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Singulair effectiveness

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Posted 10/29/2007 6:19 AM (GMT -6)
My primary just put me on singulair for allergies/mild asthma.  If I have asthma, and I think I do, it is the cough-variant asthma.  He said if singulair doesn't work, I should go to an allergist and find out exactly what I'm allergic to.  He would certainly prescribe me an inhalant medication, but if he did I would never learn exactly what I was allergic to.  In the meantime, I started taking sinulair a couple of days ago.  Right away, my nasal allergies got a lot better.  Still have the cough, though, and I'm sure it's allergies because it only happens outside in the air.  How long before sinulair helps the cough, if it helps at all?

Thanks for any information!

Elcamino

Posted 10/29/2007 8:41 AM (GMT -6)
You Need to see the Allergist as soon as you can. You can get a medication from the allergist to help better with your cough, which would be an inhaler. Singulair is not a fast acting medication, but will help in the long run. For allergy testing you'll be given a list of what medications not to be on and that includes the Zyrtec, Allavert-D and Zantac, plus some other meds.......Singulair helps with both allergies and asthma and is not in the same class as the Antihistamines...for asthma Singulair is supposed to be taken at night and for allergies in the morning. I have always taken it at night. Hope this helps you..Good luck and get into the allergy/asthma doctor soon okay.........Keep us posted and soft hugz.............. yeah
Posted 10/29/2007 9:00 AM (GMT -6)

Thanks for the reply.  My primary did tell me to take it at night because for reasons unknown, it works better for asthma at night, and it doesn't really matter what time you take it for allergies.  I was trying to avoid going to an allergist.  I take a couple of immunosupressant medications for rheumatoid arthritis so my immune system does not function properly.  Allergy testing may be a futile exercise because my immune system would most likely not react appropriately.  For example, I had a tb test done about 8 or 9 months ago that included a control (measles, or something like that).  My immune system failed to recognize either the tb or measles.  Bottom line is if I have to have allergy testing done, I may have to go off my arthritis medications and I'm not willing to do that right now.  It takes a very long time for those drugs to start working, and I don't want to have start over.  Of course, primary said some allergies are histamine based and some are antibody based.  One of these, I forget which, would probably test ok despite the immunosupressant meds.  This post sounds like I'm whining--I'm really not.  Just explaining the situation.  How long before singulair would start working, if it works for my cough at all? 

Thanks,

Elcamino

Posted 10/29/2007 10:14 AM (GMT -6)
You could explain this to the allergy/asthma doctor and they still might give you some inhalers to help. Xopenex is a good rescue inhaler and would help right away, So go and make the appointment it should not be a waste of money and could help, not all doctors in this area do allergy testing. I wish I had a better answer for your question, but Singulair is for long term asthma control and it works better combined with inhalers. Alone, you might not get a lot of relief. Sorry......Look it up online in a google search. Hope this helps, tc and hugz
Posted 10/29/2007 10:34 AM (GMT -6)
I started on Singulair about a month ago and it treated my allergy symptoms within 1 week or so. I woke up and I couldn't believe how much better I was feeling! I don't know if I have asthma (doubt it though) but it definately helps with my allergies. No more pnd, coughing, sniffling, sneezing etc.

I know what you mean about the immune suppressing drugs. I went in for allergy testing (RAST) and all my tests came back negative. I asked my primary if the fact that I am on 6mp could cause the negative reading because one of the things I asked to be tested for was hazelnuts (I'm 100% I'm allergic to) and even that came back negative. She gave me a blank stare and said she honestly didn't know. So then I brought up the same question to my GI doc and he said that it shouldn't affect an allergy testing because they use different ? -forgot what he called it. So then I told him about the hazelnuts and he sort did a hmmm and didn't say much else.
Posted 10/29/2007 11:43 AM (GMT -6)
Yes allergy testing is not always the answer and can have false results, but a good allergy/asthma doctor can do breathing test, head ct scans ect to help with diagnosis, you don't have to do the allergy testing. the Allergy/asthma doctor could answer this question of yours about Singulair a whole lot better. Go for it.........
Posted 10/29/2007 12:32 PM (GMT -6)
I know for me personally I may end up persuing the matter by going to a specialist because all my docs don't have a clue. So I agree that maybe a specialist might be able to help you.
Posted 10/29/2007 9:23 PM (GMT -6)

Elcamino,

I agree that you need to get into see an allergist, not necessarily for allergy testing, but simply because allergist are usually best at treating asthma patients.  After you give an allergist your history, he/she may decide not to allergy test you any way, but there are other test they can do and you can describe your symptoms, that's important.  At least this way if they think you have asthma, you can be prepared with rescue medications.  I can't express to you how important that is if you do have asthma.  Please keep us posted.

I had to go down to Nashville last night for a sleep study and I don't know what triggered it, but I had an asthma attack before they even got me wired up.  I forgot that they could see me and they came running in my room to see what they needed to do and I showed them I was putting the medicine in my nebulizer to do a breathing treatment and I would be o.k. and if not I had an epi pen with me also.  I'm sure they watched to make sure I was o.k.  I never leave home without being prepared.  I can't afford to.  Vanderbilt does their sleep studies at a nearby Marriott Hotel, so it's not so much like a hospital setting, but they do have doctors and nurses on staff.  They are probably not used to patients coming for a sleep study and having an asthma attack before they even wire them up.

Take care!

Carla

Posted 10/30/2007 6:12 AM (GMT -6)

Thanks for your input everyone.  It's been almost a week, and singulair has helped my nasal allergies greatly, but hasn't done a whole lot for my cough.  I most likely will go see an allergist; I just hate going to new doctors.  But I do know from watching my mother (who had severe asthma) that a full blown asthma attack can be very deadly. 

Take care everyone,

Elcamino

Posted 10/30/2007 8:48 PM (GMT -6)

Elcamino,

I'm really glad you are considering going to see an allergist.  You have seen it firsthand with your Mom and you know how deadly it can be.  Please take good care of yourself and stay in touch with us.  We really do care about what happens to you.  How is your Mom doing now?

Love and Prayers,

Carla

Posted 10/31/2007 11:56 AM (GMT -6)

Hi Carla,

My mother passed away in 2000, but not from her asthma.  She developed interstitial lung disease associated with mixed connective tissue disease (see where I get the AI issues) and her lungs eventually failed her.  Just like Robert Goullet (sp) who died (I think) this past weekend.  But as I was growing up, she had several asthma attacks--had to go to the ER every time.  And spent most of my life coming down off prednisone.

Elcamino

Posted 10/31/2007 8:04 PM (GMT -6)

Elcamino,

I'm sorry about the loss of your mother.  So you do know quite a lot about asthma and lung diseases.  I certainly know what your are referring to about coming down off of Prednisone.  I have the round face and have gained about 70 lbs in the fives years I've had asthma, but then mine is severe.  It sounds like your mother's was also.

Too much Prednisone can make me a wild woman!  about three years ago I had to have steroids by IV to save my life in the ER and I don't really know what all they gave me, probably plenty of epi also, but hey, I'm alive.  My allergist called me the next morning to tell me that she still wanted me to stay on Prednisone, stay home from work for at least a week and she was ordering Xanax for me to take during the day and at night.  I'm thinking, I've never taken Xanax during the day.  Boy, it was a good thing she did that.

I was yelling at my daughters over the phone.  I also lived about a half a block away from the university where I worked and I was used to people taking a short cut through my back yard and I just ignored it.  I was out there every day screaming at people to get out of my back yard. After it was all over, I was thinking thank goodness for the Xanax, I wonder what I would have done to the poor people without it.

Take care!

Carla 

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