Sacubitril / valsartan and Back Pain: What Users Say

• Inp...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 27, 2021

For Heart Failure "Started on low dose of 24mg/26mg, had bad lower back and side pain. This pain eased after a week and heart doctor upped my medication to 49/51mg twice a day. I have bad left chest wall pain and bad muscle pain on the left side of my ICD defibrillator. I am going to go back on to the 24/26mg as I don't get as much pain. I walk for 60 minutes every day with no problems. I hope my EF goes from 20 up to 50 or 60 in a year. I will wait and see. I will pray for each and every one of us that we get well and a cure is found for heart failure."

• Hol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 21, 2019

For Heart Failure "I have been on this for only 3 weeks, but haven't noticed any improvements - actually feel worse. I am more tired than before & suddenly started throwing up at night about 4 hours after eating, since day one of taking Entresto. Also, I cough all day & all night, which interferes with my sleep (maybe that's why I'm so tired - I don't know). I have no energy at all. The coughing gets to me the most - constant, dry cough & throat tickles all the time. Back pain all of a sudden, & thigh pain. I will give it another couple of weeks to see if things level out & I start to feel better. But so far, not happy with it."

• Osc...
• June 3, 2020

For Heart Failure "So my EF was 17 when my cardiologist put me on Entresto, and it went down to 13 within 1 month. I had to call 911 twice before my cardiologist took me back off it for critical shortness of breath and critical low blood pressure. I also experienced mental fogginess, blurred vision, and back pain while I was on Entresto. So my cardiologist put me back on Ramipril, and my EF went back up to 17, and I feel much better."

• Cro...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 5, 2019

For Heart Failure "My cardiologist put me on Entresto and off Ramipril approximately 6 months ago. After numerous concerns about how I felt extremely tired, back pain, irritable, tingling in my hands and feet I was told statistics show Entresto is a good drug. I was sick and tired of walking around like a zombie so I took it upon myself to stop taking it for a while. I've been off it now for a month and feel like my old self, my wife noticed a big change even in the bedroom. I work cutting grass at a golf course and get up at 4 am and go home to do things around the house after work with energy to burn. This drug isn't for me I've had 3 stents put in and I finally feel great again!"

• Bud...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 23, 2019

For Heart Failure "I took Entresto for only 2 days, then I started to have such terrible back and side pain that I could not stand erect. The worst side effect was night terrors that were so bad that I could not shake reliving the dreams even when awake. It blurred my vision to the point that I could not see a large piece of equipment standing in my yard. I asked my wife if the workers had come to remove the equipment without my knowing it. I normally have such good vision that at 74, I still do not require glasses, not even to read. This is not a medication for me."

• Mac...
• January 19, 2017

For Heart Failure "This drug is expensive. Patients on Medicare D can soon find themselves in the donut hole, thus causing added problems for many. (Not if money is no object). There is not enough information out on this drug's ability to prolong life. Doctor mentions very few side effects. Main ones were low BP, angioedema, high potassium/kidney damage. I bring up more side effects, he does not agree yet. Drugs.com lists side effects that I am having with this med. Back pain/side pain. I have had difficulty walking due to these pains and resort to a walker. Heart failure caused by poor stent placement in LAD. My EF is sliding downwards from 40-45% to recent echo of 30-35%. I thought this med was the answer to HF. Needing more solid info."

• dro...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 11, 2022

For Heart Failure "I was diagnosed with EF of 40% 8 months ago and have cardiomyopathy. I started on Entresto 50 mg twice a day. Had many side effects for a month or two whilst my body adjusted to the medicine. But after that, I only sometimes have back pain. Now, 8 months on, I just had another Echo. 62% EF (heart function). My cardiologist is very happy for me. He said I will be on Entresto for the rest of my life. I will say that since day 1 of being on this drug, I stopped alcohol consumption. I also eat better foods and do exercise twice a day: fast walk in the mornings around 2 km and at night 1 km. The doctor said no hardcore running or anything like this with my condition and on this drug. Overall, I think my brain function has improved as well. I highly rate Entresto as a 'wonder drug,' and so does my cardiologist."

• Unl...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 22, 2022

For Heart Failure "My wife was prescribed Entresto two weeks ago as a 'wonder drug.' The side effects quickly built up over 13 days so that at the end of two weeks she was having panic attacks, gagging when trying to eat, she lost one and a half stone in weight. She became suicidal, not from depression but because of how poorly she felt. She had pain in her back, the left side of her chest, pressure in her head. It would take too long to list all of the side effects, if it's on the list, then she experienced it. She spoke to the cardiac nurse and was told that she was feeling this way because of her heart only having an EF of 15 to 20%. This was total rubbish, she rang a GP and was told to stop taking them immediately. They are going to try something else next week. Please note, I did not look for the side effects until she was very ill. Look at the reviews, and more people have a poor result than benefit from this dangerous medication."

• Rya...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 6, 2021

For Heart Failure "I was told about this medicine when I found out my EF was 22. I had an echo performed two weeks before starting and was at an EF of 30. Started Entresto two weeks ago on the lowest dose. First side effect I got was heavy phlegm and chest tightness. I have paralyzed vocal cords, so this was not good. Second, was breathing, I felt as if I had to force myself to breathe. Third, lower back pain. Fourth, arrhythmias, including bigeminy, which I only had once. Anxiety, snapping at my wife, panic attacks, and severe chest pain from my rib cage and pectorals. This may be a miracle drug for some, but not for me."

• Sim...
• September 14, 2022

For Heart Failure "35-year-old had a heart attack of unknown cause. Heart failure. A-fib. Scar tissue. Ejection fraction of 12%! As close to death as you can get. Struggled for 2 months, and the doc tried me on a low dose of Entresto. I'd say within a week of being on this drug, I noticed my hands warmed up. They were no longer frozen due to circulation. Things picked up. At the 6-month mark, cardioversion reset A-fib. Ejection rate = 20%. At the 1-year mark, ejection rate = 40%. Increased the dose of Entresto to 51/49. At 14 months, ejection rate = 45%. Side effects - severe fatigue, brain fog, lower back pain, bloating, possibly sharp heart pain. Good med."

• are...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 14, 2021

For Heart Failure "I've had CHF for years, but my former cardiologist never put me on any medication to help my heart. Plus, he was a total a**hole, so I found another cardiologist with great credentials. At any rate, only 2 weeks ago, they started me on a very low dose of Entresto because of high creatinine levels. Even at that low dose of splitting a 24-26 mg tab and taking half in the morning and half at night, I've had an increase in my balance issues (already had some from neuropathy in my feet), itchiness that won't stop, what was just a small pain in my left side is now a really bad pain all around my waistline area, about 8-10 inches wide, from abdominal pain to back pain. I'm dizzy or lightheaded all the time, get confused easily, and my legs feel like they weigh 100 lbs each at times. All this at a very minimal dose! I have an appointment with my cardiologist in about 6 hours from now, and I'm telling them to take me off this S#!t because for me, it's dangerous! I can't even stand up straight."

• Cha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 22, 2018

For Heart Failure "I have a family history of heart failure. After my primary and heart doctor prescribed this medicine, I decided to take it. After only being on it for 6 weeks, I could take 160 mg Lasix and still wouldn't urinate. Not understanding and just knowing something was wrong, I was admitted to the hospital for kidney failure - after never having a kidney problem before. The doctor treating me immediately stopped Entresto. I could breathe now, I was always out of breath. I had abdominal pains, lower side back pains, and my heart doctor told me the medicines aren't working for me. Spend as much time with my kids as possible and prepare a will. I HATE ENTRESTO."

• Inp...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 7, 2021

For Heart Failure "Put on Entresto a week ago. I am on the lowest dose, and it has given me very severe back pain, severe lower back and hip pain, very sick stomach weakness, and bad leg pain. While it might help fix our heart, it is not good for us in other ways, more research is needed into this drug. I don't know how the FDA passed it. I'm going back on ramipril, least side effects."

• Inp...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 7, 2021

For Heart Failure "Put on Entresto a week ago. I am on the lowest dose, and it has given me very severe back pain, severe lower back and hip pain, very sick stomach weakness, and bad leg pain. While it might help fix our heart, it is not good for us in other ways, more research is needed into this drug. I don't know how the FDA passed it. I'm going back on ramipril, least side effects."

• Lul...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 30, 2024

For Heart Failure "I was diagnosed with CHF about 3 months ago. I am 83 and had shortness of breath, could not walk 10 feet without having to sit down. After the first day that I started taking this drug, it woke me up. Shortness of breath stopped, I had a clearer mind and more energy. Now I am noticing that I have some lower back pain and pain in my left leg and am having a hard time walking. I am not sure if it is the drug, but will continue to watch and see if the pain continues and then decide if I will continue taking it."

• Jsn...
• June 19, 2021

For Heart Failure "I was told my heart strength had increased by 10%. And was only 5-10% less than normal. So what does the cardiologist assistant do? She prescribed me Entresto and tells me it’s completely safe. But when you look for side effects online, it says everywhere that if you stop taking this medication, your condition may get worse. And then I read all these stories that mention serious side effects. Now I have a cough, back pain, constant chest pressure, dizziness at times, and a sensation of my throat closing at times (a feeling of it being hard to swallow). And it has only been 4 days max of taking Entresto. Anyway, I haven’t taken it this morning, waiting for an on-call cardiologist to call and advise me if it’s safe to stop. But for those of you with serious heart failure or otherwise, I would seriously monitor your body’s reaction to this drug in the first several days."