I started taking Lisinopril for my bp about 2 1/2 months ago and ...

I have experienced alot of the same problems with Lisinopril. I was wondering how your BP is now. Was that the only med you were taking for BP? Did you have to increase other meds?

Hi- My blood pressure actually hasn't increased at all since I went off the Lisinopril. I was just at my doctor's office this morning and my blood pressure was 110/80. So, my doctor said that I can stay off the Lisinopril since I've been having such bad side effects and my blood pressure seems to be fine. No, I'm not taking any other medications for my blood pressure, but it seems as if just staying away from caffeine, going off of birth control, exercising and lowering my stress might do the trick without having to take medication.
Also, I wanted to add that my doctor was very sympathetic (unlike some other doctors that people have posted about) and she said that all of these symptoms happen in about 5-10% of people who take Lisinopril, and she also said that the symptoms take a few weeks to completely go away after you've stopped the medication (I know there were quite a few questions on that.) Good luck!

One of the problems with these side effects is that for some of us they creep up so slowly - over a period of months - that one doesn't necessarily put two and two together that it is caused by the drug.

In my case about 2 1/2 months also, but it was so long from having started the drug that it didn't occur to me for another month during which things got more and more quickly worse. And the doctors just kept insisting it was all in my head too, which also delayed my getting off the med!

I am now concerned about permanent damage as some of the efffects are still with me 3 years later. The good news is that if I take certain supplements (that took me over 2 years to find) I can feel almost kinda mostly normal (though I still have bad days).

I had a mild cough right away, but my doctor told me that there might be a mild tickle in the throat and not to worry. So I didn't, and it was very mild. However, I now realize that it was nature's way of saying there was something wrong, and I should have listened to that. But for me the cough started so mild and the doctor was so reassuring about it that I dismissed it. Eventually, it was the other side effects, like flu-like and such that caused me so many problems.

Best of luck to all.

Yeah, I totally agree. My side-effects didn't start right away. With some other drugs that I've taken for other things, the side effects usually start right away with feeling nauseous or excessively tired, but with this drug the side-effects crept up so slowly that I didn't realize they were being caused by the drug until almost 3 months into taking it.
So, how long did you take the Lisinopril? What are your lasting side-effects after 3 years? It's only been about a week for me since I stopped, and I am still feeling very tired and still have a lot of tightness in my lungs. Some of the side effects have subsided, but I still don't feel back to normal yet.

Hi: Yes, your post helped in that I had similar effects from Lisinopril except that about a month ago my doctor ordered some blood work and saw an elevated level of potassium and calcium. She immediately stopped the Lisinopril, and then I searched the web for side effects of Lisinopril and came across this website. I could not believe how many people have suffered with this med and how most of us have the same nasty side effects. The doctor would like to take me off bp medication and she told me to cut the salt; exercise, etc. After she stopped the Lisinopril I noticed the symptoms (anxiety, the feeling of not being all there, extreme fatigue, mood changes, etc.) began to cease. I have been off the stuff for four weeks. I still feel some of the effects (I took Lisinopril for 4 years), but nothing like they were while taking the med. Since bp problems run in my family, I am hoping I can get off these bp meds the natural way. I hope you can get off them as well. Good Luck!

FYI, I took this med for only 3.5 months. The main ;asting side effects is around shortness of breath, the resulting lack of energy, and chest tightness and pain. It seems to go all the way from the upper chest to the lower abdomen.

Selenium helps with the feeling that I can't get a full breath especially low in the belly. Zinc helps with the mid abdominal area. Both of those help with the pain and irritation directly in the lungs, and with clearing up the cough and sticky, sticky throat.

Others also report taking a long time for the side effects to fade away, but months not years. I don't know why this just won't go away. I am 45 and otherwise relatively health. Of course, no tests show anything wrong with me.

Also, my oxygen levels seem to test ok, so it isn't really a breathing problem per se. Stil though it manifests itself as shortness of breath. It is probably more thyroid system related, which I think is caused in part by the lung and other organ damage (that the doctors can't see). I think these organs have been damaged by the lisinopril and are sluggish and unresponsive. I also think I suffered from some damage by long term nutritional defficiency of those minerals mentioned above as I now know they are used up in large quantities by the immune system in detoxfication, but also have uses in these other systems like the thyroid.

As always, best of luck to all.

I have been taking lisinopril for about 5 months and recently associated it with a persistent, non-productive cough. I thought it was my allergies, but Claritan didn't do a thing for it and dextromethorphan cough medicine didn't help much either. It has gotten a bit better since I switched to Diovan, but the cough is still there. Anyone have an idea how long the side effects last?

My doctor informed me that it takes a few weeks after going off of Lisinopril for the side effects to dissipate. I've been off it for a week and I am still having a slight cough, tightness in my lungs, and shortness of breath. I'm also still having some pain in my thyroid, which the person above this post mentioned she was having as well. I'd say, give it a few weeks and you should start feeling better.

I was on Lisinopril/HCTZ for about 10 months. My blood pressure would fluctuate up and down (140/100 to 115/90). I figured it was just a good day or a bad day. I decided that I would like to try to have another child and talked to my doctor. He said I cannot be pregnant on this medication-it is too dangerous. So I stopped taking it. Within a week, my blood pressure had fallen to 100/70 on a daily basis. It seemed that the Lisinopril had caused my blood pressure to increase! I have been off of it for over 2 months now and the highest reading I am getting is 110/75.

you may feel fine as your bp may be rising, run the risk for a stroke and other problems. Since you have asthma this drug causes dry throat and coughing which you don't need. Check w/ DR. there are other bp lower drugs. lower your sodium use, low fat diet and exercise Good luck. I no longer take this drug on Cozaar,Coreg,2 "waater pills and 15 drugs to survive. This site accidently added this drug to my cabinet, How do remove this drug from the list? Help?

My husband went to the doctor complaining about pains in his abdomen when the doctor suddenly discovered his pressure was high! The reading was like 140/90 which could be caused from white coat hypertension ( or simply blood pressure increase just from the visit!). Within the next four to five days, the doctor decided to put my husband on Lisinopril. I was a lot skeptical and should have followed my instinct, but I figured the doctor knows more than I do. After one week of being on the meds, my husband began to feel the side effects of the drug. Because the doctor decided the pressure wasn't going down fast enough, he suggested two 20mg pills per day!!!!! While taking two pills, my husband's pressure fell to 90/56! I immediately called the doctor, especially since we were monitoring at home, and gave him the news. I also asked if we could try a more wholistic approach to solving the slight increase in his pressure. After only two weeks of being on the meds, my husband, 1 month later, is still suffering from the following side effects: tightness in chest, shortness of breathing, and excessive mucus in his throat. This medicine should be recalled off the market before it seriously hurts someone, and doctors should be more aware of the medicines that they are pushing into our society! Everyone, DO YOUR RESEARCH 1ST before taking any type of medicine!!!!

After reading these post, I am almost convinced that this med is causing me to lose my mind. I am on Crestor and Plavix too, and I just wonder which one is causing me to feel so bad(all the above symptoms mentioned)

I've been on lisinopril for a while now having had an increase in dosage for the past few months. I had an intermittent cough which I didn't pay too much attention but I've been wondering about the cause...Recently I have had those symptoms everybody has been describing - lightheadedness, inability to focus, shortness of breath. I exercise regularly but haven't felt vigorous. I am convinced it is the lisinopril.

Hi Kschell. I have been taking 10mg for about five years. I did not notice any side affects until Dec 30 2007. I would take the medication at night and the next morning at work I felt like I was going to faint. I went to the VA emergency room with intermittent symptoms of feeling faint, shock like symptoms (clammy cold hand and feet), Fain in the middle of my neck and left shoulder, upset middle stomach pain, and no appetite. The first thing that they did was wire me up like a lab rat to make sure that it was not my heart. They didn't draw blood thinking that it was dehydration. The ER doctor replenished me with fluids and I thought that in no time I would feel better. About 30 minuets later I felt the same. The next day I returned to the VA ER and this time blood was drawn. This time I was diagnosed with severe stress. I have noticed that my symptoms coincide with my medication. Does anybody feel the same way?

Thank you

Chris

I've been on Lisinopril for over a year. I too have the dry cough and breathing problems, but none of the other symptoms mentioned. I also crave salt. Before taking this medication I never used salt on my foods but now? I can't get enough. My doctor didn't believe me when I mentioned this and I was wondering if anyone else has had this side effect? I know that salt is bad for high BP but I can't seem to get enough of it! Also, my BP runs around 117/65 consistantly...I tried going off the lisinopril on my own but after a week I started getting headaches and my BP started rising..I would be careful to advise anyone to quit a medication without having your doctor work with you...perhaps you need to be weaned off it rather than going cold turkey?
I also take toporol and the doctor has been decreasing it every office visit..if you are on this BP medication and have problems with dizziness when you stand up, talk to your doctor...you may need your dosage lowered. Hope this helps!

After taking Lisinopril for a week, I had swelling in my neck.
I noticed this about an hour after taking my pill, the swelling stayed
with me about 3 hours. I would like to know if anyone else has had
this problem. It looked as if I had the mumps. I am going to ask my Doctor about this and if I should continue to take this medication.

Thank you so much, my experience have been exactly the same as yours but I had been on Linsinopril for much longer than yourself but have been caring for my 89 year old dad who had dementia and put my health on back burner, although I'd been feeling absolutely awful for a couple of years! Dad died last month and I have been looking on the internet in desperation as to what my problem could be. Thought it may well be my blood pressure medication and quickly discovered that I have been suffering for almost all the side effects listed on the leaflet enclosed with medication. I had started to get panic attacks and after much thought have just stopped taking Linsinopril. I felt instantly better and this has carried on as I suppose it is clearing my system. I know I will have to return to my doctor but there is no way I could use this drug again - life had become not worth living. Thanks again for your experience of Linsinopril it has really made me feel that there is hope for the future.

kindest regards.

I started taking Lisinipril in September, went on a cruise in October, I thought I had the flu because I felt tired and began coughing like crazy. I went to my doctor and at first she took it lightly and didn't even mention the medication, I went back 2 weeks ago and she immediately told me it was my BP medication. I immediately stopped taking it, 3 days later I was put on another med. I still have that horrid cough; it keeps me awake at night and sometimes it is so bad I almost vomit. She said when it was out of my system the cough would go away. I double checked with the pharmacist and she told me exactly the same thing. The coughing is so embarrasing at times. My co workers and other students I go to school with were giving me strange looks at first. Cough medicine and drops help somewhat, but how long can you take that?

i had bad reactions to lisinipril also...now i list it in my allergic reactions ..i had chest pain ..like it was trying to give me a heart attack and the drowsiness ...my doctor told me that initially it has side effects and to stick with it and take it at night and stuff like that ...well i know i do better than some with endurance but i dont know anyone who can hang in there with "heart attack" like symptoms...for only slightly high blood pressure ...i am prescribed micardis now(only .5mgs of it) i have a pill cutter ..which has been okay if you can say blood pressure medicine is okay ...none of that crazy stuff like lisinipril ...i also lost some weight which was a drastic improvement on my blood pressure situation...im glad i found your post because these situations can make you feel like your an alien on planet earth