Singulair (Montelukast) for Cholinergic Urticaria
Post by: mom on a mission on October 18, 2009, 08:08:54 PM
We’ve been experimenting with the help of our immunologist. My son CANNOT take the normal antihistamines, because of SEVERE changes in behavior and mood. But, Singulair has helped tremendously! Not for everyone (they say it only works in about 30-40% of patients with Cholinergic Urticaria), but it works for him with less side effects.
Also, we had an outing in the heat a couple of weeks ago (we live in Texas where it was still in mid 80s), and we used Aveeno Anti-itch lotion before we left the house. My little guy said it made his “skin feel good” and “not so itchy”. It has calamine and an analgesic in it…which might not be so great to use daily, but for special circumstances it might be worth the almost $9 I paid for little 4oz bottle! 🙂
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Title: Montelukast
Post by: Soraya on August 31, 2010, 01:50:33 PM
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Hi All,
I just wanted to mention a medicine that my doctor prescribed for me, I live in the UK so you can’t get much over the counter here, apart from anti-histamines. The medicine is Singulair (Montelukast) I went for a year or so feeling like I could never live without them (as well as feeling completely hopeless about it ever getting better!!!), but I think my body became de-sensitised to the anti-histamines and I was really worried about the long term effects.
Luckily, I found a doctor that didn’t think I was crazy and she prescribed what is actually an asthma medication that she assured me is mild enough to be given to babies as well. I had to take one tablet a day and over the course of a few months my histamine response dramatically improved. Of course, it is defintely NOT a cure (I’m sorry for you that suffer from it dreadfully, I know what it’s like to search for over three years, crying every single day from the pain, itching and suffering, searching and hoping for a cure).
I believe it just inhibits the histamine response, like an anti-histamine, and is therefore only treating a symptom. It also took a while for me to notice a difference, but with each passing month of taking it (I took it for about 3 months, I think) and trying to look after general health, there is definetely a remarkable improvement: it has managed to take away a huge amount of the suffering and restored my hope of getting better.
My face is more normal than it was (I break out along my chin first and it goes all the way up to my face and then down my neck to my body resulting in me tearing at it for hours at a time – which you could probably imagine was definetely not pretty) and my break outs are amazingly mild compared to the massive attacks I used to get! I still don’t look 100% normal (I walked around today with a red upper lip and chin and flaking skin all over, which as a woman who works in an office is dreadfully embarrassing… but I still get the odd admirer trying it on, so I can’t look as awful as I think I look which gives me hope!!!), I can’t do all the exercise I would like and still try hard to cool myself down when I start to over heat, but if I do break out, I know it won’t be as bad and I actually feel like I can manage it even when in public, which for me is possible if I’m not dealing with the same overwhelming and awful itching/pin prick sensation. I still get pretty itchy, but it’s in smaller patches (unfortunately still on my face) as opposed to all over my body and face.
Now my attacks don’t feel like such huge events that mess up my entire day but something I can actually think “awe, bummer, this is annoying” – which is pretty HUGE if you suffer from heat hives for long enough!!!
I now have the presence of mind to take the time to take a few deep breaths, tell myself it’s okay, go sit somewhere a bit quiet if possible, take a nice long cool drink, just relax and look after myself and not to care what anyone thinks. I found this only to be possible when I’m not tearing at my face and body with the itching!
Since montelukast is actually an asthma medication, it will probably be very difficult to get your doctor to let you try it. Of course, there are always pre-existing conditions that would prevent you from taking it safely, so if you’re at the end of your tether try mentioning it to your doctor and let them consider whether it would be safe for you. My doctor is a skin specialist at my local hospital and I had the luck to walk into her clinic when I got fed up with my last doctor treating me like a mental patient and ignoring my suffering – even trips to the hospital ended up with the doctor looking at me like I was a nutcase for freaking out over what looked like to them a “simple rash” (remembering their reactions make me feel so ANGRY!!!!), so I felt like there was nothing that could be done!!! She said that she’s actually tried treating other patients with heat hives in a similar way so I don’t know if it’s something that is supposed to be maintained over a long period of time since it sounds a touch experimental on her part, like an alternative to regular anti-histamines.
Good luck everyone and I hope you at least find that little something that takes the edge off the pain.
Soraya :-*
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Title: Re: Montelukast
Post by: HivesGuy on September 01, 2010, 05:58:48 AM
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Hey Soraya,
Thanks so much for the excellent post, and welcome to the forum!
That is very interesting indeed, and I really appreciate you sharing that tip with us. It seems I do recall some asthma medications being helpful with Cholinergic Urticaria. So it is nice to hear from an actual person that this particular treatment does help a bit.
I am glad you are able to manage it, and I hope it continues to work out well for you. I agree with you, even if something takes even some of the pain & itching away, it can make the difference between living and being a recluse!
Thanks again so much for sharing that, and welcome to the forum!
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Title: A new direction…
Post by: samantharrt1 on October 27, 2010, 01:32:48 PM
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Hello all! I am a respiratory therapist so i have a small advantage in the allergy field. I have my mind running on how to break this. Now when u have a hive reaction its beacuse your mast cells have released Ige which then causes a break out (simply put). So if u stabalize the mast cell u can potentialy prevent a breakout! There are forms of medication that act as a mass cell stabalizers. singulair is a popular one! It usuall perscribed as a asthma controller. Now i dont have insurance right now, but if someone would like to try it and get back to me, that would be a great help. And i will continue to post any feed back i get from drs i ask at work!
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Title: Re: A new direction…
Post by: Rogerq23 on October 28, 2010, 12:37:55 AM
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Thanks for your contribution it means a lot to us. A lot of people go to doctors and we havent found the cure yet, or the right treatment to decrease the breakouts or illness.
A lot of people take antihistamine, but we do not want to take antihistamine everyday… sometimes it stop working and our body do not response to it anymore.
Here is what my allergist said, please read this short thread…
I take loratadine sometimes, when i know i will probably have an attact. It helps me for the next 1 hour, it decreases the breakout or it just stop it but after 4 i can have a break out again. So, it is not really working. I would like something to stop it or decrease it significantly.
What do you think as an allergist? ohh… im starting to cough, I guess it is because of allergy to something. I feel like the necesity to cough to expulse the air that is in my lungs… not because i have sore throat or anything just the desire the feeling that i run out of breath. I dont have asthma, i have done 2 test to check my lungs potential and its fine.
Thanks a lot again… I am looking forward to hear from you
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Title: Re: A new direction…
Post by: samantharrt1 on October 28, 2010, 06:30:49 AM
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Well i know taking antihistamines arent good long term, but singulair isnt a antihistamine, its a mast cell stabilizer, which works differently. Antihistamines are released and attack the mast cell which degranulates and releases Ige. So i think that would be the right direction. I have attacks when i go outside, or get anxious. Never thought about takinh a anithistamine. I hope that helps me. Im alsobresearchhing another medication that has to do with the aceteylcholine… but im still not close to closing the gap. As far as ur cough… its just allergies. An irritant and thats your natural reaction. I hope to gain more research today!
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Title: Re: A new direction…
Post by: hieveryone on October 28, 2010, 07:47:11 AM
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Hi, I had asthma when I was 10 for two years and then it went out. My allergist told me that Singulair worh a try becouse it has cured some people, it’s related with the lungs and mast cells, however I’ve been taking it for a month and seems to do nothing, so I think it depends on the person, although I will take it for two more moths to be sure. If I improve I will also post here…
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Title: Re: A new direction…
Post by: Rogerq23 on October 28, 2010, 09:29:18 PM
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So, this singulair can be found over the counter or without a doctor prescription? if not, then should i go to a doctor and ask him to give a prescription of this med? or it is a potential medication so he will test me and do a lot of stuff? I wanna try it. It sounds familiar to me, i am not sure if i have taken it before or just heard about it by readings…
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Title: Re: A new direction…
Post by: samantharrt1 on October 29, 2010, 01:30:50 PM
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I had asthma as a child. My mom told me that it would get sooo bad that i would have to go to the hospital. I think it does have a link because of the allergy release. Which is the same as Cholinergic Urticaria. Singulair is available only as a perscription. But it does take about two months to be in full effect. I know its hard to take something that u feel isnt working…. but i have strong hopes it will. Let me know of any progress or questions.
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Title: Re: A new direction…
Post by: bbroom on November 08, 2010, 11:54:23 PM
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I have used Singulair and antihistimines together for years. My allergist presribed Singulair to me shortly after it was available on the market. At that time it was specifically presribed for asthma.(1990’s).
I used Claritin (Rx at the time) along with the Singulair. I have since been using Hydroxyzine due to cost factors. My health insurance will not cover Clarinex and the cost of Claritin, now that it is OTC is very expensive. The combination of an antihistimine and Singulair are the only thing that has ever given me relief of severe symptoms. The hives still occur, but they are very mild and managable on these meds.
I am currently in “remission”, 6 months and counting…This is the second “remission” for me in 30 years.
I am now continuing to take my Cholinergic Urticaria “cocktail” b/c my doctor and pharmacist feel that maybe there is a cumulative effect…
In my 30 year experience with this condition , I have not found anything that makes them go away. I have no explaination for the remission periods. You must live with the knowledge of the limitations this condition presents and adjust your lifestyle accordingly. But if and when a remission occurs….wow…sieze the time and live to the fullest.
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Title: Re: A new direction…
Post by: hunter8br on November 11, 2010, 12:32:17 AM
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Thanks for the information.It will help me to suggest to my friend.Thanks once again.
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Title: Re: A new direction…
Post by: hieveryone on November 11, 2010, 02:06:24 AM
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BBroom, if you read this, how much time did it last to the mix of Antihistamines and Singulair make a noticeable effect? The problem with me is that the antihistamines make me drowsy, but I can make an effort and take the ‘normal’ dose to see if the binomy is succesful. I’ve understood from your post that it took several years for you to feel the change (20 ?¿) so they may not be the cause. Anyway, for me is not working at the moment, maybe it’s the cold, but they don’t have side effect (Singulair) so I don’t mind to take it.
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Title: Re: A new direction…
Post by: aivory23 on November 18, 2010, 10:45:06 AM
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Hi samantharrt1!
Here is an abstract about that cholinergic urticaria was successfully controlled with a combination of cetirizine, montelukast(singulair) and propanolol
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Title: Re: A new direction…
Post by: samantharrt1 on November 21, 2010, 07:14:47 PM
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For some reason i cant access that website!!!
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Title: Re: A new direction…
Post by: Rogerq23 on November 22, 2010, 12:00:00 AM
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I read the same article but on another website… I copy and pasted in on a thread i forgot which one, didnt want to paste the web to advertise website in Hiveguy’s web… since he is doing a good job over here. Well… the other guy pasted the page… ill do it… to make our live easy…
PS. Notify me if someone really read all the article… its really really really LONG!
Try that web and lets see if it works…
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Title: Re: A new direction…
Post by: Mr.Hives on January 01, 2011, 09:08:47 PM
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Singulair hasnt worked for me the past 2 different times that I have been on it 🙁