Lisinopril and headache

My husband (57 years old) started Lisinopril in March of 2007 for High Blood Pressure and he's never been the same. At first, we didn't connect the symptoms but now I am convinced this drug caused his problems. His symptoms include loss of memory, can't concentrate, can't retain anything, short tempered, depression. At times confusion or unable to grasp anything requiring multi-tasking. He had a loss of appetite where in lost 25 pounds in less than 6 months. He described months ago that "his head just doesn't feel right". When asked...do you have a headache...he'd reply.."I can't explain it...it just doesn't feel right. The depression has lead to another drug "Lexapro". This drug interferes with concentration too!
Prior to taking Lisinopril my husband was running his own business and working a full time job he's had for years. Within 6 months, our lives changed drastically. I know 2 other people experiencing the memory loss, can't concentrate, can't retain symptoms around the same age as my husband... all taking Lisinopril.

All of this has been weighing heavily on his mind because his mother has been diagnosed with Dementia/Alzeheimers at age 74. Guess what...she has been taking Lisinopril for years and years and has been treating for depression for years and years....any connection here? This drug has been around for many years and it seems like every elderly person is taking this for High Blood Pressure. Could this be a culprit to Dementia/Alzheimers? A reoccurring theme I see amongst all of these side effects is "depression".

Of course when we discussed these symptoms with his Doctor...we were pooh poohed with "I've never heard of these symptoms in 20 years of practicing". Well, he needs to do some research! My husband quit taking this drug on Sept 12th which takes 2-3 weeks to get out of your system. I noticed recently he didn't struggle at all at the ATM machine. I'm hoping this is the culprit as we are now in the process of getting a second opinion to determine if he may be in the early stages of Alzheimers. We pray that he is not! Get this drug off the market!!!

Back again Oh my am so confused on what to do.. I was taken off this med(LISINOPRIL) at my extreme constant complaint- and put on another--well either I have atypical reactions to all these drugs or am still having side effects from the Lisinopril-- I am taking diavon now-- I feel even worse-- rash is back head hurts so bad I could cry and I am weak all the time.. I could pull every hair that is left on the top of my head right out! I now have that rash around my neck and upper legs- was told before it could be the shingles hey I never had them before,, never.. my nerves are shattered I cry a lot and am hesitant to change again-so I stopped this is day 2 and my headache has subsided
What are we to do I am at wits end.. I know I need something but what today I am at 140/90 going back up,, any suggestions? I started taking Zinc yesterday was told that I am experiencing LOW ZINC LEVELS DUE TO THE LISINOPRIL(HAS ANYONE ELSE BEEN TOLD THIS?)

I have been taking HCTZ for 8 years due to having problems with swelling after having my first child. A good while later, I was diagnosed with pre-hypertension but having irregular heartbeats. My cardiologist added Lisinopril.

I had the same problem with cough and feeling like something was stuck in my throat. I went to an ENT and they could find nothing wrong - but I've been taking major amounts of Musenix for years to help clear my lungs. The feeling that my throat was scratched or something stuck in it have never gone away. Why didn't any of my doctors put two-and-two together???

It just clicked in my head recently that I had also started to have hair loss around that same time I started taking HCTZ. I had a lot of hair so it wasn't that much of a concern for years but is now more of an issue. I spoke to my internist 2 weeks ago and she thought it may be the HCTZ. She said to stop taking it that night. I questioned if I should taper it off and she said no reason to wait. (No mention of the Lisinopril and hair loss).

Two days later, I could hear a crackling sound in my chest/lungs when I opened my mouth. I called the doctor and her assitant said to let me know if it didn't get any better. Two nights later, I was extremely restless and coughing. I couldn't get a breath. Lots of crackling noise - fluid in my lungs. I had to stand up and work hard to get deep breaths - all night. Around 4 am, I decided I better take the HCTZ or I was going to die - so I did and the fluid started to leave my lungs and I was better by noon the following day.

I want to get off both of these medicines asap - I don't want to wind up a bald, dead 41 year old women leaving behind two young children and a husband.

Anyone else have similar issue when stopping HCTZ? What results have you had with resolution to hair loss after getting off the medicine?

Oh, also have had a headache going on 10 days for the first time in my life. I think it was from quitting the HCTZ "Cold Turkey".

I am a 60year old female who was admitted to Mayo clinic after experiencing a hypertensive encephalopathy seizure. I was placed on lisinopril to try to bring my blood pressure under control. I have been on as many as five different medications per day with none controlling my extreme high blood pressure. After taking lisinopril for two days I developed a severe headache with floaters. My face became very swollen, especially my eyes, with unbearable itching and soreness. I also have had chest pains and it feels like my throat and insides are raw. My stomach hurts and it is hard to eat. I have only taken two lisinopril tablets and will not be taking any more. I see my doctor tomorrow and expect to be given a different medication. So far I have had no luck with any blood pressure medicine and I have tried about ten different kinds. If any one has had any luck with a prescription drug or an alternative remedy, I would love to hear from you.Thanks, Evelyn

I am so glad I found this web site-I really thought I must be dying, I feel like crap. I was diagnosed with hbp, borderline, but also diagnosed diabetic at the same time, dr gave me metformin, simvastatin (for cholesterol) and the lisinopril, i was told they all work together and are prescribed together, well i never felt so horrible i have been taking them since the end of May, I have a dry tickle cough that mostly happens when i'm laying down at night but get some coughing bouts that bring tears to my eyes. I have this horrible left front neck pain i thought was a sore throat, but it doesn't hurt to swallow -just pain and pressure like a constant dull toothache. i have a headache and sinus ache that feels like pressure that doesn't ease up even with Tylenol, i took motrin one day & the pain went away but my feet swelled up. now i have had a pain in my right kidney (back) for the last 2 weeks and i can hardly walk when i rise. I get cramping in my fingers and toes. I am very short tempered and have depression to-so many side effects in such a short time---July 14 i have a doctor appointment, but i'm not taking anymore after today.

About 1 1/2 years ago my allergist recommended I switch BPM from Lisinopril to Atacand because of congestion problems associated with Lisinopril. I made the switch and had no problems with Atacand other than my co-pay was considerably higher. Because of this I asked my family practice MD to switch me back to Lisinopril because I remembered it worked okay. However this time - a couple of days after the first dose of Lisinopril I developed flu-like symptoms (aching, congestion, fatigue). I thought I was coming down with the flu AGAIN. After about three days I started having chest pain, a headache that wouldn't go away, blurred vision, dizziness, shortness of breath, very shaky, weakness, couldn't sleep. I thought I was on the verge of a heart attack at times. The fatigue and weakness worsened. I often felt that I couldn't get off the couch or out of bed. My legs felt like weights. It wasn't until I checked out the side effects on this website and read the comments of other users of the drug that I realized what was most likely happening. Needless to say, I called my doctor and asked to be switched back to Atacand. I'm more than willing to pay the extra $'s to feel better.

As a 43 year old male in otherwise excellent health, I've always been opposed to being on meds of any kind unless absolutely necessary. My blood pressure has been borderline for a few years now, and I couldn't seem to get it lower with diet and exercise. So I allowed my doctor to prescribe something. I'm on 20mg of Lisinopril and 25mg of hydrochlorat. I'm glad to have a site like this available where I can be forewarned of side effects. So far, I've only experienced the dry cough, which my doctor warned me about. But it hasn't been too bad. It seems to bother me most shortly after falling asleep at night (because it wake me up). Actually, it seems like a welcome trade-off to the daily headaches I was suffering (I can't believe I haven't had a headache in over a week because I used to wake up with one daily). I've only been on this prescription for 10 days, so I'll continue to monitor myself for some of the potential side-effects that have plagued others.

decomposition of lisinopril in acidic medium so narrow absorption window.

I'm a 35 yr old male & I too have started this medication a handful of days ago to treat my high blood pressure which began due to a headache that came on so severe while having a bowel movement that i honestly thought i was dying since the pain seemed so severe and was so sudden (I thought my head was trying to collapse upon my brain or implode on itself which lead to vomiting the second time around). After a few days stay in the hospital (came in at 180/120) they prescribed 4 different meds for the HBP and one of them is this Lisinopril. Since taking it I feel not myself - moody, cloudy, a drunk-like feeling inside my head. It feels like reaction times are slowed due to not wanting to move too fast. I was hoping this would go away soon but I see i'm not alone w/ these feelings I also have arthritis in my back and I just can't believe all these side effects these so called 'approved' drugs have on the body.

Hello folks - thought I would post here as well.........I am on 20MG of LISINOPRIL 1 time daily. I notice during regimented times of the day I get the side effects. I take it when I wake up in the morning. I have been on this for about a year now...........it has lowered by HBP from 150's/80's to about 130/80..............regular........I am a 37 year old Male

Problem is the multiple side affects:

1. Tiredness - comes and goes all throughout the day - almost like I could just close my eyes and go to sleep anywhere.........feels like someone threw sand in my eyes.......
2. Shortness of breath
3. Sore Muscles - everywhere - it doesn't discriminate!!!!
4. Pain in the chest mostly the left side but sometimes the right
5. Headache in one spot in the head - doesn't last long
6. Wake up often in the middle of the night with dead hands or legs
7. Sometimes I just have a total memory blank on things I should know right away - usually only occurs when I'm getting tired.
8 Of course the panic from thinking something is wrong with me!!!

Anyone else with these set of symptoms????

Drop me a note!!!!

I am 44 years old, and I have high blood pressure for 4 years now. 6 months ago my doctor put me on LISINOPRIL (10 mg), it was ok for the first two month's then one day I noticed my hair started falling out little-by-little every time I would washed it. I also am forgetting things that i am supposed to do or I can't seem to remember where i put things, I also have been having anxiety feelings sometimes when I am shopping; I want to leave the store. My throat has been hurting and i have to urinate often. I am getting headache's. I went to my doctor I thought it could be stress or maybe a thyroid problem, I had test done and everything came back normal. My doctor told me it was stress. The symptoms are not going away. Today I decided to see if it could have something to do with my medication I have been taking. So I logged on to side effect of LISINOPRIL I could not believe it, there it was in your e-mail my symptoms. You don't know how relieved I was, I finally found out what was wrong with me. I Have never experienced any problem's, I have always been healthy and happy! So i know it is the side effects of LISINOPRIL, I am seeing my doctor tomorrow and changing my medication. Thank you all for your e-mail's and your experience's with this drug. Sign happy Camille.

I am a 41 year old male that has BP averaging 140/90 and spikes that were extremely hi 190/125 (which landed me in th ER). Lisinopril 10MG was prescribed last Friday. My BP came down immediately yesterday 111/75 today 109/69. That is the only good thing. I have a headache, dizziness, feel disoriented, had urges to urinate and nothing would happen. Yesterday while trying to walk, wash my trailer, or even chew a piece of gum whatever muscle I was using became soar immediately. They felt as if I had run a marathon or something. Today after one flight of stairs to get to my office I was short of breath and my leg muscles hurt. I had to go lay down at lunch because this stuff makes me so tired. It is like I have been poisoned. As I'm typing my fingers hurt and the metal taste in my mouth has me thinking I want to trash this stuff. The doctor says they haven't herd of these side effects and and they said to cut the pill in half.

I've been taking lisinopril for about 4 months for HBP which I have had since I was 18 and I am 40 now. My blood pressure went down immediately--I can never remember the number but before nurses testing my bp would always say I was "a little high" and now they always say "it's normal." When i first started taking it I noticed I felt a little depressed, and I always felt lethargic on lisinopril. I believe that's just normal from taking something which reduces BP. I had bad diarrhea and got pretty sick for a short while a couple weeks ago but there was a flu that was going around. I noticed some dizziness and was pretty out of it, but I have felt those symptoms before I started on lisinopril. I am now worried from reading your complaints about this drug.I ran out of pills a few days ago and I feel much more energetic and with-it now, generally better although now I worry about the long-term effects on my body of my HBP. I currently have a headache and to be honest I still don't feel 100%. While I was on it I noticed some dryness in my belly and my poop seemed weird not normal--I had some bad flatulence and my poop would come out sometimes pretty sparse. I definitely felt different, especially in my digestion and lethargy, but did not have very very bad side effects. Still I'm thinking twice before taking it again. My father had some blindness in one eye that was apparently from long-term HBP, so I am concerned about long term effects of not doing anything about my BP--so I may go back to lisinopril or whatever else my doctor prescribes.

I have been on Lisinopril for about 2 and 1/2 months for borderline hbp. About 135/85. I have two cats which have always have caused some allergic reactions but I had that controlled with an air purifier. I really haven't had any bothersome symptoms until about 3 weeks ago when I noticed that I was wheezing during the day (while away from the house, so I couldn't blame the cat allergies) and I was getting very short of breath doing everyday tasks and just talking to people. Then I started noticing a strong post nasal drip and a lot of congestion during the night. To the point where I sounded like something from the Excorcist, my breathing at night was rattly and wheezing. It suddenly occured to me that all of this could be developing side effects from the Lisinopril. But I didn't want to give up so I started taking Claritin at night and in the morning to relieve some of the exasperated allergy symptoms. That worked for about a week, but then I would wake up coughing and finally last night the wheezing got so bad that I thought I would need to go the ER. Today the coughing started pretty badly and just taking my dogs for a walk was taxing and I started getting really tired and developing a headache (which never happens to me). After researching Lisinopril and now reading everyone's posts and symptoms and obviously experiencing this terrible cough and wheezing, I have made up my mind to go off this terrible drug. I can't live with this. I am only 42 yrs old and I feel like I am an 90 year old with emphysema. Bye bye Lisinopril.

I have been in Lisinopril for about a month. I have a dry cough that keeps me awake at night, headache, fatigue and lightheadedness. My doctor refuses to believe the cough is from the Lisinopril. He said I have not taken in long enough for it to be side effects. He keeps increasing the dosage from 5mg then 10 now 30mg my blood pressure continues to climb averaging 150/100 not dropping below 140/90 and spiking to 177/118.My doctor is not concerned and says come back in 2 months. I am calling him tomorrow and if he doesn't change my med. I will stop Lisinopril and find a new doctor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Started taking Lisinopril a few months back and it lowered my B/P way too much. So they half my dose from 20mg to 10mg but put me on cardium twice a day because my pulse was high (up to 170 at one point). I gradually had a B/P that was OK but felt horrible all the time. Blamed it on everything from the weather to the flu. Headaches all day every day for weeks. I have headaches but nothing like this and I was tired all the time and didn't feel like doing anything but laying down and trying to get rid of the headaches. Then the other day I forgot to take my Lisinopril. I felt pretty good that day and my headache was almost all gone! I realized what I had done that night. The next day I took my Lisinopril and back to a bad headache and feeling rough all day. So today I skipped it and again I have felt much better and so far no headache torture. I called my doc who told me to continue my other med and leave the Lisinopril off and watch my B/P. I have also had a rash on the back of my knees for a few weeks and it has started to spread to my arms. I am now wondering if it could also be the med. We'll see! Thank God I just may be normal again in the near future. My kids and I will be LOTS happier!

I am a 45 year old male. My bp at dr's office was 144/90. He prescribed Lisinopril 40 mg once a day and said come back in a month and see how I'm doing. I tried it and immediately experienced dizziness with headache and lack of energy, then later I noticed I was getting winded with little exertion along with fatique. I could hardly climb a flight of stairs with out resting. Also would get out of breath just talking to people. Isn't this a high dose to start with? I stopped after a few days and tried later with same symptoms. I am 5'8 155 pounds in fairly good health except for borderline high bp. Should I keep trying to take this med.....or reduce the dose?

I took Lisinopril for over 9 months. In that time I lost a lot of weight, vomited up to 15 times a day, had a persistent dry cough and headache. My GP had no answers for me, sent me to specialists, etc. None of the medical professionals at that point could tell me what the cause was. ( I went from 200 pounds to 145 pounds, due to not being able to keep food or beverages down.) My teeth are permanently etched from stomach acid. I developed all sorts of other problems due to improper nourishment. During this time I had a total knee replacement.. thank goodness I had no complications due to the lack of being able to keep food down.
My husband did an internet search on my blood pressure med ( lisinopril) and found this was a common side effect. I immediately made an appointment with my GP, who was away and another Doctor was standing in for him. She listened to my symptoms and said it was the lisinopril and to stop taking it immediately and prescribed something else. Within a week the cough and projectile vomiting was completely gone!
What is the matter with the medical team? Why didn't one of them clue into this?
Can't this droop be taken off the market or come with a warning on the pharmacy label?

I am taking Lisinopril 20 for about a month. I am experiencing the almost daily dry cough (mainly at night and again in the morning) I also have a dull, low-grade pain in the back of my head. Some light dizziness, also.

Hi my name is Janice and here are my side effects from taking Lisinopril. I have lightheartedness, nausea, stomach pains, chest pain, vomiting, headache, taste of iron, shortness of breath.

January 20,2008

I came across this site purely by entering "swollen red foot and kidney pain" into my search engine, imagine my shock when up came a site listing kidney pain and lisinopril!! I have been taking lisinopril for about 7 months now and as I had no adverse side effects in the first week carried on popping my "little lifesaver" no questions asked. Over the last 3 months I have experienced kidney pain to the extent that I was beginning to think I would pass a kidney stone! dry persistent cough, sleeplessness which means I am up at all hours throughout the night and catnapping (when I can) during the day, nausea ,stomach pain and headache!! The swollen foot I don't think I can attribute to the lisinopril....but who knows? I appreciate that in medicine we use various "poisons" as cures and remedies for illness, but when I read of the side effects that so many people are experiencing and am able to see a definite link to the ones I am experiencing then I start to wonder ....the good thing is that this drug and I take 10mg daily has reduced my B.P to a rather good level.....but I have decided to stop taking it for a few days to see whether my symptoms stop and have made an appointment to discuss this treatment with my G.P as a matter of urgency!! Thanks...Jill xx Oh almost forgot to add the incessant itching as well!!

I was experiencing these symptoms when I went to my doctor Before! taking Lisinopril : Headache in morning and night, occasional nausea and hacking cough, dizziness and blurred vision, muscle aches, depression, fatigue. I was afraid I will seriously ill. Since I have been on Lisinopril for five days now. I experienced the sore throat and chest pain but it is minor compared to the rest of my symptoms I had before I started taking it. I am also taking Crestor for high cholesterol. I feel much better, I do notice I wake up when the medication in my system runs out but go right back to sleep and I sleep better at night. I wonder if having the symptoms that Lisinopril gives you before taking it made this a different experience for me. Because I am frankly surprised by reading the other posts on this site.

Been off this medication now for 4 months and have realized I don't have the unexplainable anxiety I use to have. This was over odd things like driving, which I have done for years quite happily. Also seem to take life in a more relaxed way all round. One side effect still to go(I hope) is neck pain with headache, though these aren't so frequent now. Weight too has remained stable.

Like a lot of others, I have a dry, persistant cough that keeps me awake at night. I also feel like I have a lump in my throat and am constantly trying to clear it although there's nothing there. I also have a severe headache since taking this drug one week ago, and stopped taking Lisinopril as of today.

I've been on Lisinopril for almost 2 months. At first I was so tired that I needed a nap about 4 hours after taking it. The dry cough came and went more like a tickle. Went back to the doctor and complained that the sleep rx she gave me didn't work so she prescribed Trazadone 10mg and my Lisinopril is 20mg daily. I awoke the next day with nausea, diarrhea, headache. Decreased Trazadone to 1/2 or 1/4 but the diarrhea has not quit. I called the clinic and was told to stop the Trazadone(who needs sleep right?) and take 1/2 of Lisinpril daily. The diarrhea and the cough will not go away and the cough will come at any time. I'd rather take my chances with the hypertension than this. I am an obese woman but have lost 30 pounds in the last 5 months, so as I continue to lose hopefully I won't need any meds.

i have high BP and was on a med that worked well but was rather expensive, so i asked my Doc if we could try something more affordable. he put me on Lisinopril and within a few days of starting this med i had headaches, coughing, upset stomach and dizzyness. i assumed this would be temporary as per getting used to the new med, but it only got worse... and by 2 months later i was also having shortness of breath, constant fatigue and trouble sleeping. i looked up Lisinopril side effects online and called my Doc to say that i was having many problems with this med, he assured me it was not the Lisinopril and to keep taking it. on Sept 28th 2007, i went in to see the Doc and my BP was still a bit high so he doubled the dosage of Lisinopril. 2 days after i started the new dosage i had such serious breathing problems i was literally gasping for air and had to go to Emergicare, my BP had come down and the Doc at Emergicare said the breathing problems were just seasonal allergies and prescribed some Prednisone which he said would help. he also said i might want to come in for some Nebulizer treatments. i continued to take the double dosage of Lisinopril and was so sick every day that i no longer even cared what happened to me. i had a constant pounding headache, chills/body aches, blurred vision, nausea, weakness, coughing, fuzzy confused feeling, and i felt totally exhausted...breathing was still difficult and at night just rolling over in bed caused me to gasp for air. well 2 days ago i could not take it anymore and called my Doctors office to firmly explain that the med was making me VERY ill, they said they would get a message to my Doc right away and in like 5 minutes they called back and said STOP this med immediately!! well it's been 48 hours now since the last dose of Lisinopril and i feel much better already. i still have a headache but the other problems are fading down to very mild. i can even breath again YAY....i only hope that in a few more days i will feel normal again. to ANYONE reading this dont take this med, it will make you very, very sick!! and for those of you who actually are on this stuff please pay attention to how you are feeling and tell your Doctor right away, dont ignore the side effects.. make your Doctor listen and tell him how you feel even if it seems like mild issues bcause it will get worse!! good luck and peace to all.. :)

Went to the ER with extremely high BP, was given potasium, nitroglycerin, BP med. Today is first day on Lisinopril, and its the first in months that I have NOT had a headache! I feel great, although as I am typing this I feel I have to concentrate a little harder. But my energy is up and NO headache. So far so good, I will keep you posted on latter effects....if any.

I was prescribed Lisinopril for pre-hypertension at 10 mg a day. I've only taken it for 2 days and have felt so sluggish and tired but revved up on the inside at the same time. Had a headache too last night and blurry vision. It does work in lowering the BP though. Last night I felt as if I couldn't take deep breaths to relax myself and then I started having shaking chills and tingling in the hands and feet. Thought I was having a panic attack so I took my clonazepam. Then I felt like I'd have to throw up or go to the bathroom to get relief. The clonazepam kicked in after about an hour and knocked me out, but I still woke up a few hours later still feeling extremely anxious even though the clonazepam was still in my system (I take it twice a day for panic attacks) along with Lexapro for depression/generalized anxiety. I'm refusing to take any more of this drug. I will lose weight and exercise and eat healthy just to avoid this drug.

PLEASE READ MY STORY!!!....My Doc switched me from Dyazide to Lisinopril Hctz 20/12.5 in Jan'07 for my high blood pressure. The first day after I started taking the medication, my BP dropped very LOW and so did my heart rate-53. My blood pressure readings continued to be consistently LOW for months, but Doc kept telling me it was OK. Had other side effects; Cough, lethargy, swollen LIP, (daughter called me Duck Lips!) sleeplessness, lightheadedness, hairloss, muscle fatigue. All symptoms I attributed to Menopause. (Except the duck lips)Over the summer, I developed slight Edema in my extremities whether I was exercising or not, thought that was weird. Told Doc about it, she ordered Blood work done to see what inflammation level is. Lab Report showed; INCREASE in BUN & Creatinine levels with eGFR level DECREASING. These levels are indicators of Impaired Kidney Functioning! Doc not concerned, tells me not to worry, just a "Bad Test Day." She increases my dosage to 20/25. Within 4 weeks of the increase, I experienced 3 bad episodes, 2 of which I went to the Emergency Room and should've for the other. In all the episodes I experienced Chest pain, Shortness of Breath, Severe Headache, Dizziness. I'm thinking I'm having a Heart Attack or Stroke because I'm a very high RISK. Tests come out normal, docs however, concerned about my LOW Blood Pressure readings but None of them tell me to discontinue the Lisinopril HCTZ. Have a 4th episode two weeks ago after walking/hiking about a mile and a half, stopping periodically to rest and drinking plenty of water on the way. After I completed my walk, I again rested for 45 minutes. I stood up, became very Dizzy, developed Shortness of Breath, Bad Headache, Profusely Perspiring, Back pain. Dummy me drove 10 minutes to get home (Should NOT have done that) Had daughter call 911. Was admitted to the hospital with SEVERE Dehydration, Dangerously LOW Blood Pressure-63/34, and going into Renal Failure which blood tests confirmed. I'm given IV fluids plus Potassium Chloride. Hospital takes me OFF of Lisinopril HCTZ and puts me on Lisinopril at 5mg!!! Had a hunch, Told the Docs at the hospital against their advice, "I'm NOT taking the Lisinopril!!" Upon discharge my BP remained in the 80-90's/40-50', except when I threw the doctor out of my hospital room because he wasn't listening to me. My Dystolic rose to a whopping 66. Went to my Doc for follow-up in two days. My BP was 146/98. Told her what I told other Docs. She convinces me to try Lisinopril 5mg for 30 days. Took it for 2 days, still bothered by what happened and searching for more information. Got LUCKY, Found this website!! I threw the bottle away. Went to a Nephrologist that specializes in hypertension. My hunch/intuition was correct!! He told me in RARE cases, Lisinopril will "cause" renal insufficiency. Discontinuation of the medication will reverse the negative effects. (I hope) Current Blood work states levels within normal reference range.

Looking for a good Medical Malpractice Attorney.

I am a 44 year old female and experienced many of the side effects as shared. I have taken Lisinopril (20MG) for 5 years. I have experienced headache, nausea, stomach pain and now blurred vision, which I thought was due to just getting older, but the onset was so sudden, within the last 3 months. I have also experienced leg cramps and dry scalp. I have family history (Mother) with heart issues (by-pass surgery), but there has to be a better non-drug alternative to control hypertension. I am going to research and share my results as soon as I find a solution. Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences. I thought I was falling apart.

Hi all
I was dx with hbp when I was approx 15. I was then rx a Beta Blocker and had lost weight and it seemed that my bp was great no need for meds any longer and was fine till I was approx 32 years old when my bp went to 157/120 my gp asked if thier was a family hx of hbp and of course thier is and then asked what family members were taking to lower thiers and the only thing I could find out was that everyone took hctz and the gp rx this for me and it has worrked till recently when readings were 157/110, 160/100, 147/127 ect very bad I felt horrible..fast pulse headache and chest pain also a feeling as if my heart was going to pound out of my chest!!! the dr rx a med called toprol and sent me to a internal medicine specialist who kept me on the hctz and the toprol and added lisinopril to the mix...OMG what a mistake after ONE dose I felt like I was a HUGE muscle Cramp Aching all over and upset stomache a HUGE headache my legs ached SO bad that I was in tears!!! The only thing different is the Lisinopril!!!

Hi,
A cardiologist prescribed Lisnopril 10mg for me three days ago because my BP was above 160/90 even though I was taking HCTZ. All day yestersday, I was extremely energyless. I went to the gym to see my trainer, but could not lift a finger to exercise. I feel like I have a fever, but I do not have one. I've had headache since yesterday. I slept 10 hours last night, but woke up still extremely tired and unable to function properly. I have dizziness, uneasiness, shortness of breath, tightness in the chest area, and I feel strain around my eyes. Today, I went to the emergency room, because I knew something was seriously wrong with my heart or that my blood count was low. There was nothing. After reviewing several postings on this site, I realize these are side effects of Lisinopril. As of today, I am off this. I wil see my physician on Monday. Hopefully, she will understand.

WOW!! I can't tell you how glad I am to have found this site and learned about all the side effects from lisinopril. I've been on lisinopril since about January of this year...12.5 mg. Been back to see the doc 3X since i've been on it. I complained about chest pain and coughing. I've had EKG done on me 3X (including the one done recently when I checked my self in at the ER at 2:30am) also did the treadmill stress test. I've also been referred to and did see a pulmonary specialist where they checked my lung capacity/function due to the shortness of breath. I've been friggin joggin' 7 days a week for 3 months (used to do 3X/wk) to combat the fatigue, shortness of breath, tickly & scratchy throat causing me to cough to try to clear it, tingly arms and legs, chest pain (kinda like pressure or cramping, real discomfort)...and yes, i feel like my days are numbered. It's been such a life altering experience. I'm stopping lisinopril starting today. I hope the chest pain will get better. Will post again in a few days and let you all know how I feel. Thank you all again for taking the time to post your experiences. God bless!

Just started 5MG Lisinopril once a day at bedtime (about a week).
After looking up side effects, I found this site. I don't have hbp,never had. I was given this to help protect my kidneys (type1 diabetic). Side effects are: head ache, dizzy, muscle pain in legs and arms, stomach pain... This morning I was helping my daughter find her craft supplies. All of a sudden I was sitting on the floor with no sensation of getting there. I'm stopping this stuff. Google Apple Cider Vinegar uses.

I have been on Lisinopril now for nearly 16weeks, went to doctors with a headache and they checked blood pressure it was 150/100. They put me on 5mg to start with, after 8 weeks they upped the doze to 10mg. I have experienced fuzzy headaches, severe neck pain and pins and needles down left arm for the whole of 16weeks, also been noticing that my clothes are becoming tight so weight gain as well, some days feel like i'm not even all there and that I'm never going to see my family growing up. Want to come of the pills but am too scared.It's reasuring to know I'm not the only one experiencing these side effects.

I have been taking lisinopril for about 5 years for hypertension (160/110). I first started at 10mg, 20mg, and now at 40mg daily for the last couple of years. In retrospect, I have noticed momentary bouts of short intense vetigo. Recently, as in the last week, the frequency of these bouts of vetigo have increased to 4-6 times a day and intense fatigue and headache has crept into the equation also. I will talk to my doctor regarding this, but would be really interested in exploring the holistic approach to hypertension management and get off the lisinopril.

In my opinion, Lisinopril is a silent and deadly killer. I was on the original drug Zestoretic for a long time without any problems. Within the first 24 hours of tasking Lisinopril I became very ill. I was on a trip and did not immediately realize it was caused because they switched me to the generic version called lisinopril. I have not had any other side effects from any other generic, nor do I have a problem with generics...only generics that posion the user!!!

I have had blurred vision, confusion, eye problems, heart palpitations, weight gain, sweating, rashes, and blood pressure that either falls to dramatic lows or rises to dramatic highs. I have lost feeling in my right foot and now am starting to experience numbness in my hands and other extremities. I have complained to doctors, pharmacists and to my medical provider. I am now in the process of fighting the state I live in to carry and cover the real product, Zestoretic, for me in my insurance. I have made at least twenty or more attempts to get this straightened out but all of my warnings are falling on deaf ears. Five of my other friends were put on Lisinopril in the last year. Most thought I was just being too radical about the effects of the drug. They used it and got by for about three to six months.

Guess what? They are all having serious side effects now too. Three have ended up in the hospital. One with a heart attack. One with a mild stroke. And a couple with kidney problems. My liver began to fail me and now my doctor wants to send me to a neurologist.... I know what the problem is. Believe me. I will switch back to Zestoretic this Monday. but here's the killer punchline America. Prinzide no longer makes their safe version. It is discontinued and from what I understand, Zestoretic has stopped producing all but one strength...their 20/25. My guess is with Walmart selling the generic for $4 bucks for a month's supply...it won't be long until Astra Zeneca pulls the 20/25's off the market... Got the picture!!!!!!!! Posion or nothing. P/S I will wriotge back aftger I have been on the Zestoretic for a week.

All you are Hypochondriacs. If one person says this medicine is causing this, then of course; you all have the same problem "some how." Isn't this weird? It is called the "placebo effect." Normally all the people involved in the testing are given "Lisinopril" (or some other drug), then the placebo group is given a vitamin supplement, the group receving the vitamin supplement is being told they are receving "Lisinopril." Mysteriously?, the "placebo group" is all feeling better and their symptoms are gone. This is due to the fact that all these people in the "placebo group" have interacted with eachother and have told eachother "I feel better" than of course everybody feels better. So WEIRD!! So, my point is this forum is all your peoples "placebo group." If you guys never heard of these side effects from this forum you would have never experinced them. Hypochondriacs all of you are. This is a very good medicine that is helping all of you make up for your peoples lack of self-disipline to control your diet or exercise enough to lower your blood pressure naturally. So be thankful. Lets not complain about false side effects because John has them. I wonder what the side-effects of that cheese burger are that caused high blood pressure. It is funny, I don't see a forum for that. So deal with your so called "side-effects" that are associsted with "Lisinopril" or go on a diet people. Get over it!!

53 yr. old male was on enalapril 10 mg then doc put me on lisinopril 20 mg took it for 3 days then threw the crap down the sink i had a bad headache for 4 days straight!!! headache is gone but still get a pain on the sides of my head sometimes.drinking lots of water to get this crap out of my system..

I've been taking this medication for a week and I feel sick to my stomach, tired, and have had the worst headache ever. I am not taking this drug any more. There has got to be a better way to bring down blood pressure.

I just started lisinopril and I have bad headaches and I had terrible pains in my stomach. I had only taken 1 pill one day and 1/2 the next day and the pain in my stomach was so bad that I decided not to take it for a while to see if it was indeed the pills. I started taking it again this week and I'm am still extremely tired and I still have the headache and slight pain in my stomach. I thought I would take it for a few days to see if it gets better. Also the first pill I took made my pressure drop dramatically. 116/60. My pressure has NEVER been that low. I will call the Dr. if things don't improve. I also am dizzy from this medicine.

Ive been on Lisinopril for 2 months. Ive had a cough for the last 3 weeks. Started with the worse cold ive had in years. I cant sleep at night cause i cough so hard. My sides and back hurt all the time. I thought maybe i had a sinus infection, but the cough and runny nose is clear. I also have a headache all the time. I went on this med cause my insurance company wouldnt pay for my Macardis, which worked great. I think we are all victims of the insurance companys. I will be going to my Dr soon and getting off this junk.

I took this medicine, 10 mg, for 30 days then went back to the doctor. I had absolutely no side effects so the dr. gave me a 3 month prescription. So I began taking the refilled lisinopril and within 2 weeks, I could hardly function. I got progressively more tired and had odd headache and feeling like I was sleep deprived for days. I almost wrecked my car, as I was so tired I could not think. It took me a while to figure out it was the medicine so I stopped it and the next day I felt like my old self. So I decided I would take it at bedtime but the effects still hung on during the day. Then my husband and I went out of town and he is on the same medicine only 20 mg, (he has no side effects) so I had my 10 mg and gave him 2 of them. Within 1 hour he was dizzy, lightheaded, sick to his stomach and felt awful. What is up with this? So now I am stumped. I cut one of his 20 mg in half and had no side effects at all.

I have been on Lisinopril HCTZ 20-25 for two months. I was started on 10 mg prior to this, but my BP remained high. I have started a headache that will not go away, 16 days ago & I am exhausted. I want to sleep all the time. I have checked side effects to this med & these are mentioned, but not WHAT to do about it. Help! I am miserable. I don't see the MD until the 21st of Feb. Is it wise to continue feeling this way? Dawn

I changed jobs and thus switched insurance plans. I had been on diovan for about 2 years with no side effects at all. Now my new insurance will only cover diovan with a pre auth, so I have to try this Lisinopril. I'm on day 4 and I feel horrible. Tired, unmotivated, headache, feels like I'm having a hard time breathing through my nose. This is just really really bad.

and I also need to lose weight, but after reading that some people are actually gaining weight from using it, I'm really scared about that. This really stinks.

Hi, i am a 29 year old female. i have four kids (that speaks for the blood pressure medicine!) and have been placed on hctz. that was not helping my swelling so they just recently added lisinopril. its been about four days and every day i have a major headache. i knew something wasn't right so i decided to search the web today. just want to say thanks to everyone who shared their input. i have to get off of this before the cough starts, i already have asthma.

I have been on Lisinopril 20 mg for one week and I feel awful. My head feels like it is going to explode, the headache just hits me and there is no letting up of it, I am also so fatigued. I tend to be sensitive to most drugs and I feel this is a reaction to this med. I also take CardizemCD 180 mg, for what ever reason the Lisinopril is doing me more harm that good. I will ask my doctor to put me back on Enalapril 20 mg, I had no side affects with that....I wonder why he changed my meds?

What a treat this site is. Like so many others I too have been experiencing many systoms mentioned on this site.After reading the first 4 pages I can tell you my last lisinopril pill was last night, the rest of the bottled is headed for the garbage.I have the persistant cough that has driven me crazy, they put me on allergy medication for that which of course didn't do anything for the cough. I've been getting the severe headaches and the only way to discribe them is to say they are flash headaches, they are there in a flash, not a slow ache building up to a migraine type of headache, just "bang" it's there. I have the joint aching systoms as well and now will quit blaming it on turning 60 and place the blame on the pills. Thank you all for the information.

Has anyone had what isn't a headache but stabbing pains in the head from Lisinopril? This has me quite worried.

I started taking Lisinopril when I was 34 years old. After taking it for about 6 months, I started to get headaches, dizziness, facial pressure, etc. These symptoms would come and go, but never persist for more then 10 days. 6 months later I would experience these symptoms on a daily basis. In fact, I had a headache nearly every day for about 7 months straight. I went to a neurologist and an ENT. I even had nasal surgery because the ENT doc thought it may be due to nasal polyps and a deviated septum. Well, out of mere chance I STOPPED taking lisinopril for a few days, and started feeling better. I've been off it for a week and haven't had a headache or felt dizzy at all. I hope this is the end of this roller-coaster.