Singulair and Suicidal Thoughts; FDA Investigates While I Take Cymbalta

A Personal Account on Singulair and What More Can Be Done to Prevent Medication-Related Suicide

Singulair is now under investigation by the FDA into a possible link between the allergy and asthma medication and suicidal thoughts or other mood changes. Meanwhile, Merck has already revised the label of the drug while it is under investigation.

As found on YouTube, CBS conducted a heart-wrenching interview with Kate Miller, a mother who lost her 15-year-old son to suicide last August, apparently after recently switching from Allegra to Singulair. No pre-existing behavioral or mental problems were noted prior to the incident. Following this tragedy, three additional reports concerning suicide and Singulair were sent to the FDA and subsequently an investigation was launched.

Singulair is now prompting many concerns and questions from patients and parents, understandably.

A Personal Account of Singulair, Depression and Suicidal Thoughts

Given that I take three medications for sinusitis and allergies, Singulair, Claritin and Flonase, I can appreciate both the conditions and the drugs. Yet, I did not take Singulair on a regular basis until recently, when I relocated and found my allergy battles increasing ten-fold. Worse yet, Cymbalta, an antidepressant, is now added to the pharmacological cocktail--goji berries just weren't cutting it. Is there a correlation here between the new depression and Singulair?

As for mood changes, the truth be told, I rarely experience serious depression, let alone suicidal ideation. But it doesn't take a Beck Depression Inventory to quantify my semi-recent changes in mood, coincidently or not, while on a regular dose of Singulair.

When I lose interest in and feel hopeless about writing-and we're not talking mere discouragement or burnout-there is a serious problem. This includes uncharacteristically losing myself for two weeks in a recently purchased used Xbox. This may be normal for some people, but not for me--such is why I didn't own the gaming console prior. And, it was especially unhealthy when I turned down writing jobs in the process, feeling unmotivated and incapable.