Mast Cell Disorders Forum - So I just got singulair!

Britt

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So I just got singulair!
08/31/12 at 12:49:44

Insurance approved my singulair today! I just picked up my prescription! I'm just nervous to take it! I know everyone is different, but are there side effects from this drug?? I tend to adverse reactions to drugs. I was prescribed vistoril for a backup med but was told it would make me sleepy. But it did anything but! I was spun out! So I stopped taking that one! I wasn't nervous about the singulair because I thought it was another antihistamine, but when I found out it was a different class of drugs, I got a little scared! I've already taken two Zyrtec and one Zantac today and some Benadryl. Should I take it now?? It's 5:00 pm out here in Reno!Please help!!!!

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Doozlygirl

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Re: So I just got singulair!
Reply #1 - 08/31/12 at 13:50:50

Brigitte,
Singulair, an antileukotriene, is typically an asthma med used to prevent histamines from setting off the prostaglandin and leukotriene cascade. Singulair stops blocks these chemicals from being released. Patients diagnosed with asthma have mast cell issues localized in their lungs tend to tolerate Singulair.

I too have lots of issues with meds, but I didn't have any issues with Singulair. It may make you sleepy, so my pharmamcist suggested to take it at night with my bedtime meds. If I don't take it, I can definitely tell. I also take an extra one when I feel chest congestion during degranulation.

Best wishes, Lyn

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DeborahW, Founder

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Re: So I just got singulair!
Reply #2 - 08/31/12 at 14:45:27

I used to take it and now take it as needed if I am triggering and my other meds aren't helping. Since it is only take once a day, I took it at 2:30 - the middle of the day. It was great. No side effects and no drowsiness for me.

I would advise always trying a new med during the day. We get tired and stressed by evening, and thus more liable to trigger to anything. So trying it in the late morning might be a good time. Then if you have any problems (you probably won't), you can handle it better because it is daytime and easier to contact doctors, etc.

I react to tons of meds also, but those are antibiotics not mast cell meds. I think you will love Singulair and won't have any problems. If you stress yourself about it and make yourself nervous, you will trigger your own symptoms because stress does that. Then you will never know if it was the Singulair that caused the reaction or if you stressed yourself into it. If you can stop worrying, I don't think you will have any bad reaction after you try it.

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Feel well!
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Britt

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Re: So I just got singulair!
Reply #3 - 08/31/12 at 14:54:42

Thanks Lyn, thanks Deborah! So singulair works on "stuff" that antihistamines don't work on???? What happens when the cascade falls? All the bad symptoms??? So this morning I woke up feeling great. One of my most dear friends got into town from Las Vegas. Before I picked her up, I asked her if she had any fragrances on. She said no. So I went to get her. As soon as she got in I got sick. I could smell the deodorant. I rolled down all the windows in the car and tried not to breath!!! Then she told me that she forgot and had put on deodorant and tried to wipe it off (we all know that doesn't work!) anyways, I was sick the rest of the day. Then the pharmacy called to say that insurance had approved my singulair and it was ready for pick up. I was hesitant to take it, but I figured I couldn't feel any worse, so I took it a little over an hour ago. I hope it's not a coinky dink, but I feel sooooooo much better! I can't believe it! I hope it's not a fluke! Does singulair make everyone feel so much better!!! OMG! Cheesy

I feel a sense of calm in my body I haven't felt in a long time! What do you feel like when you don't take singulair??? BTW Deborah, after you wrote me last week to try singulair, that's when I got my doc to prescribe! So thanks for the push!

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DeborahW, Founder

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Re: So I just got singulair!
Reply #4 - 08/31/12 at 15:30:31

Yay! So glad that it worked so well!! Yes, it is true that it really makes you feel that much better!! It is a 24 hr med, so just take it around the same time tomorrow, or if you want to take it earlier, just take it maybe 2 hours earlier tomorrow and then 2 hours earlier the next day until you get to your desired time to take it. It will continue working as it do today, so you can look forward to that!

Here is a little trick of mine: I figured that I would rather feel good during my awake hours rather than when I am sleeping. Since I do fine overnight (due to my normal lifestyle of being aware and avoiding triggers as much as I can each day), I realized that there was no reason that I had to take my evening meds really late evening and not get the full benefit of feeling good from those meds because I was asleep. So, I moved my evening meds earlier to 4 pm. I take my morning meds when I get up (during the school year that is 6:15). Then singulair was at 2:30. It is great to feel well in the evening because my meds are in full effect and it is not right before bedtime. So that works great in helping your feel well all the time!

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Britt Mentor Offline I Love YaBB 2! Posts: 327	Re: So I just got singulair! Reply #5 - 08/31/12 at 16:22:33 Wow! I'm still in awe! I feel like I took a Valium or something! Lol my body is always so keyed up and irritable and sick. This is crazy! Is this what normal feels like??? I can't thank you all enough! This forum is a life saver! I pray that anyone with any mast cell disorder will find this forum for support!
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gd0001

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Re: So I just got singulair!
Reply #6 - 08/31/12 at 20:53:07

Britt wrote on 08/31/12 at 16:22:33:

Wow! I'm still in awe! I feel like I took a Valium or something! Lol my body is always so keyed up and irritable and sick. This is crazy! Is this what normal feels like??? I can't thank you all enough! This forum is a life saver! I pray that anyone with any mast cell disorder will find this forum for support!

That is the exact same feeling i had when i took prednisone. I've never felt that relaxed in my life. The side effects of prednisone are supposed to be anxiety, but it took away an adrenaline type feeling i've had since i got sick and i feel much more relaxed.

I'm definitely on the right track with the new drugs im trying.

I just started claratin, it helps. I also tried aspirin and it helped too with my cognitive issues, but i started to have stomach aches and nausea.

I hopefully will get to try singulair next.

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Britt

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Re: So I just got singulair!
Reply #7 - 09/01/12 at 10:11:59

Ok, so last night I took my first singulair, and like I said, it kind of felt like I had taken a Valium or something. By body was so calm I couldn't believe it! When I laid down to go to bed I felt so calm too (which isn't normal for me, 80% of the time I feel like I'm going to explode!) anyways, by the middle of the night I kept waking up kind of in a weird twilight sleep and I was having weird dreams. I also noticed that I was clenching my jaw. This morning I had a slight headache, my bidy was achy,sore throat and my chest hurt like I am catching a cold. Could these be side effects from the singulair? Or maybe I am getting a cold. When I do get a virus, I usually feel this way. Maybe a coincidence?? Now, at 2pm I feel pretty relaxed again, but I have a kind of hollow empty feeling in my body. Weird. I'm thinking of maybe cutting my singulair today in half?? I am extremely sensitive to medications, I always prefer to start off in baby doses of anything. Maybe I just have to get used to the feeling of singulair! I don't know!

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Joan

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Re: So I just got singulair!
Reply #8 - 09/01/12 at 15:06:27

This is a link to the Merck website and it's patient information sheet on Singulair. There are a number of potential side effects, and they're listed on this sheet.

As for splitting them, a pharmacist can tell you whether or not that's okay. Time-released pills or capsules shouldn't be split because sometimes there is active ingredient in the coating which dissolves first, and the center dissolves later. Breaking a pill like that could cause too much medicine to be released right away. Or, the active ingredient(s) might not be evenly distributed in a compressed pill, so the dosage wouldn't be the same each time. Allegra is one drug that shouldn't be split for the that reason.

In the case of Singulair, it's available in a child's dose and in granules, so it should be possible to get it that way in order to begin with a lower dose. If you think you might be having an adverse reaction or if the med is too strong for you at this time, you should call your doctor to report it.

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Joan

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