Lisinopril and good luck

I to can say that Lisinopril has caused me to have the worst coughing ever. I work as a receptionist and sometimes I have to but the call on hold to be able to cough. This is terrible I spoke to my doctor and he just gave me a prescription for another medication. My sister in law told me as well that Lisinopril made her cough. I have not taken it for 3 days now trying to clear up before starting the new medication but I am still coughing from the it, hopefully it will stop soon as this is driving me crazy. I now find myself having this ugly white flem that at times when coughing spits out of my mouth. This is so terrible, doctors must tell you this when given you this prescription not after the fact. Good Luck to all.

My husband had all of these same side effects... Bloating in the stomach, swelling in the ankles, sick as a dog!!! Vomiting, burning sensation in the chest, wheezing, chest pressure... He was on it 2 days before I found this site and discontinued use.. I gave him benadryl for the allergic reaction which is what this is .. It is called Intestinal swelling, some people get it on the inside and others on the outside in forms of rashes and such. I took him off of this immediately and gave him benadryl and lots of water. Almost immediately he was up and walking and talking and color began to return to his face. He had been sitting on the coach unable to move hardly or talk since I brought him home from the hospital... I read that this medicine is actually made from snake venum.... Enough said...
How many of you would not react if a snake bit you. I argued with the cardiologist and finally decided it was my way or the highway.. A lot of times the pharmacist can tell you way more about a drug than a doctor.
By the way if you are going to kick this drug be aware that you will still have some bloating and irritation due to side effects from this drug for usually 1-2 weeks.....My husband is almost through this... Good luck everyone and thanks for your posts.

ok, i have been on lisinopril 10mg hctz for about a year now. sometimes i feel the cough, sometimes my throat fells tight , but one thing that scared the hell out of me just in the last few weeks was a sudden bald spot on the top of my head, granted i am 50, but i have a reasonable head of hair, i also, to my surprise found a little bald spot usually where a man does not go bald down toward the back of the head. I just walked by my haircut lady to ask her if i had this bald spot two months ago and she said no way and to hurry and see a dermatologist, i am truly thinking its this dam drug, anyone else experience sudden hair loss in strange places on the head? thanks.

My whole life 120/70. Two months ago 160/103 wtf. I am on my second month of lisinopril. I am pretty sure it has caused me to be absent minded and grouchy. I was never these before. Worse yet for me is that I am a life long runner. I live to exercise so that I can enjoy the more fun things in life. beer wine and good food. ( I am 47 years old) I ran my first marathon 26.2 miles in January. I now have trouble running three miles with out getting fatigued, dizzy and winded. This sucks!!! any advice would be appreciated.

So. I have read a lot here about side effects. What have you guys switched to (i.e. what BPM are you taking now)?

Who has switched to something else and been pleased with the results?

Need specifics please on an alternative.

I just started taking this drug three days ago, and I am already having such bad side effects that I don't want to take it anymore. I am only 29, but have a family history of high BP, and went to the doctor last week to find out my bp was 175/90. Since starting the drug, I've been getting dizziness, but last night took the cake. I woke up around 4:30 with horrible nausea. I ran to the bathroom where I fainted while sitting on the toilet lid, wanting nothing more than to vomit. I remember waking up and looking in the mirror, and my face was as white as a sheet, as were my lips. I looked dead, and it scared the hell out of me. As I came to, I suddenly had diarrhea hit me, and once that was over, I felt better. My husband thinks my body is trying to get rid of the drug. In addition to all this, I am having palpitations and feel that my heart is beating too fast. I know that part of this is nerves, because I'm scared of taking this medication, but the fainting and nausea ARE because of the drug. I called my doctor today, and she wants me to come in to get my BP taken again. I am so scared that she won't lower the dose or (better yet) switch me to something else, because my bp always goes up at the doctor's office when I get nervous, every time. Oh, and I also started metformin last week because the doctor tested my blood sugar and it came back 250. Could it be the combination? I don't know. I just know I have only been on this stuff for a few days and already hate it and feel that it's bad for my body! It's very scary.

10-1-09 For the past year my husband has complained of severe headaches, muscle and stomach cramps, nausea, diarrhea, hot flashes weight gain and severe depression.(he takes anti depression meds) He sleeps 8 to 10 hrs during the day and all night. He has seen a stomach specialist and a neurologist. He has had numerous tests done by both Drs. He had his gallbladder removed in Dec.08 He had over 100 gallstones His thyroid is very low, (has been since diagnosis 6 yrs ago) his medication has been increased 2xs in the last 2mos. He is not any better. He will see an endocrine specialist 10-5-09. I have researched for hours on the internet for anything that will help the drs. find what is causing all of these complaints. He has so many symptoms, nothing matched and from head to toe. No luck until now. He has every symptom that you good people are describing. I will most certainly use this information and share these stories with his Dr. I have seen the LIFE being sucked out of my husband. None of these "Specialists" have ever suggested that perhaps the lisinopril might be the problem. I GUARANTEE YOU I WILL!!
Thanks to all of you for sharing your stories, GOD BLESS EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU. A. A.

I am a 54 yr old female never been sick I started to have high BP so I went to the doctor and they said because of my family history I should take Lisinopril
Well it is about 3 months and I cough all the time and i have been waking up at night a lot, so I went back to the doctor and they said go off it for 2 weeks and then we will try something else.No Thank you I will go back to natural remedies which have keep me healthy for yrs Good luck to you all!

This is nothing new but goes right along with what others are saying about Lisinopril, AKA drug from Hell. I asked to be switched from Benicar due to its high cost compared to Lisinopril. My Dr. picked Lisinopril from a list my mail order pharmacy (Medco) sent as potentially less expensive than Benicar. I had zero problems with Benicar. I'm 59, male, generally in good shape. After 30 days on Lisinopril HZTC I was tired all the time, couldn't sleep very well, leg cramps, sweating like crazy. The worst part for me is joint pain that lingers on after going back to Benicar 10 days ago. The pain in one of my hip joints makes it very hard to even walk. I know it was the drug from Hell that did it. After 10 days I'm now OK except for the joint pain, which at least is not constant like it was when I was taking Lisinopril. Good luck to everyone.

I've been taking 10mg Lisinopril for a year with absolutely no side effects. (I'm 6'3", 225lbs.) My BP was nearing 140/90 when they started me on it. Now it's constantly down under 125/85. Still a little high - I just need to exercise more and lose weight. Good luck all.
-S.

Ayurvedic Herbal Treatment for Hypertension

Hello. I have been dealing with my hypertension now for approximately 1-1/2 years now and those of you that have read my findings through my previous posts know that I'm always looking for natural supplements to stay off of the lisinopril. I stumbled onto a new herb for bp. You absolutely have to try this. I went to see my doctor yesterday and I was having a really stressed out day dealing with a family crisis and my bp was 150/100. I left with a prescription, but I received my order of this stuff in the afternoon and I took the recommended two tablets twice a day and woke up this morning with my bp 108/69. This product gets shipped from India and takes approximately two weeks to arrive by registered air mail, but very much worth the wait. I have the link to order it and to read more about the herbal treatment. If you are interested, feel free to e-mail me and I will send it to you. Take care and good luck.

chronic diarrhea x2 weeks-began 4 days after initial dose of lisinopril.....
diarrhea x 12+daily.....
also, experienced headaches, nervousness, waking at night, sweats, acid-like taste in mouth. I discontinued usage, went to dr-she gave me an RX for procardia via nurse without even seeing me on the sole complaint of chronic diarrhea X2weeks......I surely hope this is the solution, and from the postings here, it does appear that Lisinopril is poisonous.
Good luck everyone. My prayers are with all experiencing similar ill effects.

I have been taking 20 mg. for two weeks and I have developed a dry cough, pain in the middle of my shoulder blades and my left arm. I tried to cut my grass and felt like I was going to die. I am 48 year old male with BP of 140/90. Lisinopril has lowered my BP as low as 90/60 so I cut the dosage in half. Now I feel like my throat has been ripped out and I'm hurting all over. I will never take Lisinopril again. I was on Benicar, but it was expensive and didn't really work. I am going to start exercising more and try the health food stores.

54 year old Male, Retired Marine, Very physically active, with Type II Diabetes; 5mg. Thanks for this Website. Started Lisinopril 3/25/09. Took it for 25 days, found this website and stopped taking it immediately. I had severe JOINT PAIN. It started in my hands, then feet, knees were next, then moved into my shoulders. The pain was the worst I've ever felt. Approximately 60 days after stopping the drug I went to see the Dr. after the Pharmacist told me Lisinopril should have been out of my system after 2 weeks. The Dr gave me Steroids (Prednisol) which completely eliminated ALL pain in 2 days . I was tested for Polymyalgia Rheumatica, however the my Sed Rate was normal. The blood tests did reveal that my RHEUMATIOD FACTOR is elevated (34.3 where the normal range is 0.0-20.1 IU/ML). Was told that if the pain returned, then I would be referred to a Rheumatologist. 3 Days after finishing the dosage pack of Prednisol, the pain/swelling in my hands and shoulder has returned. Going back to see the Dr today to discuss next steps.

Although the doctors don't agree, I believe Lisinopril caused this pain, and although out of my system now, triggered something that isn't going away.

The rest of this describes the roving pains I experienced.

Hand pain included swollen fingers, inability to make a fist or type on a keyboard. After light yard work on Sat., shooting burning pain up the inside of both arms. Trying to close your hands into a fist, you can feel the tendons up your arm burn with pain. Motrin did not alleviate the pain. Hot water did not help.

Pain in my knees each morning. The pain worsened over night and frequently causes you to wake up. The pain was like your knees were being squeezed in a vice. No position is comfortable. Motrin sometimes helped, but after awoken, getting back to sleep was impossible.

Feet swollen. Couldn't wear any shoes for extended periods. Loosening the laces helps, but still caused pressure which becomes unbearable and the shoes have to come off.

Shoulders; This is the strangest one. First pain was in the left shoulder, like I had impacted a brick wall at a full run (actually no trauma occurred). The pain felt like someone had stabbed it in my shoulder in the socket. At it's worst, no position is comfortable. Had to put my arm in a sling. 5 Days later, the same type pain moved to the right shoulder.

Wow, is all I can say. I just found this website this past Thursday morning before going to my Doctor. I am off it now and back on Diovan thanks to this forum. Here's my story... I switched from taking Diovan to Lisinopril-hctz about 3 months ago because it was way cheaper. I started getting a mild runny nose, and cough that didn't go a way.It was getting harder to sleep as the days went by. I tried sinus, allergy, cold, and cough medicine with nothing helping. I went to a different doctor at a local after hours clinic and they gave me a steroid shot for allergies. I have never had allergies all my life. I am 36 yrs old and work outside for a living. I knew something was wrong and started to get a little worried. I went back to see my main Doctor on May 5th and he switched me from Lisinopril-Hctz to 30mg of Lisinopril because I thought I was going to the bathroom more often. I questioned the side effects again and was told you just get a dry cough and what I had is allergies and gave me a prescription for Astelin. Not long after, my hell began. I started having the EXTREME coughing, gagging until you vomit, stuffy runny nose, and I was starting to get a little anxiety. Not to mentioned scared at this point. I could not sleep at night due to the coughing fits. I would sleep best after I had some drinks at night, so that became my sleep aid. I got a respiratory infection late May and took a Z-pack and Lohist 12d. I got a little better. This past Sat I woke up with a sore throat and something like a cold. Sunday morning I woke up with the sore throat that was worse and a panic attack! I was freaking out, pacing around wanting to go to the ER. It took 3 hrs to calm down and fell asleep. Sunday night anxiety kicked in again at bed time and I didn't know why. I just knew something was very wrong with me and mentally I was losing it. I took some melatonin and still couldn't sleep because of anxiety and coughing. Monday I was afraid of what was going on mentally and started to question if I was safe to be by myself if a bad panic attack occurs. I scheduled an appointment to see my doctor on Thursday. Hoping I could make it till then. Monday night I took a melatonin trying to stay calm and keep anxiety down. Could not sleep, bad coughing and gagging, but started to wind down about 1:30 am when it started. I was laying down making my ears pop/click and for some reason I could not make my right ear pop before my left ear. All the sudden anxiety kicked in full force. It took a long time to calm down that night. I finally did get my right ear popping before the left one. Its sounds funny but it wasn't at that time. It was official, I have lost my mind. I did not sleep at all wed night before my appointment. I did find this website that morning before going and felt better after reading other posts. After talking to him I switched back to Diovan. He still was leaning towards allergies though. He told me to take benadryl at night and claritin during the day and my coughing may take about 4 weeks to see improvements. I had my hopes ups on Thursday, but after reading a lot of posts here I am still discouraged about the outcome. For those of you that had anxiety attacks at night, how long before those stopped? Also how long before the coughing and gagging starts to slow down or end? Is there anybody that stopped taking Lisinopril, but symptoms have not improved? I am glad I found this forum and happy to be back on Diovan. Right now with the way I feel with the sore throat, coughing, gagging, vomiting, sinus pressure, anxiety, I am still unsure on the outcome and what may come next....

I am a 62 year old female and started taking Prinil, which contains Lisinopril, 3 months ago. On the second day the dry cough started and also my vocal cords felt paralyzed. After 12 days I was told to stop taking the medication. I still have a very hoarse voice and problems with my speech. Have been to two throat specialists and there is nothing wrong with my throat. Has anyone had such symptoms. If so please reply.

I have been taking Lisinopril 10mg tablets once a day for years and have had good luck with it, Never any side effects. I also take Lipitor 10mg, with great results and no side effects. Guess I am lucky!!

ok ive been on lisinopril for about 4 months. the cough is annoying and its not all that bad but the thing I notice most is the constipation, and its causes one more side effect that most men are afraid to talk about and thats erectile dysfunction. The doctor told me this would improve after ive been on my meds for a bit but after 4 months the ED has gotten worse. I forgot to take my meds for a couple of days and for the first time since taking this stuff things are improving. Im 39 yrs old and am in ok shape but not bad. I have a physical job and am fairly active. The ED, reduced sex drive, cough and cramping of the right calf after 4 months ?????? If I stay on this what next? Anyone else have any ED problems with this drug???.

a little update. i took 5 mg lisinopril for 3 days, had blood work done on Monday and afterward, took the 4th pill. so the bloodwork reflected only 3 pills of 5 mg each. my potassium level, which right before starting lisinopril, was 3.9- was suddenly 6.4.
doctor called Tuesday, told me to stop taking lisinopril, come in for an EKG and have more blood work done on Thursday, 3 days after stopping
he just called to tell me that my potassium levels are back to normal

Has anyone out there who has been on lisinopril gotten very sore tender breasts? I recently increased the dose from 10mg. to 15 mg. because my BP was getting higher and it seems like I've had this stinging aching sensation in my breasts since then? I've also had a tickling cough since I've been on it--worse at night.

I have been on lisiniprol with hctz on 10mg dose since October 2008. My BP averaged around 144/95 before taking the med, now averages about 122/78. The problem i am having is this constant "tickle" in my throat which has been giving me coughing fits. When i breathe in deep i can feel a sensation to cough, sometimes my throat feels tight and sore, the first time i felt this was December 2008 and the doctor said it was a touch of post nasal drip and this was before i have read stuff on this board. Has anyone else experienced this kind of sensation in the throat? sometimes when i talk i even have to cough, i experimented once and did not take my dose and it seemed my throat felt better but then noticed my bp went right back up, i guess i better tell the doctor to get me off of this drug. She did tell me that the cough was part of the side effect. thanks and hope someone answers this.

I started taking lisinopril 20mg Nov. 12, 2008. I've never smoked poison ivy before, but that's how I describe the constant side effect. Sinus and upper gums, upper chest. A dull allergic feeling. Some days I am preoccupied with it, gets depressing. Does keep the BP down. I am weaning the dose down to stop. I know you're not supposed to stop taking them, but I am sick of feeling sick. I've told the doctor twice, I think he thinks I am imagining it. I don't have insurance, it cost me $300.00 out of pocket to see him for ten minutes. I hate felling trapped like this.

43 yo Male 5'9, I weighed 259 lbs 2 years ago. I am now 221 lbs. I want to be 200 lbs. Work out 3 times a week gym. Take vitamins. Diet is better than what it was.
Can't say I am not trying. But if all BP meds are like this, I will no longer take them, and just take my chances.

Wow! Let me tell you my story: I was first diagnosed with HBP (170/140) during a high school sports physical in the beginning of 8th grade (I was about 14 years old). I was in top shape and a very healthy eater. I had probably (from what I remember) every test done to see what was the cause of this hypertension - and the only thing found was that my kidney's produce too much rennin (the hormone that increases BP). I was then put on Lisinopril 10mg. Everything continued well for about 6 years - I also stayed in shape and ate healthy. However, throughout those 6 years, I did notice my curly hair turning straight and my incredibly (can't do nothing with) thick hair started to thin and become style able. Now...I do know this is my fault, but in the past 2 years my healthy eating habits have slipped, I've gained weight and started smoking - plus have a sit down, don't move kind of job. However, about 1 year ago, I had a slight spike in my pressure and my doctor added a diuretic (HCTZ 12.5mg) to my lisinopril. Ok, that brought the pressure down and all seemed well. Then..... In December 2008, not long ago, I started not feeling well. Thinking I was sick, I went to the doctor's to find my blood pressure to be 190/140. Immediately, my does was increased to 30-12.5mg. That brought a quick drop in my BP down to 110/66 - I was so darn dizzy I could barely function. I was also but on short-term disability because all this caused me to be off work for so long. Unfortunately, when my dose was adjusted to 20-12.5mg and the dizziness stopped I went back to work. Now, I can't go back on S.T.D. for many, many weeks. And....... The past month has been complete HELL!! My hands (mainly fingers) and toes are almost always cold, I've been dieting for over a month and am struggling to lose weight, my hands and feet go numb more often than usual - I never used to find myself waking up in the middle of the night because of pins/needles feeling, my hair is thinner than ever and stick straight - I'm afraid I'm not going to have any left, I have UNBEARABLE headaches (sometimes all I want to do is sleep and sometimes, like tonight -it's 4:12am- I can't sleep), I have acne like a teenager - mind you, I never had more than 1 to 2 pimples at a time growing up, and that was rare (I was lucky)... Thank god for FMLA or I would have lost my job since I've spent so much time home since I thought all was good and went back to work. Only wish I could make a dollar again. Now to top it off...I was referred to a nephrologist (kidney specialist) who after seeing me only once for about 30min and reviewing blood work from the end of January (I had a high calcium level as well as some others that deal with the kidneys) wants to take away the diuretic (HCTZ) part of my medication (hopefully to reduce the calcium level) BUT DOUBLE MY MG OF LISINOPRIL. HE WANTS ME TO TAKE 20MG TWO TIMES A DAY. I was starting to think all these new symptoms that came on so quick were a result from the increase of lisinopril - now I think I'm sure. I'm not changing my medications until I can talk this over with my PCP - I'm going to ask we try a medication change. Does anyone have any suggestions? Or any suggestions why a 20-year-old has blood pressure as high as 190/140 with no family history of HBP or really any health problems? Any suggestions why the kidneys are producing too much rennin? Any meds that drop the pressure and we don't get headaches - I can live with cold limbs and numbness - it's the headaches that are rendering this 24-year-old helpless :(

ALLERGIES, bee sting, Sulfa drugs: there's another caution about Lisinopril I just discovered. Not only is this drug not to be used with people who have history of dehydration, it is contraindicated with people with allergies such as bee stings and SULFA drugs. Do not take your med provider or pharmacist word, find out for yourself before swallowing something that could be POISON to you! God bless and good luck to all of you.

Someone, please tell me how long this coughing will last! I took Lisinopril for 4 weeks. During that time I had many of the same symptoms that I'm reading now, but didn't realize what was causing them. But after 3 weeks of a constant dry cough that led to gagging more often than not and cough attacks every hour on the hour even at night, I turned to the Internet to research tickling coughs. I too was sure I had throat cancer after experiencing lung cancer just a year ago. After reading all of these experiences from all of the people on this site, I was relieved yet furious. I called to inform my doctor of the side effect of the coughing that was keeping me from going anywhere but work (I'm a teacher so you can imagine how difficult that is). I was consuming 10 - 15 cough drops a day and night which was not helping my weight issue. She prescribed Toprol which I researched and read that it should not be taken if you have had a history of lung issues. Needless to say, I'm not going to take that either. My blood pressure is pre-hypertension so I believe I can control that myself with exercise and diet. It's been 5 days since I stopped taking the Lisinopril and the coughing has not subsided at all. I was up every hour on the hour last night and that was with taking a sleep aid.

I am a 35 year old woman and my doctor put me on lisinopril 10 mg at first I had the cough that I see almost everyone gets,but I could deal with that then I started getting very tired all the time,I had started working out and was feeling better since I had been diagnosed with hbp,I ws following the dash diet ,it is said to be real good for hbp.I started taking lisinopril in may and by November I was a complete mess, My doctor never told me of any side effects so I read the little paper that the drug store give you on the side effects but it does not do this justice!I was so weak and tired I could not get out of bed,On thanksgiving I went to the hospital and told them I have no energy I feel sick all the time and dizzy,of course they sent me home thinking I was insane because I was crying ,I felt depressed all the time I did not know what was going on .About two weeks later very close to Christmas I started having palpitations at first I just thought it was stress from the holiday then they came more often ,I was so scared I went to my doc. told her I was have palpitations and she blamed it on my weight! ok now I am overweight but I have lost almost forty pounds and was walking four days a week ,then I said to her do you think it could be the lisinopril ,then she said something I will never forget she said well who put you on lisinopril? I was done then I said well you put me on the drug ,her face went white she said oh yes you should stop taking it I will give you a different one ,so I went home and took it for week and the palpitations kept getting worse so I went back to her and told her I was still having palpitations so then she gave me an e.k.g. and found nothing of course.I told her I was going to stop taking the meds all together and she then said she wanted to see me in two weeks ,In the meantime my boyfriend made an appointment for me to see a heart doc. ,he took another e.k.g.(did I mention I have no insurance)and said there was nothing he could do that I need an echo and a holter moniter for 24 hours to tell him whats going on .I had been off work for a month now so I had no money left so I started crying but my boyfriend paid for the tests to be done which cost a pretty penny .I am still waiting for the results of those tests yet but the more I think about it the more I wonder if I was having lisinopril panic attacks?I have stopped taking all blood pressure meds and my bp is most of the time 120/80 sometimes it is lower sometimes it is higher but I would rather not deal with the side effects of the drug until I really need them!

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....

I wrote in December, described the cough, my problems with this drug, I was on 40 mg prescribed from my cardiologist, I went to see my doctor last week, she increased me to 80 mg, bp was lower, but not enough, she had blood drawn, I think maybe by the grace of god, I did not start taking the higher dose yet, this morning I get an urgent call, from my Cardiologist office, to stop the Lisinopril immediately, I am now scared to death, and scared for my life, they said the Lisinopril, is effecting my kidney function, my kidney function lab work is way up, now I am going cold turkey with this medication, hoping my bp does not reach a dangerous level, need more blood work, a visit to cardiologist next week, and now a visit to a urologist, I am scared to death, I feel like crying WTF!

Lisinopril has ruined my life! I used to feel great. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure, so my doctor put me on this poison. I've been on it for about five years, and each year have had different medical problems. My bp was high, but not terribly high before this poison (150 over 95). After going on the poison it went down to 130 over 80. I don't think it's been worth it! I've had a dry cough from hell, anxiety, insomnia, weakness, itchy skin, hives, pain in my abdomen, kidney stones, tired all the time, and worst of all it has affected my complexion, as my face is now red from it dilating the capillaries in my face. Luckily I found this site, and made a choice to get off this poison. I went from 20mg 2 weeks ago to 10 mg, and have been off it for 3 days. My blood pressure is slightly higher 138 over 88, but I don't care. I feel much better!! The last 2 nights I slept like a baby, and now feel like my old self. Before the last 2 nights I have NOT slept an entire night through for FIVE years. My skin is starting to go back to its normal color, and I don't fell so anxious. This medication is poison, but the MDs will tell you how great it is. This medication is the silent killer! Anyways, I'm going to go enjoy my day. Good luck.

it's just under 12 hrs since taking my first dose of 10/12.5 lisinopril, I've been feeling down all day, worthless, can't get myself focused to work on anything, just feeling miserable! My doctor just prescribed this, my BP was 140/87 (usually is around 135/80). I am already overweight and now this?! I think I'll give it one more day - but I can't live like this! SO glad I found this site and I'm not the only one, I hope I (and everyone else posting here) get some real help

I've been on it for about 2 months, the first month nothing really happened...but the last month its just been getting worse and worse. Light headed, sweaty hands, cold feet, tinglinging in the fingers, heart palpitations, etc...the worst are the heart palps, and light headedness (I feel like I might pass out right now!). I stopped taking it today, my last pill was yesterday morning, so hopefully the side effects will subside today or tomorrow.

for those who went off the drug, how long did it take for the side affects to disappear?

I ,too, have been taken Lisinopril(25mg) with Atenolol once a day for the past 11/2 years. I don't know if anyone has had a problem with hair loss, and would like to hear from someone who has had the same problem.

Have been on 20 mgs. for two years. No terrible side effects. Three weeks ago the Dr. changed me to 40 mgs. a day and I am now having "sinking spells" at about the same time every day. Am assuming it is the increase in the Lisinopril causing it. Am not taking it today and will see what happens. Anybody want to weigh in on this?

Guys,

Thank you for making me feel sane... I started to take Lisinopril about 12 hours ago. I have had a headache for about 10 hours straight. I feel very confused and moody. I can't concentrate. I'm only taking 5mm. I feel very tired

Anyone else experienced weight gain and swelling of ankles and legs when taking Lisinopril? I've gained 15 pounds in the past 9 months even though I'm not eating anymore than usual. And in the past 4 months, the swelling in my ankles and lower legs is worse then when I went on the drug. My blood pressure is consistent at around 120 over 70 but the side effects have me worried. Is there an alternative?

I have been on Lisinopril for 2 months. About 2 weeks ago I started noticing small cough and I am dizzy off and on. I am a borderline diabetic which means I am not on medication for it. Let me tell you, Lisinopril suck! I feel like crap. I am always dizzy, I have to have things that have high sugar because my sugar level is always, always dropping. I feel really bad and it is getting worst. As of tonight, I will stop taking Lisinopril. I am due to see my doctor on Wednesday, Dec 17, 2008 and we will have a long talk. He is testing my blood. There is no way I will continue on this medication feeling the way that I do. I should have done research on the drugs like many of you did. My doctor assured me that Lisinopril was a good drug and it will help me with my kidneys since I am a diabetic. I believe drug has cause me more problems than what I had prior to taking it. I pray that my dizziness will stop and he will have to put me on something different. I am not over weight and I try to watch what I eat but, I will change my diet drastically and do whatever it takes to stay off HP drugs. This is really bad. I will come back with an update of what my doctor and I discuss. I thank all of you for sharing your story. I never knew that a drug could make a person feel like this.

My doctor prescribed Lisinopril for my high BP but before I took any I read all the stories on here and was too afraid to take it.Finally I had to do something to lower my BP because I needed surgery and the surgeon would not do the operation if my BP was high.Long story short, I started the Lisinopril, have been on it now for 2 months and I'm glad I did. It not only lowered my BP to normal in one day but I did not experience all the nasty side effects mentioned on this site.The only side effects I have experienced so far are the coughing but that was mild and it has since gone away and only happened a few times and just a little dizziness occasionally upon standing from a sitting position, I sleep very well, no hair loss, not cranky,appetite is good. I'm really happy with this medication.

I am so thankful for this site. I thought maybe it was just me. For one, I am allergic to Sulfa. My doctor knows this, as does my pharmacy. Still, they give me Lisinopril with Hydrochlorothiazide which you should NOT take if you have a sulfa allergy. From day one, I started with anxiety, agitation, nausea and what felt like a racing heart - though my pulse was normal. Day three I called the doctor and they said this was normal as my body "adjusted" to the medication. It has been over two weeks and the same thing keeps happening. I tried taking the meds at night to hopefully sleep through the side effects but no - it just kept me awake. I put another call in today and have yet to receive a return call from my doctor. I hope the doctor calls me and NOT the front desk girl because I have a lot of questions and concerns. Other symptoms I have been experiencing since I started Lisinopril are sever muscle cramping last for over 24 hours, dizziness, heavy chest/racing heart beat, restlessness and less frequent urination. For a 37 yo female who has to "potty" constantly, even throughout the night, going once in an 8+ hour period is not normal! The worst side effect though is definitely the anger and agitation. I feel like I am going to burst out of my skin or die banging my head against the wall. Last night I tossed and turned for 2 hours in agitation. I thought I would surely have a heart attack from the stress. Oh yeah my BP has NOT dropped at all (tho it fluctuates on or off the meds) on the 20 mg dose. Go figure.

I am 39 years old. I have been taking Lisinopril for nine months now, for my High BP. For the first 7 months I had not really had any annoying side-effects other than a mild dry cough. But for about the last 2 months I am having a really odd sensation in my heart. It seems like a flutter and it goes across my upper chest area and into my throat. At times they are mild and other times, during a lot of moving around, I have more aggressive sensations. One night while in bed. My wife got her stethoscope out, (she has a medical background) and listened to my heart. She told me not to tell her when I get the sensation, but to let her try and determine when I have the feeling. this nailed it as soon as I had one. She said that it seems that my heart if pumping too quickly. Meaning that I may have a Premature Ventricular Contraction. This has really scared me. I am scheduled to see my Doctor tomorrow. In my last visit which was about 3 weeks ago, I had brought this up to him. He didn't really try to hear my heart on his own. He just listened to what me and wife were explaining about the sensation. I had hurt my leg about the same time this started happening, and I was taking large amounts of Ibuprofen. So he partly chalked up to Ibuprofen and maybe a drug interaction and stated that I lay off the Ibu and see if they go away in 2 weeks. And if not, he wants to do a Holter Monitor on me to see what may be happening. Well they haven't stopped! I am thinking maybe I should ask for a different BP med. I still want to do the Holter to make sure, but I think it may be time for a change. I have only heard of this fluttering feeling happening to one other person. Has anyone else out there had this same scary sensation? if so please let me know what you have done or have found out. Thank you!

I have been taking 20mg of Lisinopril and 5mg of Amlodipine for more than 5 years.The only physical complaint that I can directly attribute to these drugs would probably be the dry cough in the back of my throat. Other symptoms such as general fatigue and insomnia could possibly be attributed but I don't know for sure. Recently I visited my doctor and asked him what would be the perfect number for both systolic and diastolic pressure for someone of my age . This question proved unbelievably difficult for him. After much prevarication we somehow agreed between us that systolic between 140/145 and diastolic between 80/85 would be good numbers.I then told him that I had stopped taking the Amlodipine for over a month. Also during this period I had taken blood pressure readings twice a day and apart from a couple of spikes I was satisfied that my numbers were acceptable. He then said that unless my BP monitor was calibrated once or twice a year then I could not rely on my readings as they could easily be 5 - 10% out. Is this correct do BP monitors have to be calibrated to be accurate? Since I thought my BP readings were acceptable my intention was to lower my intake of Lisinopril and eventually stop using it altogether. My hope was that exercise, diet, supplements etc. could replace the snake venom circulating in my body but I am no longer convinced that this is a realistic aim.

My Doctor said I needed a different BP med since my pressure while on my diovan was 150/80. Lisinopril was so much cheaper than diovan and I was happy to not be paying 1.00 per pill for diovan. I never had one side effect from Diovan but I believe that all the symptoms I have been having in the last 12 days is because of Lisinopril. I started Lisinopril on 8/20 and by Oct 1st I was in bad health. First I had the cough start, I have coughed so much I walked around with cough drops in my mouth all the time trying to keep from coughing. Coughing kept me awake at night. Sometimes I would cough so much I would start choking and start gagging. Then 12 days ago I started have pin pricks on the bottom of my feet and horrible cramps in my feet and legs. Then I started having the dizzy feeling that would come and go. Sometimes I would get so dizzy while sitting down that I felt like I was about to pass out. It felt like blackness was creeping in on me and my vision would start to go black. I had terrible pain in my back on my left side and suffocations feelings in my neck. My doctor never even brought up that maybe I was suffering from side effects from this BP med. instead he sent me for a heart echo and stress test. With a heart monitor used for 24 hours also. Cardiologist said everything looked fine. I told him that I had just been put on Lisinopril about 30 days ago but he never said maybe that could be the problem. I don't understand how any Dr can be so uninformed about a medicine. Why didn't anyone mention that what I was feeling could be medicine induced. I have been scared to death I was having a heart attack or had a blocked artery and was going to stroke. Unbelievable to me. I am so glad I found this website. It validates what I was thinking. I stopped the lisinopril yesterday when a friend said his dad had symptoms like mine when taking this BP med.
Actually felt better today, no passing out feeling, felt like cleaning my house again. And the cough is almost non existent tonight. I changed myself back to my diovan since I had a few left and will talking to my doctor Monday about all this.

I have been on Lisinopril and a diuretic for about 1.5 years -- started with 5mg of lisinopril. At first had a slight cough, but went away. In Feb 2008 routine blood tests were done and my ALT - liver enzyme was slightly elevated to 36. ( last test in 2003 was normal) --- had the test repeated in Aug 2008 and the ALT was up to 41. Doctor was not too worried, not very elevated - but I persisted as to why and she sent me for an ultrasound that showed all was normal for my liver, spleen, gallbladder, kidneys. My pressure was up a bit at the Aug appt - so she increased my Lisinopril to 10mg. I had another liver enzyme test done beg of Oct 2008 and now the ALT is up to 66. I told her the only difference is increasing my Lisinopril and that must be the cause for elevated ALT levels. She is not sure -- I am now being referred to a specialist -- but told to stop taking the Lisinopril for 3 weeks and they will see what the levels are. Have only seen a few mentions of elevated liver enzymes as a side effect -- has anyone else experienced?? My AST levels are normal.

Listen EVERYONE. A LOT of the pills you are going to take have side affects and A LOT of them react with the other meds you are taking. It is a horrible time because you mostly attribute your feelings to your sickness and you want to trust the "system" to take care of you...Well be VERY CAREFUL HERE. I BEAT HEART FAILURE. I'm 34 years old, I went from transplant list to normal heart because of the research I DID ON MY OWN and today = NO HEART MEDS.. NO SURGERY.. BUT NOW I HAVE SEIZURE ACTIVITY IN MY BRAIN WHICH I KNOW THESE DRUGS DID TO ME!! There is no doubt. I felt so bad for so long, just like you all do... But once my heart function went up I still felt horrible... Only THEN I knew to get off the meds, but by then it was too late. It had done it's damage. Instead of just being a heart failure success story.. I have a new sorry chapter to battle with this seizure garbage. This "seizure" feeling which I had when I first started taking the meds now remain even though I am off. FYI - Did you know Lisinopril is made from SNAKE VENOM??? LOOK AT YOUR SIDE AFFECTS>> SOUND FAMILIAR???..Look it up.. It's true. I know it's a tough call though.. What do you do?? You need to do something to help your heart right? Just listen to your body.. That's the best advice.. Your body talks to you. Listen to what it is saying to you. Some people can handle certain drugs and some can not. Just like some people can handle a bee sting and some can die from one. Simple concept really but for some reason it boggles doctors minds if you have a bad reaction...doctors are not gods... Do your own research like I did. It will give you an edge and help you feel less confused. Know your medication: what it is doing and why... EMAIL ME.. ALL COMMENTS WELCOME_ I Will have a Heart Failure website someday so I can help others... but for now I have to figure out this seizure thing.. Good luck.

Update on my experience with Lisinopril.
After 3 ER visits & 2 hospital stays the palpitations quit when the HCTZ (diuretic) was removed. Adjustment of dosage got the B/P readings down to acceptable levels but some side effects remain after 2 weeks. Dry-eye syndrome and over-the-counter drops do not help. I'm up most of the night-time.
However in the daytime after I exercise I feel sleepy and can sleep for a couple hours time.
Wondering if this side effect will go away or what. Anyone with the experience ?

I have been io Lisinopril for several months, and the only side effect I can say is a VERY ANNOYING rash on the inside of my upper thighs. It comes and goes and gets worse with warmth, like a heat rash. I also have now developed a rash on my butt that is looks to me like shingles. Very itchy, to the point of bleeding from scratching. I treated with diaper rash ointment and triple antibiotic ointment to not much improvement. Reently tried a jock itch ointment which seems to be working. Also took myself off Lisinopril 2 days ago, and things are getting better, but very slowly........

I was on 10mg of Lisinopril for 6 weeks (switched from Azor). After the first 3 days, I was having trouble swallowing . . . this went away 2 days later. Then, I was having trouble breathing, sinus problems, dizziness and constant FATIGUE during the course of the 6 weeks. I am a very active, energetic, 30 year old male. I'm not overweight, and play basketball 2 or 3 days a week. I really think I have White Coat Syndrome (170/110 at dr's office - 130/75 at home), but better safe than sorry.I could not even run for more than 5 minutes straight without feeling like I might pass out. I would have to say during those 6 weeks, I was functioning about 50% of normal, at best. I tried to stick it out to see if the side effects would go away; they only seemed to get worse over time. My Doctor said it was the "summer fever" and allergies. I felt it was the medication, especially after reading these posts, so I switched doctors. My new doctor took me off of this medication. He said Lisinopril can has been known to effect your lungs and cause breathing problems. He is located in the same practice as my previous doctor. Why she didn't inform me of any side effects, I'm not sure (thanks for nothing). All of my terrible symptoms were gone within a week. I am now taking Bystolic (5 weeks), and feel normal again. My father has been on 30mg of Lisinopril for 12 years, and never had any problems. I believe everyone reacts to medications differently. I am now on my 3rd medication in 7 months, and think I have found the one that works best. I guess I'm just one of those people that has trouble adjusting to medication. Good luck to those of you that have not found the right medication yet.

HI, I am a 56 year old woman with elevated BP. I was put on Lisinopril/Hctz about a year ago. I am not exactly sure when the cough started, since I am an asthmatic and have trouble with coughing already, but this cough is different and much worse than my asthma coughing. I like many others on here cough in the night and mornings until I vomit, cough up fluids, gag and can't breath. The cough was so bad on Friday I broke the blood vessels in my face, the coughing spell lasted for 30 minutes. It was just yesterday that I looked at the Warning for this medication as I picked up my refill on Friday. There on the warning was dry cough. So I looked on this site and there was my answer...most of you described exactly my symptoms....I feel so much better now that I think I know what has caused it, since my doctor was chalking it up to the asthma. I have emailed him with my new info, and hope that he will change my medication ASAP. I also have researched cronic fatigue sys....because I am always tired and unable to get anything done.....I was never like this before. Good luck to the rest of you, thanks for sharing or I would never know that this medication could cause all my problems.
DL

Do any of you take Lisinopril by itself without a diuretic like HCTZ (hydrocortothiazide)? I got dehydrated 2 days ago & doctor has cut my HCTZ in half-- I felt light-headed, dizzy, pounding heartbeat like I was having a panic attack. I've been on this lisinopril/hctz combo for 3 months. I don't have any of the adverse allergic reactions (rash, itchiness, swelling) at all; nor do I have the cough thing at all. But weakness, chest-pounding heart, dizziness, fatigue all coming now daily. I wonder if our problem is the HCTZ, so is anybody on lisinopril WITHOUT HCTZ?

I started taking 10 mg. of Lisinopril on July 8, 2008. At first, I experienced extreme fatigue and weakness. However, this wore off after a few days. The dosage was increased to 20 mg. on July 21, 2008. I started having horrible symptoms on July 29, 2008: rapid pulse (as high as 118 b.p.m. while I was quietly reading), heaviness in my chest (which felt worse after I exercised), and shortness of breath. I had never felt so bad before in my entire life!!! I suffered with these symptoms until August 15, 2008 because I was hoping that they were just temporary. Unfortunately, they only got worse the longer that I waited. It is such a shame, too, because Lisinopril really did a good job of keeping my b.p. down.

This is the third day that I haven't taken Lisinopril, and I am feeling a little better. I am now on Metoprolol, which is helping with my rapid pulse. For those of you who experienced breathing problems while taking Lisinopril: How long did it take before your breathing returned to normal?

I had palpations--finally a surge in b/p to + 200 over +100
was in the ER twice & one ER doctor mentioned it could be the HCTZ
I have been OFF the HCTZ ---look up the side effects for that and see it it relates to your problem if you have one.
I have 20 mg of lisinopril now up from 12.5 before.
4 days and everything is swell. No palpatations--back on exercise routine.
Good Luck everyone