Lisinopril and Dizziness: What Users Say

• Meg...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 22, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "I started Lisinopril in February, so about 10 months ago. 20mg per day, one per day when I woke up for high BP. Exactly three months to the day of when I took the first one, I woke up from a nap incredibly dizzy. I had just refilled my meds the day before, so I started the new bottle that morning. Same manufacturer. I was so dizzy I felt like the room was spinning, and laying down made it worse. I waited until it passed two days later and made an appointment with my PCP. After CT, MRI, blood work, EKG, topamax, meloxicam, a muscle relaxer, two different types of vertigo diagnosis, I came upon this forum. My symptoms were dizziness, neck and back tension, blood pressure dropping when standing, tingling in my face and arms, anxiety, and fatigue. All of this since May. I stopped Lisinopril three days ago. I’m already feeling somewhat better. I just hope I’m back to myself once it’s all out of my system. I don’t recommend it."

• BLa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 1, 2017

For High Blood Pressure "I don't even want to give this drug one star! I started taking this medication back in June of 2016 for only about 3 weeks, and I am still having side effects to this day! My whole life changed overnight. I started having heart palpitations, extreme dizziness. I lost close to 30 lbs, hair loss, swollen nose, lip, and eye. Pains/pressure in the top and back of head, shortness of breath, blurred vision, weakness, nausea, pains in my stomach, night sweats, and leg cramps. My entire body felt shaky ( and I'm pretty sure I'm missing some things). Numerous trips to the ER and 8 different doctors to basically be told they don't know what's wrong with me. Take my advice and do not take this."

• JJa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 9, 2020

For High Blood Pressure "Started with lisinopril for high blood pressure at 10mg, didn't really lower my blood pressure, so my doctor upped it to 20mg. I was on it for less than a week, and a cough was keeping me awake. Then I began experiencing headaches and dizziness. I didn't initially think of side effects because some of these symptoms are associated with high blood pressure. However, I got worse with the coughing, itchiness, and pain in my stomach. So, I decided to look up the side effects before assuming I was really sick. I have taken myself off the medication."

• jta...
• May 21, 2009

For High Blood Pressure "My blood pressure was in the 150s/100s. My doctor did not want to prescribe Altace which worked in the past. The prescription he gave me was 20mg Lisinopril with 12.5mg of hydrochlorothiazide. My blood pressure has reduced to the 120s/80s. However, it does fluctuate sometimes to 90/70. I then become very dizzy. I have been experiencing extreme muscle fatigue, especially in my shoulders, neck, arms and jaw muscles. My jaws become quite cramped when eating. My heart rate jumps up to about 130 at times, and I find myself needing to take large breaths. Any physical exertion brings dizziness and fatigue within an hour or so."

• Kam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 26, 2012

For High Blood Pressure "I am a 36-year-old female new to the world of high blood pressure. I am a runner, healthy eater, and maintain a good weight, but my father has high blood pressure. After an ER visit with high blood pressure and an episode of tachycardia, I was told to see a cardiologist. My BP remained at 145/100 for about a month, so he put me on lisinopril 10mg. Being paranoid about the side effects, I have only taken 5mg per day for the last week. My BP is pretty stable at about 117/85. Side effects include minimal coughing, fatigue, and dizziness."

• Sun...
• July 9, 2013

For High Blood Pressure "It does lower the blood pressure, sometimes too much. But beware of the side effects - after being on the medication for almost two years, I developed fast heartbeat, chest pains, shortness of breath, depression, dizziness not upon standing up but simply while working at my desk, stomach pains, bad heartburn. The dry cough was pretty annoying, too. Been off of it for 5 days and most of the side effects are gone."

• mar...
• October 15, 2014

For High Blood Pressure "Started taking this medication after giving birth to my baby 7 months ago. It works wonderfully on my blood pressure, from 201/170 to 116/85, but I feel awful. I feel dizzy, lightheaded at times, with aches and pains, left arm pain, and chest pain. I thought I was having a heart attack. Now I have numbness and tingling in my extremities. I'm only on 10 mg, but I need a change as I don't feel good with all these side effects."

• Mrs...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 24, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "I take Lisinopril 20 mg 2x a day. It has saved my life. My BP is now regulated and has slowed the hardening of my heart walls. This med is good for me, and I've only experienced one side effect: dizziness occasionally."

• Jim...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 19, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "I have been using Lisinopril 10 mg for 30 years. One doctor increased it to 20 mg and added HZT. I experienced stomach pain and dizziness if I bent over. I went to a new doctor and told him my symptoms. He switched me back to 10 mg and dropped the HZT. My symptoms went away, and my blood pressure stays in the 130/70 range. Sometimes it is a little higher and sometimes lower. I am 70 and have always been borderline but never in the danger zone. It works for me."

• KCa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 28, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "Been on this drug for 5 days now. Have had high blood pressure for several years, and it kept getting higher and higher. Doc started me on 10 mg when I was 178/100 at my last appointment. Within the first day of taking it, my BP has been just under 120/80. The very surprising thing is I have more energy from the first day I have taken this. I feel so much better. No side effects yet. No cough, was dizzy one time when I stood up, but it hasn't happened again. I hope this continues to be a lifesaver for me until I can drop about 50 pounds and hopefully get off it completely."

• Mel...
• September 8, 2016

For High Blood Pressure "Female age 42 - was issued this for high blood pressure. I had 5mg taken for around 10 weeks, and it was the worst I have felt. After a night in the hospital with palpitations and irregular heartbeat, several doctor's appointments later, I was taken off this medicine as the doctor realized the side effects were making me ill! (Dry mouth, irregular heartbeat, palpitations, dizziness, and the most horrible cough, bloated tummy.) After 1 day of stopping, I feel better and cough is clearing, tummy better! I only wished I had researched this medicine before! Ditch it!"

• Jef...
• February 21, 2017

For High Blood Pressure "Yes, this will lower your BP. It also makes me very tired, dizzy when bending over, and extremely exhausted when exerting energy. How am I supposed to improve my diastolic condition if I can even run for a mile without wanting to pass out? I hate this drug! How can someone function with a heart rate of 90/65? Seriously!"

• cou...
• April 27, 2009

For High Blood Pressure "Doctor prescribed medication to lower 120/80 blood pressure to new regulation guidelines 115/75 due to weight and family history of heart disease. Within 2 weeks felt lethargic, dizzy and began coughing but on return visit blood pressure was 110/68 and doctor was very pleased. I began coughing continuously with clear sputum for the next month and would cough so hard I was becoming incontinent. Went back to PCP who prescribed round of antibiotics for bronchitis but blood pressure is great. Doctor confirmed that 1 in 10 people can't take this medication due to this side effect."

• efa...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 28, 2013

For High Blood Pressure "Been taking lisinopril 10 mg for about 10 months and found it highly effective in controlling my high blood pressure from close to 150/78 down to about 119/65. No side effects experienced other than feeling slight dizziness when getting up from the floor after doing abdominals in the gym."

• P R...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 21, 2023

For High Blood Pressure "I am writing this in the hopes that someone will be helped. I'm a 40-year-old Caucasian male. My BP at a walk-in clinic was 160/108, so my PCP put me on lisinopril. I took it for about 3 months. Once every few weeks, I would have a day where I was unbelievably dizzy and sick. It did lower my BP to 130/80 or so. Then, one night, I awoke from an unbelievably terrifying nightmare, and I was sick. I cannot begin to convey the anxiety I felt-simply existing from minute to minute was intolerable. I can understand how someone could get suicidal. I couldn't sleep for even a second, and I had no appetite. If I forced myself to put food in my mouth, I chewed but couldn't swallow. I prepared myself to die. Luckily, my PCP believed me that it was the lisinopril. I've been on different BP meds since but haven't found the right one(s) yet. The horrible feeling left with the lisinopril, although it left permanent emotional scars. I spend a lot of my life dreading it and fearing it will return."

• Loc...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 28, 2013

For High Blood Pressure "My family history includes high blood pressure. I started taking Lisinopril 20mg about 6 months ago in combination with HCTZ 7.5mg. The meds have greatly reduced my blood pressure from 170/105 to 98/65. The side effects I experienced are dizziness, nausea, and lack of sex drive. My lifestyle includes eating healthy and exercise. I'm considering asking my provider to lower my Lisinopril dose."

• Anonymous
• February 6, 2010

For High Blood Pressure "I took 10 mg of lisinopril for a month and could not handle the side effects anymore. It worked great at getting my blood pressure down but with that came heart pounding and fluttering, headaches, leg pains, weakness, dry mouth, diarrhea, dizziness, trouble sleeping, waking in the middle of a deep sleep very confused and alarmed, and taste change. Within 2 days of changing medicines all of these problems disappeared even though the doctor assured me it was not all from lisinopril."

• pau...
• May 28, 2013

For High Blood Pressure "I started taking Lisinopril about 2 weeks ago. It is slowly lowering my blood pressure. But I seem to be more tired all the time. I usually take the medicine in the morning and I am moving it to nighttime to see if that helps. It has made me slightly dizzy upon standing."

• Rob...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 23, 2016

For High Blood Pressure "Started on 2.5 mg one year ago for BP 160/90. Had the dry cough, not much lower BP. Went on 5 mg after a few months. BP was all over the place, high, low, everywhere in between. After about 10 months on it, I realized that it must be the reason I feel like crap. No energy, muscle aches, dizziness, weight gain of 10 lbs., even with working out and eating healthy. I feel like I've aged 20 years in the past 12 months. Every joint in my body ACHES, even the tips of my fingers and toes. Cut back to 2.5 mg and feel a little better. Looking for natural alternatives to this stuff."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 1, 2013

For High Blood Pressure "It does lower my blood pressure. I went from 170/110 to 140/90 over 90/80. My blood pressure doesn't stay anywhere near the numbers. That is why I posted it that way. But, yes, I get dizzy when standing or walking fast. I also get a slight cough or a tickle in my throat. The dizziness seems to be worse in hot weather."

• Car...
• May 3, 2016

For High Blood Pressure "I was started on 10 mg a day and immediately was coughing all night and day with a dry mouth and itchy throat. The coughing makes me sound like an 80-year-old smoker, and I don't smoke. It did nothing for my BP, so they doubled my dose to 20 mg. Now I am constantly feeling off balance, cloudy thinking, anxious, with body aches, and I drink tons of water, but my mouth and throat are unbelievably dry. I feel better with high BP and no drugs."

• Deb...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 18, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "I took this medication for 5-6 days and rushed to the emergency room. The reaction to this medication caused swelling of my throat, vomiting, problems breathing, lightheadedness, dizziness, mild chest pains. I did not have any of these symptoms until taking this medication. The ER treats multiple patients due to this medication. This medication is terrible and should be taken off the market. I could have died. The ER was monitoring me closely in case a breathing tube needed to be inserted. The worst! I don't like Western medicine anyway because of the potential side effects."

• Nma...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 28, 2013

For High Blood Pressure "I am a 28-year-old female and have been taking this for more than a year. I was on an angiotensin receptor blocker before. It works quite well. I lowered the dose from 10 mg to 7.5 mg. I changed the brand and got the famous annoying dry cough, but I went back to my old brand and it is gone. With occasional dizziness and headaches, it is the only medicine that has alone been able to lower my blood pressure."

• Mah...
• November 16, 2009

For High Blood Pressure "My doctor prescribed this to 'protect my kidneys' and lower my BP (132/100, was never that high before). Within a week, I had severe muscle spasms and pain in my legs, headaches, dizziness, and itchy hands. She cut my dose to 5 mg, which stopped most of the spasms but did not relieve other symptoms. My BP was 100/68. I am now dealing with mild edema in my eyelids and blurred vision."

• Anonymous
• April 18, 2012

For High Blood Pressure "I am on 10 mg/day. I've cut down my sodium drastically and have been going for brisk walks for 30 mins/day. I've noticed that about 4 hours after taking the medicine, I felt very dizzy, nauseous, and tired. I wouldn't be able to stand for more than 5 minutes at a time. I usually take it around 10 am, so around 7 pm I went to a pharmacy to check my blood pressure, and it was 95/67. When I woke up the next morning, I decided to go get it checked before taking the medicine, and it was 102/52, so I did not take the medicine that day. Overall, I feel like it's making me feel worse and lowering it way too much!"