Hypertensive symptoms and conditions

I've been on Lisinopril 20mg for a week now. I have been having the hoarseness, leg cramps, tired (no energy), getting no sleep, and cough. But what worries me most is my blood pressure has dropped to what I think is TO LOW, (example: 87/60, 90/58, 96/66 89/68. I called my dr. 2 days ago and explained my concerns. They told me to cut my 20mg pill in half and we will decide what to do at my next appt. which is in a few days. Even after cutting the pill in half, my bp is still running 96/67, 98/66. Should I demand to be taken off the Lisinopril and be put on a different medication?

I am a 31 year old male, in decent shape (play basketball, volleyball, workout at least 3 times a week) but I have a family history of high blood pressure and have had it myself as long as I've been tested. Went to cardiologist as a check up on my slightly enlarged heart, long story short, ended up on Metoprolol (25mg) beginning of 2008 and have been fine but no real help with bp. Then was put Lisinopril (5mg) a few months ago and my blood pressure was great at last checkup. However during that time I had a couple of weeks where I was very dizzy, that sort of feeling your brain is taking a second to keep up with your head as you get up, along with a fogginess and what seemed like sinus issues but I chalked it up to weaning off of a small dosage of Zoloft I had taken for over a year. I also developed "the cough" everyone refers to, but since it is winter in New England I chalked it up to dry heat, even though it was a choking cough unlike any I've ever had before. Also during that time I seemed to completely lose my sex drive, again figuring it was just something to do with the Zoloft or general anxiety. Then in the past week I started getting a constant headache, having really interrupted sleep, very foggy and out of it, tired, dehydrated, constipation, nausea, all things that I would normally associate with allergies or some kind of sinus/flu, but yet I couldn't really pinpoint anything that would be causing it.

Then I finally started looking up things about the meds I was taking and came upon this site, and guess what? Everything and every way I was feeling was described in hundreds and hundreds of posts on this site. I don't think my side affects were quite as strong as some have experienced (for instance the cough is very infrequent, like twice a day) but I have only begun my journey with Lisinopril. So despite the warnings, I decided to stop taking it a few nights ago, and almost instantly I began feeling better the next day and since then.

I have since called my cardiologist and he has recommended I switch to Diovan, basically saying that based just on the cough symptom alone, he wants me off of Lisinopril as this is a known side affect. Now I am left debating whether or not I want to continue down this path of trying different combinations of pills to poison my body in order to lower my bp. It seems like others have noted marked differences between taking Diovan and Lisinopril, where the Diovan has been much more tolerable than Lisinopril (with a great decrease in any side-affects) but I'm 31 and although I know it will be very difficult to reduce my bp on my own (believe me, I've tried) maybe I'm too young to start with the "last resort" of these toxins. Just reading about the possibility that Lisinopril was robbing my body of zinc or other minerals, so that my immune system is greatly weakened, likely being the cause for most of the symptoms, is enough to ward me off of pills altogether. It's a sad statement on the state of health care in America when I am left to basically make such an important decision on my own, because I can't trust that my doctors aren't just working in the interest of the drug companies to boost their income. I don't want to have to choose between a silent killer and a horrible existence filled with "side-affects".

In the end, based on some of the reports on here, I think starting on 40mg of Diovan will be fine, but I will certainly be VERY wary of anything unusual and immediately find other options.

About eight years ago I felt heaviness in my chest along with some pain/discomfort when doing hard physical labor and occasionally in the hot-tub. Following my doctor’s advice and an angiogram, a stint was placed and medication administered – Lipitor and plavix I also went through a 6-month program for cardiac recovery including dietary changes and a proper exercise program. About six month following that I gradually just stopped taking my Lipitor and plavix and returned to my old eating routine and other life-style. I don’t smoke (never did) and don’t drink or otherwise indulge in any recreational drugs. I’ve never been hypertensive with blood pressures typically at 115/68. I maintain a trim and healthy appearing body just naturally or genetically. I eat lots of red meat, not a lot of vegetables, drink gallons of orange juice, and eat much more junk-food than I should. About six years after that (near heart attack) event I was given a “stress test” by my physician… I was then 61 and tested at the level of a 38 year old! Two years after that I had a significant heart attack out in the middle of nowhere! It took almost 6 hours to get me to an emergency room in Spokane, Washington (that’s a story of its own). That was on a Thursday – I was back to work full-time the following Monday (four days later). This time around with more drugs than I could swallow in one gulp! Lipitor, Plavix, Coumadin, aspirin, and carvedilol. The combination or amount was more than I could tolerate and I was weaned off all but the Lipitor and aspirin within a year. My heart has returned to nearly full-function and I have no physician imposed restrictions. All that said, I’ve been gradually developing muscle soreness (pain, actually) in my fore-arms and legs. I’ve been growing more lethargic and tired with each passing month. I’m now 65 and feel that the Lipitor is inhibiting my health… I want to get off it and be “normal” again. Or is it just being sixty five? Can I just quit taking the drug? Leaving only aspirin for blood thinning and the hope of a better diet for cholesterol control.

Hi I am 45 an been taking 5mg Lisinopril daily for the last 5 years, I am also a very active racing cyclist. Over the last 12 months I have seen my performances drop by 50% and I am so tired all the time, I also feel short of breath, been to docs he ran all the normal tests, nothing showed up, also,I now get terrible headache above my right eye whenever try any exercise. Watch out for grapefruit, it must react with the meds, my throat swelled up almost closed, horrible experience, I now ger blurred vision and muscle weakness. Not on, I have taken myself off the meds to see if things get back to normal, I will be able to monitor the situation based on my cycling performance results and will report back.

Starting taking Lotrel 10/20 a week ago, newly prescribed as hypertensive and diabetic. Along with Lotrel I am also taking Glucophage. Since my sugar and bp were all high 178/112, sugar in the 340 range, both these medicines are doing well for me. The only symptom I am feeling from Lotrel is the dry cough, especially before sleeping. I am keeping sugar free hard candies next to me that seems to do the trick. So far that is it...i am reading so much negative....does anyone have anything positive? So far my bp has dropped to 130/88, so I am feeling so much better.

In Sept, I was given a script for Vytorin as my triglycerides were high while rest of cholesterol was in the good zone. I have taken Zocor for years with no problems at all. I am also hypertensive and type 2 diabetic. I take a lot of medications. I was told that there might be a possible problem and to stop the medication if it did come about, by my primary care dr. The chief pharmasist also talked to me about drug interaction that could take place due to one of my BP drugs. I had trouble from day 1, starting with severe HA. It got worse as the days went on and by day 5 I was a wreck, pains from top of head to bottom of feet and depression issues as well. I was unable to reach my PCP as he was in the Arctic Circle on training exercise. I stopped the medication and it took about 10 days for me to come back to what for me is normal. I then called in a request to go back to the zocor as it had not bothered me in the past. Happy to say that I have only the old problems that I have been living with for years and doing fairly well. I have since been tested for any possible damage and thank heavens there was nothing new. It will be a long time before I accept a change or addition in my medications. I guess if it sounds too good to be true it must be so.

Where do I begin??? I have been taking Yaz for six months. Migraines! The worst migraines ever, I cannot function for one full day and sometimes more, the pain was so intolerable.

Hives! For the past two months, I keep thinking that I had a food allergy; even my doctor diagnosed it as that. After going to the allergist, I was told that I have developed an allergy to the Yasmin pill. No part of my body has been discriminated with this medication. Hives from the top of my head, in my eyes, right down to the bottom of my feet! This has been the worst experience of my life with this pill.

Fatigue to the extreme! I fall asleep sitting up and never feel rested. Yaz has caused me to go up two cup sizes so far, I went from being a 38C to a 40DD and I can't fit into anything. My boobs are sore a lot.

Weight gain, at least 20 pounds heavier. Nausea; Indigestion; Diarrhea & Constipation; Decreased Sex Drive; and Mood swings; Uncontrollable Rages; Severe body aches; Hot Flashes/Chills; Crying Spells; Blurred Vision; Lack of Concentration; Trouble sleeping; Dizziness; Shaking; Restlessness mainly after 9pm when I should be winding down to go to bed; Terrible night sweats; Never ending cravings for junk food; Inability to cope with stressful situations; Feeling of being inadequate; Can’t concentrate; Gassy; Hate family & partners; Irrational.

I am 41 years old yesterday. I am 6'3" and 190 lbs. I have been on the med since Christmas Eve 2005. I had a BP of 200 over 120 when my sister, an RN, noticed I seemed hypertensive (my job is can be very stressful). With a family history of high BP and heart attack, she admitted me for tests. Head CT and chest were clear. I was started on 10mg for two weeks, then progressed to 20mg. I had no symptoms other than urgency to urinate quickly after meals and more often. My BP has come down to 140 over 96 as of yesterday. My doctor has progressed me to 40mg effective this morning. I am a little dizzy and unfocused. I am going to increase my exercise this evening to include situps. Hopefully, this will increase heartrate, and maintain the systollic pressure while the diastollic decreases. That should take care of the dizziness by oxygenating my blood more effeciently. I will keep you posted.

My mother, age 89, was diagnosed with high blood pressure after cataract surgery. At the 6 month check-up the ophthalmologist found flame hemorrhages and hypertensive vessels on the back of the eyeball indicating the presence of HBP. The internist found her BP 190/90. She started taking Metoprolol 100 mg twice a day and Lisinopril 20 mg once a day. After 2 week the BP had only lowered to 160/80 so the lisinopril was increased to 40 mg per day. She now is lethargic, lost her appetite, lost 16 lbs, slightly nauseous, confused (particularly after taking the Lisinopril) and headaches. For the last 3 days she has had diarrhea pretty bad and has taken to her bed. We can't determine which of the medications is to blame. Anyone else experience these symptoms?

My mother, age 89, was diagnosed with high blood pressure after cataract surgery. At the 6 month check-up the opthomologist found flame hemorrhages and hypertensive vessels on the back of the eyeball. The internist found her BP 190/90. She started taking Metoprolol 100 mg twice a day and Lisinopril 20 mg once a day . The BP went to 160/80 in 2 weeks so the lisinopril was increased to 40 mg per day. She is now is lethargic, lost her appetite, lost 16 lbs, slightly nauseous, confused (particularly ater taking the Lisinopril), bad headaches. For the last 3 days she has had diarrhea pretty bad. and taken to her bed. We can't figure out which of the medications is to blame. Anyone else experience these symptoms?

My husband is type 2 diabetic. He was borderline hypertensive. So, the doctor put him on Lisinopril. After about 2 months, he took a blood test and his Kidney Tests (BUN & CREAT) were highly elevated! (BUN was 46/dL - 10-20 is normal; CREAT was 2.7mg/dL - <1.3 is normal.) His doctor immediately told him to stop taking the Lisinopril. It has been about 3 weeks since he stopped taking it and his levels have not come down much. My husband is very worried that the Lisinopril did damage to his kidneys. Has anyone out there heard of this happening before? Your input, please.......