Lisinopril and three months later

I took lisinopril for high blood pressure for 3 months. During that my physical condition gradually but steadily deteriorated. As I write this, I am off the lisinopril now for 3 more months and very slowly recovering.

My symptoms included cough, shortness of breath, loss of stamina during exercise, frequent stomach and intestinal cramping and burning sensation, sweating, severe acne break out on the chest and back, difficulty concentrating, loss of sleep quality, and weekly spells with low grade fever.

The symptoms started appearing gradually, and I first noticed them about 2-3 weeks after starting lisinopril. The cough was mild at first. It never got that bad really, but I found there was a cycle. If I coughed in the morning, I'd generally feel better, and when I didn't cough for a few days, some of my symptoms (shortness of breath, loss of stamina) would increase. Then I'd finally cough again and be a bit better for a while. As time went on I started having more bad days than good.

After quitting lisinopril for 3 months now, the symptoms have faded, except I still have the occasional cough (yes three months later, though its finally almost gone), and some shortness of breath. My energy level & stamina are very slowly returning, but still not normal. I am now finally having more good days than bad. Within a week after quitting lisinopril, the symptoms all faded noticeably, and have been slowly going away with time.

It seems to me that there is something seriously wrong with this medication.

About me: I am 42, male, generally good health. I took the lisinopril because my doctor felt my blood pressure was too high. After complaining about the various symptoms listed above, my doctor recommended separate additional medications to treat the individual symptoms, not recognizing all of them together as side effects. I finally figured it out myself as things just kept getting worse. Since I have quit, I have started jogging to help with my stamina. My blood pressure has gone below 135/85, and am now not taking any medication for blood pressure (or anything else).

Immediately after quitting, my blood pressure went quite high (160/95) and stayed that way for a week, I think that was due to quitting the drug quickly. Still, for me personally, I'd rather have done that then take one more dose of this so-called medicine.