced asthma that many of her teammates have and has used an inhaler for a couple of years. Her Dr. advised us to start using Montelukast. We were a bit wary because of the possible side effects, but her Dr. convinced us. About 2.5-3 months later, all of a sudden, she started experiencing the awful side effects they warn you about: racing heart, sleeplessness, panic, sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety. After a couple of days of this, we finally read the pill bottle and immediately stopped. It has been a week now, and she is better, but still working through the anxiety. Please do your research and ONLY use this medication if you are completely sure you won't experience these side effects!"

• Tur...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 19, 2017

"Allergy testing came back negative, but when I kept having cold weather-induced asthma, my doctor wanted me to try this. I'm already on Symbicort and was doing good except cold weather. Well, the montelukast helped it completely. We had a very cold winter this year, and I was totally fine outdoors. Also, I don't have any of the side effects some people mentioned, I feel great!!!"

• New...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 14, 2019

"I had adult onset of asthma in 2013 (also had it as a kid). My allergist put me on 10 mg Montelukast (generic for Singulair) per day in the evening or before sleeping. I really thought that after short-term treatment my asthma would subside. However, that has not been the case, which means that I now have to take this medication every day probably for the rest of my life. It has been a miracle drug for me. I have nighttime asthma where if I don't take Montelukast, I wake up in the middle of the night with chest tightness, wheezing, and coughing. With it, I am able to sleep properly without any symptoms. From time to time, I do break the 10 mg into half to make it 5 mg, and it still works well for me. Luckily, I have not experienced any physical side effects, though psychological side effects are tough to assess. I've read it can cause mood changes, anxiety, aggression, etc. While I don't have an extreme case of these symptoms, all of us suffer from these things from time to time, so it's not so black and white."