Posted on 03/27/2008 12:51:29 PM PDT by metmom
WASHINGTON - The Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it is investigating a possible link between Merck’s best-selling asthma drug, Singulair, and suicide.
FDA said it is reviewing reports of mood changes, suicidal behavior and suicide in patients who have taken the popular drug also used for allergies.
Merck has updated the drug’s labeling four times in the past year to include information on a range of side effects: tremors, anxiousness, depression and suicidal behavior.
(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...
health ping
My daughter is on it. I guess I'll have to check on her more now and keep sharp objects out of reach.
Thanks for the reminder!
no problems here. been on it for a couple years.
My allergist recommended it for sinusitis, which he says it also works for. I never noticed any significant difference being on it or not so I quit. No sense in spending the money and putting up with the side effects if I don’t have to. Funny thing is, one of the listed side effects for Singulair is rhinitis. So I was wondering just how much the stuff would be helping.
However, the side effects were nothing to what I went through on Zyrtec. That stuff is BAAADDD!!!
What’s up with Merck? First killing people with Vioxx and, with the help of a certain Texas govenor, trying to push Gardasil on all our young daughters.
Someone I know very well takes singulair. It’s somewhat expensive, but it appears to work very well in keeping asthma under control and reducing the need for inhalers. I have not seen any sign of suicidal behavior.
I’m becoming pretty suspicious of that company.
Personally, I’m glad I don’t need the Singulair. I’d rather not give a company that considers human life expendable my business.
I take it every day. I’m going to stop for a while to see if it’s the pill or the anticipation of a McCain presidency.
My daughter has moderate asthma. She has been on Singulair for about 4 years. My experience with it is excellent. I’d swear by it. Prior to taking it she was very susceptible to getting pneumonia. Since she has been taking it regularly she has not come down with pneumonia.
It’s a matter of the benefits outweighing the risks.
For me it didn’t make any difference. It it’s helping that much, got for it. There’s nothing worse than not being able to breathe.
I’ve been on Advair for four years or so. I can’t believe the difference it has made.
My allergist said Singulair either works great or not at all depending on the individual. It didn’t work at all for me, although I never had suicidal thoughts or depression. Symbicort works great for me although it’s more expensive.
I’ve beem on it for a long period without problems.
I am currently on Spriva, Advair, Zyrtec, Benedryl (when I need the reinforcements like now with pollen), and Proventil.
No problems at all and these are long term meds.
Works great for me, only side effect is excessive freepin’.
I guess we won’t be able to look to lower prices anytime soon since the market seems to be slowly shrinking....
Symbicort appear to have that excessive freepin’ side effect, too. I wonder if we can sue for damages?
Class action - here we come!
My 15 year old son has been on it for at least 6 years now, and hasn’t had a problem, except maybe the tremors (although I think the hand tremors are from something else).
It would be interesting to see whether the suicidal tendencies are right after starting, or if they can occur with long-term use....
I'm a Pediatric RN in a large practice, and our experience has been that it either works or it doesn't; there seems to be no in-between. Our experience with my son has been similar; he used to have several asthma flare ups a year, and since starting it, he has maybe one a year, and hardly ever needs oral Prednisone anymore.
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