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What Causes Severe Breathing Difficulty While On Theophylline, Singulair And Chantix?

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Posted on Thu, 19 Jan 2017
Question: I take theophylline for COPD and singulair for allergies. One month ago, I started taking Chantix. I began to have severe difficulty breathing about 6 days ago and now have read that Chantix should not have been taken with these 2 drugs because it causes a drug interaction, ie difficulty breathing. This is my second day without Chantix. How long should it take for this breathing difficulty to settle down? IIs there anything I can do to help.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (1 hour later)
Brief Answer:
It should take about 2-3 days after discontinuation of chantix

Detailed Answer:
Hello ma'am and welcome.

Thank you for writing to us.

I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. The symptom of difficulty in breathing caused by a drug interaction should subside only chantix has exited the system.

Chantix has a half life of approximately 24 hours, and so it should take about 2-3 days for symptoms/side effects caused from the use of chantix to subside ma'am. You can aid this by drinking plenty of fluids and mild form of exercise.

I hope you find this information helpful. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help.

Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Prasad
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Shoaib Khan (21 minutes later)
Thank you and I hope that is correct. Today is terrible. My SAT is just diving to 80 and slightly below with hardly any exertion.
Hopefully I'll start to see improvement tomorrow.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Shoaib Khan (12 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Yes, hoping for the same, please keep me in the loop

Detailed Answer:
Hello once again.

Yes, hoping for the same. Please also continue to have plenty of fluids, and go about mild forms of exercise as perspiration also helps in drug excretion. Be patient, each individual is different and reacts differently, but in majority of cases the drug should be out of the system by 2-3 days giving you relief soon.

Best wishes.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Nagamani Ng
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Answered by
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Dr. Shoaib Khan

General & Family Physician

Practicing since :2009

Answered : 9409 Questions

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What Causes Severe Breathing Difficulty While On Theophylline, Singulair And Chantix?

Brief Answer: It should take about 2-3 days after discontinuation of chantix Detailed Answer: Hello ma'am and welcome. Thank you for writing to us. I have gone through your query with diligence and would like you to know that I am here to help. The symptom of difficulty in breathing caused by a drug interaction should subside only chantix has exited the system. Chantix has a half life of approximately 24 hours, and so it should take about 2-3 days for symptoms/side effects caused from the use of chantix to subside ma'am. You can aid this by drinking plenty of fluids and mild form of exercise. I hope you find this information helpful. Please feel free to write back to me for any further clarifications, I am always here to help. Best wishes.