zafirlukast and montelukast

[Trickz008]

Hi all, I have just stopped zafirlukast as this has been discontinued and put back onto montelukast which doesnt do great things for me. Is anyone else in the same situation and been switched to something completely different. I’m really annoyed as this has controlled my allergic asthma so well over the last three years. Within a day of switching I have so much mucus and a drop in peak flow.

I am only on a two week trial for montelukast (along with my normal qvar inhaler) as it previously gave me weird side effect to see if they still occur. My asthma nurse is brilliant but I want to go armed with suggestions if possible!

Thanks!

[HungryHufflepuff]

Yes! I was on an inhaler that I can't remember the name of, it was green. My asthma was controlled and I had my best ever peak flow then. Then without warning I was changed onto something terrible, Clenil I think, which had awful side effects for me. Now I'm on Fostair which isn't really working for me and my peak flow is the worst ever and on a downward trend. I don't know if the green inhaler was discontinued or just too expensive but it really worked, I was on it for years and was really well that whole time. Why are medications that work taken away?! I hope you can find something that suits you.

[jmlunglocked in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

could it be Seravent or Atrovent? My guess would be Seravent (I spelled it wrong but you could google it)

[HungryHufflepuff in reply to jmlunglocked]

Yes it was Seravent 👍

[Joanna71]

I’m in exactly the same situation. I’ve stopped the montelukast as the side effects were horrendous. I’m now finding my asthma is getting worse each day. So frustrating !!!

[Trickz008 in reply to Joanna71]

I was on montelukast years ago but had tingly skin on my stomach and I was always so aware of a fast heartbeat. I’ve started it again and generally feel pants. I have a call with my asthma nurse scheduled tomorrow. Have you spoken to anyone since stopping the montelukast?

[Joanna71 in reply to Trickz008]

I spoke to my asthma nurse who said it’s either montelukast or nothing. Apparently there isn’t an alternative. I’m just so annoyed that they stopped zafirkulast with no warning. My asthma was so good while I was on this. Will be interested to see what your asthma nurse says.

[Trickz008 in reply to Joanna71]

I’ll let you know. She made it sound like there were alternatives before but I would need to switch my inhaler (which I wasn’t keen to do previously).

[Livre in reply to Joanna71]

Joanna that’s what I got for the last ten years of having asthma. Corticosteroids or that freaky montelukast. All My gps were no help.

Finally after gp sent referral to wrong address months ago got to see a sane good allergy specialist who has hay fever hives and asthma....so very good session.

Given side effects I am on Intal as used for paediatric and sideffects of no consequence. its for allergic asthma.

[Trickz008 in reply to Joanna71]

Just got off the phone with my asthma nurse and she has prescribed Seretide. She said there were no alternatives in the same group as montelukast but there were alternatives in other groups . I haven’t picked up my script yet but I believe it’s a 2-in-1 inhaler e.g preventer + an extra element to control allergy symptoms. I’m sure google will give you a much better description if you want to follow this up further (which I think you should 🙂 )

[Joanna71 in reply to Trickz008]

Thanks for letting me know. I’m already on Flutiform which I think is a cheaper version of seretide. What other inhalers were you using ?

[HungryHufflepuff in reply to Joanna71]

I’ve heard a lot of people say montelukast has really horrendous side effects. I’ve never had it so I can’t comment. But I guess other people will find it has no side effects or the benefits outweigh any problems caused by it.

On a side note I learned that the green inhaler I used to have, which worked really well for me, does still exist. This has really given me hope. I’ve never struggled to breathe as much as I do now. I don’t know if I can be given the green one again but, it seems I was taken off it for financial reasons rather than it having been discontinued, so at least I can ask. It’s hard to understand why a medicine that works so well for someone would be taken away and replaced with something that doesn’t work. Is there really no alternative to montelukast for you? Surely when the side effects outweigh any benefits it can’t be a good thing.

[becky3344 in reply to HungryHufflepuff]

Hi HungryHufflepuff. I'm sorry to hear that you;ve been taken off your green inhaler which works for you. I think i has a green inhaler at one point. I can't remember much about it. Yes i don't agree that a professional would take away an inhaler from someone if it worked and helped control their asthma. I understand about wanting to cut costs/corners. But it's not good. especially if people then can't find an inhaler which works as well as the one they were taken off from.

I'm on Montelukast have been for about a year.

I had a bad asthma attack last year. They ended up putting me on Montelukast, and changing my Qvar to Spriromax inhaler as the preventor.

I will say that the Montelukast has changed my life. I don't get any side effects and it has improved my asthma and controlled it so well. I rarely have to use my blue ventolin inhaler anymore.

So for me Montelukast has been a god send.

[becky3344 in reply to Joanna71]

I'm sorry to hear people taking Montelukast and having very bad reactions to it.

I guess people are different.

Like for me for instance, i take Montelukast, and i don't get any side effects. It's improved my asthma and my so much. I hardly ever have to use my blue inhaler anymore. To me Montelukast really helped me.

[Hidden]

Hi Trickz008 and Joanna71, I'm the same as you. I used to be on montelukast but had really bad nightmares and problems sleeping. I've been on zafirlukast for three and a half years and preferred it (asthma pretty well controlled with no side effects). I've got 2 weeks of zafirlukast left and am dreading going back on montelukast. Am seeing an allergy consultant in October so will let you know if they suggest anything else. I am really sad that AstraZeneca stopped making zafirlukast. Hope you find something else.

[Trickz008 in reply to Hidden]

Been prescribed Seretide (see my reply to Joanna71 above) 👍

[Hidden in reply to Trickz008]

Thanks for letting me know about Seretide. I'll ask my GP about it. I hope it works well for you!

[Livre]

I had that montelukast and after a week it gave me horrific surreal horror dreams of the psychotic variety I guess. Very very bad stuff.

I have started Intal as an oldie and goodie with no side effect worries. Somoneone on the site said it takes a fortnight to really kick in.

So far had to use blue now and then but feeling a lot better.

After the evil done by the corticosteroids I am keen to reconfigure my metabolism from catabolic to,anabolic and recover. If you have been on steroids they knock down hormones terribly. Pregnenolone is good precursor to other hormones. Take small aspirin to block conversion to catabolic inflammatory estrogen.

[Trickz008 in reply to Livre]

I’m so glad Intal seems to be working for you. I’ve just been prescribed Seretide so I will see how that goes! Fingers crossed!

[becky3344 in reply to Livre]

Hi Livre. I'm sorry to hear that you had terrible dreams using Montelukast. I've been taking it for about a year and it's helped control my asthma so well, and i get no side effects with using it. To me it's changed my life for the better.

[Joanna71]

That’s interesting. I’ve just started getting purple spots on my arms like small bruises. Was wondering if it was connected to the flutiform as I’m on a high dose. My asthma is exercise induced. Might ask about that steroid free one as it looks like that could be an option for EIA.

[Trickz008]

Do you know if Symbicort is the same? That was the other one she mentioned.

[Livre]

Trick, symbicort is a corticosteroid too. I have been on it and it has same side effects. I am trying to get off it onto just Intal.