Micardis symptoms and conditions

I was taking lisinopril and as far as my blood pressure goes, it worked great. However, after taking this drug (and Diovan and Benicar as well,) over time I developed Gastritis and GERD. I've switched to Micardis recently. Day 5 today and I don't get the sharp stomach pains I would get 20 or so minutes after dosing Lisinopril. IMO blood pressure is important to control. There's 100's of these type of drugs out there. I suggest to keep on trying different ones until you find one that works for you. This is number 5 for me (I tried Tekturna, which did not give me the digestion side effects, but was not effective for my bp.) I went with Micardis next because it's formulated differently than the Diovans and Cozaars and Lisinoprils, and so far so good. Wish me luck.

I 've been taking Micardis for a number of years, but over the last 5 months i have noticed my face flushing and feeling itchy. The redness stays constantly and i look like i am blushing. It's really embarrassing. Has anyone else experienced this? If so, did it stop when you ceased using Micardis?

Please help, i'm desperate.

I first started Lisinopril hctz about 3 years ago. Within the first day I had hives, a rash, itchy skin and RED RED face. Dr says it will go away. So I keep taking it. Fast forward a month and I start coughing, coughing at night so bad my husband can't sleep. It's so bad I feel like I'm choking and cough so much I am almost throwing up from the dryness and my throat being so constricted. During that time, I also start having some big whopping sinus pain and pressure. Felt like there was a tennis ball in my sinuses. Big time pain, headache. Dr says nothing wrong, just some allergies. I start taking Benadryl at night to sleep, to help with the itching, wheezing, coughing. It seems to help a bit. So I deal with all this. ALong with the coughing at times I am having trouble getting in air. Almost like I have to force it in. Not sure if it's my throat, sinuses or my chest. Next comes, some bass drum booming of my heart. I think it's so loud in my chest and my ears that others can hear it. This still happens on occasion. At times my legs feel like tree trunks or cement and I just don't have the energy to do anything. My hair started falling out in GOBS. I go to derm doctor, they say it's stress. It'll go away. Next I have kidney pain.... this goes on for a few months... come to find out I have a stone. But I never had any kidney problems before. Doctor's say it could be from the hctz and my kidneys having to work harder, but they were speculating. GP says keep taking Lisinopril hctz the benefits outweigh the side effects. I asked him if he has ever had a kidney stone he says no. I keep taking it. Leg cramps come next, bad cramps. I go to dr and he says it's my potassium, the hctz has depleted the potassium in my body and need to start on some big styrofoam potassium pills. All this goes on for almost two years. Fast forward to now. I'm still beat red in the face (and cannot handle the sun), coughing, sinuses full, itchy and bass drum beating (on occasion), heart flutters (on occasion).... four days ago I almost fainted because I was so dizzy within two hours of taking my pills in the morning. I am by no means able to sit on my butt and do nothing because of all these side effects. I have a farm to run, horses to feed and ride, hay to bale and put up, and I'm ready to get my body safe enough to start trying to get pregnant. I start doing research and find Lisinopril to be UNSAFE for a fetus. I start to think, well if it is unsafe for a fetus why is it safe for me? So then I googled side effects of Lisinopril and it brought me here. Thank God, I have a GP appointment tomorrow. I'm taking control back of my own body. I've had enough....

Add me to the club!

I dropped my son off at college upstate NY and decided to stay over at a motel due to traffic and bad weather. I was laying down on top of the bedspread when I noticed a lump on my right hip. Then I found two more smaller ones on my left hip. I immed. thought the motel had fleas or bedbugs or something. I was looking around for bugs/fleas but everything was very clean. I then went down to use the elliptical in the motel gym, came back, took a shower, watched TV and then fell asleep. I woke up about an hour later with severe pressure in the center of my chest and itching "down there". I scratched and then noticed these hives all over between my thighs. I still had the three on my hips too. I again searched for bugs and found nothing. I had already switched beds and was sleeping without the bedspread on. The next morning I felt a numbness in the left side of my mouth/chin. I called my wife, who is a nurse. She told me to get some Benadryl. I checked with the local pharmacy and they recommended Benadryl too. I took three doses total that day (6) pills and drove home.

That night, instead of being better, I was worse. I now had the thighs, hips and also the upper back by my armpits and around my waist, where the waistband of my pans/underwear sits. I went to the E.R. and told them I might be having an allergic reation and they saw me immed. I also had difficulty swallowing and right side of my chin/mouth was now slightly swollen and numb. I spent the night in the E.R. and was given IV Benadryl, 2 Zantac, as Zantac can stop the inflammation in a different way, and an epi pen shot. I left the E.R. about 630 in the morning feeling 50% better and with a Rx for oral steroids.

The steroids seem to be working very well. I am lucky to have a good primary doctor who returned my call immed. and told me to take the steroids and the Benadryl, discontinue the Lisinopril immed. and come to see him. The fools at my endocrinologists office dismissed my complaint and told me that it was probably from the Chinese food I had for dinner that night. The endocrinologist, Dr. Jeffrey Shiff of Massapequa, NY, didn't even return my call, someone from his office did. This woman told me that she reviewed my medications and didn't think any of these things caused my hives/allergic reaction. I told her that the internet was full of blogs and boards about Lisinopril and hives. She told me that since I had been on Lisinopril for two years, it was unlikely that this was a reaction to that drug. She said they see people all the time with this reation to Chinese food.

There is nothing on the internet describing this reaction to Chinese food. Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, from too much MSG, results in rapid heartbeat and a pounding headache, not hives and a sore esophagus.

The nurse in the E.R, told me they see 2-3 people per week with allergic reactions to ACE inhibitiors. Not just Lisinopril, but all ACE inhibitors.

In all fairness, it could have been the Chinese food, I had some sushi and some peanut butter chicken for dinner, but I have eaten these things before and never had a problem. I did have that feeling of fullness/blocked esophagus before I ate dinner and I chalked that up to eating a heavy lunch and then sitting in the car for a few hours.

In retrospect, I suspect that was from the Lisinopril, as I have had that feeling before after eating hamburgers and the like and then sitting, but only since being on Lisiopril. I have also had that full feeling after dinner, even when walking after dinner.

Like my G.P. says, it could be from anything, but it is very likely from the Lisinopril.

I will follow up with an allergist after this episode is over to see if I have developed an allergy to nuts or seafood or something, but when I think back to that "full" feeling in the esophagus, I think it is the Lisinopril.

Was previously on Micardis HCT; dr. switched to generic Lisinopril HCTZ 12.5 in 11/07 when I went on Medicare & was concerned about cost of Micardis. Since that time I've put on 10 lbs. and had increased pain/muscle fatigue and general lethargy. Unusual, as I've exercised 4-5 days per wk. (incl. aerobics/strength trng/flexibility.) for 20+ yrs. Also, frequently, have problems swallowing pills due to feeling of obstruction in esaphogus tube. In July '08 I awakened to slight numbness/tingling in lips and my lips then proceeded to the swell to the point of pain and my lips (in profile) protruded further than my nose. I received steroid injection and prescription for steroid pack. Diagnosis was possible allergic reaction to new cosmetic product. Today (9/3/08) I woke up with the same symptoms and again had to go to the dr.for a steroid injection & meds. Diagnosis this time (different dr.) was possible side effects of "blood pressure meds." Has anyone else experienced edema of the lips, wt. gain, and problems swallowing?

I have been on Micardis for years and have had no side effects at all. Ran in two marathons and worked out daily. Now I have been on Lisinopril-HCTZ 20 MG. and have not been able to work out without feeling dizzy, seating and cannot remember the last time I got a good nights sleep due to persistent coughing. The best moment was today finding this website and reading everyone elses comments. I plan to flush my remaining pills down the toilet and paying full price for Micardis since my insurance company will not pay.
This has to be thek worst pill available! If I knew today what I knew when this pill was first prescribed I would have never taken it. Hopefully it will not take long to get this out of my system and I can get my life back.

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 began taking Micardis two weeks ago to control my high-normal BP. Started out with 40mg doses taken each morning. The first side effects I noticed were a slight dizziness and a feeling of disconnectedness plus an upset stomach. An irritating background headache then developed along with some shoulder and back pain. By day three, I had numbness in my left pinky finger and palm and slight numbness extending up to my elbow. All of these side effects have become very annoying and have made it hard to concentrate at work and have really decreased my motivation. Two days ago while skiing, I missed my dose in the morning and didn't realize until later how normal I felt throughout the day. Upon returning from skiing, I took a pill and an hour later I felt poorly again. I haven't really noticed any benefit from the drug with my BP either as I do monitor it almost daily. I'm going to stop taking the drug tomorrow and see how I feel the rest of the week. It's just not worth for what little, if any, benefit I'm receiving.

I've been on lisinopril for 6 months and have been having this odd gagging sensation. Even before I start coughing, sometimes the smallest thing -- or nothing at all will make me gag. Tonight, despite the fact I didn't feel at all naseous, I had to stop the car while driving in order to gag and vomit. I also have a mild heart burn sensation in my throat and I have never been prone to any kind of heart burn in my life. My lisinopril cough is very small and inconsequential, but is more scratchy feeling than a normal cough. That's the best I can explain it.

I mentioned the feeling of gagging to my doctor. I suspected it was lisinopril since the symptom started shortly after I took the drug. My doctor shrugged off my question re: could it be the lisinopril and I concluded it must be in my mind, or perhaps some bizarre mid-life symptom of a result of being overweight about 30 pounds.

I had taken Benicar and Micardis for high blood pressure a year ago and both worked extremely well and without a single side effect. Unfortunately, my health insurance company (Blue Shield of California) wouldn't cover either, so my doctor switched me to lisinopril.

Fortunately, if my doctor reports my side effects, the insurance company will cover Benicar or another drug like it, so I'm going to fax him tomorrow with the alternative drugs covered by my insurance.

Tonight's gagging / vomitting attack provoked me to look up side effects for this drug on the internet. Now my suspicions are confirmed and I feel very validated. Thanks to all who posted here.

Sy husband started on Toprol 2 months ago. He is 72 & has had high BP for many years. When the cardiologist thought that he may be having heart problems he immediately changed him from Micardis, which was working fine, to Toprol 25mg. At first it seemed to help his high BP remain more stable, but now he is having other problems. His heart rate is usually in the 50's, he's very tired all the time now & has much more trouble remembering things than before. He's also begun having very vivid nightmares. Three days ago he started having diarrhea too. Also for the first time in 30 years we were unable to make love. He also loved working in the yard in the summer but now the heat is just too much for him. He directly attributes these effects to the toprol since that's the only new medication he has been prescribed in the last year. After reading other posts on this site he has decided to wean himself off of it & go back to his previous BP medication. Thanks to all of you who have posted because now he feels more secure in his idea that these problems are from the Toprol.

I started taking Lisinopril for my bp about 2 1/2 months ago and even though it did lower my bp, I started having strange side-effects. It started out with drowsiness throughout the day, no matter how much sleep I got. And, waking up feeling drowsy even after 8-10 hours of sleep. Then, I started getting strange aches and pains throughout my body, like I was getting over a stomach flu. My asthma also flared up and I started having to use my inhaler for the first time in almost 15 years (usually I just need it after exercise.) The side-effects continued to get worse over the next months with increased fatigue, drowsiness, coughing, anxiety, muscle aches, poor concentration, feeling like my nerves were "shot," headache, weakness, tightness in my lungs, numbness in my hands and feet, and just plain feeling bad.
I made an appointment to see my doctor because I thought there was something seriously wrong with me. It crossed my mind that I might be feeling this way because of the Lisinopril. I stumbled across this website and after reading everyone's testimonials, I decided to stop the Lisinopril. I haven't taken it in 3 1/2 days, and I am already feeling much better. I would rather try a more holistic approach to lowering my bp then taking Lisinopril.
I hope this helps someone else out there who might be going through the same thing.

i just started micaris im not having any side affects yet ive been on them for only 1 week if i get anyside affects ill be glad to let u know

Numbness in lips and racing heart. Pulse went to 120 for a few house while sitting down at desk, never did this while on Micardis alone. Have been on Toprol 25mg for one week. Have mild hypertension numbers at 135/85 before Micardis and now BP ranges from 117/70-157/90 when fully anxious.

Anyone out there with chronic anxiety and on these meds?

how stupid can I Be, I started taking lisinopril about 4 months ago, moved to a different state and my new doctor did not like giving lisinopril. He prescribed Micardis. Well after two weeks on that stuff, I was tired weak, and disorented. Went to another doctor, she put me back on lisinopril with HCTZ. I had wondered why I had a shight nagging cough, nothing bad, just nagging. Now with the HCTZ my lower back is killing me. I have a appointment today, I am wondering if there is anyway of lowering my BP without this garbage.

Well I'm glad I'm not alone here.I had a light stroke a year ago and the doc's got me on LisinoprilHCTZ,micardis,clonidine,and atenelol.I have aproblem with adema(swelling around the ankles and such).My Lisinopril was 20/25 mg.He told me to double my intake to get rid of this adema.But isnt lisinopril one of the meds that causes the swelling?So I have severe adema,a muscle soreness that wont go away,severe indigestion, a dry cough, and I feel weak all the time, with no energy. Why dont these doctors look up the side effects of these meds and prescribe responsibly

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.