Breathing Question And Mast Cell Med Query

[abnel]

I have been taking Singulair (2 to 5 year old's dose) for the past 5 or so weeks and upon taking it immediately noticed an improvement to both my shortness of breath and the usual chest pressure I experience daily. I even caught myself singing! during the day (which hasn't happened since I developed POTS). Granted it wasn't my old diaphramatic singing, but still, it was better than not being able to sing at all due to chronic shortness of breath.

Over the past week and particularly today my shortness of breath has returned with today being like the bad old days and the chest pressure being the worst it's been for a long time. Last week was a wierd week weather wise. We are meant to be in the middle of summer here, but we were having Spring like conditions.

Is it possible for this mast cell med (leukotriene inhibitor) to stop working and for the body to get used to it? Do those of you taking mast cell meds have to keep increasing them? I hope this isn't the case.

Also, do those of you with breathing problems notice that changes in barometric pressure affect your breathing? Or is it the highs or lows that affect you?

[Chaos]

Definitely notice an increase in breathing problems with barometric pressure changes...especially when it drops. Every time a storm or a front comes thru I have more problems-especially with breathing issues.

I live at 5200' so with that elevation to begin with, I think the barometric pressure changes have even more effect on me.

I haven't been able to tolerate most anti histamines too well but I may ask the allergist next time about getting pediatric doses. Thanks for the hint!

[juliegee]

My experience with singulair is very similar to yours, however I take a regular adult dose 10mg. Within 10 mins of taking it, my chest pain (usually worse upon breathing in) goes away. This drug is nothing short of a miracle for me. On a regular basis, this is no longer a troubling symptom.

HOWEVER, I still do have rare intermittent periods of chest pain (associated with breathing.) I sometimes have to take 2 singulair and even use atrovent via a nebulizer to battle this. (Albuterol and xopenex did nothing for me.)

I don't think that you've grown intolerant to the singulair; but rather that you've got mast cells degranulating (for whatever reason) and that has worsened your breathing problems & your normal pediatric dose is no longer adequate during this reactive period. I might ask your doc about temporarily upping your dose to get you through this. I suspect you will get back to your previous level of functioning.

Sorry you are dealing with this. It is frightening. I hope it passes quickly.

[abnel]

Thanks so much Chaos and Mack's Mom. Chaos, I can't work out whether it's the highs/lows/or changes in barometric pressure that affect me, but I've noticed that whenever the day starts to heat up to over 30degrees celsius over here all my POTS symptoms ramp up, and particularly my shortness of breath. When it starts to cool down again, the breathing issues seem to flare up again. I don't know how I'd do living at over 5000feet. That would be a challenge!

Thanks for the reassurance Julie. I am hoping that I'm just undermedicated at the moment due to the flare up and that things will settle down again soon. My doc thinks I probably had a cold last week as my lungs sounded a bit rattly. Perhaps that caused the recent flare up.

[Katybug]

I definitely notice changes to my shortness of breathe and to my chest pain/pressure as a result of changes in barometric pressure. I actually do better with high barometric pressure....almost like I'm wearing a full body compression stocking. Low pressure makes me feel weak and like I can hardly get enough oxygen. I also have problems with higher humidity. It really affects my chest ymptoms.

[Chaos]

The humiditiy really does a number on me too. We're at high elevation but at least most of the year it's pretty dry around here.

[abnel]

Katie and Chaos, I can certainly relate to the humidity you are talking about. When the humidity gets over 60-70% it feels like the air is too thick to breathe in. I get that air hunger that so many people talk of.

Katybug, I suspect it's the low pressure and the change from high to low pressure that affects me too. Your explanation of high pressure being like a full body compression suit makes total sense to me. I think there is less available oxygen where there is low pressure and when barometric pressure drops it's been suggested that tissue expands which might explain why people with arthritis have aches and pains during a storm front.

On a COPD/asthma forum recently I noticed some of them were also having a lot of difficulty breathing in humidity and in heat. Some said that they'd stick their heads in the freezer to suck in the cold air after coming in from outside. One woman was able to ascend 2 flights of stairs as long as she could stick her head in the freezer or into an air conditioner vent straight after. A lot of them seem to postulate that the cool air calms the inflammation in the lungs.

[anaphylaxing]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. Your body can adjust to the meds but I wouldn't think as quickly as you're describing

It's helped me a lot with breathing

I can now predict rain by about 10-15 mins as I develop shortness of breath. bizarre

[POTSMama]

One more voice chiming in - - I live in the suburbs of the mile high city of Denver (5280 feet so our air is somewhat rarified, and ven more noticeable when you go up in the mountains) and I also notice changes in barometric pressure (I think it's sudden changes for me) and high humidity are a negative factor in my breathing ability as well. But I have been breathing better since I've been on both Singulair and Allegra for the MCAS, noticeably better. I take 10 mg Singulair (the adult one; the kid one has red dye which I'm sensitive to) and 180 mg Allegra - - I also take Atarax and Zantac, but didn't notice the improved breathing until I added the others.

[rubytuesday]

I've been on 10 mg of Singulair for my asthma and former allergies for over a decade. I also have COPD (non smoker) and Vocal Cord Dysfunction (upper airway obstruction). I still seem winded when POTS, when chronic fatigue is worse and definitly with high humidity/barometric changes even being on the Rx (but PCP--IM, wants me to stay on it after too many epidsodes of asthma/bronchitis that knocking on wood have been under good control).

[abnel]

Thanks guys, good to know I'm not alone but sorry to hear we all seem to have some problems with breathing.

Ana, it is interesting how the human body can sense weather changes. My husband and his mother can predict rain and storms within 24 hours.

Are you saying I'd be unlikely to get the full beneficial effect of Singular within say a month of taking it? Is it a mediction that builds in its effect over time, say, like Florinef?