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Here is some perspective for you all. I take Singulair and do we...

Posted at 9:33 AM on Apr 02, 2008 by bachaman, #28989
Here is some perspective for you all. I take Singulair and do well on it and in ACTUAL studies it has one of the safest safety records. Understand that post marketing reporting does not mean there is a correlation between the event and the product. Throughout the life of a drug the companies must disclose any report of side effects reported to them REGARDLESS of causality. A popular antihistamine that is OVER THE COUNTER also has suicidal thinking/behavior listed in its post marketing section. However, just because patients who had reported having these thoughts while taking the product doesn't mean it was a result of the product! Maybe they had a depressive personality and were also on multiple other medicines to treat that. You must look at the "Adverse Reactions, Warnings and Precautions" sections of package inserts to see the side effects that were actually seen in studies. You can die from ulcers derived from over use of aspirin or ibuprofen. Decongestants can throw off your blood pressure and these events are documented in actual studies! Listen to your bodies when taking any med. If you feel differently report it to your doctor. These are all drugs people, there are potential side effects. There are also side effects to those "natural" over the counter remedies that are not nearly as regulated by the FDA or studies by the drug companies. To anyone out there who has experienced side effects to singulair timed to when you started it, talk to your doctor, stop taking it and see if it goes away. Same advice for any product prescription or over the counter medicine. Side effects can be a combination of many factors (what other meds are you taking?) But understand for many people this product is the safest and most effective treatment for them. The FDA and Merck are reviewing all information to see if there is any correlation to the reporting. But singulair been around for about 10 years and prescibed to billions of people and is known to be one of the safer medicines out there overall. In between the legitimate posts on this site I get the sense there is a lot of ambulance chasing going on. People looking to cash in on this big drug companies. We want drugs, we want them cheap and with no side effects which is not a reality. Keep stepping up the regulation and make the companies hire more lawers to protect themselves and jump through even more hoops and see what happens to the price and access to new meds. Even better, see how regulation has impacted the development of new medicines around the world (here's a tip, it will dramatically decrease). Drug companies certainly aren't perfect but which industry is? Please, when taking any medicine over the counter, prescription or herbal supplement listen to your bodies to see if the potential benefits of the product outway the risks or side effects. Report any changes to your doctor.
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Reply about 1 year ago on Apr 02, 2008 by ctmomof3, #6467

Who the hell are you to say "legitimate posts"? Wow I think the Singulair must have gotten to you too, because you seem a bit, um, paranoid?
FYI We took our FIVE YEAR OLD SON off this a month ago due to the side effects because he wanted to die, and he did a complete 360. You think he had suicidal tendancies before the Singulair? Think again. Five year olds don't even know what that means! It did work for his asthma, but I'd rather not hear my son say he wants to leave this earth because of this inexplicable feeling in his body.
Don't come in here and be so heartless when thousands of people and parents (just on this one board alone) have suffered so much heartache, pain, and loss.

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Reply about 1 year ago on Apr 02, 2008 by mygirl12000, #6469

If you were watching your child's wonderful personality change and they start to think in a way that is hurtfull to themselves, you would think twice before posting about being sue happy! My child at 7 has been through the ringer since December, although it has been slow and gradual, I do believe there is hope at the end of the tunnel once she is free of this drug. All these postings are not lies, mothers are pouring their hearts out, we feel the pain our children do. Please keep that thought in mind when you post something negative about our children.

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Reply about 1 year ago on Apr 02, 2008 by paula562, #6473

I am glad to hear that you are done great on this drug, HOWEVER, when they give this drug to a 2 year old that can not fully tell you what is going on with them, it is scary!!! The main thing that I think that needs to be brought to attention is that these so-called "less-common" side effects are obvisouly not so less-common!!!

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Reply about 1 year ago on Apr 02, 2008 by medicdad, #6475

Please read my post if you get some time. I think every adult knows there are a bunch or side effects that could happen with any medication and that life has many risks every day. Wait until you go through some really bad episodes in the next few years and see if your mood starts to change. Singulair for me was'nt that bad until the death of my father. Looking back at the episodes and side effects that are listed by so many on this website, they all match up with when I started Singulair. I don't think anyone is ambulance chasing on this site. For those of us who have gone through true hell of not having our normal personality and who now have stopped this medication. Can say that this site has helped save our lives and we are just sharing our stories to maybe help someone else. All the money in the world will not get back the last few years of my life on Singulair. Two more things I would like to say to you. One, if you are not having any side effects they why are you on this site? Two, take yourself off it for a month and see how you feel. Also, ask your friends and family and see if they notice a change in your personality. Good luck!! You may need it.

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Reply about 1 year ago on Apr 02, 2008 by dtrzaski, #6477

I think singuliar helps some people,but not in my case.You have to realize the majority of these postings are very emotional.Take into the consideration the duration of time these children as well as adults were not feeling well.All of these people looked for possible causes as to why they had these symptoms.My children were on and off singuliar(with no other meds. being taken at the time).In August they were both put on it daily for allergies.There moods became sad,angry and anxious.My 8yr. old had reoccurring ear infections and sinus infections.They were both tested for allergies but with negative results.The allergy doctor stated "their hay fever allergies must be present ,but just not showing up positive.Because clearly they are showing signs of an allergy to something".HELLO!How about being allergic to singuliar.My 7yr.old started complaining about stomach pain in November.EVERY day at least 10 times per day she would tell me her stomach was hurting.She woke up every night with pain.The singuliar was taken before bed time.I did bring her to a gastro. doctor who asked lots of questions.Socially she is well liked,academically smart,well rounded kid.I asked him about singuliar.He said it was not likely causing her symptoms and presribed Prevacid.I did not give it to her.I did not want to cover up the symptom,I wanted them to cure it.I took her off singuliar BEFORE THE NEWS REPORT.Within 2-3 days her stomach pain started subsiding.It has been a week now.Her teacher told me she is not complaining about her stomach pain any longer and seems to be getting back to herself.REMEMBER she was not on any other meds.Most importantly she is sleeping through the night.My 8yr.olds circles around her eyes have finally gone away,moods have improved greatly and she is sleeping much better.What is also very interesting is that their chronic congestion and nasal drip have disappeared.Would you say this is all a coincidence?I didn't think so.

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Reply about 1 year ago on Apr 02, 2008 by julietrep, #6478

To call mothers who have been to hell and back ambulance chasers is the most inconsiderate and rude thing I have ever read. I DO NOT CARE ABOUT THE MONEY!!!! I only want to do what is best for my son which is hard to do when drs tell you one thing, pharmaceutical companies something else, and then you have true life stories like the HUNDREDS of these on this post that are reality....We are just mothers trying to raise healthy, happy children. We are using this site to understand our childrens behaviors and illnesses.....the reason for reporting it to the FDA is to try to save some parents and children the trauma we have all been through! Your opinions are welcome, but your implying that we just need to "read the label", and that we all just have suicidal children is not!

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Reply about 1 year ago on Apr 02, 2008 by jimandjeni, #6483

You have got some nerve! "This is the safest drug" that is pretty interesting to me go and tell that to the parents of the children who have taken their own lives and see how safe they feel it is. I don't know where you get off calling people ambulance chasers I don't give a damn about all that I am not suing anyone and never plan to I just want my son back and to not have him suffer any longer!!! As far as reading labels and listing to your body, our prescription had no black label as they are called when it warns of these effects and when I tried to get to the bottom of the issue by taking my son to the doctor for the effects I was always told it was something else; not even the doctors knew of these ridiculous effects!!! I don't need to justify myself to you nor does anyone else on this site. If you are doing so great on this drug then what are you doing on this site? I am infuriated that people like you get your jollies by getting on this site and making such hurtful comments to people that have suffered!!

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Reply about 1 year ago on Apr 02, 2008 by kate60, #6492

I'm not an ambulance chaser. My son committed suicide on Oct.7th,2007, and I'm Kate Kendle, Not Kate Miller. We both lost our sons. I'm not hiring an attorney. I'm not looking for money because that will not bring my son back. I gathered all of his medical records with the intention of forwarding them to Merck for statistical study. So be careful of your judgment of the rest of us. You have to own up to the fact that there are just too many coincidences. My son was 17 and his name was A.J.

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Reply about 1 year ago on Apr 02, 2008 by gokathymac, #6498

Cash in? Get real. I have spent over $200,000 on care for my son and lost several years of his life. I talked to him today, he stopped taking Singulair on Saturday. Today he reported that he feels "excellent". The day he stopped taking singulair, he wrote a letter telling me how depressed he was and how horrible he felt. Today it sounds like he is a different person. His doctors have know what he takes for years. His primary doctor at home prescribed this medication. No one at any time related singulair to these horrible side affects. I am not an abulance chaser. I am a pissed off parent that is deeply troubled by the fact that I may have lost several good years of my son's life due to this medicine. I resent your idea that I am an ambulance chaser. If you want to walk a couple years in the shoes I've worn for the last few years, maybe you would have a better understanding. You must a lawyer for Merck.

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Reply about 1 year ago on Apr 02, 2008 by cheflette, #6530

I don't think anyone on this site is an ambulance chaser. I took my son off Singulair in 2005 after reading the early posts on this site and my experience with my son was so traumatic that I come back here to read what others are posting just so I can see that other kids are getting off Singulair and getting their lives back. I'm happy that Singulair is helping you, but you're not a child whose brain and body are still developing. You're not a parent who has had to find a way to manage through 6 hour anxiety-induced screaming tantrums from previously quiet, gentle, and loving child. You haven't had to hear your four year old tell you he thinks he should be dead. If, heaven forbid, that day ever comes for you you will be grateful to have a site like this where you can share information and learn about better ways to care for your child. I respect your experience and would appreciate it if you would respect ours and not insult people who are simply trying to take care of their children.

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Reply about 1 year ago on Apr 03, 2008 by twhat, #6559

You obviously do not have a CHILD who was on this drug!! My son started on this drug at age 2 and is now 11. Over the years I would mention to the allergist and pediatrician about his temper tantrums, irritability, clinging to mom way beyond his years and then it has gone into the "I just want to go to heaven, I don't want to be here, I don't have fun like all the other kids etc, etc... You have NO IDEA what we and a whole bunch of other families have lived through. The drs assured me that SINGULAIR was a safe and effective drug. Did it improve his asthma --YES it did. BUt, with all these side effects. I just thought he was irritable bcuz he did not feel well bcuz of all of his allergies/ asthma. So, I find your posting extremely rude and HEARTLESS probably like everyone else that has read it.

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Reply about 1 year ago on Apr 03, 2008 by brandy_m, #6576

For three months I have been taking my daughter to the dr. trying to rule out any and every reason that her behavior, sleep paterns, and eating habits DRASTICALLY changed overnight!!! I truly started worrying that my beautiful two year old was being ABUSED! Family members, daycare providers, and even distant aquatences noticed the difference in her! We parents don't have instruction manuals for our children or how to raise them so we TRUST in the doctors that are supposed to watch out for the health of our children! I don't want money---I want my little girl to tell me she loves me again!! Unfortunatly, the drug companies and doctors are not listening to the HUNDREDS of cases of strikingly similar side effects. That leaves one choice to get this potentially dangerous drug at the very least investigatted if not taken off the market--suing. You know what they say: Money talks. I guess they aren't going to listen until there is money involved. You know how the other saying goes: don't mess with a momma bears cubs unless you want to mess with mamma. I will do WHATEVER it takes to make sure another mother doesn't think her child is being ABUSED because of some side effect!!!!!

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Reply about 1 year ago on Apr 03, 2008 by brandy_m, #6581

On another note....you make us all sound like we are a bunch of idiots. I am sure you will find mothers (and other concerned family members) from all walks of life and all education backgrounds on this site, which only gives more reason for these SERIOUS side effects to be valid. You even admit there are "valid" postings on here......

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Reply about 1 year ago on Apr 03, 2008 by rg500delta, #6606

Ambulance chasing- maybe, from some people. We have a lot of ambulance chasers in this society. However, the similarity between the experiences are amazing. You'd have to work pretty hard to dismiss the common thread. We just discovered this site (and others like it) after our happy, athletic, gymnast daughter transformed over the last few months into an anxiety-ridden, depressed, crying uncontrollably at school, leg-cramping, upset-stomached wreck. She finally quit gymnastics, a sport she has loved for years, because of the panic attacks and frequent nausea. I am disgusted and furious that something she loved so much could be taken away-- by side effects from a drug that was supposed to be helping her. We dealt with her crying uncontrollably for hours at school. Everybody was asking, what was wrong, she's not herself, has something happened at home... What had happened is that she started taking singulair, daily, in November. Oh, it helped with her allergies, you bet. Hardly a worthwhile trade.

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Reply about 1 year ago on Jun 21, 2008 by pamels, #9365

I agree with every other parents concerns with Singular. It seems to me it works for adults maybe but not for young children. I made the decision of taking my now 6 yr old off it in the last 6 months after reading the article. When reported that it was a study and not actually documented cases of suicide I wasn't waiting to get statistics. My daughter who has a great personality started taking at 3 years old when prior I was just giving her Claritin. She started getting in trouble at day care and this year started kindergarten. I figured started school she just needs to get adjusted. Things she was getting blamed for did not sound like my child. I can tell you the school nurse, teachers, myself, family noticed right away upon taking her off the medicine. She always made comments "everyone wants me to die, complained of stomach pains and I thought they were excuses to not go to school. I feel so bad for 2nd guessing my child now. I am glad before something drastically happened I made the parent decision and not listening to medical professionals because only we know our child really and live with them every day to see the changes!!!! I've switched to just giving her claritin when she has symptoms or using her albuterol. If it gets worse I will find a new doctor or turn to herbal remedies as most are doing these days. It worked in the old days and also for the cost of rx's these days. I worked in the medical profession for over 15 yrs and there is a kick back between physicans/hosptials and drug companies promoting different medicines. AND WE ARE AT THE RISK BEING THE GUINEA PIGS!!!!

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