Lisinopril Side Effects?

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mountainsoft

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Thanks to COVID lock downs and poor weather I didn't get as much exercise this last year. My alcohol consumption has probably increased during lock downs too. Unfortunately, my blood pressure reflected my life style and rose to around 150/90, so I finally opted to start taking medication. Almost everyone I know is taking Lisinopril for high BP, and seems to do well with it, so that's what my doctor prescribed. I've been taking 10mg daily for a little over two weeks. It did bring my BP down to around 120/70, but I am experiencing a number of negative side effects.

The first week was especially bad. I felt dizzy, light headed, and just generally in a mental fog. That made me a little nervous to drive or operate my woodworking tools. While those symptoms have decreased, I still get light headed and foggy every couple days or so.

I've also noticed a lot of constipation since starting Lisinopril, something I have never had an issue with. We normally eat a lot of vegetables and high fiber foods. I don't see this side effect listed in most charts, so I was a bit surprised to experience it.

I've also experienced a significant decline in sexual interest and performance. So that's kind of depressing.

Ironically, I never had the dry cough side effect many people talk about.

I contacted my doctor and am waiting for a reply, but am curious if others here take Lisinopril, and if you experience any side effects?

I don't take any other medications, so it has been easy to isolate when the problems started. I know this medication is supposed to reduce my risk of heart attack and stroke, but at least I "felt" good before taking it. Now I just feel foggy and disconnected all the time. It doesn't really seem like a fair tradeoff. It's also kind of amazing how this teeny tiny pill can affect so much.
 
Yes, I am very familiar with Lisinopril. I know what you mean by mental fog. I thought about changing medications but hung in there because it helped keep my BP in check. I had a cough when I first started it as well. The cough was really bad. Finally went away after about a week or so. I do not remember any other side effects but those two can be pretty rough to deal with at first. That cough was a killer.
 
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About 10 years ago my doctor put me on Fosinopril, which is similar to Lisinopril. I had side effects, the worst of which (for me) was that awful cough that Unrealized Potential mentioned in his post above. Anyway my doctor took me off of it and put me on another medication instead. My side effects disappeared immediately.

I'd suggest that you tell your doctor about your side effects! You don't have to endure them in silence. :)
 
I was on 10mg of Lisinopril for a while, it was after the beta blockers took my heart rate to 33. No cough or fog, but my heartrate changing may disguised it.

Your wobbling will probably get better over time as you get used to lower pressure. It helps to intentionally stand up slowly for a while. Your doctor may want to adjust your dosage down a little too.
 
mountainsoft said:
Already sent him a message, but these days communications are slow. I probably won't hear anything for a few days.
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Maybe you can ask his nurse or physician's assistant to find out if you can just quit taking it until he has time to respond.
 
I have been on 20 mg Lisinopril for over 20 years, ever since I went in to the doctor not feeling well and had a BP of 200/140 (the doctor said that it was the highest of anyone that he had recently seen who wasn't experiencing a severe cardiac event). Since then my BP has been under control and I have not noted any of the side effects that you have mentioned - maybe I am lucky, or else, I am just used to being in a fog?
 
My F-I-L was on it for 10+ years with no major side effects. Then, out of the blue, one evening his tongue swelled up so badly, he had trouble breathing. A quick trip to the ER told us he was having an allergic reaction to it. How can this be ? He’s been taking it for years. They and his Dr. both said that you can get a reaction to it, even after taking it for years. I don’t remember what he takes now (he has 14 prescriptions).
 
jcfradio said:
I went in to the doctor not feeling well and had a BP of 200/140 (the doctor said that it was the highest of anyone that he had recently seen who wasn't experiencing a severe cardiac event).
Click to expand...

My BP has always been under 130/85 or so. So I was shocked to see my BP was 176/100 at a dentist appointment in January. That's the highest I had ever seen it. I tracked it at home over the next week, and it was staying around 150/95 or so. I figured it was something I should talk to the doc about.

Ironically, even at 176/100 I felt great. Happy, energetic, no issues at all. That's why the cure seems worse than the disease at this point. :)
 
I have used 10mg (20 mg tab cut in half) Lisinopril for eight years. I still experience the dry cough, mostly at night. But it seems to subside after about 5 minutes. It keeps my BP under 120/70, which is what I want. I have no others side effects except if I take a full 20 mg dose I feel exhausted...like lay down and sleep for 16 hours tired.

Cheap....works well....I'm good with it. Mental fog:confused: Who knows....maybe. Don't care. I'm living a happy life.
 
I felt alright the night two or three years ago my BP went out of control and I ended up in ER for hours. They had a terrible time trying to get it back down. If it wasn't for my BP monitor I would never have known I was in big trouble. That's why they call high BP the silent killer.
 
I started Lisinopril, 5 mg back in August. I have a dry cough, but it lasts just a few minutes a couple of times a day. Since we've been inside all the time with winter and COVID, I noticed increasing coughing and nasal congestion. Started allergy med and nasal steroids with much improvement. We did some extra cleaning and dusting and have been running a HEPA air filter which helps a lot. So I don't know what is causing the cough but its not bad enough to change medication. BP was around 140 over 90, down to 120/75.

Also, any alcohol spikes BP a bit so it's good incentive to stay dry almost all the time.

No fog, or any other problems.
 
I had a bad cough with Lisinopril, so I stopped it. I am on a cocktail of four other BP meds, but they work!
 
When do you take your med? A nurse friend suggested that taking it at bed time is best.
 
A cardiologist may be easier to work with.
Cut the pill in half for now if your symptoms are too severe. You don't want to stop all at once.
 
mountainsoft said:
Ironically, I never had the dry cough side effect many people talk about...
Click to expand...

Dry cough is all I suffer from Lisinopril. However, it does not persist, and comes and goes. Most of the time, it does not cause me to cough, and even when it does, it is not as bad for me as an earlier poster describes.
 
I take 10mg a day at 40. I would like to be off of it, but anything is better than how I feel with high blood pressure.
 
MRG said:
I was on 10mg of Lisinopril for a while, it was after the beta blockers took my heart rate to 33. No cough or fog, but my heartrate changing may disguised it.

Your wobbling will probably get better over time as you get used to lower pressure. It helps to intentionally stand up slowly for a while. Your doctor may want to adjust your dosage down a little too.
Click to expand...

My wife has moderate high blood pressure and she started having some very low lows. And her heart rate also dropped.

I took her to the emergency room twice, and they pumped her full of fluids. Things normalized pretty quickly.

A cardiologist didn't spot anything on tests and she had a halter monitor. But the doctor did say that any drop in the heart rate below 50 is extremely serious and you could easily die. You were fortunate to make it with a 33 heart beat. You really should see a cardiologist to be checked out.
 
If it wasn't for my BP monitor I would never have known I was in big trouble.

Would appreciate if you (and anyones here) would share the make/type of BP. monitor that you find effective? thanks
 
I take 10mg a day at 40. I would like to be off of it, but anything is better than how I feel with high blood pressure.

Would you mind sharing the symptoms you had when you had high BP? thanks
 
SunnyOne said:
I take 10mg a day at 40. I would like to be off of it, but anything is better than how I feel with high blood pressure.

Would you mind sharing the symptoms you had when you had high BP? thanks
Click to expand...
Sure. I feel like I can't think. I found myself getting flustered and mad with everyday situations, and with young kids and a stressful job that is not a good thing. I have been functioning in high pressure jobs my whole life, and it makes me feel like I can't process basic things. It's like a constant head rush, and not a good one.
 
Dry Cough and Orthostatic BP drop !!! I was on 10 mg lisinopril for several years, finally changed to carvidolil 12.5 mg 2X daily when the orthostatic BP issues became too much. The carvidolil seemed to affect my heart rate too much so I am now on bystolic 5mg 1X daily. Of course the bystolic is not covered by my Part D (or any part D).
 
I've been on 5mg Lisinopril for years without any issue. I was told to take my dose before bed. Ask your doctor for the best time to take it.
 
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