Cough Is Reaction to Blood Pressure Medicine

After reading the question about a cough being related to taking high blood pressure medicine I want to report that I do take Lisinopril/HCTZ tab20-12.5mg once a day and I do have a cough, especially at night when I lay down (also at times during the day).

I find that if I suck on a Hall's Defense 100% Daily Value Vitamin C (cough) drop the cough goes away and does not come back at all. Generally it will keep me cough free all night and part of the next day. If I have to cough I take another Hall's Defense and it works great. These drops taste great too, Assorted Citrus is the flavor and I buy the economy pack at Target as it is much cheaper there! It is a cheap fix and I can still take the Lisinopril!

i too have had a cough for many yrs, i told my rheumatologist several times and he made light of it , i am on methotrexate 12.5 mg per week and atenolol 50 mg per day and i have a persistant cough, I also was diagnosed with asthma, which is not at all severe, I often wonder if i have it!

i am discusted with meds. i would like to go holistic , is there any thing i could take to replace these med? I am ready to stop them all. I am 76 yrs old somewhat overweight but i am very active and in fairly good shape, i excercise 3 times a week doing wts and machines.
i am tired of being dizzy too
thank you
clara

When put on Cozar, cough went away.

I also was put on linospril and had a cough for three months. I finally told the doctor I was going to stop because I knew that was the problem, I was then put on Coreg cr, but that made my feet and ankles swell. I was put on Lotrel 10.40 and that helped a lot. My bp was still not good and so metoprolol was added. I am now beginning to cough again but not as bad as before. I will continue to monitor and report my concerns to my doctor. thanks

I'M a smoker,have been since I was fifteen,now thirty-six. I'm also on lisinopril (for a year now)10/12.5, and for the last month,mostly when I'm asleep I've been having these deadly coughs,and the only thing that will stop me from coughing is to drink something,anything, to wet my throat seems to help temporarily. I also get them during the day, but not as often as during the night.

I am taking a low dose of lisinopril. At first I would only cough at night; now I cough day and night. But my blood pressure is great!

My elderly mom was started on a new BP medication and developed a nagging cough. Not severe, just an ever-present dry cough. She took it for several months. We never connected her cough with the BP meds because at her age (90s) she needed to go on or off various meds regularly. The only way we found out that it was her BP medication causing it was that she started to cough during an office visit. Her doctor asked if she had a cold. She told him no, that she just had a constant dry cough. He immediately said, "Then we need to change your blood pressure medication because that's what's doing it." He changed it to Hyzaar and the coughing stopped. I was rather annoyed that he hadn't warned us about it. I myself have taken Hyzaar for years, but recently lost my prescription coverage and can't afford it anymore. My doctor switched me to Prinivil, which I know is a coughing culprit. Time will tell if I will turn out to be a "cougher," but I suspect I will since my brother and mother both got the coughs.

I have been on Lisinopril for about nine months and have been coughing for almost the entire time. I've gone to my MD several times and was told I had asthma and was put back on an inhaler. Even with the inhaler, I was still coughing, especially at night. I recently had a chest xray which was clear... but it still does not explain the coughing. Today he told me it could be from the BP medication and will start a new medication tomorrow. I hope this helps, I'm coughing during the day, but mostly at night... which leads to not getting enough sleep.

My blood pressure was borderline when my doctor put me on the lowest dose of bp medication. The coughing started after the first week and has continue for months. I'm wondering if there's an holistic alternative. I'm not getting enough sleep and don't know how much longer I can continue like this. My doctor tells me to drink more water, which I have and doesn't help one iota.

I am on atenolol chlorthal 50/25 plus an additional med enalopril 10 mg each day. My BP was very high and now is nicely controlled. However, I have a cough which sometimes leads me to gagging and nausea.

It happens more often at night but will occur without warning during the day. I hesitate to ask for a med change since it works. Rather strangely, a dose of topril sent me to the ER with a pulse exceeding 200 and a BP of 220/110! In spite of the fact that my doctor told me that it was IMPOSSIBLE, I will never take that med again. Thanks for any input!

My husband has been taking Lisinopril for some time with no coughing until two weeks ago when his doctor doubled his dose (from 20mg to 40mg) because of high blood pressure test results. For the last week and a half he's been coughing so violently that he's lost consciousness.

He did go to Urgent Care and was thought to have an upper respiratory/sinus infection and prescribed Zithromax. It helped the cough slightly, but after four days, the cough worsened again. He coughs up a thick mucus, and he coughs so strongly that he gags-can't get his breath and passes out.

This past Sunday he was climbing stairs when a coughing fit hit him and he passed out.. Falling backwards down the stairs, he hit his head on a table. Of course, he refused to let me take him to the hospital. Frightened and feeling powerless, I did a search online with his symptoms and discovered your web site where many people have documented their own experiences while on this drug.

I rushed to the drawer with his prescription bottles, and what did I find? Lisinopril. I showed him this site and he then told me that his doctor had doubled his dosage. Somewhat relieved that at least we had a clue, we went to a new doctor the next morning and our suspicions wee confirmed.

He was immediately taken off this drug, and now after just 36 hours he's feeling better and coughing less. I'm driving him to work just to be safe until he gets this drug out of his system. I'm just so grateful for your site and the people who've logged their own experiences here. Thank you all. Lots of lessons learned.

I was on atenolol for some time and coughing myself almost into oblivion! My doctor changed me to Benicar 40 mg/day. It cut the cough in half but I still have to use at least 25 mg of atenolol to take care of rapid heart rate and I also take a diuretic.I am tired of coughing!!! Am 68 yrs.old.

my doctor put me on lipsinopril a week before my eye surgery. She said I couldn't have it if my blood pressure didn't go down so I started taking it. I developed a horrible hacking cough during the day and night and after the surgery, I told her I wasn't taking it any more.

She then gave me a presciption for amlodipine. I still have my cough from the lisinopril so I haven't taken the new drug not knowing what is going to happen to my body from it. Also, my doctor did not tell me the lisinpril would cause coughing.

I just got off Lisinpril this morning. It was making me cough, too. My doctor said I was one of the 5% who were effected. I doubt it is 5%. I going to put off taking the new BP med. I want to see for myself if my BP goes up. I have my doubts I need it. Then, really should lose 40 lbs. That would help. I know it.

I was taking 5 mg of amlodipine for year with no cough. Then my doctor raised it to 10 mg, and after two months he gave me Lisinopril in addition to the amlodipine and told me it might cause a dry cough. Yep, He was right i started coughing real bad. I stopped taking Lisinopril and only taking amplodipine but I am still coughing

i was diagnosed with high bp shortly after having my second child. I have been on 3 meds so far. the first made me feel like I was deathly ill. They then switched me to Lisinopril hctz, i developed a horrible cancer sounding cough. I am now on Hyzaar and have developed some type of respiratory infection..still coughing so violently that I am peeing myself and now have to wear a pad to protect my clothes at work. Its very embarrassing and discouraging that this horrible cough has yet to cease. I had to excuse myself from a meeting at work because of a horrible violent coughing spell and went to the bathroom to basically choke and throw up clearish whitish flem. I am at a loss and keep getting told by doctor that I have allergies....Did not have any problems with coughing before being put on lisinopril. Any one experience coughing with Hyzaar?? Or any other type of upper respiratory distress??

I have been taking a low dose of Lisinopril since May. It has worked great for my BP but I too have developed a cough. The doctor told me it was possible, but rare to develop a mild dry cough with this drug. I would not call my cough mild by any means!

I have also had to wear a pad for a month now and if a cough hits me while driving I have to pull over. I would describe it like a gagging cough and I literally can't breathe for a few seconds. What puzzles me though is that this just started within the last few weeks. I've been taking it for 4 months.

Has anyone else experienced the cough starting after so long on the drug?

Julie,
I have been taking Lisinipril for 4 1/2 months now and just developed a dry cough. I had some light headedness if I stood up quickly. I have noticed that has gotten better since I started to take my meds at night before bed. However, I came down with a sinus infection about a month ago.

The sinus infection lasted about 2 weeks and after a good dose of antibiotics it seems to have gone away. However, the cough never went away. To this day I still have it. I thought it was probably due to my sinuses. I have always had sinus issues. This crazy cough was only once in a while, but the past 2 weeks have been really bad.

I cough all the time and at night it is really bad. I cough so hard sometimes that I feel like I am going to pass out. My husband had told me to go to the dr, but I haven't. I finally decided today to make an appointment with the dr to find out if they can change my meds.

I have been off of Linisopril for almost two weeks now. My doctor put me on a Beta blocker instead in hopes of getting rid of the cough. I am still coughing but not as often. I just wonder if I need to wait a little longer for all of it to clear out of my system.
I really hope this goes away soon. It is really scary to have such a hard gagging cough.
Can anyone tell me how long it takes to clear out of your system?

I have been coughing ever since I first started bp medicine 20 years ago. The first medicine was Vaseretic; the second,Cardizem; and now I take Exforge. I am still coughing, worse when I lie down at night. Why do the doctors act as if the cough is imagined? I am miserable! I decided to stop the bp medicine, and monitor my bp to determine how I will be without taking anything. I am worried about this action, though.

I agree with all comments - the side affects from these medicines are unbearable. I'm now on my (3rd)third BP medicine which worked very well until recently, the coughing has started again. First, I was on Lisinopril, then switched to Diovan and now I'm on Benicar, the severe coughing has returned. We are suffering!!! I don't understand why the creators of these meds haven't discovered a cure for this cough. What will it take? Death.

I've been taking linospril only a week and have had such a cough that it is uncomfortable, it hurts my throat and feels as if it is swelling around the voice box. Sometimes I would feel like I could choke. I quit it so I can tell if it is the medicine or a cold. Off of it 24 hours, the cough is better and seems to be going away. Hope it continues because it was so disconcerting.

Unfortunately I have been coughing for over a year and no one believes its the BP med. I was doing great on lisinopril at 10 mg but when upped to 20mg it started and then when they doubled that to 40 mgs. I was miserable. They finally switched me to cozaar and it did not improve so they stopped everything for about 2 months and the cough disappeared but my BP went up, so then they tried Norvasc 5mg and the cough is back. I have had ENT consult with scope--normal, CXR---normal, pulmonary function tests--normal and finally a CT scan which did not show anything significant. I am ready to just stop the med and see what happens. Can someone help?

i have been on lisinopril for a couple of months and have had a cough. recently i had a pacemaker put in and now this cough is really awful. anytime i try to speak it starts in. my chest is beginning to hurt from coughing so much. Tomorrow i am going to either get my family doctor to change it or my cardiologist.

I had developed severe coughing day and night with Altace and then Avapro and now less so with Benicar.

I, too, have had a consistent cough for years and believed it to be allergies. However, in an effort to find a "cure" for it, I came across this web site and realize that it is the Lisinopril I have been taking! I am going to ask my physician today for another medication for my bp. Glad I came across this information-if I find a "cure" I will post it! SV

With lisinopril I had severe allergy reactions which included dripping down my throat and watering eyes with a resulting cough. I would get attacks throughout the day and especially while lying down. I switched to ziac and within 1 week my symptoms were gone!

I have tried over 20 differient bp meds and have had severe side effects. With several , my lower legs and feet swelled so much that I could not wear shoes. Others made me vomit and the latest batch has me coughing so much I get back muscle spasms so severe that I fall down. I can't keep food or liquids from coming back up with the coughing and feel like I am choking.

I am off all BP meds now and my doctor said she has given up on me. Another doctor told me that I have to get used to the side effects. I wonder how he would feel if he coughed so much that he couldn't talk or breathe. I no longer have drug insurance so I have to rely on the $4 meds at Walmart and have tried them all with no luck. I have been off the meds for three days and the cough is gone.

I was given Lisinopril and developed a severe dry cough in which I could not catch my breath. Vomiting was next, along with a headache. followed by a severe nose bleed. Once we figured out what the cause was I got off the Lisinopril and will not be getting on another blood pressure medication. I'll find other ways of lowering my blood pressure. It took time to get the medicine out of my system and reverse the symptoms.

I was on a low dose of Lisinopril.HTZ because of elevated B.P. Within two weeks, had extreme sinus pain and coughing attacks. I then was then was prescribed strong antibiotic, for what Dr. said was an infection. After that, two sets of long and short term steroid shots, nothing helped. Now have been switched to Norvasc, BP is up, and coughing continues. No help in sight.

I was put on lisinopril approx. 2 1/2 yrs. ago. I too was coughing all the time. A few months later I developed a "belly button hernia," & was operated on. When I went back to the surgeon for an annual checkup, I had developed a 2nd., more serious hernia. While setting a the day/time in his office, he heard my coughing. It was he that told me to go back to my primary doctor to get taken off of lisinopril. Had the 2nd. operation, been off this drug, (now on diovan), & am doing much better~

Lisinopril, Benicsr, Byostolic, azor, they all cause me to cough beyond imagination, to the point I felt suicidal. I think I will trust God to heal me.

PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: THERE ARE MANY BLOOD PRESSURE MEDICINES THAT DO NOT CAUSE COUGH. PLEASE DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR DOCTOR!

I've been coughing uncontrollably- EVERYTHING you've described earlier. My doctor just gave me two weeks of antibiotics and tested my for whooping cough.
THANK YOU for sharing, I've only been coughing for a month, and without this site I might have gone on a lot longer. My doc just changed me to Diovan. Will this be the same? Perhaps I should look into alternatives...any advice?

How grateful I am to have found these comments. I was put on Benicar a month ago and within days, was coughing my head off. Then it hit me...that was exactly why I had stopped taking blood pressure medication three years ago. I returned to the doctor who absolutely pooh-poohed my complaint and very grudgingly gave me a prescription for another drug, saying that the first drug NEVER causes coughing, so it was either a problem with post-nasal drip or asthma.

I told her my allergist had just performed a lung function test the previous day and proclaimed that the cough was DEFINITELY a result of Benicar. She then told me I should just learn to live with it. I told her I have no intention of doing that--and I mean it. Though misery loves company, I am furious to read that so many others have had the same response/non-response from their doctors.

I asked her if I could simply go on a diuretic (as my mother did many years ago) and her answer was, "That's no longer the standard procedure." So what? In any event, thank you all for making me realize I am not alone in this struggle. It has been a most frustrating experience--but I don't need to tell you that, do I?

After my health insurance threatened to increase my cost if I did not go with generic, I was taken off Diovan and put on Lisinopril 20. Five days on this med and I am not getting two hours of sleep at night. The minute my head hits the pillow I feel some fluids coating and itching the back of my throat. This sends me into a violent coughing episode. I suspected the new med immediately. I am not taking this stuff any more. It seems like trading one problem for another. I am sure my blood pressure has worsened just by the lack of sleep caused by this dreadful night and day cough.

I was put on Lisinopril and a week later I developed a dry cough. I was put on prednisone twice and antibiotics once. I then in a conversation mentioned to my doc. that I had developed heartburn after I began my BP med. He told me about the chronic cough issue with a small % of people on this med. I was only on it for six weeks. So now i have stopped it it is two weeks later- i am throwing up each day due to gagging, coughing that lessened a small amount after I stopped the meds.
when will this stop? Is this something that will happen forever? Please give me some feedback.

My doctor put me on BP medicine, Lisinopril, the beginning of Dec. 2008. I have developed such a dry, hacking cough that I stopped taking it as of yesterday. I'm so thankful I came upon this site and to know that I'm not the only person suffering. This cough is really debilitating and I thought I would go crazy from the constant hacking and coughing. My doctor is going to put me on a different medication. Good luck to you all.

I have been on Lisinopril for several weeks. I have developed a severe cough. I get up every hour at night coughing and clearing mucus out of my throat. I have severe post nasal drip, especially at night.
I am going to try something different and see if that helps.

Lisinopril almost killed me. I was sick for almost a year. I could not sleep, I would cough so hard I would wet myself and see stars, be incoherent and I would cough so hard i would almost pass out. That has been over five years ago and I still cough so hard I could pass out when I get a cold. oh, and ask about the after life- it takes for ever to get out of your body.

Wow. I was on Benicar for months and it worked pretty well. I coughed at first but it was mild, then it stopped altogether, which is rare.

Then my Dr. switched me to Lisinpril because the hospital system here does not use Benicar. I have been coughing non-stop. Like some others said, I cannot sleep, don't want to eat. Its embarrassing, people think I have some horrible cold and move away from me in public.

I'm just getting to the gagging stage, right now I can control it but after reading all of these notes, I'm taking myself off of this medicine. Hopefully the effects are not permanent. I did not see a clear response to that so I will ask it again:

If you stop taking the bp medicine, does the cough eventually go away?

Thanks for all of the insight!!

PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: THE COUGH DOES GO AWAY.

I have been on Azor and Atenolol. I started the Atenolol about 6 months ago. I have had a horrible cough ever since, not knowing the BP medicine could cause it. I have gone to my prescribing Dr 3 times for this cough, which now my right side is killing me, he never mentioned the bp med's could cause the cough, he has thrown cough medicine, tons of antibiotics at me, and inhaler and steroids, I think just to get rid of me, saying it was probably pleurisy.

I have even gotten 2 chest x-rays for this. he finally ordered a CT scan and it turns out I have a broken rib from all of the coughing. I have told him 2 times, I need to find out what is causing the cough, not just treat it, he never said a thing, just threw prescriptions at me. I am finding a new Dr.

Oh my gosh, I just happened on to this site and can't believe what I am reading. I have been on Lisinopril for 10 years and have coughed for so many years and just figured it was from sinuses.My husband says I cough all night too, I don't know because I have been on a sleeping pill for 2 years because I couldn't sleep. I am going off the BP meds, I was only borderline high then and have remained great, will monitor myself and keep track. I'm glad I read this.

I am a 67 year old Canadian with moderately high blood pressure. Doctor took me from 5mg to 10mg about 4 months ago. Had no cough on 5 but had terrible dry cough on 10. Went off 2 weeks ago to see and voila no sign of a cough. Hack yourself to oblivion or die of hypertension!!

I was on Benicar 20 for a year and then the doctor put me on Benicar 40/12.5. I developed a terrible cough that was a scratching in my throat and uncontrollable. I was a cola drinker all day and night and thought that my gagging and throwing up thick spit/mucus may be the cause so I quit drinking cola throughout the night to no avail.

I also am a smoker at 56 years of age and have thought maybe that was catching up with me. But; because of a need to change doctors and trying to buy more time I have cut my 40/12.5 pills in half and voila--no more coughing or gagging.

I am definitely going to tell my new doctor about this. I feel so much better without the coughing and gagging! I heard about blood pressure medicine causing coughing on the tv and googled it and found this site. Thank you for all of your input!

Just 5 days on 10/12.5 Lisinopril with HCTZ, I'm coughing to gagging...had some light-headedness..bp as low as 95/66. I'm not taking it now!..Prev BP was 135/88

After being hospitalized, I too was put on lisinopril. I am also on atenolol. I have never had any problems with coughing, until the lisinopril. I addressed it with my doctor and was told I could take a different one, however it was much more expensive. Insurance may not cover it.

Also, being type 2 diabetic I was told lisinopril is easier on the kidneys, which is a big concern. I decided to stay on lisinopril and taking cough drops at night has helped. I have a sporadic cough during the day. It is worse after lying down at night. Try the cough drops. Best wishes to all sufferers.

My doctor put me on Lisinopril last October and I developed a terrible cough. I didn't find out that it was the bp medication until one day in Feb. I was coughing and gagging so badly that I went to the ER. The doctor told me right away that it was the Lisinopril. FOUR MONTHS of coughing and going out of my mind and having everyone thinking that they were going to catch what I had would not have happened if my doctor had told me about this side effect.

I was keeping my husband up all night and had to sleep in another bedroom so he could get some rest before he got up at 6:30 for work. When I went to see my doctor after going to the ER, she said she knew that this was possible and kind of got smart with me. I still have the cough on March 24th but it is much worse. I am wheezing and still coughing so badly at night that I sometimes throw up. I went back to my doctor today and she got smart with me twice.

She put me on four medications including a bp medicine. I am scared to take it. Needless to say I will not be going back to that doctor. I need one that seems as though they care a little and one to whom I can feel comfortable asking questions.

I have been on hyzaar for long time with no problems, take it with norvasc but with the high cost of it I was looking for an alternative but after reading all these comments I am afraid to ask for a change of meds.

The first day of taking Lisnopril HCTZ my cough started and was so bad I contacted the doctor after 2 days. After 2 weeks I returned to the doctor because I thought I had HORRIBLE sinus infection. The doctor immediately told me I was allergic to this drug as well as the rest of its family members (ACE inhibitors). I was taken off of the drug for 3 days and then put on a new medicine. I too need to lose over 50 pounds and have started to lose already. I am determined to get off of BP medicine!

I have been on Altace and Lisinopril and developed a horrible, gagging cough. I also have had sinus infections so thought it was due to those. I went to the doctor yesterday and she changed my bp medicine. I am so glad to have found this information.

I had been on Lisinpril 20 mg for over a year, it was then changed briefly to Amlodipine, but I developed edema and was put back on Lisinpril 20/12.50 HCTZ. That was reduced to Lisinpril 10/12/50 HCTZ. The beginning of this past February, after being on Lisinpril with no problems for well over a year and a half, I developed the same symptoms everyone is talking about here.

I have been back to the doctor every 2 to 3 weeks, being treated for sinus problems, allergies, asthma, but never was my BP med addressed. I was given inhalers, nose sprays, pills, nothing worked. I went back to the doctor last week and I addressed the BP med after reading all these comments. The doctor agreed that it could be, but he said it was strange to now happen after all this time. I have also read that people can develope allergies to medications at any point in their usage.

I stopped the Lisinpril a week ago today and I am still coughing till I gag. I get the thick mucous as well. At times I cannot hold a conversation and can barely get one word out at a time with my breathing and coughing. Just as fast as an attack comes on it will calm down, especially if I remain quiet. Water has become my friend, as has menthol-cough suppressant cough drops. It is hard to go out to eat, go to church, you cough and either interrupt everyone else or people look at you like you are contagious.

I am 66 years old, and exhausted from coughing. I understand it can take from 1 week to 5 weeks for this to stop. Please, anyone who has already gone through this and the cough has ceased, tell us how long you continued to cough. Thank you all for sharing.

I, too, was on Lisnopril for months before I started coughing. It took almost 2 months for the coughing to subside after I stopped taking it.

I have been coughing 5 mos., been to 4 Drs., had blood work, xrays, CATscans taken pnednisone,-still coughing. I am on avapro & I believe this is my problem-my Dr does not think so. I was told my a hypertension specialist that avapro could cause a cough but it was rare. I hate to go against my family Dr but I need help. What should I do?

Is it nifedipine that causes the cough that goes with high blood pressure tablets? My 74 year old mother has a terrible cough since she has been on high blood pressure tablets.

Update on my coughing. Thanks ajhauk for sharing that information. I have now been off the lisinopril for 14 days. I had a couple pretty good days and thought wow, this is going to be okay, finally this horrible, gagging cough is getting better. NOT! It's back again.

It is so hard to hold a conversation, to be active. I am far better sitting quiet, but even then an attack will come on where I cough and cough till I start gagging up mucous. I have inhalers that were mistakenly prescribed for me, they don't work, not the nose sprays or even the cough suppressants pills. It seems these attacks will come on when they want to and last as long as they want to.

I don't doubt for a minute it is the Lisinopril as I have had respiratory reactions to drugs in the past, Remicade, an IV therapy drug for RA, and Voltaren XR, generic form, gave me severe bronco spasms of coughing, worse then these episodes and these are bad. I was misdiagnosed that time to, told I had pulmonary fibrosis as I was losing lung functions.

It took my own research to find out it was from the medication, I stopped it and I was eventually okay. So here we go again, another drug and bronco spasms of coughing. I will keep you updated as this cleansing process of this drug leaves my system and let you know how long I continue to cough.

Dear ZLO, maybe you are like me and one of those people who get the rare side effects. My doctor tried all the different things with me too. His first comment was I had been on the Lisinopril too long for a side effect to show up. Side effects can show up anytime after taking a drug. I had to finally diagnose myself and insist on a medication change. But not until I researched all the BP meds and asked for the one that I felt had the least side effects for me, HCTZ 25 mg.

So far it is working. Plus I have started a weight loss and exercise plan to try and get the BP to lower naturally. I was seriously misdiagnosed before, stay on top of it. Sometimes we have to go with our gut feelings. I have done my own research twice now, and so glad I did it too. Good luck.

Hello,
I am so glad I found this site. I too have been on Lisinopril and have had a horrible cough and congestion.

My Dr has changed my bp to Lotrel 5/20 and I am still having a horrible cough and post nasal drip. I am not going to take this anymore and will call my dr for a different medicine. I have been on Avapro and my cough was not so bad, but still there.

I thought I had bad allergies and am on allergy shots weekly, plus antihistamines, nasal sprays 24/7. I am so tired. Don't sleep much and so tired of coughing.
Anyone been on a b/p that doesn't cause cough? Please share.
Miserable in Corpus Christi, texas

As I promised I said I would let you know how long it took for me to be rid of this horrible spasmatic coughing caused by the Lisinopril. Praise the Lord, it is gone. It took about 16 days total that I could step back and say, "hey, I didn't cough today". I feel so much better, my sinus problems are gone too. I am having no symptoms of coughing, congestion, all gone. I am doing well on the HCTZ 25. mg.

I have talked to other medical personnel other than my family doctor and it was confirmed by them to me that I should have been taken off that drug immediately as a culprit and not try all the other routes first like he did. I was also told that yes, people can be on Lisinopril some as long as 20 years and all of a sudden they can get violent reactions like I did. My prayers go with all of you for a quick recovery from this medication and its horrible side effects.

I too have been coughing since being put on Lisonopril. It is a gagging cough that makes me throw up whitish phlegm and I too lose bladder control myself or vomit. I can't take it anymore. This happened one other time with ace inhibitors and I had told my doctor but he is new and I guess he didn't hear that. Ace Inhibitors is the culprit. There are other types of blood pressure medicine beside those. I'm glad I read that others experienced these symptoms as I thought it was allergies.

I too have been on lisinipril and coughed till I gagged, was put on Diovan and had the same reaction. I too would like to hear from anyone who has found a BP medication that does not cause the severe coughing. Thank you all for sharing.

I was given Atenelol for migraines a year ago. I have been coughing for a year. I thought it was allergies. I found this website and now I realize it's the meds. I'm getting off this stuff tonight. I don't have high bp, just migraines. My migraines are better, but I'm not sure they wouldn't have gotten better anyway. Dr.'s need to address this when they prescribe bp meds. I spent a year coughing needlessly. I could hardly talk at times. I guess it's up to the patient to look out for themselves, and obviously this isn't as rare a side effect as they would lead us to believe.

Thank you for all the comments. I have been going insane with this cough. I have now stopped Lisonopril. My doctor was quick with the change once I mentioned what was going on. Now I am waiting for the cough to go away.

It's 2:32am and after 4 years of coughing especially at night, I came to the computer to try to find out what horrible disease I must have. My mom told me she thinks it's from my blood pressure medicine. I just found this site and to my amazement, it's true. At least now I know what it is.

All your stories are exactly my symptoms and story. I am on Corgard 20-40mg and I take it at night. Besides a little high blood pressure I developed, I had terrible headaches from my Lyme Disease. Everytime I try and go off of the BP medicine, the headaches come back, so I would rather be on them then live with those headaches. I am going to try taking the BP medicine in the morning. I am over the coughing attacks!

I'm surprised by how many people were not told by their doctor or pharmacist that Lisinopril my cause you to cough. My doctor told me when he 1st prescribed it and my pharmacist told me when I picked up my 1st prescription. My Dr. initially told me there was an alternative med if the cough was too much to bear. It's been a few months and my cough is random, but always unexpected and sometimes bringing tears to my eyes. I find that popping a mint or something immediately stops the cough. This isn't much help in the middle of the night though. I think it's time to ask the doc about the alternative if it's a favorable replacement.

I had tried a couple of BP meds that caused me to swell. Finally, I was put on benazepril. I developed a slight cough after several months; now it is full blown coughing throughout the day and night. My Dr. did tell me that I could develop a dry cough. My cough, however, is not dry. But my coughing otherwise is like most of yours. My Dr. has changed me to Hyzaar. I am so happy to see a couple of posts stating good results with this drug. I pray it ends very soon!!

Did your coughing ever go away and how long did it take?

I starting taking Hyzaar on Tuesday. Today, I noticed that I have coughed twice without gagging myself silly. I will let you know when it completely goes away. Thanks for inquiring. Do you have any suggestions? Are you taking BP medication?

My Husband started on Hyzaar DS over a year ago and he developed a chronic cough, congestion, and difficulty breathing. He now, after a year on Hyzaar DS has been diagnosed with fibrosis of the lungs, the Doctor has taken him off his Hyzaar DS and his coughing and congestion have ceased. But now he is wearing daily oxygen for the fibrosis. His cough has stopped but will the fibrosis get better now this irritant is gone?

I am not a Dr. but have been on many BP meds with frequent coughing reactions. The first Dr. denied until I became addicted to codeine cough med. I was also prescribed Lipitor for cholesterol which caused extreme muscle pain from my hip to shoulder. I became addicted to pain pills trying to solve that problem. The Dr. insisted it could not be the Lipitor and refused me pain meds (I exhibited drug seeking behavior), sending me to physical therapists, massage, etc. I tried stopping the Lipitor, the pain vanished almost instantly. I switched Drs.

My second Dr. put me on amlodapine and Benicar. I didn't cough, but knee pain became extreme and I used ibuprofen increasingly because I didn't want to use narcotics again. I went for a physical for knee surgery and "failed" my EKG. I was rushed to a cardiologist who after a sudden series of invasive tests put me in the hospital for a quintuple bypass. Something about the mix of one of those BP drugs with ibuprofen causes "coagulation of platelets" which was mostly the reason my heart arteries were blocked.

After surgery and for continued knee pain I was on narcotic pain med, which also is ideal for masking a cough. My newest Dr., a cardiologist put me on Lipitor and Coreg, then switched the lipitor to 2 other statins (same type drug) and the Coreg was dropped for Metaprolol. I refused to take any of the statins after my "Lipitor Pain" returned and hurt worse than my surgery so I was back on narcotics for that pain. I'm finally off narcotics again, but now I have a cough!!! Is it the Metaprolol?

PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: IBUPROFEN PLUS BENICAR REDUCES THE EFFECTIVENESS OF BENICAR AND INCREASES THE RISK OF KIDNEY DAMAGE.

METOPROLOL CAN CAUSE BRONCHOSPASM AND DYSPNEA--WHICH COULD SHOW UP AS COUGH AND TROUBLE BREATHING. PLEASE DISCUSS THIS WITH YOUR DOCTOR. METOPROLOL SHOULD NEVER BE STOPPED SUDDENLY, AS IT COULD TRIGGER A HEART EVENT.

Has anyone found an answer to the chronic cough associated with bp meds? I have extremely high bp and take three different bp meds a day. I cough until I can't breath, get dizzy and pass out. I have told my family dr. of these symptoms and he does not think it is important, my cardiologist just says to keep taking them it will get better, well it hasn't.. it has gotten worse.

I know there is some way to fix this problem and I am determined to find it. I cannot take any more of this and I believe there is an alternative to this problem. I am mad as hell at my doctors for not telling me about the coughing and for acting as if it is no big deal when I tried to explain it to them. The Doctors that prescribe these medications should have to do research on them and should be required to know all the side effects and what to do when they occur, not just tell you " I don't know, just keep taking it" One doctor told me "coughing is not a severe side effect, It's just a cough."

I am no longer coughing. I came to this site in July because I was using benazepril and had developed a cough. My Dr. switched me to Hyzaar. My cough disappeared within a week of starting Hyzaar.

I noticed that JBC's husband had a problem with it. I will do more reading on Hyzaar, as I do not want to develop any lung problems.

Have been on linisopril for over a year no problems. Recently got a cold and cough.. and now the cough wont go away.. had it 3 weeks. Doctor said its from the linisopril and I need to change medication.

Hello - I was also recently put on Lisinopril and developed a nagging cough all through the night and day. The cough got so bad I stop taking the medicine. It has been 4 weeks and I am still coughing. What can I do to stop the cough? I went to the ER it was so bad chest was clear and they gave me an inhaler which is not working. I am 100% certain the cough is from the BP medicine, Lisinopril.

I started coughing about eight months ago - episodes of dry cough at least a dozen times per day or night. The start of the problem coincides with my doctor prescribing Accupril 5mg BP medicine (Quinapril HCL by Pfizer). Has anyone using Accupril experienced coughing?

Hello Georgia,

You should speak with your physician. My doctor put me on Hyzaar and the cough stopped 2 wks later.

I am taking amlodipine, and it has caused me to have a terrible dry hacking cough which has lasted for 2 months now. I also was taking benazepril which causes coughing also. I have been coughing and throwing up everyday for 2 months and I have lost 12 lbs. because everything comes up as far as my food goes. My doctor did not warn me about this terrible side effect and it has made my life miserable. I have stopped taking it altogether. I have no insurance on my job, so I have to pay a $100.00 dollars every time I go to the clinic. I guess I'll just have to pray that God heals me, because He knows my body better than man. They're killing me!!!!!