June 18th
2008
7:35 PM
Below is the latest ADR report on Singulair from the United Kingdom. I deleted side effects reports by very small numbers of patients in order to keep the post briefer. This shows the total number of reports since Singulair was approved in the UK.
I don't know the total number of prescriptions for Singulair in the UK. It is considered expensive.
Drug Analysis Print
Drug name: MONTELUKAST
Drug name: MONTELUKAST Report type: Spontaneous
Report run date: 13-May-2008 Report origin: UNITED KINGDOM
Data lock date: 09-May-2008 08:00:02 PM Route of admin: ALL
Period covered: 01-Jul-1963 to 09-May-2008 Reporter type: ALL
Earliest reaction date: 01-Jan-1997 Reaction: ALL
Cardiac disorders-TOTAL 64
Palpitations 29
Myocardial infarction 6
Tachycardia 6
Diarrhoea 84
Dyspepsia 24
Abdominal pain 98
Abdominal pain upper 22
Nausea 84
Vomiting 52
Dry mouth 15
Asthenia 13
Fatigue 45
Malaise 32
Sudden death 1
Pyrexia 10
Chest discomfort 12
Feeling abnormal 16
Influenza like illness 17
Irritability 18
Drug interaction 13
Chest pain 13
Arthralgia 59
Myalgia 38
Muscle spasms 24
Pain in extremity 14
Balance disorder 10
Lethargy 16
Somnolence 23
Psychomotor hyperactivity 25
Headache 221
Dizziness 68
Neuropathy peripheral 7
Convulsion 6
Epilepsy 7
Dysgeusia 7
Hypoaesthesia 6
Tremor 18
Nervous system disorders TOTAL 526
Abnormal behaviour 13
Agitation 12
Anxiety 18
Aggression 30
Depression 23
Insomnia 58
Abnormal dreams 12
Nightmare 49
Hallucination 21
Sleep disorder 15
Psychiatric disorders TOTAL 364
Asthma 36
Allergic granulomatous angiitis 43
Angioedema 12
Swelling face 12
Erythema 13
Pruritus 32
Rash pruritic 17
Rash 55
Urticaria 33
TOTAL NUMBER OF REACTIONS 2841
TOTAL NUMBER OF FATAL ADR REPORTS* 19
TOTAL NUMBER OF ADR REPORTS* 1489
May 18th
2008
6:53 PM
I am posting the metabolism profile for montelukast. Maybe someone here has chemist friends who might know if it is possible that the dicarboxylic acid major metabolite could also have been derived from quinolinic acid under metabolic circumstances less than ideal. The quinoline ring, is a benzene-pyridine. Quinolinic acid, a dicarboxylic acid with a pyridine is produced by the oxidation of quinoline possibly by acid hydrogen peroxide. So the only structural difference between the dicarboxylic acid mentioned in the study as the major metabolite and quinolinic acid is nitrogen. Fascinating drug Singulair. Macrophages (immune cells) make quinolinic acid and release nitric oxide in order to kill micro-organisms. Quinolinic acid a neurotoxin.
Unless you are someone who plans to get help from experts, I would ignore this post. In my opinion, the only way that real answers will come from the investigation is that there is a provable chemical reason that the brain is affected by Singulair. I just post what I find and hope that eventually there will be experts who can explain why people are having such problems. I am unable to draw any conclusions from the report below.
dmd.aspetjournals.org/.../1/1996&journalcode=dmd
-- By concernedcitizen | Reply | Private Message me
April 18th
2008
9:48 AM
One of the most important questions we should be asking as parents is:
How does Singulair - a leukotriene receptor antagonist (blocks the receptors) affect the normal function of the mast cell?
The mast cell is the FRONT LINE DEFENSE against invading micro-organisms. When Singulair was invented, there was limited knowledge regarding the mechanisms by which the mast cell performed it's function. In my opinion, the focus was very narrow - those interested zeroed in on how the leukotriene receptor performed a role in the cause of asthma attacks and how ashma attacks could be prevented. Well, that's good preventing asthma attacks. But what happens to the mast cell if that receptor is blocked on a long term basis. I am not suggesting that blocking the receptor is bad but what if the long term effect is different than what we are are lead to believe-which is this is a safe medication with no known long term effects. What if the leukotriene receptor was just blocked short term a week or two to allow the body to clean up the mess from the last attack?
I seriously question what is going on with all of these infections. Are they related to crippling the mast cell? Parents should be allowed to question. If Merck doesn't want to answer questions regarding what happens to the mast cell (including are the numbers of mast cell decreased on Singulair), then something really BIG is missing. If by any chance (unknown at the moment) that the mast cell is significantly changed and therapy by montelukast is proper on a short but not long term basis, so freakin' what if Singulair is not a huge money maker any more.
Parents deserve every answer possible when decisions regarding their child's growth and development is on the line. I hope that we get some answers.
Of course, what was there in 2002 were new questions-not necessarily answers about the mast cell. Did anybody apply this to Singulair studies?
May 2002
From Journal of Clinical Investigation
Pattern recognition receptors on mast cells
The Toll-like receptors (TLRs) fit the definition of pattern-recognition molecules, which were originally postulated to allow the innate immune system to detect the 'molecular signatures' of various infectious agents. Although the innate immune system has no memory, it shows a degree of specificity, in part because the various TLRs recognize different sets of pathogen-associated molecules. Dermal mast cells are usually associated, not with the innate immune system, but with atopic dermatitis, but Supajatura et al. have found that these cells also express TLRs. They report here that TLR4, which binds the gram-negative product lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and TLR2, which binds peptidoglycan (PGN) from gram-positive organisms like Staphylococcus aureus, induce distinct mast cell responses. Staphylococcus is known to exacerbate allergic dermatitis, but it has generally been thought to act by inducing antibacterial IgE's, which trigger mast cell degranulation by stimulating the IgE receptor. Interestingly, the authors show that the interaction between PGN and TLR2 can provoke mast cell degranulation directly, sidestepping the need for IgE receptor engagement.
March 4th
2009
2:19 AM
March 3, 2009
-- By sickly | Reply | (2) replies | Private Message meI returned to the doctor today to get a different antibiotic because Avelox made me worse off than the sinus infection I had. I stopped taking it about two weeks ago and still have side effects from the drug. My doctor had given it to me about two other times. The last time I recall was in November. I didn't finish taking my prescription then either.
I thought maybe I was having flu symptoms also, but it was the drug making me more ill. RASH, HIVES, RED HANDS, SWOLLEN TONGUE THRUSH, BUMPS ON MY TONGUE, TINGLING IN MY BACK, VOMITING,HEADACHES, PAIN IN MY STOMACH NOT LONG AFTER TAKING A DOSAGE. FREEZING HANDS, THROAT FEELS LIKE IT'S CLOSING UP AND DIFFICULTY SWALLOWING, COULDN'T GET OUT OF BED, MUSCLE FATIGUE, ACHES WEAKNESS, JOINTS HURT, TINGLING IN HANDS, ANXIETY,CRYING SPELLS, NIGHTMARES, SKIN SENSITIVITY, INSOMNIA, THEN EXTREME FATIGUE, DIZZINESS AND LIGHT HEADED UPON STANDING AND/OR GETTING UP FROM A SITTING OR SQUATING POSITION. EVERYTHING HURTS ALL THE TIME IN EVERY MUSCLE...... I BASICALLY FEEL LIKE I AM DYING.
My fiance thought I was totally losing my mind. I was moody, aggressive, irritable, depressed etc... I felt like like a different person.. My fiance of course got sick also and his doctor prescribed it to him. His side effects included muscle aches and pains and extreme fatigue and mood swings. I looked up some side effects when I was started taking it a few weeks ago, but didn't pursue the research until the side effects got worse. I took it for 7 days this time. My fiance took it for three days. I called him at work after seeing this website and told him to stop taking the medication immediately. I am still sick with a sinus infection, and a whole slew of other crap going on. I called the doctors office and went in right away to get a different medication. To no avail, when I went to my doctors office there was a rep from Avelox there. I said don't give that Avelox to anyone sarcastically. I then saw his tag on his shirt and his bag full of Avelox samples. He asked what type of symptoms I had and I told him.. He said he would report it to the company.... What do you think they will do about it? MOST LIKELY NOTHING. I am an educated person with the capability and time to research anything I need to and I will do my best to dig up the most dirt I possibly can about this horrible medication. They need to stop pushing these meds on doctors to give us and make us more ill than we were to begin with. I JUST HOPE MY AILMENTS AREN'T PERMANENT. People try to make light of the situation because they don't want to be sued. I think the FDA needs to be revamped and the Government should stop letting these pharmaceutical companies poison us. I AM NOT EXAGGERATING EITHER! DO NOT TAKE IT.
I have been going to my doctor for about fifteen years and she never gave me any medication that had made me this ill. I get samples a lot because I have no insurance. Sometimes she gives me scripts. Today I got Zithromax which always worked well for me in the past. Very little side effects. I realize that everyone reacts differently to certain meds, but come on now! It isn't just a coincidence that all of us commenting and complaining here are imagining these horrible side effects! Today I got Zithromax which always worked well for me in the past. (Very little side effects).Then why did I ever have to take Avelox if there are other antibiotics that will make me better not worse. They push these meds on doctors to give to us that's why! I always trusted and admired my doctor. She always treats me well and does right by me. What is going on with these medical companies?! SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS!