OK, so just started on a baby sized dose of Lisinopril (2.5 mg) for HBP. I’m surfing and find this website with about 1500 posts about side effects – which kinda freaked me out, hacking cough, numbness, joint pain and on and on and on.
I wanted to ask folks more akin to my lifestyle (versus anonymous web posters) if they’re experiencing any significant side effects from this medication? Since my dose is so small I’m hoping any side effects will be neglible.
Thanks!!
Sometimes a little dizzainess, but over all no serious side effects. I felt like I had some trouble concentrating sometimes. here were no issues with trainning/racing and I was on 10mg a day.
I was on 10mg a day and my cough started to drive me nuts so the doc switched me to Cozar I think that is what it is call. I don’t have the cough and it doesn’t have a diuretic so he thought it would be a better option anyway.
CLH,
When my hereditary HBP started a couple of years ago, my doc started with lisinopril…I noticed two things, one right away and one eventually…the first and most obvious is that my HR went up about 8bpm at the same exertion level…and I got “out of breath” more easily (heavier breathing at similar exertion). The second was I eventually got the dry cough.
Once I had enough baseline data I consulted with my doc and we switched to Avapro…no issue at all so far…
Hope this helps…just sure you approach your doc and make sure he/she understands your need to keep your HR in check…I found that the most pressing issue…
YMMV,
Paul
I have been on BP Meds for 5 years
First 3yrs I was on Diovan,liked it .Changed Insurance they didnt use Diovan,so the Doc put me on
Lisinopril I did’nt like it I tried for 1 month.For the past 3 years I have been using Cozar same effects as Diovan.
I have no problem training with either product,I started BP meds one year before doing a Ironman every summer
for the past 4 years.
With hereditary hypertension I finally had to go on meds. I’ve been on 10mg of Lisinopril for over a year now. I remember my doc asking me if I had additional coughing so it must be a common side affect, but I’ve not had any problems with it at all.
I’ve been on 10mg of Lisinopril for about 3 yrs now. Not much of a dry cough (but it does surface from time to time). Other than that, I’ve had no adverse reactions/effects.
unbelievable. i’m sitting here with a really annoying dry cough & wondering why … then read this thread. i’m on 10 mg/day lisoprinil, which i’ll be changing to Cozar as soon as I can ring up the doc. thanks guys!
I was recently dx’ed with hypertension and started on Lisinopril just over a week ago. Initially, there were some side effects, primarily it felt like I was in a fog or a dream. It was really weird and a bit uncomfortable but it went away and I feel fine now. I’m on 10mg and my bp went down to normal after the first dose. I’m hoping I can reduce the dose at some point. 2.5 is nothing. This sucks, doesn’t it? 
without going into all the biology, ace inhibitors prevent some of the conversion of angiontensin I into angiotensin II (Ang II is a cause of vascular constriction so if you can eliminate some of this vasoconstriction your SBP should come down) and they “activate” in the lungs which is why many people experience a cough. the degree to which someone coughs varies greatly and since ace-i’s work well for many people, the benefit of the medicine outweighs the inconvenience of the cough. angiotensin receptor blockers (someone mentioned Diovan/Cozaar) work at a different point in the body so there’s no cough for most people.
since ACE-i’s are generic (lisinopril, captopril, accupril, benazepril etc) and ARB’s are branded meds, insurance formularies almost always mandate that your doc start you on the inexpensive generic options first (ace-i’s, calcium channel blockers, diuretics, etc) because they are in business to make money and to manage your health as inexpensively as possible.
2.5mg is the lowest dose available and cough typically is not an issue for most people until they get into the 10-40mg range…unless you are an asian female. biology is a funny thing. for some reason asian females almost always develop a hacking cough with ace-i’s.
PM me if you have a more specific question.
I have been taking Linsinopril for one year. 10mg/day. Family history of Hypertension. No side effects to report. It took a BP of 145/96 to 120/80 in the matter of a week. The Halo headaches have disappeared. My Cardiologist is happy with the dosage as maintenance.
Been on it almost 2 years. Minimal side effects: Maybe a dry cough sometimes at night, but I have always had a bit of a night and a.m. cough, since I was a kid (Probably a mild allergy/diet thing). Never a problem that I can tell with heat or dizziness. Give it a try, its really mellow compared to many prescriptions. But at the same time, at 5mg every a.m. I think it only brings my afternoon BP down from 140/85 to 130/75 (early a.m. and late p.m. a bit lower). So I wonder if its worth it.
Sorry to resurrect this thread again but you folks are the best people to question about this. I’ve been on Lisinopril for about two weeks now. BP is down, the light headedness is gone, that’s all good, but my motivation for training seems to have tanked. I have to almost force myself to get going. This is highly unusual as I look forward to my workouts everyday…I love 'em. I’m doing a fraction of the training I’m used to so it’s not from lack of rest. Any thoughts?