Montelukast and Insomnia: What Users Say

• San...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 19, 2020

Montelukast for Allergic Rhinitis "I was given this medication, Singulair, for chronic nasal congestion and rhinitis. After about 2 months, I started to notice my mood changing. I was more argumentative, almost to the point of aggression. When I started to have bizarre dreams, I then researched the side effects of this drug. Here is what was listed: mental/mood changes (such as agitation, aggression, anxiety, trouble sleeping, abnormal dreams, sleep-walking, memory/attention problems, depression, hallucinations, thoughts of harming yourself/suicide). I immediately stopped taking this medication (it wasn't helping that much anyway) and these side effects have stopped completely. PLEASE be mindful of ALL the side effects of any medications you are taking! I never would have believed that something to help with nasal congestion could cause such problems."

• Anonymous
• January 6, 2012

Montelukast for Allergic Rhinitis "Yes, I think this medicine works in treating allergic rhinitis, but after not being able to sleep at all the night I took it and being extremely agitated with mood swings tapering off into the next day after a full night's sleep, I will take it no more. I think each person needs to weigh the benefits versus the side effects for them. Everyone is, of course, different and each responds in their own way to all of these medicines. Just monitor your reaction to the drug closely if you do decide to use it and make the right decision for you to continue it or not."

• Gme...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 19, 2019

For Allergic Rhinitis "DO NOT GIVE THIS MEDICATION MONTELUKAST TO CHILDREN!! I never write reviews. I am writing this one because NO child should have to endure what my child went through on this medication. Dark thoughts, rage, tantrums, depression, unable to sleep, night terrors. Years of going from specialist to specialist trying to figure the cause and treatment. Finally found a doctor that said to stop the Singulair. My child is grown now. This drug stole his childhood. I know they say that you should take these reviews with a grain of salt because there are a million people out there benefiting from this drug not writing reviews. Not ONE person should have their brain function impacted this severely from a medication. And children can’t always verbalize how they are feeling. Please think twice before giving this drug to your children. There are support groups on social media regarding these horrific side effects. Thousands of parents recounting similar side effects and worse. Some child/teen suicides."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 16, 2012

Montelukast for Asthma, Maintenance "Completely effective for asthma maintenance, side effects - insomnia, weird dreams when able to sleep, headaches, and nosebleeds. Only took for 4 weeks. Unfortunately, now after stopping it, have limited lifestyle (Singulair gave me back a life)."

• Anonymous
• May 17, 2011

Montelukast for Allergic Rhinitis "I had constant sinus infections caused by allergies. Tried several medications, but nothing would work. Doctor finally prescribed Singulair, and I have had relief ever since. The only problem is the medicine can make me very irritable to the point that my wife cannot stand me, and sometimes Singulair can cause insomnia."

• Mar...
• May 4, 2017

Montelukast for Asthma, Maintenance "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."

• Anonymous
• September 4, 2015

For Allergic Rhinitis "I have been taking Montelukast for about 5 years. It's helped me considerably with my extremely severe urticaria. It basically stopped the symptoms completely. Since my condition was so extreme, I ignored the side effects of the drug for a long time. I have insomnia. I wake up every 2 hours, and I have mad dreams. I've always been a big dreamer, but since being under the influence of Montelukast, all dreams are basically nightmares. I'm extremely agitated during the day. Everyone basically annoys me. It's a bit rough, but I have it under control. I get a low fever randomly and quite heavy night sweats, too. I have now stopped taking it to see if my condition has improved so I can maybe sleep through the night again. Fingers crossed."

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

For Asthma, Maintenance "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."

• jba...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 1, 2019

For Asthma "My daughter is 4 years old and developed these behaviors over the course of 18 months. We were not informed about any of these side effects, and no monitoring was done either. Extreme fear, eczema, vivid nightmares, extreme fear of sleeping, facial infections, sleep disturbance, bedwetting, burning genitals and eyes, anxiety, depression, aggression/hostility, attention problems, bad dreams, hallucinations, hearing voices, irritability, memory problems, headaches, sore throat, cough, stomach pain, skin infections, runny nose, itching genitals, confusional state, crying inconsolable, difficulty concentrating, difficulty drawing, intentional self-harm, irrational fear of the dark, growling and hissing. We assumed all this was normal behavior for our, at the time, 2-3-year-old daughter. I wouldn't recommend this drug at all without proper monitoring."

• Hid...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 26, 2023

Montelukast for Asthma "I was on this for a year with no improvement in my asthma. Two days after getting off of it, I began to have horrific withdrawals, including severe headaches, exhaustion, irritability, weepiness, depression, lightning shocks throughout my body, severe body aches, and inability to sleep. The worst seems to have occurred for 48 hours straight, with no signs of fever or sore throat to indicate flu. After seeing others in forums, it seems to be this medication."

• I...
• June 14, 2017

For Asthma, Maintenance "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."

• Kur...
• June 19, 2017

For Asthma "I had my first asthma attack when I was 30 (13 years ago), and each year it got worse to the point where I would have 6 attacks a day, and my puffers would not work. I took this drug, and my attacks do not exist anymore. I am an avid athlete, and I am no longer hindered. Back in February, I struggled to get my breath, and I was on my way to the emergency room, that is when I got this pill prescribed to me, and it has been a Godsend! I don't have the sleep issues others have mentioned here, I never really slept the best to start with, but no changes. No crazy dreams. I have never been more pleased."

• CCa...
• May 15, 2019

For Asthma, Maintenance "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."

• Tom...
• May 25, 2020

For Bronchospasm Prophylaxis "Singulair was helping my breathing while I was continuing to use it, but I wasn’t okay at all, and I just figured out that around 15 days since the last dosage, after 7-8 months of using 10 mg, I had hard breathing, headache, feeling nauseous, insomnia, sleeplessness, shaking, and a rapid heartbeat. But the big problem was my mental issue, so my mood changed negatively, and I had depression and anxiety. However, after the hard time visiting many doctors to find the problems, I found that after reading people's experiences over multiple websites, it’s the Singulair. Plus, it returned me back to the past, around 5-6 months ago when I had stopped taking it. I remembered I went to the emergency room and had several side effects until I took it again, once a day before sleeping. I am not recovered 100%, but for sure I will be okay very soon since I quit taking this pill, and I hope everyone is okay. Please ask a qualified doctor before using it and make sure to know the side effects and when to use and stop."

• Gin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 28, 2020

For Bronchospasm Prophylaxis "My 6-year-old was given this to help with cough and cold-like symptoms. I advise all parents to read reviews before giving this to your baby! I know all children react to things differently, but this medicine is bad news! My baby's mental state flipped completely. She has cried nearly nonstop for 2 days. She can't sleep, can't eat, and can't focus properly. She cried for 2 hours this morning, and every time I would hold her and ask what was wrong, she would just say, 'Momma, I don't feel okay.' Her eyes are so weak she cannot keep them open. I looked up reviews and side effects to both the meds her doctor put her on when I stumbled on all the bad reviews on this. She has been on this montelukast for less than a week, but I was advised to take her off of it already. PLEASE CHECK ALL SIDE EFFECTS AND REVIEWS BEFORE GIVING THESE TYPES OF MEDS TO YOUR CHILD!"

• Lex...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 13, 2015

For Allergic Rhinitis "When I developed late-onset asthma and lost my sense of taste, in addition to the chronic nasal allergies, I was finally put on this. It works wonders for allergies - no doubt about it. But ... poor sleep, vivid unpleasant dreams/nightmares. Increased anger & irritability (husband says complete personality change), severe & worsening memory problems. Last two weeks strong salt taste in mouth? Don't know if this is relevant? Any way, going to try to come off it, but not looking forward to return of allergies..."

• Lea...
• April 11, 2014

For Allergic Rhinitis "I have allergies generally. My life has been hell for the last year. In three days, since I started this, I felt better than I have in ages. My only problem with it is that I don't fall asleep before three without a little help, and I'm always hot. I can handle those two things though, because I feel decent."

• Oki...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 6, 2022

Montelukast for Asthma "To the moms reading these reviews because your kid is taking this medicine but you can tell something isn’t right and wonder if it’s Singulair-listen to yourself. My son was on Singulair from the age of 5 until 19. While it did help his asthma, the side effects are not worth it. As a child, he could never sleep, had tremors, sweated like crazy, had anxiety and depression. Watch your child when they get to high school because something can change at that age and it seems the depression gets worse, suicidal thoughts began. My son stopped his meds on his own. Felt a lot better. Started having asthma issues, so he started it again at college for a couple of weeks. He is old enough now to be able to identify his feelings. He told me he stopped taking it and will never take it again because it made him suicidal."

• Mid...
• December 14, 2019

For Allergic Rhinitis "I've had sinus surgery to clear the stuffiness (worked wonders), but of course, I will still have allergies - year-round. If it's not sinus pressure, it's headache, runny nose, mucus drainage, watery eyes. I take Zyrtec, Flonase spray, Ipratropium spray, and Azelastine spray in the PM. There is nothing more that can be done but move to another state. I wouldn't be able to function without meds, but I still suffer symptoms now and again. The last 2 weeks were bad. Had my primary Dr. appointment last week and told of my extra suffering the last 2 weeks (with my meds). He decided to add Singulair at night, saying there are no interactions with what I currently take. Called my ENT (who did my sinus surgery) and he said no interactions, so try it. BOY, WHAT A MISTAKE! I took 1 pill last night and I could hear/feel my heartbeat loudly, which was slightly elevated. Could NOT sleep well at all. This stuff is going in the garbage! BEWARE? Have someone near you to keep an eye out for any reactions!"

• SMP...
• April 29, 2019

For Allergic Rhinitis "Oh my, reading these comments is making me sick to my stomach... My allergist put me on Montelukast to help with sneezing about 6-7 weeks ago. Although it has helped with that, my mental health has declined rapidly. I have severe anxiety, am unable to sleep on most days without a sleep aid, I cry often, am angry, had my first panic attack, and am constantly arguing with my husband and mother for no reason. If it weren’t for such loving and understanding family members, I’m sure my husband would have left me and my mother would have disowned me. I work with HCPs (Health Care Practitioners) in the community, and one nurse practitioner friend/colleague warned me about the side effects because she and her daughter had the same issues. I disregarded them since my allergist blew the mental health claims off like they were extremely rare and it would be unlikely that it would happen. I took my last dose yesterday, flushed the rest down the toilet, and called my PCP to ask him to place me back on antidepressants at least until this passes!"

• IL5...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 15, 2022

Montelukast for Allergic Rhinitis "I was prescribed this medication after a doctor visit yesterday for an asthma flare-up and allergic rhinitis. It is to be taken 1 tablet every evening. I was not informed of the 'black box warning' verbally by my doctor or pharmacist but did read the pamphlet insert given at RX pickup. I was a bit concerned but read mixed reviews on this site and thought I would give it a try. I will not be taking another dose. After an hour of ingestion, I started feeling slight swelling in the back of my throat and an increased heart rate. It wasn't severe but definitely noticeable. Two hours passed, and I was getting a headache, so I went to bed and had insomnia. I massaged my scalp, relieved some headache pressure, and finally fell asleep. The medication did seem to dry up the post-nasal drip, but I awoke with my face looking as if I had spent the day in the sun. These side effects are not worth the long list of 'possible' short-term and long-term side effects it has on the body. I will seek natural remedies for relief."

• Pat...
• April 18, 2020

For Allergic Rhinitis "Only day 2 of taking this drug and thankful that I remembered that taking a new med could be the culprit when having symptoms. This site validated my concerns. I woke up and was very tired in such a way that I didn't connect it to a medication. I began getting very anxious and with some slight undercurrent of something negative. My always stuffy nose became worse, and I felt flushed. I am unable to sleep. I was going to try to make it until day 3, but after seeing these experiences, I don't see anything positive in my taking this med. I cannot wait to get it out of my system."

• Fir...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 5, 2024

For COPD "It really helps to keep the lungs open. Makes coughing more productive, would be lost without it. The only side effect I think it has is when you first start taking it, it makes you not want to sleep. Give that about 7 to 10 days and it helps you actually sleep better at night."

• Sam...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 7, 2021

For Asthma, Maintenance "DO NOT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD TAKE THIS!!!!! I was one of those who swore by this drug at first because it was helping my asthma. But then I slowly noticed a lack of energy, insomnia, depression, mood swings, lighter, shorter periods, etc. All of which could not be explained even with countless tests. Then I started having weird dreams, then came the night sweats, and then the WORST symptom of all, PANCREATITIS!! Which again the doctors were confused as to why I developed this all of a sudden with no cause. I don’t smoke, don’t drink, don’t do drugs, yet somehow my pancreas enzymes were through the roof. I couldn’t eat or drink without having pain, I went down to eating once a day only to take my meds at night. The nausea, vomiting, and pain were unbearable. As of 11/04/2021, an ER doctor recommended I stop taking Singulair as it was the only thing linked to all my other symptoms. The doctors are hopeful my pancreas will recover and my other symptoms will subside. DON'T TAKE THIS!!"

• Fri...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 8, 2022

For Asthma "I've used this medicine back then in 2019, but I was having a really tough time sleeping back then after taking this med. Anxiety and depression skyrocketed, and I was so tense and worried all the time! I was prescribed to use it for several months. It did help with asthma, but I was having a really tough time sleeping. I stopped the med. But then I started taking it again in 2022. I noticed that I gained a lot of weight suddenly that won't go away! And I'm having trouble sleeping again, and my belly often aches. The sleep problem is the worst for me. The nightmares and stuff. Sucks!"