Brown inhaler problems!

[Jojopugh]

Hi all, I need some advise.

Sorry it's a long one but it needs to be to get the picture of it lol!

My daughter was diagnosed with asthma last year in nov. She has since been taking the blue I. Healer and was on the brown for several weeks too. Her asthma still affected her so they also have her the montelukast tablets.

The brown inhaler..... within a few days of her been in this I noticed her mood and behaviour had changed. She became irritated easily, aggressive verbally and threw a few slaps at her younger sister. Impatient, defiant and really unhappy and tearful.

I spoke to her re this and she new how she was feeling but didn't know why.

My daughter is 7 and is (and I'm not just saying this) one of the kindest children ever, always help her sister and is so lovely a complete people pleaser. Obviously she has her moments and don't they all..

Needless to say her inhaler was stopped and she was refers to consultant who said this should not be an effect of the inhaler as a very small amount of the steroid is passed in to the bloodstream.

Her asthma again has deteriorated over the past few weeks as the weather has gone freezing and she has had to go back on brown inhaler to trial it again.

We seem to be back to square one!!

Has any one else experienced this??

I agree FAIRY, I'm gonna ask if there is an alternative. Is the sweeties the purple inhaler? I was meds trained but haven't had to administer in a while so I forget what's what..

Lol is the sweeties 😂

Should say is the seretide the purple one

Seretide is the purple inhaler. I’m not sure if it’s used for children (when I had asthma as a child it was some 30 years ago so I assume meds are different now!) but I know for adults it comes in 3 different strengths so perhaps the lowest one could be used for children or there may be something else. They always seem to give the brown inhaler to everyone first off but most of the people I chat to on the asthma forums don’t take that and take something else instead.

Seretide is not an alternative to clenil modulite it’s a step up and is only given when clenil and monteleukast have been trialled together for a minimum of 3 months with no success.

The purple inhaler was briefly mentioned a few appointments ago but because I thought (and still think to a certain extent) the brown inhaler was linked to the behaviour changes she said that wouldn't be any good as it's a stronger steroid than the brown inhaler...

My daughters GP did have a meeting with an asthma specialist from the hospital (consultant I believe) on the day I took her last but we went on the afternoon for the appt and the specialist was there I. The morning. My daughter was mention in the meeting re my concerns with the brown inhaler and he said he would be happy for a referral to him for her...

My son is 8 and has had seretide 125 for several years now, he's never had monteleukast.
His asthma was not controlled with clenil. He now takes seretide 125 one puff twice daily and is spectacularly well controlled. Very rare he needs salbutamol, generally only when he's got a cold or something.

Thanks so much for this thread OP. My almost 4yo has been struggling to get to sleep for a couple of months now. He has a Montelukast tablet before brushing his teeth/story/bed, seems really tired, but as soon as he's in bed he fidgets, thrashes and crawls around, seems really agitated and can't get to sleep for up to 90 mins ! I have to sit in the rocking chair and wait for him to go to sleep, which only used to take 10-15mins.

But since November he's taken ages, and I just thought it was his age or a developmental leap or something. Didn't give him his tablet last night and he was gone in 10 mins! So we're going to stop them and make sure we just keep on top of the brown inhaler and see how he is.

Wow that's very interesting. I have had asthma since I was 13 and always used a becotide brown inhaler. I used to have the most awful temper and mood swings but never thought it could be that.
I am on Qvar now which is great.
I must add that I'm positive I stopped growing at age 13 when I first started using inhalers.

Becotide is the same as clenil and qvar, just had CFC propellant so was banned.

Going rogue - and anyone else considering it - please don’t stop any medication without talking to the prescribing doctor first. They are given for a reason!

We now give monteukast in the morning as dr advice

Monteleukast can sometimes be given (obv only with the agreement of your own doctor) at the onset of a cold or other illness, if having a cold is an asthma trigger for your child and they manage without the rest of the time.

Hi SIRZY just out of curiosity, are you medical? I have thought this over the last few days re the montelukast. She isn't very good at going to sleep but I put this down to doing a lot at school however common sense tells me she should sleep better?

Over the xmas period she still has gone to bed between 7&8 which I think is reasonable but is awake at 9.30 a lot of the time. She is very active and always busy with chill out time in between.

Thanks everyone else for there input and I'm glad others who are finding this feed useful too

I’m not Medical no, j am a parent with a lot of experience of asthma. I am also aware that long term medication is prescribed for a reason and needs to be taken as prescribed and only changed under medical guidance.

I haven't stopped any of it. She has to take it as if she didnt I imagine her asthma would deteriorated within a few days.

I was been sarcastic on an earlier post when someone mention about her playing up as her asthma is under control and feels much better 😂

We had sleep issues with Montelukast. Agitation can be a side effect. We switched to the granules which don't have aspartame in them and I also give it now when she is home from school. I don't give in the morning before school as it's half life means it would have worn off before the early hours (4-6am) which is when her asthma is worse.

It's been interesting reading this thread as I have noticed increased irritability but attributed that to the sleep disruption from her endless coughing.

Thanks Sirzy, his chest has been fine for weeks now. He's not been formally diagnosed with asthma as they said he's too young? (Not quite 4). I'm hoping he's grown out of it, and as he's fit and well and coping fine with just a couple of puffs of brown inhaler in the morning then I think now is a good time to trial coming off the Montelukast.

I jinxed it by the way. No Montelukast tonight or for past two nights, and he's really struggling to get to sleep right now He's wriggling and writhing and fidgeting away in his bed whilst I sit in the chair willing him to drop off so I can get on with some work.

Quick update,

Been to GP for asthma check and meds review. We have decided to do a trail stop of the montelukast for 2/3 weeks.

Hopefully her asthma won't deteriorate and her mood will improve

Hi Cindersrella - sorry I've not been on Mumsnet this week so hadn't seen your updates.
I hope your Dr has given you something else to keep your daughter covered (asthma wise) while you trial the no Montelukast. My Doctor didn't know about the side effects when I told them but my child had (from the side effects list)

Aggressive behaviour; agitation; severe anxiety; hostility; irritability; malaise; muscle cramps; restlessness and sleep disturbances (night terrors). Most of these have gone now they are off the meds.

If your daughter has been on the medication a while you might see withdrawal behaviour. Her behaviour may get worse for a week - more tantrums etc. Hopefully then start to get better.
Try and avoid artificial colours and sweeteners as children who have had a bad reaction to Montelukast can have the same reaction to sweeteners as they withdraw.
Good luck. Message me if you want to know anything else.

If you are worried about Montelukast / Singulair effects there is a facebook support group - search for Montelukast (Singulair) Side Effects Support and Discussion Group

GoingRogue and HappyHedgehog247 please look at this graphic showing the possible side effects of the montelukast.
I dind't know it was the medication making my DC agressive, sleepless, have night terrors, be agressive and violent etc but when I found the link it all fitted together. It has been VERY hard but life is SO much better now they are off the meds.
Please speak to your doctor first though before stopping if you choose to.

Thankyou. She is still on clenil at night and salbutamol too when needed. GP said any problems take her straight back. Hopefully she will be okay.

We have virus and husband has flu so I feel reluctant at the minute to stop it...?

I can't tell you yes or no - not a medical doctor. You know your child best - and your doctor.
My child was actually a lot better off the meds as their asthma had improved as they got older. They coughed quite a bit the first week off and then blossomed.

How has your daughter been Cindersrella ?