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Montair LC side effects: common and serious

Also in: हिन्दी தமிழ் मराठी తెలుగు ಕನ್ನಡ বাংলা ગુજરાતી മലയാളം

Also known as: Montair LC, Montair-LC, Montair LC tablet

Many people take Montair LC with no or only mild side effects; sleepiness, tiredness, headache and dry mouth are the most common. Rarely, montelukast can cause mood or behaviour changes, so you and your family should know the warning signs. You can report side effects to the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India helpline, 1800-180-3024.

Montair LC: Uses, How It Works, Side Effects

Active ingredient
Montelukast 10 mg + Levocetirizine 5 mg
Type of medicine
Leukotriene receptor antagonists (LTRAs), Antihistamines
Used for
Allergic rhinitis
Starts working in
Often within about 1 hour for sneezing and itching; full effect may take a few days
Effect lasts
About 24 hours (taken once a day)
With or without food
With or without food
Alcohol
Avoid
Pregnancy
Only if a doctor advises it
Habit-forming
No
Made by
Cipla Ltd

Pharmacist review in progress. This page is based on the sources listed below and is being checked by our registered pharmacist.

On this page
  1. Side effects of Montair LC
  2. Who should be careful
  3. If someone takes too much
  4. Common questions

Side effects of Montair LC

Many people take Montair LC with no or only mild side effects; sleepiness, tiredness, headache and dry mouth are the most common. Rarely, montelukast can cause mood or behaviour changes, so you and your family should know the warning signs. You can report side effects to the Pharmacovigilance Programme of India helpline, 1800-180-3024.

Uncommon or mild

  • Sleepiness or tiredness
  • Headache
  • Dry mouth
  • Sore throat or cold-like symptoms
  • Nausea, diarrhoea or stomach pain
  • Mild skin rash

Rare but serious: get medical help

  • Changes in mood or behaviour: agitation, aggression, anxiety, depression, irritability or restlessness. Contact a doctor straight away
  • Thoughts of harming yourself or ending your life. Get urgent help immediately
  • Bad or vivid dreams, trouble sleeping, sleepwalking, seeing or hearing things that are not there, confusion, memory problems, stammering or uncontrolled movements
  • Signs of a severe allergic reaction: swelling of the face, lips or throat, hives, wheezing or difficulty breathing
  • A flu-like illness with pins and needles or numbness in the arms or legs, worsening breathing problems or a rash, which can be signs of a rare inflammation of blood vessels
  • Yellow skin or eyes, dark urine or pain in the upper right side of the tummy
  • Difficulty passing urine, especially in men with an enlarged prostate
  • Fits (seizures), or a fast or irregular heartbeat

Who should be careful

Montair LC is not suitable for everyone. Tell your doctor before taking it if any of the following apply to you.

  • Depression, anxiety or any other mental health condition, now or in the past. Mood and behaviour changes have been reported with montelukast in people with and without such a history
  • Asthma: Montair LC does not relieve an asthma attack, and inhaled or oral steroids should not be stopped or reduced unless a doctor says so
  • Asthma that gets worse with aspirin or other painkillers: you still need to avoid those painkillers
  • Kidney disease: levocetirizine builds up when the kidneys work poorly, and the medicine is not suitable for people with severe kidney failure
  • Severe liver disease
  • Epilepsy or a history of fits
  • An enlarged prostate, a spinal cord problem or another condition that makes it hard to pass urine
  • Allergy to cetirizine, hydroxyzine or similar antihistamines
  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding: information is limited. Use it only if a doctor advises it
  • Driving or using machines: it can make you sleepy or dizzy. Do not drive until you know how it affects you
  • Allergy skin tests: antihistamines can affect the results, so tell the doctor; they are usually stopped a few days before the test
  • Children: the Montair LC tablet is not meant for children under 15

If someone takes too much

Taking too much Montair LC can cause severe sleepiness and, in children, restlessness or agitation followed by sleepiness. Stomach pain, headache, thirst, vomiting and overactivity have also been reported after too much montelukast. If someone has taken too much, call 112 or go to the nearest hospital immediately and take the medicine pack with you.

Common questions

Does Montair LC cause sleepiness?

It can. Levocetirizine causes less drowsiness than older antihistamines, but some people still feel sleepy or tired. Do not drive or use machines until you know how it affects you, and avoid alcohol, which adds to the sleepiness.

What is the warning about montelukast and mental health?

In 2020 the US FDA added a boxed warning that montelukast can cause serious mood and behaviour changes, including agitation, depression, sleep problems and suicidal thoughts. They are rare and can happen in adults and children. The label advises stopping the medicine and contacting a doctor straight away if they appear.

Can I take Montair LC during pregnancy or breastfeeding?

Information on both medicines in pregnancy is limited, so it is used only if a doctor judges it necessary. Small amounts are likely to pass into breast milk, and levocetirizine may make a baby sleepy. Always ask your doctor first.

Sources

  1. SINGULAIR (montelukast sodium) tablets, chewable tablets and oral granules: full prescribing information (revised 6/2021). Organon, US FDA-approved labeling
  2. FDA requires Boxed Warning about serious mental health side effects for asthma and allergy drug montelukast (Singulair); advises restricting use for allergic rhinitis (Drug Safety Communication, 4 March 2020). US Food and Drug Administration
  3. Singulair 10 mg film-coated tablets: Summary of Product Characteristics. electronic medicines compendium (emc), UK
  4. Xyzal 5 mg film-coated tablets: Summary of Product Characteristics. electronic medicines compendium (emc), UK
  5. XYZAL (levocetirizine dihydrochloride) tablets: full prescribing information (revised 04/2019). US Food and Drug Administration
  6. Montelukast. StatPearls, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), US National Library of Medicine
  7. Allergic Rhinitis. StatPearls, National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), US National Library of Medicine
  8. Allergic rhinitis. NHS (UK)
  9. Side effects of montelukast. NHS (UK)
  10. Montelukast (Drugs and Lactation Database, LactMed). National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), US National Library of Medicine
  11. Levocetirizine (Drugs and Lactation Database, LactMed). National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), US National Library of Medicine
  12. List of drugs prohibited for manufacture and sale through gazette notifications under section 26A of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act 1940. Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)
  13. List of prohibited FDC drugs (156 FDCs) dated 02.08.2024. Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO)
  14. ADR Reporting. Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission, Pharmacovigilance Programme of India (PvPI)