Singulair (Montelukast)

Jthanmyfitnesspal

I monitor my sleep using a Garmin watch. It's crude, but at least somewhat helpful. Of course, there's also my recollection of the night and how I feel the next day.

In January, I had a period of improving sleep. I was really feeling great!

But, into for the past several weeks, my sleep went back into the Garmin watch "fair" and "poor" rating range. I've been trying Singulair (Montelukast) in the same period to treat my allergies (which are really annoying and interferes with my work, among other thinngs).

But, Montelukast is known to interfere with sleep for some people, and I think I have the data to prove it was doing exactly that in my case. It also didn't seem particularly effective (relative to OTC alternatives like Zyrtec). I think I can live without it.

Has anyone else tried it? What's your favorite allergy regimen?

COGypsy

I've found it best to stay on a year-round regimen. Mine looks like:

AM:
24 Hour Allegra
12 Hour Sudafed
A squirt in each nostril of azelastine, an antihistamine nose spray
Albuterol puff if needed

PM:
Saline rinse
More azelastine
50mg hydroxyzine (also for sleep)

I haven't been prescribed Singulair for regular allergies. A few years ago I had hives for about 6 months that wouldn't go away and I took Singulair for a few months to try and control that. I think it made me sleepy....but I was on a lot of meds to try and get the hives to stop. The hives are gone, and this is the routine that's kept symptoms manageable for the last couple of years or so. Seems like I periodically have to rework the system, so maybe that's what's needed for you too.

mnfva1

So I’ve been on singular for years and I also suffer from insomnia. I literally never thought about connecting the two. Of course I take the singular because I have allergy induced asthma so it’s kind of a necessity for breathing during high allergy seasons which is 3/4 the year where I live. I also take a Zyrtec at night. We’re at the time of year where my allergies pick up despite those and I usually have to add a Claritin for the am until mid/late fall.

avatiach

In the am I take singulair and Zyrtec. Nighttime, nasonex.

Morning and night, a steroid inhaler.

Most of the time that is enough. In very high allergy season sometimes I add Benadryl at night.

Oh, and I am taking allergy shots.

I haven’t noticed it affecting my sleep.

Jthanmyfitnesspal

Good discussion so far. Thanks @COGypsy, @mnfva1 , and @avatiach. My main problem has been itchy nose and eyes to the point of interfering with work and life in general. I sometimes get asthema, but only periodically. For the past 1-2 weeks, I've have a patch of eczema below the eyebrow and my eyes are particularly itchy and watery. It's driving me bonkers!

My prior approach has been to take Zyrtec as much as twice a day, morning and evening. Nasal corticoids (Flonase) seem to make my nose worse, causing bleeding. Azelastane doesn't seem to do that much for me either way and is slightly irritating right after use (causing sneezing and runny nose). Neti pots do much the same: I'll use it, then sneeze about 10 times in a row. Saline spray seems OK.

A month ago, my ENT suggested adding Montelukast in the evening. It didn't seem to do much else than interrupt my sleep. After two weeks, I was comatose!

Still searching for solutions. Maybe the shots would help...

stuffnmore

i was suffering increasing/persistent severe, uncontrolled, uncomplicated allergy induced/reactive asthma (with constriction and hot inflammation in the lungs).

in addition to otc claritin generic (allergic to sudafed/benedryl), up to 4x/day albuterol nebulizer, 2 inhalers and if needed, 1 rescue albuterol inhaler (and periodic oral steroids whenever it went into bronchitis), insurance required me to add/try montelukast pills for a year+ before insurance would cover (xolair) shots.

re the shots: I had immediate/initial relief by day 2 from the 1st shot, and 2 weeks later had the 2nd shot. By then i was breathing much better and the hotness (hot poker rod) in the lungs was going away.... if the shot addresses the underlying dynamic, the shot worked for me where nothing else took away the vice grip constriction and hot inflammation.

like so many specialty meds, the shots are crazy expensive.

i still rapid-fire sneeze when the claritin wears off

avatiach

But, Montelukast is known to interfere with sleep for some people, and I think I have the data to prove it was doing exactly that in my case. It also didn't seem particularly effective (relative to OTC alternatives like Zyrtec). I think I can live without it.

Maybe switch the order of things and take singulair in the morning!

joandumas42

I'm in Canada, and last year my doctor prescribed Bilastine (brand name Blexten) for hay fever, hives and itching. I found that it worked really well for me in the allergy season.