Lisinopril and sinus infection

For just over two years I suffered with chronic sinus infections and I could not understand what the cause of it could be. My doctors (two sinus specialists and also GP) did not even know about this side effect of Lisinopril. I was on antibiotics five times last year. The sinus specialists told me I must go for sinus surgery. I tried to remember when my sinus problems started and tried to link it to something else. Then I realized that I started taking Lisinopril in September 2006. Shortly after this I had my first severe sinus infection and I almost had pneumonia from it. Shortly after I recovered (after taking a strong course of antibiotics) it was not three weeks then I had it again. I had sinus problems the whole of 2007 and 2008. I decided to do some research on the internet to see if the infections are related to Lisinopril. I was shocked to discover that so many people reported the same side effects. I requested my GP to change my BP medication to a different group (Non-ACE Inhibitor). I cannot believe the difference. No more sinus infections! Also, I had flu once so far and I managed to recover from it without the use of antibiotics. This is a real breakthrough for me. I am just glad that I found this forum.
JM, South Africa

the stomach upset and heartburn were unbearable. i told my doctor about them and she told me to take nexeum, never said it could be the lisinopril. from the beginning i had the cough and what i thought was a sinus infection. 2 days after i stopped taking lisinopril ALL symptoms went away.

i got a bad sinus infection for the past month after starting lisinopril, on many meds for this, i switched from avapro to lisinopril as i wanted to join the walgreens plan for cheaper drugs, the doc put me on lisinopril instead after i sent him the walgreens list of available drugs that they use, the avapro was not on the list,, ive been to my ent and allergy doc for this sinuse thing that is well over a month now and getting better, but i have spent more $ for drugs to combat this infection that r not on the walgreens list over $300 spent out of pocket but with a discount for switching to the lisinopril from the avapro that ive been on for about a yr,, it was not worth it,, BUT my cardio doctor thinks it ws just a coincidence that i got the sinus infection about the same week that i started lisinopril, he asked me to tell my ent and allergy doc about this, the ent thinks i shld go back to the avapro if ii feel that it may have started the infection with the little cough, i have not talked to my allergy doc about it yet, has anyone felt they got these symptoms with lisinopril????? i am still taking it all thru this sinus thing, MRI and 2 inhalers and antibiotics, narcotic cough med, sinus wash and musilex r doing ok and on the mend, i have no other symptoms and on the 5 mg , what do u all think? and anyone else have a sinus thing going on when starting the lisinopril??? D.

I am a 60 year old female. Had taken Hyzaar for several years, but due to high cost, insurance recommended Lisinopril (my doctor agreed). I started taking Lisinopril HCTZ 20/25mg on 5/11/08. After 5 days, I developed a cough that grew increasingly worse with lots of mucus. I coughed so hard there would be tears rolling down my face. The mucus would get stuck in my throat and I had to make horrible sounds to clear it. I carried a bottle of water every where. I saw my doctor on 5/27/08. He prescribed antibiotic for sinus infection and cough med. The meds did not help. I saw him again on 6/2 and 6/5 and he gave me a steroid that did not help. I started researching side effects of Lisinopril and decided to take myself off on 6/12 and start the Hyzaar again. In the meantime my doctor got me in to see an ENT on 6/17. He gave me a nose spray and something to dry up the mucus. I noticed the cough did not seem as bad the day I went to the ENT and it got progressively better. I did take the medication prescribed by the ENT, but felt that discontinuing the Lisinopril was probably why the cough and mucus got better. So, a "glutton for punishment", I started the Lisinopril again (wanted to make sure my problems were caused by the Lisinopril). After taking it for about 6 days, I have developed the cough and mucus again. No more Lisinopril for me. I started Hyzaar again on 7/6. It took about a week to a week and a half last time to get better.

I am a 62 yo female who was prescribed Lisinopril in February. Within a week I had such a continuous horrible dry, hacking cough that I trouble communicating with others. This cough was particularly bad during the night. I have had to live with water and cough drops as my constant companions. I can honestly say that I have only slept through the night once from February until last night. My PCP finally decided that I did not have a sinus infection and that a codeine based cough medicine was not the answer and switched me from Lisinopril to Avapro on Monday, June, 2nd. According to my PCP it could take up to a week for the cough to go away.

In November, 2007, we moved to a new house. I immediately developed a terrible cough, which I attributed to new house construction dust, plus I had started spending 4 days a week at our cabin in the woods, which tends to be damp and moldy. I just figured my allergies were really kicking in. The doctor treated me for a "sinus infection" with antibiotics and codeine cough syrup. Over the next three months, with no improvement in the violent coughing spells, the doctor ran me through 2 more rounds of antibiotics, plus 2 rounds of steroids.

I sing in a competitive choral group and were preparing to travel to Italy for an international choral competition. The terrible coughing was really messing up my rehearsals and the concerts that we had to do prior to leaving for Italy. Since November, I've probably been through 6-8 bottles of Tussionex. That is the only relief I can get from the cough, especially at night, and for concerts. I know the druggist has me on a list somewhere as an excessive cough syrup user.

Then my doctor sent me to an allergist, who administered the 80 pin pricks, concluding that I'm allergic to grasses, dust, mold, summer trees, etc. So she started me on nasal spray, fexofenadine, and singulair. AND weekly allergy shots.

Anyway, it has been CONSTANT COUGHING since November. When I went back for my 2 month check up at the allergist, I told her my symptoms had not changed, still couging, coughing, coughing. She looked at my chart and said, "You know, I see that you take Lisinopril. That can sometimes cause cough." She asked when the coughing started, and when I started taking the drug. NOVEMBER, 2007 was the answer to both questions. YOU ARE KIDDING ME!!! AFTER ALL I'VE BEEN THROUGH WITH THIS, WHY DID MY REGULAR DR NOT SUGGEST THIS?????

Needless to say, I've quit the Lisinopril, then my regular doctor put me on Tekturna (which also has cough as a side effect.) I'm going to quit all of them for a while and see if the cough stops after all this junk is out of my system.

It has been a nightmare!!!

I am a 66 year old female with mild hypertension successfully treated with 25 mg HCTZ for over 10 years. In January 2008 I developed sinusitis and ended up in the hospital for a week exceedingly high BP and an electrolyte imbalance. Initially the MD wanted to give me Lisinopril, but I told him that there is a hx of family sensitivity to the drug. Both my mother and brother had developed a severe cough and had to stop Lisinopril. He prescribed something else. It's now 2 months since my acute illness and they can't get my BP under control. I told my MD that I would be willing to try Lisinopril since the cough from my sinus infection is now gone. I didn't want to rule out using it just because of a family hx. Maybe I would react differently? I am already on 2 BP meds and Lisinopril made it #3. I took 2.5 mg Lisinopril and for 3 days felt wonderful. My BP was terrific. I suddenly developed severe acid indigestion which kept me awake all night. The next day I had a dry cough which would make me me gag. Then I developed non-stop belching, nonspecific stomach discomfort, and loose stools. I felt "not quite all there". My BP has been terrific. I just called my MD and she will prescribe something else. I asked her, taking only 2.5 mg, if it's possible to develop side effects in only 3 days and she said yes. Wish me luck as I try my new 3rd BP medicine.

59 year old female, overweight.

My nightmare with 40 mg. Lisinopril started 3 months ago with the dry, hacking cough which got bad enough for me to gag & left me short of breath. I stopped this med completely after reading the horror stories here. Had little effect in lowering blood pressure.

I felt achy all over - thought I had the flu or a nagging cold which wouldn't let go, yet no temperature or other symptoms. Been coughing for 3 months. Some numbness in left hand fingers. Very tired all the time with no desire to do anything.

Depression got much worse, I felt like I was dying or had cancer and just felt like I wanted to end it all to get relief.

Had moving chest pains and some pain in left arm. Bad stomach/intestinal pains with bloating, gas & cramps. Some dizziness & light-headed feelings.

Reading the posts on this forum has been a Godsend; I wish I had found it sooner. My mom just got a prescription for Lisinopril; I told her to not take it - it's poison. Referred her to this page. When I read the same symptoms over & over on these pages, this is a red flag. Only wish the doctors would take heed of this - in fact I plan to tell my doctor tomorrow to come here & read these postings - they are an eye opener and could well save others from the horror of Lisinopril.

I'm planning on weaning myself off all prescription meds and start an herbal/alternative lifestyle. I stopped this stuff cold turkey when I read all the posts here & am feeling somewhat better altho I still have the nagging cough. Truth to tell I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.

Thank goodness I typed in "Dry cough "and "gag." I found this site and now I know WHY I can't seem to get over this "cold."

I've been on lisinopril for about 3.5 weeks and I was beginning to think I had suddenly developed allergies. I get this terrible tickle and I try to fight it, because I know once I start coughing, it will take a while to settle down again. My eyes water, my head throbs, and I reach a point of nearly gagging. In addition, I get to deal with the added pleasures of menopausal stress incontinence. I'm MISERABLE!

I've been needing to schedule an MRA for another non-related issue, and I have been putting it off due to concerns about being in the MRI machine and not being able to catch my breath.

Thanks to all of your input here, I'm calling my doctor tomorrow. Enough is enough!

I developed hbp during pregnancy with my first child, after delivery the bp continued to stay up for about four months and then it went back down to a safe level. Six yrs later I became pregnant with my second child and my bp spiked again. Once again, after delivery, my bp went even higher. I tried a calcium channel blocker which gave me SEVERE headaches and then was put on a beta blocker. The beta blocker had no side effects but my bp was still out of control. My GP tried me on Lisinopril 10 mg in November 07. Since then I have had abdominal pain, loss of concentration, fatigue, leg and arm pain and numbness that is slowly worsening, dry, hacking cough, loss of sleep, strange thoughts of losing family members, etc....When I spoke to my GP about these new symptoms, I was told I have reflux, even though I never get heartburn and get this...POST PARTUM DEPRESSION! Oh, I am so sick of the "D" word. I never have thoughts of hurting myself or my kids, not to mention, I'm the happiest person I know. I'm really convinced now that these symptoms are all due to the Lisinopril b/c it all started around that time. The cough can be so embarrassing. I work in health care and will start hacking in the middle of an exam with a patient. It comes off as really unprofessional and it bothers me a lot. I see him next week and will discuss this with him. I am kind of discouraged b/c my bp is totally out of control w/o meds and this is the second one that has caused major side effects that has actually helped my b/p.

Lisinopril was the first medication my PCP prescribed for moderate hypertension. Almost immediately, I started to experience aching bones/joints and cramping muscles. Searching the internet, I read a number of reports that suggested that Lisinopril was made from the venom of snakes in South America. While many of today's medications are derived from natural plant and animal sources, this still freaked me out. I eventually came of this medication. I was then put on Felodepine, which wasn't much better. Then it was onto Catapres (Clonidine), which lowered my blood pressure, but didn't maintain it. After a reading of 171/110 just the other day while at the doctor's office, I'm on another medication Terazosin 1MG, plus Quinapril 40 MG. I have an unusual upset stomach, and a more pronounced heartrate that is at times quite disturbing. I also have a sinus infection and am on Augmentin, so I cannot point directly to the BP meds for these conditions. I agree with others that Lisinopril is just bad news. Glad I'm off of it.

I took the horrible drug for five weeks. I have been to the doctor 3 times. They gave me anti-biotics and said I had brochitis. I have a terrible sounding cough and mucus, I missed over two weeks of work and sent alot of money on medicine. I stopped taking Lisinopril 10 days ago, I feel better but not 100%. My doctor says that if will take a while for the cough to go away. I so mad because I really believed I was dying and took chest x-rays and a TB test. My boyfriend has been giving my dirty looks, and guess he think he going to catch somethimg This medicine has ruined my summer and my vacation, because I'm afraid that I will gave a coughing attack so I stay close to home or if I do go out I keep cough drops and cough syrup in my purse. I feel like a drug addict.

Glad to find your site. I have been on Lisiopril for 2 years (ever since my Insurance stopped paying for my Aceon and I had to have a substitute drug for blood pressure control). I have had increasing cough and horseness for the past 12 months to the point that I now have 24 hour symptoms! I also have been having leg cramps at night the past few months.
I will stop Lisinopril TODAY. Plan to monitor my blood pressure and see what happens. Does anyone see any problem with doing this?????

I took Lisinopril 10 mg for about 10 days. My doc had told me that 5% of those tested developed an itchy cough, and to stop if this happened to me. I stopped as soon as the cough developed. That was more than a week ago. I haven't been able to get a night's sleep since then. The cough is dry and hacking and continuous. Coughing can also come at any time during the day. Sometimes a coughing attack hits when I already have a cough drop in my mouth.

I feel just the same as I've felt when experiencing a sinus infection, with nighttime drainage and sinus headache.
When I called the doctor's office, I was advised to take an over-the-counter cough med. It hasn't helped. I am exhausted.

This seems to be a case of the "cure" being worse than the initial problem.

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 started taking Lisinopril 5/31/2006. I started coughing in June. At first I did not think anything of it, since every summer at the height of allergy season, I always have a coughing spell for 4-6 weeks. But this time, it did not go away and seemed a lot worse. I did take a cough medicine (codiclear DH syrup). This is the only cough syrup that I have found that has ever helped any cough I have ever had. It did help slightly, but usually only to help me get over my coughing a little easier. When I coughed, I had what you would call coughing spells. When I coughed, it would only last for about 2-3 minutes. I would cough until I could get a little bit of phlem up and then only after that, would it start to subside. I would have these spells about every hour or so. I coughed to the point of throwing up and like others, it got worse at night where I would wake up every 1 - 1 1/2 hours coughing, sometime waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to go back to sleep at all. The one thing that seemed to help a little was water. I always had to keep water with me 24/7. I would drink about 16 oz. every hour. It sound like a lot, but it was necessary just to survive the coughing. This continued for about 4 months when my doctor thought I had Reflux and prescribed a reflux medication. This really did not help at all. She then prescribed another reflux med and said if this did not help, I would have to have a micro-oscopy (sp?), where they put a microscope down your throat. I still at this point thought it was still allergies, so I went to my allergy specialist that said it was not allergies and he thought it was a sinus infection even though I had no symptoms. He prescribed an expensive antibiotic, which did not help, then ordered a CAT scan which showed my sinuses crystal clear. After 6 months of coughing, throwing up and not sleeping, I decided to go online to see if one of my meds was keeping me up at night. To my surprise I came across information that Lisinopril causes persistant dry cough. I immediately went off after consulting my pharmacist, since it was a holiday weekend and on Tuesday called my dr. to let her know what I found out. She prescribed another bp med. It has been 2 weeks since I have been off Lisinopril and I am just now starting to see an improvement. My coughing is about 50% better. About 2 weeks ago I also asked my doctor to prescribe a coughing pill that I had been prescribed before. It is Tessalon, or the generic Bensonatate. For the first time in 6 1/2 months, I finally slept most of the night without coughing and only woke up once or twice to go to the bathroom. I also took my cough syrup to at night. I just saw my doctor today and she also precribed a steroid inhaler to help calm things down. Even though the lisinopril is out of your system after 48 hours, depending on how long you have been coughing, it may take a while for things to calm down because everything is irritated from coughing for so long. I hope this has helped, because I know how hard it is to find information that might help when things seem hopeless. Feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions or need some advice or support.