What have you found to be the most effective treatment (s) for your asthma symptoms?
For me which helps except for when I have an asthma flare, is the highest Symbicort twice per day, two puffs each time, generic xopenex (quick acting inhaler) or the liquid form of that in a nebulizer (Only with flare ups or the few times when I hd covid do I take the neb or inhaler as Symbicort keeps my asthma at bay. For seasonal allergies (Spring, Summer, Fall) , I use flonase sensimist and xyzal antihistamine. I recently started Montelukast - will see if that improves my breathing test coming up in a few months.
My fear is the Montelukast with reading the scary side effects that one can have.
Thanks for sharing your treatment journey with us. It's quite understandable to have hesitation and worry about taking Montelukast. In managing your asthma, it's essential to weigh the risks and benefits of treatment to ensure you're getting the best care for your condition. I do hope you find benefit with this medication. It has helped many here. If you care to read up on it more, below is a link to find other articles on our site. Your treatment plan appears to be optimal for you. Wishing you the best in health and well-being. Warmly - Rebecca (team member)
https://asthma.net/search?s=montelukast
Thanks Rebecca for the link to the other articles on Montelukast. I did read some of the articles. I gave Montelukast a try for 2 weeks, but seems like I was really tired for part of the next day and also a little dizzy and was feeling a little bit more agitated than usual and after reading all the side effects, I decided to stop and will ask my asthma Dr at my late July appt more questions/concerns. I am so glad it helps others! That is wonderful!
I also need to know if it helps more specifically with asthma or is it more with allergies (I do have both) and see what she says so she was fine with me stopping that drug. Just wasn’t sure if the side effects were really bothering me or just thinking of the side effects. 😔Thanks for giving us an update on your symptoms while on Montelukast. From what I understand it doesn't take this medication long to be effective. It should help almost immediately. I've never used Xyzal but I am sure as an allergy pill (antihistamine), it may have caused some of the dizziness and other symptoms such as the fatigue and agitation you mentioned. As for the indications of Montelukast, it is FDA-approved for both chronic asthma as well as allergies. I do hope you find something to help with your symptoms. It can be difficult to manage day by day if you're struggling to manage asthma and allergies. Sending you thoughts of relief. Rebecca (team member)
Also, can it replace corticosteroids eventually and a rescue inhaler. It would be so wonderful if a little tablet could do that without all the side effects!
I also would like to thank you for sharing with us the medicines you use to control your asthma and allergies. I used Symbicort myself for many years, and it seemed to work quite well at keeping my asthma under control. With the exception of the few flare-ups where, like you, I use a rescue inhaler or nebulizer. I also wanted to talk about my own experience with Singulair. For most of my life, I was miserable in the springtime due to pollen. And I started taking Singulair about 15 or so years ago and now I feel normal this time of year. It's amazing how good it makes me feel. Does it improve asthma or allergies? Well, for me, it has greatly improved my allergies, which in turn prevents flare-ups. Can you get off your other meds (like corticosteroids) if it works? I think the answer to that is "it depends." In my case, I am still required to take my corticosteroids. Although, I am aware of some asthmatics that do well with just the one pill. So, I hope you find this brief response helpful. What do you think? John. fellow asthmatics/ community moderator.
Thanks John- I am new to asthma.net and I am starting to read the profiles of the moderators. Thanks for responding. 😊
That is so neat that you are a respiratory therapist! Being asthmatic, you understand how others feel and that is so neat and important. It is scary having asthma and not having everyone one knows understanding asthma/allergies and how one feels with it with the flare ups too.
I also had thyroid cancer in 2009 and had my thyroid out and I’m on Synthroid which I have been taking at night for years, but I may be switching to take that in the morning just because I drink so much water witj that and also with the antihistamine that it keeps me up at night.
I’m so glad that Singulair has helped you and you’ve taken it for so long.
I guess I have some fears such as reading about the potential of Churg Strauss syndrome regarding this dug and does it enter the brain barrier as it must if it can cause possible mental health issues. I know Symbicort also has side effects as does every drug, the syndrome part is scary- it sounds like that chance is very rare but I read about some who had on the AAFA site.
For my allergies it seems like I mostly get itchy eyes (allergic to ash tree pollen, grasses, indoor/outsoor molds, animals) I do have a short hair, female cat, and I don’t have symptoms around her.
For my seasonal allergies, Usually Flonase or Alaway drops help with the itchy eyes or else I get the flareups at times with the wheezy inflammation in my chest, which I had to go on a five day dose of prednisone in early May and then I had tried the Montelukast mid May as a pre K teacher I sub for suggested I try as it has helped her daughter and another teacher she teaches with- I’m not sure it was helping me or not. There’s a possibility I can go back on it after further talking with my asthma doctor late July. I was just feeling like it may have caused a little bit of agitation within a week of taking it and dizziness and tiredness the next day. That could’ve also been the Xyzal my asthma doctor put me on which I have been taking ever since the p.m. of May 8.
If that Montelulast could prevent me from going on prednisone, which also has side effects that would be great so I guess I have to revisit and think about this more.
What allergy symptoms did you used to experience- glad Singulair has helped you so much!!Thank you for the update and further information about your asthma and allergies. To answer your question, the allergy symptoms that I experienced were stuffy nose, sneezing, itchy eyes, and sometimes trouble breathing. It took a long time, and a lot of trial and error, before I found the perfect combination of medications and doses of them to get my allergies and asthma under control. To be candid with you, there was one time about ten years ago where I got depressed and wondered if it was the Singulair. And I later learned that this feeling was not caused by the Singulair but another medicine I was taking for blood pressure. The following spring, my allergies were horrible again, and my doctor said to try Singulair again. And once again it worked great and I have not experienced side effects. So, as noted, sometimes it takes some trial and error -- and a doctor who is willing to work with you.
Likewise, as you note, my dad encouraged me to be a respiratory therapist because he said I'd have empathy for my patients. And he was correct, as this has turned into a great career for me. Do you write your questions down that you want to ask your doctor? John. community moderator.
