Hct symptoms and conditions

I'm 54, started taking lisinopril in jan 09. I took for about 3 months and noticed a decrease in libido. My pressure was pretty much in control, so I stopped taking it. I started again around 1st of Aug 09. Approx 3-4 weeks later, I began to experience severe pain in my left shoulder and arm. It began to move into my neck and back. I went in for an EKG to ensure I wasn't having a stroke. It was normal. I experience dizziness and headaches. I wake in the night and my 2 left fingers on the left hand are completely numb. The pain in my neck is now moving to the right side and some shoulder pain seems to be apparent. I noticed pain in other joints as well. I'm unable to work out at the gym as I usually do due to the pain my my left arm. I highly suspect these symptoms to be caused by lisinopril. I've been taking 20mg and was just switched to 20 mgm Hct. a week ago. X-Rays were taken of my neck and shoulder last week. Haven't' heard from the doctor as of yet. I was on Diovan before I lost my job and health benefits. As a vet, the VA put me on the Lisinopril. The Diovan worked fine for me, too expensive for us vets I guess. I am discontinuing the Lisinopril as of today 10/24/09. I feel like I imagine a ninety year old would feel with these aches and all. I havent' admitted it, but I believe I'm feeling mildly depressed as well. Let's see what a week of purging this from my system does. f. D.

Is anyone experiencing confusion, trouble thinking, trouble concentrating, decreased cognitive function, mental sluggishness, trouble solving problems or situations which require logical thinking, memory loss? Would love to hear from anyone experiencing any these symptoms and if so, how long were you on the drug.
Thanks!

I was diagnosed with hbp in January 2008 (197/112), my Doctor prescribed Micardis to which I had few side effects limited only to 2 weeks of muscle and joint aches attributed to the HCT found in Micardis - once the aches subsided I had no noticeable effects to the Micardis and my bp dropped to under 130/80 but my insurance insisted that they would not cover the Micardis until I had been prescribed an ACE inhibitor so my Dr. prescribed Lisinopril and HCT as a water pill, within days of taking the Lisinopril I started having a dry, gagging cough that was aggravated by laying down making sleeping a serious problem.
I have found that drinking hot water is the only thing that will temporarily cut the tickle.
I have also noticed that I have been having dizzy spells and have started sweating profusely at the slightest exertion.
Still waiting BC/BS to authorize Micardis after 2 months or I will have to try another ACE inhibitor that may not have the same effects - any ACE inhibitors found to not cause these or similar symptoms would be greatly appreciated.

I am on metoprolol succinate er.50mg. Also diivan Hct 160/25mg. I was on divan hct for about 6months or so. It didnt seem to give me any trouble except all of a sudden the Dr. sarted to talk about my liver. This scared me so I was trying to find out if this pill could cause trouble with the liver.
Then I started metoprolol succinate er about a little over a month ago. I stared to notice leg pain in my legs. I could hardly walk, the pain just kept getting worse. On my own I went off of it one day them called the Dr. He said just go off it until my appointment, which was a week away. I could tell my pulse went up some, so I started to go on a half bill to see if that would help. It helped some, but I could tell there was a little pain, but not nearley as bad. I have a real dry mouth and headache. I asked the Dr. if I could go on anything else. He said metoprolol tartrate. I think you take 2 aday. I dont know if this is any better. Let me know if you have answeres for any of these problems? Thanks

My doctor (PA, actually) prescribed Lisinopril a few weeks ago because I'm diabetic and she said it would help protect my kidneys as well as lower my moderately-high blood pressure. Things went well for a couple of weeks, but the past few days have been unbearable. Not much of a cough, but I feel terribly weak, exhausted, and I can hardly think at all--am very confused, and can barely write this note (strange for a professional writer, eh?). I also have trouble walking, am quite dizzy and out of breath, and have severe muscle cramps; feels almost like my nervous system is shutting down. And truly, I feel like it could kill me. I was grateful to read all of your comments; makes me know that I'm not alone. I will have to discontinue this medication, as I simply cannot function while using it. (I'm a 62-year-old female, by the way.) Thanks again for your comments, and I wish you all luck and happiness.

45 year old female - 10mg per day taken at night for kidney protection. CONSTANT cough to the point I sometimes gag and get a pounding headache. Sinus drainage, leg cramps at night, itching red skin, can't sleep at night, very irritable. I actually thought I had a bad cold for the last 3 months with some allergies kicking in - BS - it is the Lisinopril - I know that now after reading hundreds of people saying the same thing...I e-mailed my doctor today and told her I want off this horrible drug!

I have been taking Diovan HCT 160 for the past 4 years and did not realize the side effects I am experiencing is from this medication. After reading comments from this site I now realize why I am having hair loss, lower back pains, fatigue, sleepless nights, weight gain, palpitations, anxiety, excessive gas, depression, daily joint and body pains. Just about everything on this page is what I have been going through. Has it maintained my BP, Yes! I have gone from 150/100 to 120/80.
I am so glad I came across this site. I will be speaking with my PCP, ASAP.

This is a great site for learning more on this subject where we can get the real facts from real experiences.( Vs. the deception from drug companies who are in the business for profit.)

Lipitor is pure poison, and Dr.'s hand it out like candy. All cholesterol reducing drugs that contain statins can trigger dangerous side effects. Not many of us are informed about the real danger of statins when we are handed the perscription. Inappropriate prescribing of medications will continue to be one of the leading causes of death. And we, the patients,do not always receive enough info. from our Dr.'s about the dangers and side effects from prescription drugs.

I'm 48 yrs. young. Female, small build, (was) healthy and active, happy, and an empty nester! My husband and I had moved to another province and hence had to find a new Dr.

I was prescribed lipitor 10 mg. daily after a routine check up by my Dr. because my cholesterol was a little high.

I started taking it in the winter 2005. I stopped taking it in mid June 2007... My side effects were progressive , drug induced, and it escalated to near disabling.

I knew something was terribly wrong. Was it A.L.S., M.S., West Nile, Lupis, Alzhiemers Disease, or a new designer disease? I did not suspect that the drug lipitor was the cause until much later.

At first, my Dr. said it was menopause. I should mention; since I've quit taking the drug 3 months ago, I have no symptoms of menopause !
At least my Dr. has acknowledged and diagnosed the cause of these profound symptoms." Myopathy as a result of statins."

Signs & symptoms I experienced are as follows;

Severe stomach pain.
Muscle pain, aching , weakness, stiffness, tenderness esp.to the lower extremities. Eventually, I could only shuffle to walk.
Pain in the palms of hands.
Stiff neck, shoulders, arms and lower back.
Trouble getting up from a seated position, and climbing stairs.
Extreme fatigue.
Hot and cold sweats
Night sweats
Fevers. High and low grade fevers.
Ringing in the ears.
Difficulty swallowing, and fear of choking.
Pain in the esophagus.
Memory loss, difficulty concentrating, forgetfulness.
NO appetite, yet a lot of weight gained around the abdomen area.Bloated.
NO taste buds.
Speech affected, slurring words and mispronouncing. Tongue felt swollen.
Trouble breathing at night, would wake up coughing ( and I was not smoking then).
Trouble sleeping.
Loss of balance and coordination.
Blurred vision esp. in the morning.
Sharp shooting pains in the Rt. thigh.

Most of the symptoms have now subsided. I still have some foot pain and leg cramps and muscle stiffness... and poor concentration. Putting this together has been done with great difficulty, as I seem to pause a great deal and forget what I was trying to say. The recovery process is slow but at least it's progress. My Dr. has not prescribed any more medication. I've done my own research, after the fact, and started taking coQ10. and I've noticed a big difference!

Quality of life? Well, I'd rather have high cholesterol and die from that, than be poisoned again by statins. What quality is there, to live an extremely painful, useless and unfulfilling life? We were all guinea pigs, and we paid a terrible price for this! I hope we all can recover from this with no long term side effects.
If you are considering taking cholesterol lowering drugs do some careful research on statin drugs before you take them, and read the testimonies from those effected by them.
sj.

Since I have been on Diavan Hct I have put on weight.

I am 73 male, treated for High BP w/Ace Inhib and HCT for many years. Started Toprol XL 50mg about 1 month ago, primarily for palpitaion. LOST weight, 10lbs in 3 weeks. reduced swelling in ankles and wrists. BUT, tired, fatigued, depressed, (depression from fatigue or fatigue from depression??) ache in lower back. rapid fatigue when walking a mile. no ambition to do anything

Update: I posted a message on 2/15, detailing my experience with Lisinopril 5 mg. I'm happy to report that the marathon coughing is finally over :) Yes, it felt like the coughing would never end! It gradually subsided in a span of two weeks. I would still occasionally cough as I noticed that there still seems to be an abundance of phlegm. But at least the constant coughing is gone. And, no more stress-incontinence as long I don't start the hacking cough. I feel so much better. I'm not as dizzy or light-headed. I'm still on Benicar 20mg (an ARB II ? not an ACE) and HCT 25mg. So far, no intolerable side-effects. My bp is controlled and will soon go for a follow-up visit. Just hoping I won't have to take this poison again.

One thing I noticed, on the following day I stopped Lisinopril, I had difficulty swallowing like even a teaspoons worth of food. It lasted for about a week and I was bloated. I was sure that I was having a bad reaction. But overall, things are generally better. I can say that life is good again :) The doc said that for some, it does take some time for the body to rid itself of the Lisinopril.

I disagree with the guy who implied that perhaps these are perceived symptoms. I think not! I am living proof that indeed, Lisinopril is the culprit. Like I said, I was never on any prescription drugs for the long haul other than your garden variety antibiotics. When I developed pregnancy-induced hypertension during my third pregnancy, I was put on Methyldopa for a few months. Any drugs I take, I always notice adverse side-effects. I'm in-tuned with my body when it comes to that, as are most people here who had complaints. So to suggest that these are "general and can be caused by and associated with many things" -- is an ignorant comment. It's not mass hysteria. Most people who posted here have already suffered the side-effects before they read what others wrote. They know from experience and observation that their condition was not normal after taking this drug and not because they first compared symptoms with other people.

You wrote: "Perhaps I would feel different if there had been a strong and relatively immediate reaction to the drug, but much of what I read suggests to me that people have other issues and problems, not a side-effect."

Wrong! Even the doctor concedes that many people do have these bad reaction to this drug. Not everyone is wired the same way, so naturally, some won't notice immediate side effects unless they're extremely allergic.

I, too, was originally prescribed Toprol XL 50 mg last 1/5/06. I took it for about two weeks then stopped and switched to Benicar. Toprol was too potent for me. Although I like the relaxed feeling and being able to fall asleep right away, I dreaded falling too sound asleep. This drug caused me to have nightmares and vivid dreams. Every night, all my fears and phobias seem to play itself out in my dreams. I'd wake up thinking it all actually happened! Very creepy! I also felt that heavy and hollow feeling that someone else here described. I really felt sad and depressed, lack of energy, sleepiness, night sweats, lack of appetite--which would have been a plus :), but with all the other side effects, I just didn't think it was good for me to continue taking it. We are currently on the experimental stage on which meds work with the least horrible symptoms. I am also on HCT and Lisinopril. I stopped taking the latter due to incessant, hacking coughs.

I'm glad this website is here, as now I know my symptoms from all these meds are not at all uncommon. Most doctors will never tell patients what side effects these drugs can cause, so as not to scare or plant ideas in their heads. Their job is to prescribe what they think will control HBP...then they just wait how the patient will react. It's up to us the patients to listen to our bodies and complain if we must when the drug has adverse effects. They will switch you to a better alternative. If that is too costly and wasteful....make sure to ask your doctor to give you samples first before you fill that Rx, because even if you tell the pharmacist not to fill the 30-day prescription, the price per pill is more expensive. At least that's what my Costco pharmacist told me. I really think these doctors get a payback/kickback, what have you, for prescribing these drugs. So, ask a lot of questions before agreeing to take anything. Doctors are humans--not God. Their opinions a
re subjective and YES, they make mistakes too.

I, too, was originally prescribed Toprol XL 50 mg last 1/5/06. I took it for about two weeks then stopped and switched to Benicar. Toprol was too potent for me. Although I like the relaxed feeling and being able to fall asleep right away, I dreaded falling too sound asleep. This drug caused me to have nightmares and vivid dreams. Every night, all my fears and phobias seem to play itself out in my dreams. I'd wake up thinking it all actually happened! Very creepy! I also felt that heavy and hollow feeling that someone else here described. I really felt sad and depressed, lack of energy, sleepiness, night sweats, lack of appetite--which would have been a plus :), but with all the other side effects, I just didn't think it was good for me to continue taking it. We are currently on the experimental stage on which meds work with the least horrible symptoms. I am also on HCT and Lisinopril. I stopped taking the latter due to incessant coughing (more like barking).

I'm glad this website is here, as now I know my symptoms from all these meds are not at all uncommon. Most doctors will never tell patients what side effects these drugs can cause, so as not to scare or plant ideas in their heads. Their job is to prescribe what they think will control HBP...then they just wait how the patient will react. It's up to us the patients to listen to our bodies and complain if we must when the drug has adverse effects. They will switch to a better alternative. If that is too costly and wasteful....make sure to ask your doctor to give you samples first before you fill that Rx, because even if you tell the pharmacist not to fill the 30-day prescription, the price per pill is more expensive. At least that's what my Costco pharmacist told me. I really think these doctors get a payback/kickback, what have you, for prescribing these drugs. So, ask a lot of questions before agreeing to take anything. Doctors are humans--not God. Their opinions are subjective and YES, they make mistakes too.

I started taking Lisinopril-5MG on 1/9/06. I did not notice any side-effects immediately as I was also recovering from double ear infection, cold and cough. The general, miserable feeling gradually became worse within a week. I was also on TOPROL XL 50mg and HCT 25mg. I later ditched the Toprol due to feelings of depression and nightmares and was switched to Benicar 20mg. Well...2-3 wks. later, I suddenly noticed I was coughing more than I did when I was ill prior to starting my medications. The incessant coughing is painful and very annoying. It later caused me to feel nauseated and I would vomit one to twice a day due to so much coughing. There is that constant salty taste--the phlegm and mucus tasted salty. Ick!!! My throat is still sore! I feel like I have a papercut injury from the hacking cough. That "tickle" in the throat really feels more like pin pricks!!! You cough so hard your head hurts and start leaking urine. That's another thing....I inadvertently developed stress incontinence from forceful coughs. Great...now I should be in diapers too :P

I never felt so MISERABLE in my entire life. I am glad to have found this board and read other people's experiences. I, too, have suffered the same side-effects. I thought my symptoms were psychosomatic. I didn't want to complain to the PA too much, so I thought I should grin and bear it for a bit longer until my body gets used to the meds. I've been generally healthy all my life except for 3 pregnancies in which I would later develop preeclampsia. My bp went back to normal after delivery. I'm 37 and now my bp seems to be up and down, which is why the PA prescribed the meds. I probably should have tried to bargain first :) I could have gone on a diet and lose some wt. Maybe the HBP can be controlled. (pipe dream, lol) My only consolation is that my cholesterol is good (160). That's one less risk of heart disease.

Anyway, I should have stopped taking these NASTY pills two weeks earlier but I thought I'd give it another chance....plus, I just refilled my Rx because we went on vacation! What a waste, but I finally wisened-up and stopped taking Lisinopril last Sun., 2/12. But from what I gather here.....it seems like the symptoms can linger a lot longer than a few weeks. I wonder too if there are any irreversible damage done. The PA told me to call back in two weeks if the symptoms persist. She previously offered to give me rx for codeine, but I refused. I tried otc cough suppressant but that didn't solve it. I just can't fathom taking any more new drugs at this point. I FEEL WORN OUT! I hope my bp will continue to stay normal with just HCT and Benicar.

Was switched from metoporol to toprol xl after a mild MI in May 2004. No heart failure, really don't see the benefit. I take 40mg of Lisinopril hct too.

Weight gain, tired all the time. Feel like I have the flu. Not weak or really tired, but want to rest my head and close my eyes. I take 150 mgs once per day.

i get bad sinus headaches & i feel tense all over my
body,i don't feel this way if i don't take the HCT.

i havie been having the wildest of dreams since starting lisinopril. iam also on crestor synthroid flecainide and hct
just wondered if the dreams could be from taking lisinopril grantwhyte@cox.

I've been taking Lisinopril 20mg + 12.5mg HCTZ daily for 9 months with no cough or other respiratory symptoms. This is my only medication. About 5 weeks ago I was increased to 1 1/2 tabs a day (30 mg Lisinopril + 18.75 mg) to effectively control my boarderline blood pressure. It was only at this time I did have a respiratory infection and nasal congestion, with cough for 2 weeks, since that time the infection has cleared however, a nonproductive cough has persisted the past 4 weeks. This cough is not tolerable. I will be switching hypertension medication within the next couple weeks if the cough doses not go with the next couple weeks. When I laugh hard with my chest, I start coughing and feel very congested. It's not very pleasant in a social crowd. Meanwhile, yes my blood pressure is under control.