History of asthma symptoms and conditions

I started full body internal itching after taking 10 days of Singulair. The physician that prescribed it said it couldn't cause itching. My new doctor tested for Lupus, I have an autoimmune disorder called Churg Strauss. After undergoing several steroid treatments and 3 days of IV Prednisone I got some relief. This has been going on for 6 months now. The itching becomes severe enough to make me want to commit suicide. Luckily it is pretty controlled by taking nightly doses of Atarax along with Periactin. Thank God I found a doctor who cared enough to search out the symptoms and help me get thru day by day.

My son, Wilson, is a bright, easy-going, athletic 12 year old who has a history of asthma and allergies. After several asthmatic episodes from age one year to about four, he was prescribed Singulair. The asthma triggers seemed to be change of season or congestion from a cold, but not from exercise or physical exertion. As I recall, his asthmatic episodes seemed to decrease after he was on 5-10 mg of Singulair, and even more so with each passing year. Over the years, of my three sons, Wilson was the one to catch any virus that came around and missed more school time than both of his brothers combined. Often, he was the only one to get sick from a virus, which never passed to anyone else in the family.
About five years ago, Wilson started complaining of stomach aches. He was tested and was prescribed Prevacid on and off since then with varying success. In the last couple of years, headaches would come and go. He was re-tested for allergies and blood work with no conclusive results. About 2-3 years ago he would complain that he “felt funny…like he needed to do something.” Further conversations revealed that he was expressing anxiety. He’s a good student, has lots of friends at school, and is popular among his sports team mates. Occasionally, a teacher here and there over the last couple of years would note that he did not participate enough in class, or did not appear to be attentive. We thought perhaps he is shy. Still his good behavior, agreeable personality and diligence otherwise earned him good grades overall. He loves school and was very unhappy having to stay home when he was sick.
This past winter, he seemed to catch a virus about once every month and a half which caused him to miss 2-3 days of school. Headaches and stomach aches were common with each illness (sometimes nausea), and sometimes these same symptoms when he was not ill. He would only complain when they were prolonged or significant. Trips to the doctor did not result in anything conclusive. Again, Wilson was only too happy once he returned to school.
He claims that sometimes in school he feels like he’s in a fog and has difficulty concentrating. He gets plenty of sleep and sometimes sleeps up to ten hours during the weekend. We attributed it to adolescence and a busy schedule. He claims that this year is the easiest for him at school, and his social life with his friends is very active. His friends’ parents like him and find him to be an agreeable child. Other adults mistake his sometime mumbling answers and lack of eye contact rude. We concluded that he is just shy. He is the most hyper of his brothers, and has difficulty sitting still and constantly exclaims that he’s bored. We chalked it up to being an active boy. His grades are good in school and we never get complaints about bad behavior.
The last illness started a week ago, and he’s still out of school. The doctor said he had no significant allergy symptoms, other bacterial infections, and his blood work all returned with normal results for white blood counts, liver and kidney functioning and anemia. He can’t return to school because of his constant headaches (which cause pain in different parts of his head), nausea, constant stomach aches, no matter what he eats, and feelings of anxiety, mostly in the evening hours. He’s also complaining of dizziness, leg cramps and other muscle soreness. The notable difference in this illness is the anxiety. My husband and I take turns staying home with him, but if we left him alone for a half an hour at a time while the other was in route picking up a sibling, he became very anxious. In the past, he seemed to enjoy some alone time at home so he could play his computer games. He also becomes easily dizzy with shooting pains in his muscles. The doctor said that viruses can manifest themselves in later stages in the form of sore muscles. However, he was concerned about Wilson’s feelings of anxiety. The anxiety had not been as prevalent in prior illnesses. I finally signed onto the internet reading all the stories about other parent’s observations of their children on Singulair. My husband cautioned me about “internet diagnosing” with symptoms and stories that can be easily taken out of context in hope of self-diagnosis. I’ve always thought that Wilson’s doctors have had good judgment. Both my primary physician and allergist don’t think that Singulair has caused these symptoms, but agreed to take him off as long as we monitored any effect on his asthma.
I don’t know what to think. I want the cause of these problems to be the Singulair, because it’s an easy answer. Today will be the first day he’s off the medication. He probably won’t go to school again tomorrow. We’ll wait and see what happens…

I am a 57 year old man, who has been suffering from asthma several years. This spring my doctor put me on Singulair as an additional medicine to my cortisone-inhalator. after one month I feel symptoms of depression an mood-changing, severe ups and downs.
AND - as an additional symptom i have partially lost my feeling in some fingertips, and now parts of my left thumb and even a feeling of "cold2, mostly in my left hand.
anyone who share that symptom?
M.

From a UK Yellow Card Report.

Montelukast

The product information for montelukast has been amended to include the following ADRs: Reaction No. of UK Yellow Card reports

Nausea 63 Diarrhoea 54 Rashes 52 Insomnia 44 Dizziness 42 Fatigue 37 Vomiting 24 Pruritus 24 Arthralgia 20 Urticaria 19 Malaise 18 Dyspepsia 13 Myalgia 12 Dry mouth 9 Anaphylaxis 4 Angioedema3

In addition, the following suspected ADRs have been reported and are still being evaluated: psychiatric disorders (63) ; also nightmares (13), sedation (13), palpitations (12), tremor (10) and increased sweating (10).
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Zafirlukast The most frequently reported ADRs under the Yellow Card Scheme for zafirlukast have been rashes (7), headache (7), abdominal pain (6), nausea (6) and pruritus (5). All of these are included in the product information which has also been updated to include the following ADRs that have been identified from data other than UK Yellow Card reports: urticaria, angioedema, blistering, bruising, bleeding disorders, including menorrhagia (rare), thrombocytopenia and agranulocytosis (both very rare). Churg-Strauss syndrome Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) is a rare syndrome characterised by a history of asthma, and often rhinitis and sinusitis, with systemic vasculitis and eosinophilia. There has been a recent increase in the number of reports of CSS associated with the use of anti-asthma drugs, particularly the leukotriene receptor antagonists. The MHRA/CSM have received 63 reports of CSS through the Yellow Card Scheme since 1963, 59 since the beginning of 1998; Of these, 90% were associated with drugs used to treat asthma (mainly leukotriene receptor antagonists). In many, but not all cases there was documented evidence of a reduction or withdrawal of oral corticosteroid therapy prior to the onset of the reaction. There are clear warnings regarding the possible association with CSS in the product information for montelukast and zafirlukast. Prescribers should be aware of the possibility that, although rare, CSS may be the underlying cause of asthma in their patients. In patients prescribed a leukotriene receptor antagonist prescribers should be alert to the development of eosinophilia, vasculitic rash, worsening pulmonary symptoms, cardiac complications and/or peripheral neuropathy. The identification of new and suspected ADRs emphasises the important role of the Yellow Card Scheme in helping to ensure the safe use of medicines. The safety profile of leukotriene receptor antagonists remains under close review. Please continue to report all suspected ADRs to montelukast (Singulairt) and zafirlukast (Accolatet) through the Yellow Card Scheme.1. MHRA/CSM Current Problems in Pharmacovigilance 1998; 24:14.
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I am a 35 yo male who has had asthma since I was about six years old. I have always used Albuterol/Proventil to deal with any immediate concerns. Additionally, I have used the combination of Pulmicort/Serevent as a long term medication. I felt like the initial effects of that combo were spectacular. At some point, though, the doctor moved me off of that combo to Advair, explaining to me that the latter was just a combination of Pulmicort and Serevent. To this day I don't know the validity of that.

I have used Advair off and on for several years and I've never felt like I've gotten the same results as the previously mentioned combo. In the last two or three years I feel like it's done nothing. Additionally, in the last two to two and a half years, I've developed a low-level wheeze that is with me all the time 24/7. My albuterol does nothing for it. And -- it feels like I have a lump or something in the back of my throat. Some kind of constant obstruction.

The current theory of my ENT (my asthma doctor is worthless on this matter) is that I may have acid reflux. So now I am taking Prilosec OTC to see if, after a month or so, the low-level wheeze disappears.

Has anyone else with a history of asthma developed a constant, low-level wheeze that is unaffected by short term inhalers?

All I can say is OH MY GOD. I'm a 23 year old female and have had asthma since I was 13. I started taking Advair two years ago. I didn't really notice any symptoms at that time except for a 10lb weight gain I attributed to 'getting older'. Last year I lost my insurance coverage and stopped taking the medicine (and imagine, I dropped the 10 lbs). Last month, I got a really bad sinus and ear infection and was having breathing difficulties once again. Since I am now insured I went to the doctor, and got an antibiotic. I took the antibiotic for 2 weeks. My sinus and ear infections are gone, but I have this HORRIBLE nagging dry cough (for more than 4 weeks), that NOTHING will cure. So I went back to my doctor a few days ago. He told me that due to my history of asthma, the previous infection I had, and allergies that bronchial inflammation can occur and I was put back on Advair. I took my first puff 2 days ago. I tried to ignore the jittery sensation, and light-headedness. I just took a puff an hour ago, and let me tell you I absolutely CANNOT ignore it. Currently my heart is racing, I am extremely light headed as I write this, and i cannot stop shaking my legs. I tried to relax in bed but the 'jitters' are just too much. If this does not subside, I think I might go to the emergency room. After googling "Advair side-effects" and finding this site, I now realize I am not alone, and this is not in my head. I WILL NEVER TAKE THIS MEDICATION AGAIN. I am convinced that what I am experiencing this very moment are the side effects of Advair. Don't let another doctor tell you there are NO side effects associated with it.
-Ashley Miami Beach, FL

I started the NuvaRing in October of 2007 and I have had some very interesting side effects. While I can't say for sure that all of my side effects are directly related to the NuvaRing after reading all the comments on this website I took it out last night. In November I started having trouble breathing and it felt like I couldn't get enough air into my lungs. I called my doctor and although I have never had a history of Asthma he felt I was having an acute Asthma attack. He gave me an inhaler to use three times a day until I felt better. But I never got better. I went back to the doctor and he started me on Spiriva and sent me for a chest x-ray. My chest x-ray showed walking pneumonia so antibiotics were the course of action now. I felt better for a bit but about three weeks later I was right back where I started. I was very weak and tired all the time. I would become winded just by walking up the stairs. Nothing I did seemed to work. A few weeks later I went back to the doctor for the forth time with a cough I could not control. It was hard to breath but I didn't feel sick. No cold or flu symptoms just a nonproductive cough. So now this is late January and I finally get a diagnosis from my doctor - full blown pneumonia but he did not do a second chest x-ray. So I take the antibiotics and for a few weeks I'm feeling pretty good. But last week I started up again with the shortness of breath and coughing but this time it's accompanied with headaches and a fever of at least 102.5. I went to the emergency room and found out that my heart is working harder than it should and I may have been throwing blood clots from my legs. The ER doctor did a chest x-ray which was normal although all my symptoms were exactly the same as a few weeks before when I was diagnosed with pneumonia. My lab work showed that my white blood cell count was normal so I don't think I had pneumonia at all. Signs of blood clots can present themselves like signs of pneumonia. I was told to look for pain or swelling in my legs and so far so good. I have a follow-up appointment in two weeks so it will be interesting to see if my heart is back to normal. I'll post back to let you all know but please ladies think twice before taking this BC. For me it was not worth the risk.

Hi. My eight year old daughter has been on singular for 6 months. She has had chronic stomach pains that she says feel like pressure. Her appetite is terrible. She always says she isn't hungry. I have to search for anything I think she will eat. She is very tall and very thin for her age. She grew an inch in the last year but gained no weight. First time her growth just stopped. No surprise as she doesn't want to eat. I took her to the doc several times and they think she has acid reflux and have given her 2 different acid eliminators ( which freak me out as well) Said she should see a gastroenterologist. We have appointment in March . I started reading this site and thought well maybe it's the singular. So I called her allergist and told them I was taking her off to see if that's why she has the stomach problems. They said I could since it wasn't a big trigger time(seasonal) and she wasn't sick with any cold or flu) She gets mild asthma when sick. Her allergist asthma doc thinks her stomach aches are related to the mucus dripping into her stomach. I have taken her off all meds to try to see if it could be the Singular. She also has been very tired and can't keep up in her dance classes. Her school teacher had to put her in the front of the class because she said she wasn't paying attention. She seems to lose it over anything that requires focus or attention.She also seems kind of depressed. She is worried that something is really wrong with her. This child used to eat normally and is gifted academically .Her tests results(taken while on the Singulair) went way down from last year. She was put in gifted pull out program from last year results but would have barley made it in this year based on her much lower scores. That does not make sense to me. Never has had attention or focus problems before. I will keep everyone posted. Does anyone know how long it might take to get this drug out of her system? Has anyone else had this kind of reaction to this drug? I also wonder whether she had reflux before but this made it worse? I had her blood tested for Celiac and general stuff and nothing showed up.I wanted to get the Singular out of her system before we see the G.I. doctor. anyway thanks, Elizabeth