Candesartan and Headaches: What Users Say

• Rit...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 22, 2018

For High Blood Pressure "Been on Candesartan for over a year. The side effects are terrible headaches, tingling of face and arm, insomnia, constant fatigue, dry cough, constant need of clearing throat. The list goes on! I don't recommend it!"

• Chr...
• February 24, 2020

For Migraine Prevention "Candesartan has been life-changing. Been on every med possible for migraines, did allergy testing, reiki healing, chiropractor (this one was a terrible choice as it damaged my neck discs - long story but never again), I did yoga, Pilates, massage, I tried everything. Had migraines since I was 17 now 46. They have progressively gotten worse over the years with nausea, vomiting, numbness in arm, sensitive to light so wore shades all the time. I was hospitalized recently as thought I was having a stroke. Put on these candesartan tablets starting at 3mg and increasing every two weeks until I reached 16mg. I used to wake up each morning with migraines, got up to 15 migraines, bad ones a month and headaches for the rest. I got tired of living as I could never plan anything or arrange to meet up with anyone as I would wake with a migraine. Since I have been on these, they have given me my life back. I can look towards the bright sky, I wake with no pain, I can plan events, and I am calmer. Give these a go if you have migraines."

• Do...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 17, 2023

For High Blood Pressure "I am taking Candesartan 4 mg for high blood pressure. While it brings my BP down, it comes with a string of terrible side effects. Headaches, unable to empty the bladder completely, difficulty breathing, severe bloating, severe water retention, blood-spotted rash on both lower legs, palpitations, and the list goes on. I'm no longer taking Candesartan, I have weaned myself off it. Not sure why my doctor prescribes medications that make you feel worse and cause so many side effects. I do not recommend this medication."

• Anonymous
• October 20, 2021

For High Blood Pressure "Wow, I just stumbled across this site! It's nice to know I'm not the only one having health issues. Been taking 4 mg Candesartan every morning for approx 2 years. I have had x-rays, blood tests, scans, amongst other things, looking for my problem. After feeling dizzy often and recently bleeding nose a lot, I decided to stop Candesartan tablets. I am a healthy and fit 49-year-old who runs my dog 4-5 km daily. I've had constant lingering headaches that are always there. I have been worried sick for over 1 year. I have stopped any recreational habits that I enjoy, trying to figure out why I always have a headache. So, 5 days ago I stopped Candesartan. To my surprise, I have not had a blood nose or felt dizzy. My headaches stopped until today, but I had a normal feeling headache and not one radiating from both sides of the base of my neck. I'm hoping today's headache is the drug leaving my body."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 12, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "My blood pressure was 249/149 to start. Tried numerous blood pressure medications and had side effects with everything up to now. I'm on 32 mg candesartan and 10 mg amlodipine, and my BP is still 170/110. I feel rubbish all the time: tired, bloated, feeling sick, urinating a lot, headache, joint pain, this is just to name a few. When asking GP about side effects, they say, 'Let's get the BP down first.' I think I'm going to take my chances without the medication because my quality of life is so bad, it was better without the medication."

• Not...
• July 30, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "I'm on 2 mg Candesartan for mild hypertension. A month in, I had such bad chest pain, my Dr. sent me for an ECG. It was normal, thankfully! Since then, I've gone on to have daily headaches and dizziness. I started HRT at the same time as Candesartan, and I put it down to that. I've now started with a painful neck, pain down both sides, and a niggle in my back. I didn't know Candesartan had all these side effects. I phoned a pharmacist this morning, and she's told me to stop immediately. I'm so glad I found this forum, and I hope this post helps others with the same symptoms."

• kuc...
• February 6, 2008

Candesartan for High Blood Pressure "Started Atacand HCT with BP ~ 180/90 & bad headache. Five hours later with BP unchanged, took 2 aspirin for headache after verifying compatibility with manufacturer. Two hours later BP 132/77. Fifteen hours after first dose, took second dose of Atacand HCT with BP 166/93. BP remained at ~ 160/90 for next 14 hours. After two doses, six aspirin, and 36 hours, BP dropped to ~ 135/78 and stayed. After a month, a high BP reading was 141/76 and a low 105/66. Noted: lim BP increase with exertion."

• 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."

• Pau...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• October 9, 2016

For Migraine Prevention "My neurologist recommended candesartan for my migraines. I was already on Nortriptyline and getting good results. The idea was that I could stop my high blood pressure medication and use a single drug to manage both. Candesartan has worked extremely well. It has reduced my migraines from 1-2 per week to 1-2 per month. I found it works better than Nortriptyline for me. Plus, it also helps to control my high blood pressure. The only problem I have is rebound headaches if I miss more than 1 dose. It takes only 2 days before I'm hit with severe migraines if I stop."

• Con...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 3, 2025

For High Blood Pressure "I am male, 5'10", 125 lbs. Concussed. I've now been taking candesartan for 4 weeks. I called a teledoctor. Told them my blood pressure tests that I take throughout the day. During 8 mg peak effectiveness, I still have 125/85, BPM 95. I Dr. increased the dose to 2X daily. It was wearing off, and I would spend all night with a terrible headache. I was offered BPM reducers, but I said that doubling the dose of candesartan. 'Let's wait and see.' I already take other drugs that reduce respiration and heart rate (diazepam). Sometimes it feels as if I am my own Dr. making medical decisions. One at a time! I won't know what is helping if I start more than one at once. Not to mention other dangerous interactions. This medication works very well for BP reduction. Carefully find the right dose."

• mud...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 24, 2022

For High Blood Pressure "Been taking candesartan for 4 months now, 8 mg along with low-dose moxonidine. While it has helped with BP, it has caused numerous side effects from head pressure, lightheadedness, heart palpitations, and very sore, achy joints. I will be speaking to my cardiologist within the next few weeks and getting this medication changed, I need to have some sort of life back."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 9, 2024

For Migraine Prevention "Been on them for about 5 months now, and I was having 2-3 migraines every week, which basically stopped me from living my life. I've since had 1 in the past 5 months. I get the odd headache and frequent infections, but compared to 3 migraines a week, it's nothing. Honestly, my migraines were so bad that I was getting one straight after another. Sometimes I would be in bed for weeks, and now I'm out all the time, going places, spending time with my family. My life has completely changed."

• not...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 18, 2023

For High Blood Pressure "I've been on candesartan for 2 years, prescribed by a doctor who tried to bring my blood pressure down. Initially, it seemed to work, except when I needed to go into the ER with an episode, and my BP was incredibly high (white coat syndrome), and they'd tell me to take the maximum dose, 32 mg. I started to get headaches, which became daily and then turned into migraines, which I had not had since I was a teenager. The doctors would just blame everything on my BP, which was white coat syndrome (being scared of hospitals and clinical environments). They put me on NSAIDs (naproxen, ibuprofen, etc.), which caused HBP. I ended up getting diazepam to try to bring my BP down as it was causing me anxiety. The headaches were scary as I was convinced I had a brain tumor or aneurysm. I booked to see a neurologist who put me on amitriptyline 25 mg for the headaches, which did work, and I had an MRI scan, which thankfully was all clear. I then stopped using candesartan, and my BP was back to normal, and I had no headaches."

• Ric...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 7, 2021

For High Blood Pressure "Similar to a previous post. I was on amlodipine for about 6 months, and BP was around 140/85. Then my neurologist decided to change me to candesartan. Now, after one week, my face is flushing, and BP is 170/114. I feel like rubbish, and my headaches are back."

• Eli...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 16, 2022

For Migraine Prevention "I actually started taking this for high BP (which is unrelated to the headaches as I have been getting them since I was a teen, before I ever had high BP. I am in my late 20s now). I noticed in the last year I have rarely been getting migraines (and when I do, they are so mild I can ignore them when I get them every fortnight. I started 8 mg Candesartan a year ago. A few months ago (Jan 2022), it was increased to 16 mg, and I haven't had even a mild headache since! Remarkable. (And my BP is still a bit high...so definitely unrelated). I didn't realize it was the Candesartan until I stumbled across the info on Reddit of it being used for migraines. Thank you, Candesartan."

• Ghe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 9, 2021

For High Blood Pressure "Candesartan lowered my high BP immediately and heart rate back to normal. 10/10 for this point. Negative effects were, I urinate hourly like a horse and I haven't had a hard-on since starting tablets. Slight headaches at times. Neg effects 0/10. Overall 5/10."

• Ben...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 26, 2022

For Migraine Prevention "Took candesartan for 1 month. Had a dull headache every day. Felt out of it and couldn’t focus. Developed lower back pain and sporadic ringing in ears. Only thing that improved was my rhinitis (blocked nose) cleared up, and my breathing felt deeper and less shallow. Was absolutely no use for migraine prophylactic."

• 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."

• Sai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 23, 2021

For Heart Failure "Started on Candesartan 2 mg for reduced ejection fraction in the hopes that Entresto would be the next step. Day 1 - headache, lightheadedness. Day 3 - backache, abdominal cramps. Days 4-10 - dreadful volatile black tarry stools, fecal incontinence, runny nose, ears, cough, and tiredness. I persevered for 10 days, as everything I’d read said symptoms would subside, but they got worse. I’m confined to the house, can’t leave the toilet, so abandoned the drug."

• 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."

• Sam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 30, 2021

For Migraine Prevention "I have very bad chronic migraine issues for more than a year. My neurologist changed my medication every few months because nothing actually helps to stop getting attacked. Recently, I had a very bad experience with topiramate, so I have been given Candesartan 4 mg as a beginner. I don't know, after taking only 1 dose, I got another headache attack, and my left eye is also so painful. I'm also feeling abdominal pain and sweating badly. I don't know if this medication is going to help to stop getting attacked or let me down again like other medicines. Feeling hopeless, honestly."

• Con...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 21, 2025

For High Blood Pressure "I am entering week 9 of taking this. I called a tele-Dr. It was wearing off after 10-ish hours. They doubled my dose to 2x a day. Sad to say: I am in constant hypertension. 131 Sys over 98 Dia BPM 131. Good thing I am young and fit. I'm only in my early 30s. After an MRI, I know it is a genetic mutation in blood cells. 'A cavern.' I'm about to consult a Dr. about dosing or go to the hospital for a 4th time. They want to schedule an MRI in 6+ months to see if it's grown. I am already bedridden. My pressure and heart rate are dangerously high. Almost as bad as when I started. (160/120 Ouch!) I am sweating and have a terrible headache. Oh my, very bad, 1G of Tylenol doesn't put a dent in it. Finding the right dose is hard. The brain lesion is in the 'Speech/Make you throw up' part of the brain. On the left, deep behind the ear, speech center. Headache, confusion. 6+ Mon. Drug not working well as hoped. It's keeping mine down from 160/120 to 186/95. BPM 130! I feel sick."

• Dav...
• August 26, 2015

For High Blood Pressure "Side effects for me are headaches, muscle pain, and insomnia."

• Nan...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 19, 2024

For High Blood Pressure "Does lower BP at 16 mg. But the cost is headaches, neck pain & stiffness? Pounding heartbeat. Tingling in fingers & legs, feet. Stomach cramps. Insomnia. Muscle, joint pain everywhere. Congestion."