I have been treated for HTN for the past year (I am 47) and have ...

I have been treated for HTN for the past year (I am 47) and have had great blood pressure results with Lisinopril, but I also developed the horrible cough. I first started lisinopril first in February of 2005 but noticed the development of a terrible, gagging, cough that made it difficult for me to communicate at times (I am an RN). I would feel fine for a while and then start in with the cough...even the MDs noticed it and asked me about it at work. I was hoping that it was just a winter cough thing since my BP was really doing well on the 10mg of lisinopril, but with my stress incontinence problem and the lost nights of sleep, and daily coughing-gagging fits, I had to stop it after a few months. I noticed that the cough subsided within a few days after stopping the drug. My MD started me on 25 mg. HCTZ which lowered my BP although my diastolic was sometimes higher than he liked it. I had been taking HCTZ until two weeks ago. After getting a few too many BPs in the 140/90 range, I decided to stop taking it and restarted my lisinopril. I felt okay for a day or two and then COUGH, COUGH, GAG, RETCH....all over again. I know it's the lisinopril now. I can't handle this coughing, I do groups in a mental health facility....I can't make it through them sometimes, I also have a horrible time with my stress incontinence because of the coughing. I just restarted my HCTZ today and hope to have shaken off this cough within a few days. I see my MD in three weeks and hopefully we can work something else out. I was very disappointed in the lisinopril since it is very cheap and got my BP to a nice 120/78 range.