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Lisinopril Side effects after just a few days

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Guest
Guest

I started taking 2.5mg Lisinopril just over a week ago.

Until then, my blood pressure had been well controlled by 25mg Atenolol and 2.5mg Bendroflumethiazide daily, but because of the NICE guidelines about the increased risk of developing diabetes with Atenolol, my GP decided to try me on Lisinopril instead.

After only 2 days I started experiencing very severe headaches; hot, red face head and neck; racing, thumping heartbeat and palpitations; restlessnes, and slight shakiness and dizziness. I also experienced a worsening cough - particularly in the evening and at night.

I'm surprised that such side-effects should appear so rapidly.

I suspect that the headaches were caused by me coming off the Atenolol rather than a direct side-effect of Lisinopril, but I think everything else could only be accounted for by the Lisinopril.

I also suffer from sleep apnoea and it seems that the cough and increased mucous only made this worse. I could no longer sleep lying down and had to try to catch a few minutes sleep in a chair.

I could barely work last week (I'm self-employed so it's quite a problem), and after 6 days, I'd had enough and stopped taking the Lisinopril. I have now been back on my original dose of Atenolol for 3 days and I'm feeling much better all round.

I changed my medication back without my GP's approval as I couldn't get an immediate appointment to see him, but I felt so bad I didn't have a choice. Hopefully, he'll try me on something different when I finally get to see him.

0 likes, 3 replies

3 Replies

  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Just read your experience with regard to only taking this drug for a few days. I have posted my experience as I had bad side effects within hours. The chronic headache I had, upon waking, throughout the day and that did not go with simple painkillers I now know was Lisinopril. Culminated in pancreatitis! I was also prescribed Atenalol and found this to be much more successful and I felt really well on this. Why my GP had to swop - God knows!
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Felt i needed to reply 2 yrs ago i was taken off atenanol and given perindopril. for the high blood pressure. Had the same experiences as you and needed to be taken into hospital for rapid heartbeat pulse of 160! have now been diagnosed with atrial fibrilation, the question is was this due to being taken off the atenanol or was the atenanol controlling it? I am worrying now because the surgery is changing from perindopril to lisinopril not sure what to say! have I the right to refuse. have you had any more episodes of rapid heartbeat?
  • Guest
    Guest

    Posted

    Hi

    I posted just below you - didn't get any replies but based on all I read I decided not to take the medication and I'm trying a herbal remedy instead.I'm glad I took that decision now after reading your experiences.

    I'll see how it goes. Good luck to you.

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