Chlorthalidone and Headaches: What Users Say

• Mea...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• October 3, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "Been taking chlorthalidone for a few years, but I hate it. Have nausea, headache, rash, peeling skin, pins and needles, swollen ankles, hoarse throat, and more. I am trying to find something without side effects, but doc doesn’t care. It is better than lisinopril, which is Brazilian viper snake venom, or losartan that harms muscles so bad you can’t go up steps. And losartan has been recalled."

• Pam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 24, 2023

For High Blood Pressure "Horrible medicine. I had only been on this for 5 days, but now they are in the garbage. The side effects I have had are severe. Sharp jabbing pains under the rib cage, very bad back and joint pain, EXTREME tiredness, headache, and severe cotton mouth. I can't believe doctors still prescribe this. To the doctors: read patient reviews and warn your patients prior to prescribing! Instead of using this medication, try eating three kiwi fruits a day and a couple of glasses of beet juice. That does a better job of lowering blood pressure with no side effects and is overall better for your health. It worked for me!"

• Exp...
• May 6, 2017

For High Blood Pressure "It brought down blood pressure, but the side effects were bad, e.g., severe headache, cramping, and diarrhea, so not worth taking. I had no energy, which made it hard to even go to work. I stopped taking these as the side effects made it not worthwhile."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 7, 2023

For High Blood Pressure "I was started on chlorthalidone because losartan didn't lower my blood pressure, and I was having too many side effects with lisinopril. It lowered my blood pressure well for a few months and then seemed to stop working. During these three months, I was also dealing with heart palpitations. I completely stopped caffeine and alcohol. I had a Holter monitor test and was told I was experiencing harmless PVCs and PACs. My doctor doubled my chlorthalidone to try to get my BP back under control, and then I started to feel really terrible. Headaches, muscle cramping all over my body, weakness, fatigue, frequent heart palpitations. I thought it was just a little bit of dehydration since this medication is a diuretic, but my labs showed that my potassium dropped to severely low. I was taken off the medication and had my potassium replaced. Once my potassium was back to normal, I started to feel better, and after a few weeks, I also noticed that my heart palpitations had completely stopped."