Asthma sufferers symptoms and conditions

I have been on Advair since Feb. of this year, I have had a lot of these side effects but didn't really realize it was from this med. At first I was told to take it 2x a day, reading the directions it says it has to be 12 hours exactly apart. My work schedule didn't allow that so I just took it 1x....Working 2 jobs I just thought when I couldn't sleep and was always tired, it was from working a lot. When I told the Dr. about not being able to sleep more than 4 hours, I was told since I was taking the meds 1x a day that wasn't it. After a bad cold and bronchitis I was told I had to take the Advair 2x a day, now i'm more tired than ever, still can't sleep and have a headache that won't go away even with migraine medicine. I'm even jittery and forgetful--kinda ditsy now and itchy off and on all day...After reading this blog site I see its not in my mind and i'm going to stop taking this med. I think i'm going to the health food store and find something natural.

I just wanted to comment to all of you asthma sufferers. I grew up with bronchitis and my brother with asthma. We were always getting sick while young, about every 6 weeks. My nephew inherited asthma from my brother, and he had it very bad, was always getting sick, needing oxygen, etc. While in his teens, someone told him to start playing an instrument like the trumpet or trombone which really exercises your lungs. He started taking lessons in school and it didn't take very long at all to notice a remarkable difference. His other siblings would even get sick and he wouldn't! The exercise, being natural, is a far better and healthy prevention, and makes your lungs stronger. I can't believe doctors don't spread this amazingly helpful advice around. I'm VERY sure they must have heard this before. Wouldn't news like that spread like wildfire through the medical community? But they would probably lose some business!!! So I wanted to help pass it around. I hope it helps some of you!

Why does Singulair cause these symptoms? I am going to give my explanation which is only a HYPOTHESIS. This should not be categorized as any thing but an educated guess. This is not backed by scientific research because nobody will do any research that would appear to anger
Merck even if people are suffering in the thousands.

1. The original research that preceded the development of Singulair (montelukast) seemed to focus on the theory that asthma was caused by an unusual immune response to certain pathological stimulus. There are many references to the observation that a high percentage of asthma sufferers are people whose asthma is caused by fungus. Many people suffer from asthma and are told that they are allergic to dust mites. Dust mites can live only because the fungus aspergillus pre-digests the
food source that dust mites can then absorb. Other sources of fungus occur in the home due to dampness or problems with wood rot.

2. The body's immune system fights certain categories of pathogens such as bacteria and fungus by creating nitric oxide which kills them at the site where they try to enter the body. The mast cell is the immune cell that is responsible for the production of nitric oxide. Mast cells are found in the skin, airways, intestines etc. The mast cell is capable of many different types of biochemical functions that are designed to signal other cells or other chemical responses. When the mast cell knows that pathogens
are present and nitric oxide is NOT produced, then it signals other immune cells to be sent to the site of the infection. Thus in the case of asthma, it is known that excessive numbers of eosinophils appear in the airways and these cells create inflammation.

3. Singulair was developed for asthma and later allowed to be prescribed for other reasons. I believe that montelukast probably creates a source of nitric oxide that prevents the mast cell from signalling for other immune cells to arrive at the source of infection. I arrived at that conclusion from studying the chemical structure of montelukast, the chemical structure of the gene cysLT1 receptor, and the chemical structure of the cell wall of fungus which would be what the mast cell uses to determine "what to do in order to kill the fungus."

The researchers who invented montelukast first had to clone the gene-cysLT1 receptor meaning that they had to be able to identify the gene and replicate it. Then by trial and error they had a find a "chemical"
that would bind (connect chemically) to the cysLT1 receptor. The theory would be that montelukast would take the place of the fungus or other pathogen and thus prevent the gene from reacting to produce the
responses that the sick patient with asthma produced. Merck says in the literature that montelukast binds with the cysLT1 receptor in order to prevent the mast cell from signalling the eosinophils to arrive in excessive
numbers that cause inflammation. I believe that montelukast is also causing the production of an amount of nitric oxide that is actually killing the pathogens that are present. For one thing, I would think that it
would be dangerous to incapacitate the immune system in that way without providing a way to kill the pathogens. I don't believe that the asthma response is just allergies to something like dust. Pollen from trees and flowers is loaded with fungus spores.

4. IF, IF, IF, montelukast does actually produce nitric oxide, then it does so by binding with the gene. Any place in the body where a molecule of montelukast encounters the cysLT1 receptor (a gene) then the corresponding molecules of nitric oxide are produced before the liver enzymes break the montelukast molecules up. Nitric oxide is TOXIC and
INFLAMMATORY. So let's look at the symptoms in regard to the location of the cysLT1 receptors. The location of these symptoms would not be places in the body where the mast cells normally encounter fungus or bacteria. The cysLT1 also has other functions in that it communicates with the cysLT2 receptors. Obviously, nitric oxide
should not be produced in these locations because of the signalling effect of nitric oxide on other physiological functions.

a. intestinal pain - the cysLT1 receptors are located in the small intestines
b. leg pain actually caused by vasculitis - cysLT1 receptors are found inside blood vessels- consistent with the fact that montelukast causes
Churg-Strauss
c. some people who didn't have asthma develop asthma - the cysLT1 receptors are in the airways
d. nightmares, depression, neurological damage - when montelukast penetrates the blood brain barrier probably due to unusual conditions of blood pH or electrolyte imbalance then nitric oxide in the brain causes neuron damage and excitoxicity

5. Why do some patients not experience side effects? Probably because genetically they are completely compatible with the model that researchers created when they cloned the cysLT1 receptor gene. I didn't not find any information about whether researchers knew that there are many different variations of this gene.

6. IF, my theory is even close to being correct, then why doesn't Merck do anything about researching these side effects. Maybe because nobody in the company knows how this drug works but the researchers who created it. All of the Merck literature is very vague about any biochemical information.

Again, this is just speculation and hypothesis. I have made an attempt to put this in simplistic language and therefore sacrifice scientific accuracy. But, I think that you will get the point.

SINGULAIR IS VERY DANGEROUS TO PATIENTS WHO EXPERIENCE NEGATIVE SIDE EFFECTS. DOCTORS SHOULD JUST REALIZE THAT
THOSE PATIENTS ARE NOT COMPATIBLE WITH THE MODEL FOR THE DRUG.

I'm wondering the dosage on some of these severe cases. My son is on 5mg for 5 yrs. He has been very emotional at times and for no apparent reason. Has trouble going to sleep, sleep walks at times as well. He's on this for allergy only. Are asthma sufferers on a higher dosage and possibly experiencing more ADHD symptoms. Just a thought

Prednisone is evil. I realize it can be helpful for some people, the only time it should ever be used (in my opinion) is for life-threatening situations. It should not be used for anything that is not expected to cause loss of life, limb of function. I am a 46 year old female with asthma. This drug has been prescribed for me many time over the past 25 years and every time I take it, the side effects are worse and take longer to go away. While this drug may initially help with an asthma exacerbation (and I have my doubts about that), I believe, that with time, it can cause difficultly breathing.

I feel like my body is a toxic dump! I often wonder how many people this drug has killed and how many people may have killed themselves while using (or coming off of) this garbage...YES PREDNISONE IS THAT BAD! Please, if you are being asked to take this drug for something you can live with (minor pain, inflammation, allergies etc.) then weigh your options very carefully. IMHO the risks associated with taking this drug are usually not worth it!

I had an awful experience with Loestrin24 FE. I am 33 and was prescribed it to regulate my cycle and ease severe PMS symptoms.

I had to quit Loestrin after only four pills, and it was enough time to cause a real mess. Besides experiencing the extremely angry mood, I developed a severe chest pain and shortness of breath. Also, my ankles became unbelievably swollen because of the fluid retention.

I ended up at the ER twice the same week, as I was thought to have developed a blood clot. A clot was ruled out, however the chest pain and shortness of breath lasted for about a month, until I was finally diagnosed with ASTHMA, which was believed to have been triggered or caused by the pills.

Whether I was already asthmatic and Loestrin just made it extremely worse or whether I developed asthma by taking Loestrin, NO WARNINGS ARE GIVEN TO ALREADY DIAGNOSED ASTHMA SUFFERERS, as other birth control products do.

Some of the symptoms were gone after I stopped taking them, but my health is definitely not the same after Loestrin.

I've been on this for 3 months. I have had Horrible Angry mood swings. Weight gain.

I am a 37 year old female who took Advair for 2 1/2 years. When I first started Advair I called everyone I knew with Asthma and told them it was a miracle drug that they should ask doctors about.

My first negative symptoms were severe leg and foot cramps and numbness in legs. I did not associate them with Advair for a long time. These side effects were never listed in the drug info sheets I read. I then began to feel tired all of the time. And, I developed an awful rash all over my body, especially on the arms and legs (behind knees). I saw many doctors who could not tell me why I was sick. Finally, one doctor suggested stopping all meds, one at a time. We found at that I was allergic to Advair, the thing I thought was saving me. I was switched to Asmanex which is great--for now.

I am reporting these side effects of Advair to affirm those who are suffering and who may be getting crazy looks from doctors, like I did. They did not believe that I was in the kind of pain I was in. They did not make the association of Advair with rashes, though more and more users seem to be reporting this.

At the same time that I have had bad reactions, I have to say that my 9 year old is on Advair and it has been a GREAT drug for her. So far, I have seen no side effects, but we'll keep watching. I still think its a great drug for certain populations, but people need to wary of its possible negative impacts.

May God Bless All of us Asthma Sufferers!

Recently, I contracted some sort of virus or infection and had been coughing for 6 weeks straight. Coupled with asthma and allergies, I was just miserable and *so* tired of coughing. My doc prescribed a Z-pak and Advair. I had taken Advair before and stopped, but I couldn't remember why, I thought it was because I was adverse to taking a steriod, in any form. The Z-pak stopped the cough, and the Advair helped me breathe MUCH better. However, now I remember why I stopped taking it before. I started getting a sore throat, very dry mouth, and it felt like I had a lump in my throat, and phlegm that I could not clear from my throat. I've stopped already, I had been on it only a week and started feeling the dry, sore throat after only three days. It's getting a little better now, but I'm just glad I stopped when I did. The irony is that it does work for me, and in the week I was on it I didn't have to use my albuterol once. I would just rather suffer with a known ailment rather than be surprised by new side effects.

I saw a couple posts here that had statements along the lines of these side effects being in our heads, and while in some cases that is true, keep in mind that every person has a different reaction to medicines. Every human is unique in their body chemistry. I didn't experience any of the muscle cramps or nausea or other effects, but I have taken medicines that have done that. When I started Advair 100/50, I took the proper twice a day dosage, and it was in good faith (i.e. I didn't know about or expect any side effects). Using inhalers and nasal sprays and the like is very common for asthma sufferers, so I wasn't "looking" for something to be wrong, so to say. And yes, it did work for me very well. In the day and a half that I've been off it, I've already gone back to needing my Albuterol. So, before a person can try to say that the side effects are made up out of paranoia, please do remember that we are all different, and we all react to foreign particles in our bodies differently.

Jessica

Hello Everyone,
Like all of you. I am a highschool student and competitive athlete (football and baseball) and was diagnosed with asthma 2 years ago. As months passed and numerous trips to my general practicioner/allergist I was given a lot of prescriptions including advair, clarinex, xopenex with the nebulizer, my asthma and lung function became increasingly worse. It was hard to be so dependent on all these medications, which in combination all can make you feel kind of lousy. When my asthma was at its worst I started seeing a chiropractor, and was being adjusted 2-3 days a week. Its hard for me to explain who chiropractic care can reduce asthma, but it has something to do with the spine controlling all systems in the body and when there is disallignment all of these symptoms cant work properly. For asthma sufferers and those sick of taking all kinds of medication I strongly suggest looking into chriropractic care. Today I am completely asthma symptom free, and no longer take a single thing other then carrying the albuterol inhaler with me for comfort, although I havent really needed it. Any questions I would be happy to answer at ******