[kookieq]

I was put on lisinopril for high blood pressure and one of the side effects that is not mentioned is bleeding. It causes coughing and with the coughing it caused me much bleeding. I would have a coughing spell every 30 minutes. I could not drive, go to movies or do any normal daily functions. I had excessive phlegm and lost my voice for this 8 months. I had trouble at work because of this problems. I was allowed to take it for 8 months before one doctor figured my problems were caused by the lisinopril. Basically my regular doctor said he was washing his hands off me and refused to help me. I finally had to demand from another doctor to refer me to a pulmonary doctor. I ended up seeing a pulmonolgist due to my severe respritory problems caused by this medicine. He too over looked my medical record that I was on this medication. Two weeks after stopping this medication I had no coughing or bleeding problems. I was checked for TB and lung cancer because of my medical problems. I have cronic bronchitis so it was hard for them to detect the differance of my symtoms. I only have this bronchitis during the winter months but my problem ran over to the summer months which I never have had this happen before. I would be placed on prednisone, antibiotics and inhalers and of course it would clear the coughing and bleeding for about three days but it would then return to the same problems. The prednisone would clear my inter swelling that was causing the bleeding and coughing. The pulmonary doctor said I probably had inter hives and was not aware of it,yet I was told I had enlarged tonsils. Once I even saw this other ignorant pulmonary doctor (before my current one) saying it was sleep apnea. He wanted me to participate in his sleep disorder clinic and said I could die in my sleep if I didn't. I don't snore or have other symtoms but he would not listen to me. So needless to say I had to fire my regular doctor and this ignorant pulmonary doctor. I finally got some attention after I wrote this lengthy letter to one pulmonary doctor demanding medical attention. I just knew it wasn't my bronchitis and if it wasn't cancer then it had to be something else and that I was no medical mystery like I felt I was beng treated as. I also mentioned that at this point I did not care if I died in my sleep, maybe I wouldn't suffer any longer. He finally looked over my medical record very closly and put me on a diffrent medication. I have been fine since. Has any one out there exprienced this same side effects? Be peristant, doctor's DON'T know it all.

[lane413]

I read your post on another health board, but couldn't respond bcuz i was banned. I totally agree with you. I took lisinopril for 7 yrs. At first, I didn't know what the side effects were at that time. I started out with severe pain in both legs and sweating profusely. Then 2 yrs later i was told i had thyroid problems (graves disease). i think this was caused by lisinopril, becuz i did an extensive search and discovered lisinopril can affect thyroid.

The final straw came when my dr told me the cough and upper respiratory problems were asthma. I threw the prescription in the trash and went to ER. They said my dr misdiagnosed me bcuz i had itching and hives as well as upper respiratory. I stayed in hospital for 3 days. I then changed drs.

[LPenney]

Thank you both for this information. I too have had upper respiratory distress ever since starting lisinopril for high blood pressure 6 months ago. I have been diagnosed as having Celiac disease (gluten intolerance) and now after 2 months of gluten free eating I have been cutting back on the lisinopril because my blood pressure has dropped to normal. I am getting off this ASAP.
Thanks for your stories and good luck to you. High blood pressure used to be over 140/90, now "they" (the drug companies) keep lowering the ranges. Most recently 120 / 70 is considered normal. When I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism 20 years ago, 120/70 was considered dangerously low. I think so many people are over medicated because they keep wanting us to be in better shape than fit athletes, and they still get heart attacks etc, even though they are in the best shape. Consumers must start saying no to all these drugs. More power to you for firing your doctor I interviewed a new doc, worse than my current one, so I am still searching for an educated MD, not just a drug company salesman.
Linda

[gmom]

I also had the problem with Lisinopril. I went to 4 different Drs. With post nasal drainage, severe phelm. Finally figured out for myself it was the Lisinopril, quit taking it, within five days was getting better for the first time in 8 mos. After 10 days nearly all of the coughing and phelm has subsided. You are right, Doctors don't know it all.