I've been taking Singulair for about a week now. I have been having headaches every day and dizziness upon waking. My sinuses feel irritated and I am experiencing sinus drainage. The only change in medication has been the addition of the Singulair. I started getting allergy shots a little over a month ago, and had noticed a considerable improvement in my allergies and asthma. My doctor just added the Singulair, and I feel as though all my progress has gone out the window. I want to stress that I was feeling MUCH BETTER just getting allergy shots each week, but once I started taking Singulair, I started feeling ill again. The headaches are most problematic, causing particular impairment. I plan to stick it out for a while in an attempt to rule out any other potential confounding variables (weather, hormonal fluctuation, pollen hot spots, etc), but I fear that this may not be the medication for me.
While it is true that all these comments are "anecdotal", the potential side effects listed in the Singulair booklet include headaches, stomach ache, aggression, anxiety, etc. Individuals with allergies tend to be hypersensitive to chemicals, which may explain a higher incidence of sensitivities to medications. No one posting on this site is a hypochondriac, contrary to the uneducated and caustic comment posted on August 19th. This is merely a forum for the free exchange of information, enabling all of us to be more educated consumers and patients. I am curious as to why “Foxmulder” was even perusing this web site - if he or she has not been experiencing any side effects, then why bother reading the rest of our struggles with the drug? I’m guessing that our friend is a tad more damaged than he cares to admit.
Furthermore, the accounts of young children and adolescents reporting problems and then finding relief once being removed from Singulair proves to me a need for more research into this medication. Surely these young children are not reading the website postings and then mysteriously manifesting symptoms after the fact, as cynics like Foxmulder would have us believe. Having studied psychology and having worked with bipolar children, I know all too well the dangers that medication can have on young, developing bodies and minds.
All medications should be approached with caution, and a good doctor will be willing to listen to his or her patient’s feedback and adjust dose or prescription accordingly to find the right balance for each individual.