Singulair and struggle

After reading this website and struggling with some pretty severe side effects with our son over the last 5 years, we decided to replace Singulair with a different asthma med. Guess what? After 2 weeks, we saw a TOTAL turnaround with our son! It was like night and day. I can't believe we let our son struggle with this side effect for 5 years. Singulair DID work great for our boy, but it just isn't worth the side effect that he had.

I would like to share this information with everyone. First, I would like to caution all that it does not prove anything regarding the negative side effect of Singulair but it does suggest that there might (only might) be a physiological cause for any side effect that could be attributed to brain function.

A Chinese team has been studying the receptor (Cysteinyl leukotrienes receptor 1) that is targeted by Singulair and is responsible for the method of action that makes Singulair successful. Here is one of their studies.

1: Neurosci Lett. 2004 Jun 17;363(3):247-51. Links
Expression of cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 in human traumatic brain injury and brain tumors.Zhang WP, Hu H, Zhang L, Ding W, Yao HT, Chen KD, Sheng WW, Chen Z, Wei EQ.
Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, 353, Yan An Road, Hangzhou 310031, PR China.

Cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) are potent proinflammatory mediators. CysLT receptor 1 (CysLT(1)) is one of the two CysLT receptors that has been cloned. Although the expression of CysLT(1) in the brain has been demonstrated by Northern blot and RT-PCR analyses, the location of CysLT(1) in the brain remains unknown. The objective of this study was to examine the distribution of CysLT(1) by immunohistochemical analysis in human brains with traumatic injury or tumors. CysLT(1) was expressed intensely in the microvascular endothelial cells in both normal and abnormal conditions. At 8 days after traumatic injury, microvascular regeneration was found and all of the endothelial cells highly expressed CysLT(1). In gray and white matters of the normal regions of the brain, CysLT(1) was expressed weekly or not at all. However, the CysLT(1) expression increased in the neuron- and glial-appearing cells in gray and white matters after traumatic brain injury. CysLT(1) was also detected in astrocytoma, ganglioglioma and metastatic adenocarcinoma, and the expression in the neuron- and glial-appearing cells around brain tumors increased robustly.

PMID: 15182953

Here is the relevant part of the study.

"Although the expression of CysLT(1) in the brain has been demonstrated by Northern blot and RT-PCR analyses, the location of CysLT(1) in the brain remains unknown."

That sentence says that these scientists believe that CysLT1 exists in the brain but they don't know what the location in the brain is.

It is logical to assume that if a receptor exists in any part of the body that it has a function in other words it does something or tells some other part of the body to do something. So we don't know what part of the brain or what the receptor does in the brain or what the effect on the body is if the receptor does not do it's job.

We do know that Singular (montelukast, Cysteinyl leukotriene receptor 1 antagonist) blocks this particular receptor so if the receptor exists in the brain that it COULD BE POSSIBLE that Singular prevents this receptor in the brain from doing it's job whatever that is.

I know that it is difficult to argue with doctors. This drug has been around a long time. It would be difficult to understand why we are just learning about problems after so long a period of time. I can see from all of these responses that these problems are very real. Of course, we have no idea if Singulair is related or not. But if you need something supportive to show that it is not impossible for them to be related even though there is no proof that they are related, you could print this out and discuss it with your doctor.

This isn't proof of anything but at least it might be a clue.

Hi
I posted my story with my son on March 29th approx. at 11 something. My story is talking about my 15yr old son and his struggle with his emotions and drugs. Is there someone out there that may be going through the same thing? I am desperately struggling with this. I need to know if there is someone else that is going through this. If so, PLEASE email or reply to my story.
Thank you

I have an 8 year daughter who has been on singular since the age of 4. I began to notice behavior changes, but contributed it to me being a single mom, and her aneixty about school. She became very germ a phobic and these behaviors became worse when she began displaying aggression towards me and her grandmother, not wanting to go to school, inability to focus and very "worried" about getting sick and dying. She is now in the 3rd grade and was diagnosed w/ aneixty disorder and ADHD and is taking two different meds for this. It does take much to get her upset and she often describes herself as a horrible person, and she "hates" her life. This was a very happy infant, and easy going child. Now it is a struggle everyday to keep everything "under control" and her stable. I wonder. Many of the stories that i have just read are so similar to mind and I know how difficult it is. I did not give my daughter her singular as she has mild allergy induced asthma and I will be consulting my Pediatrician ASAP, to find other options.

Folks, I have put several posts and replies on here. I am trying to be advocate as much as I can. My family went through hell with this drug and my 4 year old. He has been off it since October of 07 and I can report that he is about 90% recovered. I finally have my son back!! I am a paramedic and have seen these effects on other children first hand! Aspartame is in almost everything. Sure some kids may be having a reaction to that. Most likely not. It may be the inert ingredients. Most allergists do not test for that. However I would be willing to put money where my mouth is and say that neither one of these scenarios is the case. Merck knows what is going on and has failed to do anything. WHY you ask because Singulair is their number one money maker!!!!!!! Please read my other posts. Yes I am very passionate about this. My innocent 4 year old had his world stripped from him. He could not understand the thoughts or pains he was going through. It was overwhelming. No child should have to go through that at any age. Just ask the mother on this board who lost her son from this drug. Trust me folks it can happen to you!! No parent wants to ever face that. It is unbearable. I have seen it first hand, more than I would ever like to. The only thing that we can do as parents is protect our children. Be an advocate. Contact your Attorney General, The FDA. Heck I even wrote Bill O Reily. Maybe if enough of us do that, things will change. My hope is that other parents as ourselves have done stumble upon this website and realize the problem at hand!! Best of luck to you all. My heart is with you as I know this can be a very challenging struggle.

I have been on Singulair for 2 1/2 years for asthma. Although it didn't totally get my asthma under control, it lessened it a lot. (it took me getting on Advair along with Singulair to almost completely cut my dependence on albuterol inhalers to stop my asthma attacks.) A few months back I was feeling so great that I wasn't having any attacks that I decided I could stop taking Singulair. BIG MISTAKE. Within 5 days my wheezing had returned, I had a significant asthma attack that landed me in the emergency room. Moral of that story: DON'T QUIT YOUR MEDS UNLESS YOU CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR. I do have the dry mouth side effect but that's a small price to pay to be able to breathe without struggle. I live in a large city where I'm always subjected to pollution and I thank God every day for Singulair and Advair.

my friends son is four he has been on singular for a year and a half is has doubled in weight he wears a size 8 i came on hear looking for some answers and i have found some he does not listen, hitting, tantrums, he is so big he can not keep up with my kids and it is awful to see a kid struggle that way hes a lttle boy the weight gain has nothing to do with the diet his mother has him on my kids eat the same stuff and they r SKINNY!!!!!

I have seasonal allergies and asthma. My doctor prescribed Singular and within 2 days I had gained 3 lbs. It is a struggle to prevent further gain. I am eating very healthy with normal portion sizes. I have a low fat, low carb, whole grain diet. No junk foods. Other side effects I have experienced are fatigue, weak upper arms, cramping in the upper thighs, charley horses in the middle of the night and bad dreams.