My Dr. now prescribing Singulair for allergies

My Internist and I had a neat little conversation about medical fallacies yesterday. He assured me that it isn't just RTs who get irritated with people getting all excited over "one" study.

I wrote here last December how I was hospitalized with a bleeding ulcer. My Internist wasn't the one who took care of me then, and he asked me if the surgeon who managed my care ever determined the etiology of my ulcer.

"Well," I said, "At first he said there was a 90% chance it was caused by H. Pylori, then he said the test came back negative. But I think I had H. Pylori, because I could have sworn when I looked at my chart the test was positive."

"I guess it really doesn't matter," he said.

"Why do you say that?"

"I think the H. Pylori thing causing ulcers is over hyped." Then he rattled of some facts so fast they rolled right over my head.

"How do you think I got the ulcer then?"

"Nobody really knows for sure. It's just since many people have H. Pylori, some people say that is what causes ulcers. The truth is, they really don't know. So the pharmacy company has us doctors treating the H. Pylori, and all it does is run up the medical bill."

I wanted to say, "Kind of like Ventolin." But I held my tongue.

Later I told him how miserable I was last spring with allergies. "I decided I can't suffer like that again," I said. "This year, since you started me on Singulair, it's almost amazing the difference. It's almost like I don't have asthma."

You must note here that when I mentioned to him last Jan. that I should try Singulari, he told me he thought that drug was over hyped. In May I told him how wonderful the medicine was working for me.

He said, "I just started a new person on Singulair today based on your testimony last time you were here."

"Cool," I said, "I have heard some bad things about it, though."

"Really, like what."

"Well, one kid was having suicidal thoughts, so now they blame it on Sinulair. Like you say though, I think it's all overblown."

"Yeah, I've heard that too now that you mention it."

"So now you have a lot of moms taking their kids off Singulair based on the this, and it's very unfortunate. My childhood sucked because I had allergies so bad, and my doctor wouldn't even let me have anithystamines because on the box it said not to take it if you have asthma. Now they have this new drug that will allow these kids to live normal lives, and parents and doctors won't let their kids take it based on a fallacy. It's a shame."

"I agree."

"So, anyway, my allergies are basically non-existent right now, and I give Singulair credit. Of course it could be a coincidence, so I'm still open minded. But it seems to be working great."

"Cool."

"I kind of joke about it though. I tell everybody that since I started on Singulair I don't have allergy problems anymore, but I have suicide thought."

"Yeah," he laughed, "If your allergies come back you'll kill yourself."

There's some truth to that, too. I can understand how allergies can get so bad sometimes, that you might rather be dead. There were times when I was a kid, and even as recently as last summer, where the allergies were just unbearable. (Not that I would ever kill myself, I'm just saying that allergies can cause severe misery).

Singulair is a great medicine. It has worked a miracle for this RT. I think all asthmatics should at least try it if nothing else works, it beats the alternative of being miserable all the time.

Another bad thing about Singulari is it is expensive because it is still under patent.

Related articles: Some drugs get a bad rap, and Singulair: Another asthma miracle drug.