Asthma Drugs Get 'Precaution' Labeling for Possible Psychiatric Side Effects

"The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Friday requested that the makers of a class of asthma drugs called leukotriene receptor agonists place a "precaution" on the drugs' labeling, warning of the potential for neuropsychiatric events.

The drugs in question include the blockbuster medication Singulair (montelukast), as well as Accolate (zafirlukast). Zyflo and Zyflo CR (zileuton), drugs in a class known as leukotriene synthesis inhibitors, are also included in the labeling change.

The reported neuropsychiatric events include postmarket cases of agitation, aggression, anxiousness, dream abnormalities and hallucinations, depression, insomnia, irritability, restlessness, suicidal thinking and behavior [including suicide], and tremor"

Full story here:
http://www.forbes.com/feeds/hscout/2009/06/12/hscout628062.html

Thank you for this information. I started a thread awhile back asking about kids having behavioral side-effects from Singulair. My DD did (she's not taking it anymore), and many others said their kids did too.

I take singulair. I already take paxil for anxiety/depression. I dont have a choice, I have allergic asthma and if I want to breathe I take the singulair.
lotsolove

Singular not only gave me deperession and insomnia side effects, but also game me extreme migraines. I was diagnosed with asthma at birth pretty much (now 23) and have been diagnosed with chronic asthma. We've found so many other things that keep my asthma in control, which it needs to be especially considering I'm a dancer and a cheerleader.

thanks

I no longer need asthma meds but my friend and her son are on asthma meds

ETA: I was on Ventolin inhaler, Becotide inhaler and salbutamol tablets

My doctor thought I was nuts when I said Michael was having depression, angry, suicidal thoughts, ect.. on this medication.

He has a new doctor and of course I took him off and he is all better.

I use QVar as my preventative inhailer... mostly only during my worst allergy season (though after a strong lecture from my allergist I apparently have year round allergies and dust mites are BY FAR my worst enemy)... any who...

Anyone know the difference and why these newer drugs are so common and my Q-Var is not?

I also take Albuterol but almost everyone with Asthma does.

WhatAboutPuppy said:

Anyone know the difference and why these newer drugs are so common and my Q-Var is not?

Click to expand...

Well- there are different classes of medications. The medications they are issuing the warning for are leukotriene synthesis inhibitors. They are pills. Most pulms and allergists I've talked to like to use them when other treatments fail, in addition to one or more other meds. LOTS of people want to take the pill instead of the steroid inhaler and lots of docs will prescribe them as the first medication. There are four main classes of asthma specific medications- short acting bronchodialators (rescue inhalers- ex: albuteral), inhaled steroids (q-var, pulmnicort), long acting bronchodialators (one of the two ingredients in advair, serevent- must be used w/ steroid), and leukotriene synthesis inhibitors (singular, zyflo). The other medications that can be used are allergy medications like antihistamines, allergy shots, and decongestants; oral and IV corticosteroids; and the new (and expensive!) shot Xolair (I'm sure I'm not covering *everything*- just most of it).

Steroid inhalers like q-var (I use to be on another version of it back in the day) are a really good first line of defense because they prevent inflammation. If a steroid doesn't work on it's own (using rescue inhaler twice a week or more) and changing steroids/doses doesn't work they then introduce a second class of preventative medication. So on and so forth- at one point I was on 6 different medications (allergra D, albuteral, pulmnicort, serevent, singulair, nasal spray) to control my asthma/allergies. Right now I need to be on more than I am, but I'm uninsured so I deal with less.

One reason less people use q-var now than in the past is that some people seem to develop an immunity to a steroid inhaler over time, so they have to change to another steroid inhaler. Vanceril was the first med I was on, I've since been on pulmnicort, flovent, and now advair (which I *think* has flovent). When I get insurance this winter I will probably be changing to another combo (steroid+long acting bronchodilator) medication.

You sure sound like my childhood... I have no idea what the names of everything was, but there were shots, nebulizer, allergy pills and nose sprays, an inhaler, some other pills... and I can't feel ear infections so I was on some 'cillin stuff. lol I don't remember, it was just my job to comply.

Thank you for explaining more.

CelticLabyrinth said:

Steroid inhalers like q-var (I use to be on another version of it back in the day) are a really good first line of defense because they prevent inflammation. If a steroid doesn't work on it's own (using rescue inhaler twice a week or more) and changing steroids/doses doesn't work they then introduce a second class of preventative medication. So on and so forth- at one point I was on 6 different medications (allergra D, albuteral, pulmnicort, serevent, singulair, nasal spray) to control my asthma/allergies. Right now I need to be on more than I am, but I'm uninsured so I deal with less.

Click to expand...

Wow, you sounds like me! Before I got pregnant I was on the same meds, except Allergra 180 instead of the D and no pulmnicort. I just got back on flonase, singulair and either pulmnicort or singular 180. My allergist gave me some samples of the pulmnicort and said take that until I ran out then he gave me an Rx for the Allergra 180. I can't stand the pulmnicort, it makes me gag and leaves the worst bitter taste in my mouth forever. So I stopped taking it.

Thank you!
My 20 month old is on Nasonex and Singular for extreme post nasal drip(which caused a chronic night cough). The post nasal drip is likely caused by her reaction to gluten(she is a Celiac).
I think it's fair to say she just took her last dose tonight. I had assumed her 'acting up' and 'fussiness' was due to her age and not feeling well because of needing to be back on gluten before her biopsy....maybe it's the meds.

rachandsoph said:

Thank you!
My 20 month old is on Nasonex and Singular for extreme post nasal drip(which caused a chronic night cough). The post nasal drip is likely caused by her reaction to gluten(she is a Celiac).
I think it's fair to say she just took her last dose tonight. I had assumed her 'acting up' and 'fussiness' was due to her age and not feeling well because of needing to be back on gluten before her biopsy....maybe it's the meds.

Click to expand...

For the sake of fairness I was on it and never experienced any side effects with mood (and I have mood issues). It's one of those "it could be, or not, no way of knowing".

I would call your Dr. and ask if there is another medication they can prescribe. Do they think she has allergies? Or do they think the post-nasal drip is triggering some sort of asthma like symptoms? There are other medicines they can try in both scenarios :twocents: .