Candesartan and Anxiety: What Users Say

• can...
• June 3, 2021

For High Blood Pressure "2 days after starting candesartan, I woke up with serious heart palpitations and could not breathe. My whole body was vibrating. It took several hours for things to calm down. After 6 1/2 months of only sleeping 4 hours a night, waking up every morning with heart palpitations, trouble breathing, vibrating, and spending the first two hours trying to calm breathing down, slowing down heart rate, and calming the anxiety, I decided to check the side effects list of this drug again, and I believe these are the side effects of this."

• Wom...
• February 14, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "I have been on this 8 mg for very high blood pressure and it seems to reduce BP only slightly if at all. Constant nasal congestion and needing to clear my throat. Unusual fatigue from walking, walking usually energizes me. Knee pain which I never had before. Depression in the evening which is also new. Anxiety. Shoulder pain. Leg pain. And now this: I suddenly have arthritis in my fingers, never had before (a rare but known side effect), and this is freaking me out so thoroughly that I am weaning myself off this drug immediately. What the heck good is a drug that does not do what it is supposed to do and impacts your bones, joints, and mobility, for goodness' sake??!! Mobility is precious, folks -- guard it with your life. Am going to try some other drug. There must be something better than this."

• Fus...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 4, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "Have been on this for 2 years on and off. Sometimes it controls my blood pressure, most times not. Side effects for me are blocked nose, some throat thickening in that my throat feels tight. Slight depression and quite a bit of anxiety. Have tried other BP medication but can't get right combination."

• UK ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 20, 2023

For High Blood Pressure "Have been on 16 mg of candesartan for one week, now gone down to 8 mg, and considering stopping. My blood pressure was always borderline, but I was put on this drug anyway. I have floaters in my eyes if my potassium goes too high or I don't drink enough. I have muscle aches and clicking joints when I move them. I feel tired and lethargic most of the day, I have also gained anxiety, which I've never had before. Not a great medication for me."

• Can...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 23, 2024

For High Blood Pressure "This pill works well but has bad side effects. Pain in the back of the neck, back, feet, legs, arms, and even fingers. Stomach issues. Anxiety every evening. Palpitations, such as a thumping heartbeat. Dizziness. Tight throat and trouble breathing. Headaches. Ear pain and head congestion. Trouble sleeping. Tinnitus. Itching. All this on just 8mg. Does lower blood pressure from 160/80 to 130/72. Blood pressure rises in the evening for some reason. I am a female aged 73."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 23, 2015

For Migraine Prevention "I had a horrible experience on candesartan. I tapered up from 4 mg to 16 mg over a period of 6 weeks. Before 16 mg, there was no effect on my migraines, which I usually get around 6 times/month. The day I started taking 16 mg, however, the candesartan triggered daily migraines, which had never happened to me before in the 15 years since I started getting migraines (I'm now 44). It took me 4 days to realize the candesartan was triggering the migraines, at which point I stopped cold turkey. The daily migraines then continued for 6 more days until I started taking Amitriptyline 10 mg. As well as daily migraines, I also experienced severe anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and loss of appetite once I stopped the candesartan."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 9, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "I took Candesartan to prevent chronic migraines. Instead, it started triggering them on a daily basis. Once I realized the medication was the culprit, I stopped taking it. My neuro prescribed me 10 mg amitriptyline, which stopped the daily migraines, but like another reviewer wrote, it took approximately two weeks for me to stop experiencing severe anxiety and panic caused by Candesartan. It was a horrible drug for me."

• C23...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 1, 2023

For High Blood Pressure "This medication did not work for me. I started experiencing anxiety even though I never had this problem in my life. I also experienced tightness in my chest and had trouble with digestion. It didn’t bring down my blood pressure. I made one trip to the emergency and two trips to my doctor, who changed my medication to Amlodipine, and all of the negative symptoms were gone. I am back to normal and my blood pressure is now 120/65. I guess every person is different, but don’t suffer if one medication doesn’t work for you."

• Lau...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 1, 2023

For High Blood Pressure "I've been on 4 mg for 2 weeks and have had severe headaches, nose bleeds, upper back ache, anxiety, jaw pain, and bloated stomach. I noticed a bit of swelling in my feet. After being off one day, no more symptoms. I've been put back on the Sandoz brand."

• bea...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 25, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "I have only taken this drug at 8 mg for a week, but already have stuffy, burning nasal congestion issues. Also, post-nasal mucus causing a constant cough, especially at night. Heart rate is 15 points higher with a jittery feeling all day. Loopy, lightheaded, and exhaustion, which includes difficulty walking from seemingly weak legs. Was hopeful, as other ARBs give me migraines with auras. Will have to scratch this off my list too. Bad medication for me. Wish others would mention what alternative BP med is working for them."

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 14, 2025

For High Blood Pressure "Family many with high blood pressure. I had approximately 140/76, 136/80. Started candesartan after two other meds caused side effects. Candesartan only took BP down maybe to 130/76. After 3 months, I quit it cold. Gained 10ths on it, very tired in afternoons, sleep terrible, anxiety often, but no cough, no headaches, no water retention, but must have slowed my metabolism to gain 10 lbs in the first month. Took 8 mg only."

• Lot...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 24, 2020

For Migraine Prevention "I've had aura migraines since I was 10 (I’m now 25), and they have gotten increasingly worse. So much so, I developed anxiety when I was 18 at the fear of getting them, affecting my everyday life. I was prescribed 20 mg Amitriptyline at 21, which I was on for 4 years. I found it helped with the anxiety but didn’t stop the attacks I was getting. Last summer, my migraines spiked from 1 or 2 every other month to 5 in 3 weeks, and I was prescribed 8 mg Candesartan, as I was confused as to why I was even taking a drug if it weren’t helping the core issue. From then until a month ago, my migraines have actually increased! Recently, I’ve had one every week for the past 3 months. I’ve now been jumped to 32 mg, and I’m nervous about the results! Fingers crossed it’ll reduce, otherwise, it’s back to the brain fog of Amitriptyline!"

• Tre...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 19, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "I was on this medication a few years ago and had to stop it on 8 mg. The doctor put me on so many different meds that all gave me side effects. This time I have been on 8 mg for 6 weeks, flu-like symptoms. Like a dull ache in my legs and back all the time, bad headaches. Depression and anxiety cut down to 4 mg and feel my body back to normal, even my pulse rate tinnitus is quieter."

• hel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 1, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "I've been taking candesartan for approximately 2 weeks for very high blood pressure at 8 mg twice a day, in the mornings and evenings. So far, it's brought my blood pressure down nicely to normal levels that are also quite changeable throughout the day, however, my blood pressure was in the region of 180/90 to start with. I am happy with how this drug is helping. Side effects so far have been, from day one, slight tinnitus in one ear, weird feelings in my arms, shakiness and weakness, especially in the mornings, and heart palpitations occasionally. Also, some low-key anxiety and breathlessness, none of which is extreme, so I'm battling through. I have had migraines with aura for many years and am hoping this will be helped also. So far, I have had one whilst taking this drug...we will see how it continues. For me, the side effects are manageable so far, and it's better than risking a stroke or heart attack!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 30, 2016

For High Blood Pressure "Severe depression, anxiety, panic attacks. Quality of life has decreased. Sometimes does not lower blood pressure. Have asked my doctor to switch me to another receptor blocker called Teteven."

• Ang...
• August 11, 2021

For High Blood Pressure "I have been on Candesartan Cilexetil for 7 days. The only side effect really is a slight cough and some anxiety, so hoping this will abate as time goes on."