montelukast side effects

[Pinkyboo28]

I’ve heard this tablet comes with a lot of side effects I know everyone is different but please share your experiences with this medication. I’m very worried as this is my next step but I react badly to medication

[Troilus]

I have been on it a few years now Pinkyboo and I have had no side effects at all. The benefits have been sleeping through the night and my nose is not quite as blocked. If you are given it, I would suggest you give it a try.

[Pinkyboo28 in reply to Troilus]

thank you I will give it a try I guess I won’t know untill I try

[andy121]

I’ve been on it for years with no problems at all. It’s worth trying if your given it.

[Pinkyboo28 in reply to andy121]

Will definitely try and will try not to listen to too many horror stories about the side effects

[andy121]

I recall reading most of the bad side effects was in youngsters

[teddyd]

I have been on it for years had no issues.

[beech in reply to teddyd]

Me too 👍

[peege in reply to beech]

Me too, 10 years and no problem. I take it by 8pm

[Gummybearx]

I have been on it too for a few year now and no side effects. Would definitely try it

[Evie3]

couldn’t take it…made all my glands become swollen and painful

[mjrminor]

I've been on it for seven years and never had any negative side effects.

[MoyB]

I'm another one who's been on it for years with no side effects at all. xx Moy

[Scrofulous]

I've been on it for a few years now with no side effects.

[Annezac]

Helps with breathing at night. I do get quite vivid dreams though ( not nightmares), which I can put up with

[teddyd]

I take mine earlier in the day.Taking it in the evening gave me bad dreams .

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador]

I've been on it for 13 years now and it's fine. Yes, some people do react badly and I'm not diminishing that, but a big part of the problem was in children who were on the adult dose and it was too much for them. The child dose has now been halved.

Many people take this and either it has no side effects and works or doesn't work but has no side effects. Of course if you do get bad effects then pay attention and discuss other options with your GP or asthma nurse.

Also worth remembering that people who have no side effects and get on well with a medication tend not to be the ones talking about it online. So what you see online is dominated by people who had side effects, or their children did, and it doesn't show you the people who didn't.

[Pinkyboo28 in reply to Lysistrata]

Thank you

You are right

[Gareth57]

Hi, I unfortunately did get side effects but only after taking for about a year, I was having bad dreams which woke me, so I stopped taking it for a couple of days to confirm and now I take it alternate days which seems to still help my asthma but without getting woken at night.

[HowNowWhatNow]

terrible, terrible nightmares. Paralysing, screaming ones.

That was my daughter’s experience. We kept her on it for months - no change.

Her specialist said 1 in 8 people have this side effect.

[SuziElley]

No side effects whatsoever. My daughter has been on it even longer than me with no side effects. It does help!

[PearNut]

I had mental health side effects that I think were related to it making me sleepy. I already have mental health problems though so it wasn’t worth the risk to me. Other than the sleepiness and feeling insane, it was great for my asthma. Really wish I could have lived with the sleepiness.

[misslindajane61 in reply to PearNut]

Me too..sorry but bad mental health problems due to losing my husband..then they put me on this drug..which does help slightly but really bad anxiety and depression after taking this drug..and now I can't get off it..I have severe asthma..

[Poobah]

The only side effects I've had from Montelukast are vivid dreams occasionally. It's made a big difference to my nasal polyps, and subsequently my asthma. Before I tried Monty I experienced 2 different periods of anxiety and depression, mainly work related, and so was cautious about trying Montelukast.

If it's going to be helpful for your asthma, it should help from the first week. And a review is recommended after 4 weeks, just to ensure it's worth continuing.

[Kekememe1]

My experience is that it didn't help my sinuses at all. I had the best, dramatic dreams on Montelukast though, sometimes I woke up and thought about writing a script. Lol. I didn't have any bad side effects at all. I just never saw any dramatic changes. It works great for some people, others not so much.

[Poppy-Toby]

I took this medication for a while, but had side effects of elevated liver enzymes so had to stop it. Also had vivid dreans whilst on it.

[LizPat30]

Yes I was worried when I was first prescribed this and read the possible side effects but nothing, been fine for me xxx

[Jamesd1234]

I sometimes get quite vivid dreams , which can be a side affect. I’ve been on it for years and hope it helps a bit. I suspect if I’m ever feeling down, it’s likely to be sleep deprivation or nothing at all to do with the montelukast. I would try not to worry and give it a go , it’s very unlikely but if you do struggle with it then stop taking

[CANINE12]

I've been on it for quite a few years with no side effects. If I stop it my asthma gets worse.

[Birthday60]

I’ve been on it since its introduction and had no side effects at all - real game changer in terms of being able to live a life without restrictions. I am aware that there were reports of very rare reactions by young males but this was resolved with a reduction in dose

[KnPoa]

I’ve been on it 14/15 years with no side effects.

[Goldencbc]

I’ve been on it for years with no side effects.

[Flower00]

Hi my first two weeks were not good I had nightmares and hot sweats but following that no problem. Life changer sleep at nights no day time coughing, no fluid build up on lungs. Can't recommend highly enough to try.

[Gymbearo]

I’m one of the people who has really suffered side effects. Started with vivid nightmares and progressed to anxiety and suicidal thought. Neither had ever been an issue beforehand. 8 months later I’m still not right and believe it was the cause. It was brilliant for my asthma and skin but disastrous for my mental wellbeing

[Pinkyboo28 in reply to Gymbearo]

My asthma nurse told me it can cause low moods this cannot happen for me as I have depression and anxiety so I don’t think this is a suitable medicine for me but she said there isn’t an alternative and that if I can’t tolerate this tablet I have to be seen by the respiratory team. I’ve heard from many others about the nightmares and other side effects I guess I will only know once they put me on it

[JJ8675309]

My son had serious side effects from Montelukast. He had been on and off of it since 2013. There is a group on Facebook: Montelukast (singulair) side effects support and discussion group, it may be helpful. They have several resources listed in the group. Please report any side effects.