Hello. I was a long term Lisinopril user. I was taking 5 mg for...

Hello. I was a long term Lisinopril user. I was taking 5 mg for several years with no apparent adverse effects, except for constant short coughing and scratchy throat. It lowered my Systolic pressure, but didn't lower the Diastolic pressure, so the doc upped my dose to 10 mg. Over the next several months, I began to get rashes, small pin-prick itches on my legs, sleepless nights due to extreme itching, fatigue, burning sensation in the chest, and excessive weakness. The Diastolic pressure still remained high so he upped my dose to 20 mg. Within a week, my hands swelled up and I got an extreme case of the hives all over my arms, hands, and legs. I never recalled ever having hives before and I didn't know what it was. I was terrified as to what was happening to me. The help counter at Walgreens Pharmacy told me I was having a severe allergic reaction to something that was causing a severe case of the hives. At that point, I still didn't make the connection to Lisinopril. The side effects continued to increase including burning sensation in the chest when I did the smallest chores, massive fatigue, dizziness, abdominal pains, headaches, rashes, and intense itching. I had 9 out of the 10 side effects caused by the drug. I research hives and found that I had the kind that would vanish after 6 weeks, because low and behold after exactly six weeks it went away. I kept complaining to my doctor about the problems that I was having, but he was of no help. After nearly 6 months on 20 mg of Lisinopril I became light headed even while lying down. I thought I was going to die. In mid-December, a year and a half ago, at 3:30 a.m., while lying down, I cramped up with severe abdominal pains, bloating, and extreme light headedness. I sensed that this was the end. I scrambled to my feet and tried to get upstairs to tell my family to call 911. I collapsed on the stairs and thought that this is where they would find my dead body. I made a second effort and struggled to my feet and made it into the dining area where I collapsed for a second time. My wife heard my body hit the floor. I saw the tunnel and light. She rushed out and called 911. When the paramedics arrived several minutes later I began to come out of it. My blood pressure was extremely low. After a short period of time, I recovered and felt relatively normal again. After that episode, I looked up the causes of light headedness on the internet and found a site that listed 10 medications that caused this side effect. Lisinopril made the list. I immediately stopped taking the drug. Within a few days, the light-headedness and rashes went away. I put 2 and 2 together and took my findings to the doctor. All he said was, "why didn't you tell me?" I had been complaining about these problems to him for the past several months. He switched me to a calcium channel blocker. Within a week I began getting rashes again and I discontinued the use of that drug. I now take a natural diuretic concoction of calcium, potassium, garlic pills, vitamins, other minerals, and a daily regimen of low dose aspirin. My strength and stamina have returned. I feel 90% better, but I think the experience has done permanent damage to my digestive system. Jack - 2/28/06