Losartan and Tiredness: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Lsd...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 20, 2015

For High Blood Pressure "55-year-old male. Dr. Put me on 50mg Losartan after a brief trial period with another medicine that caused a cough. The 50mg dose of Losartan seemed to be working fine for the past several years. Had a blood pressure episode about three months ago where blood pressure suddenly elevated to dangerous levels. After a trip to the emergency room, my Dr. put me on 100mg of Losartan HCTZ in the morning along with 50mg of Atenolol, which is taken at night. Started feeling very tired, developed an irritating cough, had fluid in my ear, gained weight, and developed a ringing in my ears. I really felt like I was dying. Legs felt heavy, and I was just not feeling like myself. Appointment with Dr. next week to hopefully change meds."

• Lit...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 27, 2015

For High Blood Pressure "I have been very healthy my entire life, thank God, until last year when my blood pressure started going up. The doctor prescribed Metoprolol and Lisinopril. I started coughing constantly, which led me to the ER, thinking I had pneumonia. The ER doctor switched Lisinopril for Losartan Potassium. The leg and back pain are unbearable to the point that I can almost not stand or walk. I am afraid of falling, feeling dizzy and tired. I don't need to live with this quality of life. The dangerous side effects are even worse than what I felt when my blood pressure started rising. There has to be something better than this."

• No...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• August 25, 2015

For High Blood Pressure "While it lowered my blood pressure, I had huge dips in BP, which left me exhausted and dizzy. After a year on this medication, I had severe muscle cramps, horrible stabbing headaches, stiff muscles, severe heartburn, and weight gain. I told my doctor about this, and he just shrugged. I had trouble breathing on Lisinopril (my throat just closed up), which I took prior to this. I stopped taking the medication and began taking magnesium and calcium, and my BP is not rising, but my symptoms are all gone. Go figure..."

• Eng...
• March 28, 2016

For High Blood Pressure "Started losartan 25 mg about a week ago due to high blood pressure. I'm 35 male, BP at its highest 170/115, but averaging about 155/98, heart rate of 49-54 beats per minute. I'm about a stone overweight, but overall not in bad shape. Diet is not the best, to be honest. These tablets have knocked me for six, so tired and lethargic, like somebody has taken the spark out of me. Today, under instruction from the doctors, I have gone up to 50 mg daily. Well, I haven't really got out of bed all day apart from a little food and some apple juice. I have another week of this yet, I'm not looking forward to this. Any advice on increasing energy levels would be grateful."

• Eng...
• March 28, 2016

For High Blood Pressure "Started losartan 25 mg about a week ago due to high blood pressure. I'm 35 male, BP at its highest 170/115, but averaging about 155/98, heart rate of 49-54 beats per minute. I'm about a stone overweight, but overall not in bad shape. Diet is not the best, to be honest. These tablets have knocked me for six, so tired and lethargic, like somebody has taken the spark out of me. Today, under instruction from the doctors, I have gone up to 50 mg daily. Well, I haven't really got out of bed all day apart from a little food and some apple juice. I have another week of this yet, I'm not looking forward to this. Any advice on increasing energy levels would be grateful."

• Mil...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• April 6, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "Losartan is a terrible blood pressure medicine. I was on losartan 50 for about 9 months. Felt tired all the time and had increased insomnia. Then blood pressure got up in the Dr's office one day to 180/100, my Dr increased the dose to losartan 100 mg. Felt awful on it for 5 days. Flu-like symptoms, red eyes, and bad, bad leg pains. Went back down to 50 mg, but am going to talk to my Dr about getting off period. I was on Lisinopril, which made me cough so bad I ended up seeing a pulmonologist."

• Tho...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 1, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "I have been on Losartan 100 mg for about 4 months now. At first, it seemed fine, with no apparent problems. Blood pressure was still pretty high until medication was added, making it my 4th. I have been getting progressively worse with tiredness, joint, and body pain. Referred to physical therapy with no improvement. Just hurts to move. I have experienced this before and quickly improved after medication changes. Thinking it may be the Losartan because I was on it before but don't remember why I was taken off."

• Joa...
• August 18, 2017

For High Blood Pressure "I'm on Losartan HCTZ 50 mg once a day. Before I started it, my blood pressure was 185/113. Now, in the 120-130 range upper, always 70-80 lower since starting the med. Honestly, if you can get through the first few days of the side effects, you'll be fine. The first few days, I was sweating a lot, peeing a lot, got a little lightheaded once or twice, and very tired. I'm still sleepy, but the majority of the other side effects let up pretty quickly. I'm not even peeing as much...and no sexual side effects whatsoever. I was afraid to take the med, I finally took the med, and I feel 100% better."

• Anonymous
• May 24, 2010

For High Blood Pressure "Having been on almost every blood pressure-lowering medicine over the past 7 years and had side effects with them all - ranging from extreme tiredness, depression, weight gain (probably due to tiredness), sleeping problems, etc. I have found Losartan to be quite good - as it does not make me tired or cause any other problems. In fact, it has helped with water retention. I am a forty-year-old female whose high blood pressure is stress-related - with highest blood pressure readings being around 190/120 (yep, quite high). I take 100mg of Losartan, and my blood pressure is now 140/90, hopefully will reduce further in time. I have no complaints about Losartan, just glad I do not feel constantly tired as with all other blood pressure medicines."

• Kba...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 16, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "A doctor arbitrarily switched me from Triamterene to losartan 5 weeks ago. The first 3 weeks were okay, tiredness and overall didn't feel great, but my blood pressure went up. Three weeks in, I started getting horrible migraines every day, my ears were ringing all the time and horrible pressure in my head. I also had numbness in my legs and arms. Felt horrible, had to take time off work, finally went back to urgent care and got them to switch me back to the Triamterene. Blood pressure has been back down where it was, headaches slowly getting better. 4 days off now. I can't wait for the side effects of this poison to be gone. Didn't work well for me at all."

• Rob...
• July 4, 2015

For High Blood Pressure "Doc switched me from lisinopril to losartan because I had a cough. Been on this for two weeks and from day 1 had weak legs, a heavy feeling in my head, confusion, and insomnia. By the second week, started having heart palpitations, dizziness, and tingling in my right foot. The last straw was red, itchy eyes and a swollen/sore throat. Stopping this tonight. Rather take lisinopril and deal with the cough until I see my new doctor on Friday. Think it also makes me tired, constipated, nauseous, and without appetite. Did not look at side effects first, but when I listed how I was feeling since taking this drug, they were right there. I'll keep looking for something better, but am also following the DASH diet and have lost 30 lbs recently, so hope to be off this drug soon."

• T-P...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 3, 2017

For High Blood Pressure "I started taking Losartan for sudden high blood pressure a few months ago. I've noticed that my skin is having breakouts on my shoulders and chest, which is not normal for me at all. I've had this reaction on birth control before, so after thinking about it, the timing of this symptom with my starting this drug matches up. I've also lately been having a terrible time sleeping, feeling unusually exhausted during the day and evening, and been having a cough with hacking up phlegm that won't go away. I've also had unusual muscle pains. I don't know for sure if any of these things are related to this drug, but after reading the comments here, I see most are happening to other people too. I think I'm going to stop taking this and see what happens."

• Tic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 8, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "I switched from an ACE to an ARB due to a mild cough. The cough got worse, then came the tiredness, anxiety, loose bowels, and heart palpitations. After 12 days on this med, I am discontinuing. I have had OHS and AVR surgery and honestly was feeling great till I started this med. Time to find something else that doesn't ruin my overall well-being."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 29, 2017

For High Blood Pressure "I have been on losartan for 2 years now, to begin with 25 mg, then 50 mg, and shortly after 100 mg. The lower dose caused no side effects, but as soon as it was increased, I started to become lethargic and depressive. My thighs, knees, and back ached to the point where it was difficult to walk on occasions. There was no great improvement in my BP with the higher dose, so I reduced the dose to 50 mg by cutting the 100 mg tablets in two, and there has been an improvement in the symptoms, but it's not perfect. Back to the doctor, I guess."

• Cat...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 12, 2015

For High Blood Pressure "My blood pressure is down, but I've gained almost 10 lbs in 1 year, and I don't sleep well. Also, I always feel tired and feel pressure in my chest. And after reading all the comments, I found I have a few more that didn't even occur to me until now. My daughter mentioned that it seemed like I developed a nervous tick of scratching my arms... well... they're itchy!... also have a strange dry cough that happens randomly. I'm 42, 5'2" tall, and currently weigh 133 lbs... almost 10 more than last year. I have a physically demanding job, and I'm on my feet all day. I exercise 3-4 days a week: Zumba and sculpting class. For a while, I was running around 3-4 miles a day. I eat very healthy. All meals are home-cooked, and I eat clean."

• Saf...
• August 19, 2015

Losartan for High Blood Pressure "This medication lowered my blood pressure, restoring it to acceptable levels. The medication is well tolerated, with the most noticeable side effects being lethargy and rapid nail growth. Nail growth became very noticeable after being on the medication for 1 week to 10 days; now I'm on the med for a couple of months and cutting my nails every day."

• She...
• December 25, 2018

For High Blood Pressure "Horrible medicine. I was taking losartan for 3 days - ears hurting lots or pressure, swelling in face, throat feels like I have a sore throat and gums swollen, ears hurting like a clogged feeling, and I'm very tired. I can’t wait to stop this horrible drug. I took this one because I was having trouble finding a pressure med that didn't give me an allergic reaction. I am allergic to sulfa and iodine, lots of drugs have this in their inactive ingredients. I was taking nadolol for 8 years with no side effects, but Sandoz stopped making it. They didn’t have anything back in the inactive ingredients, they said they stopped it for commercial reasons, so now I had to try these horrible pills. I wonder how long to get rid of this losartan out of my system and if my ears will get better. I just saw a giant pimple on my ear. I don’t understand how people take this drug."

• Fig...
• June 29, 2015

For High Blood Pressure "Losartan has been very effective controlling my BP. Started at 100 mg, which made me extremely tired and lethargic. I cut back to 75 mg (1 50 mg/ 1 25 mg). I am experiencing intermittent dry cough and extremely dry mouth during the night. After 4 years, I am beginning to experience some of the other documented side effects like dizziness and stiff/sore muscles. However, I have had fewer side effects with Losartan than other BP meds. (I am 69 with an enlarged aorta)"

• Fig...
• June 29, 2015

For High Blood Pressure "Losartan has been very effective controlling my BP. Started at 100 mg, which made me extremely tired and lethargic. I cut back to 75 mg (1 50 mg/ 1 25 mg). I am experiencing intermittent dry cough and extremely dry mouth during the night. After 4 years, I am beginning to experience some of the other documented side effects like dizziness and stiff/sore muscles. However, I have had fewer side effects with Losartan than other BP meds. (I am 69 with an enlarged aorta)"

• Lee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 22, 2018

For High Blood Pressure "I switched to this medication from Enalapril as I was experiencing an annoying cough. I literally took the first dose yesterday (50 mg). Was tired all day but did not connect the two. Then by 8 pm, I was noticing labored breathing and shortness of breath when simply sitting watching TV! Woke up around 5:30 am short of breath too. Today I went to the gym as normal, but I am still finding breathing a bit labored. Went back to Enalapril in the meantime. But all this after one dose? Thought it was coincidence, but I see others having issues. Will not be taking it again. It does lower BP, but being able to breathe would be nice :)"

• Myr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 2, 2025

For High Blood Pressure "My doctor started me on losartan 25 mg, it was not enough, so he upped the dosage to 50 mg. I was taking this for about 3 months. Then the anxiety started. I went downhill from there. Just walking, I noticed pain in my hips and calves of my legs, this was followed by lethargy. As time went on, I couldn't seem to catch my breath. I started having a low-grade headache every day, all day. Then loss of appetite and weakness, I felt like I was going to pass out, seeing dark spots. Any physical movements, I would break into a heavy sweat. And not to be ignored, bowel movements were from small and soft to nearly none. I was so scared I had something serious. My doctor suggested I go to the ER. That's when I looked up the side effects. I could just about check off with every one on the list. I looked up the drug interactions, 323 of them, and I had about 10 of them. I refused to take one more of these pills. After about 5 days and 18-20 activated charcoal pills. That's been almost a week, I'm still having problems."

• Myr...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 2, 2025

For High Blood Pressure "My doctor started me on losartan 25 mg, it was not enough, so he upped the dosage to 50 mg. I was taking this for about 3 months. Then the anxiety started. I went downhill from there. Just walking, I noticed pain in my hips and calves of my legs, this was followed by lethargy. As time went on, I couldn't seem to catch my breath. I started having a low-grade headache every day, all day. Then loss of appetite and weakness, I felt like I was going to pass out, seeing dark spots. Any physical movements, I would break into a heavy sweat. And not to be ignored, bowel movements were from small and soft to nearly none. I was so scared I had something serious. My doctor suggested I go to the ER, that's when I looked up the side effects. I could just about check off with every one on the list. I looked up the drug interactions, 323 of them, and I had about 10 of them. I refused to take one more of these pills. After about 5 days and 18-20 activated charcoal pills, that's been almost a week, I'm still having problems."

• cgb...
• September 11, 2017

For High Blood Pressure "Went down with vertigo 11 months ago. Finally diagnosed a minor stroke causing vestibular neuritis. The treatment has been to try and lower BP so that minor arteries feeding the inner ear relax to get balance back. I was not quite hyper when tested by GP but well over when tested over 24 hours. First drug tried was Amlodipine (10 mg), which did lower BP to 135/85. However, this gave side effects (swollen ankles, breathlessness, poor sleep). The next was Riparin (2.5 mg), which also gave side effects (dry cough, lack of energy, breathlessness). I am now on Losartan 50 mg (for 5 days now) and again find some side effects, breathlessness, tiredness - not reduced BP, which is 140/100. Needs to be increased but hopefully side effects will wear off?"

• tif...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 12, 2018

For High Blood Pressure "Brutal medicine, this is the third and worse by far I've tried. Side effects I hit are exhaustion, can't stay awake past 9 pm, and dizziness in the morning. Major pain and tightness in my knees to a point it affected my walking. Took me 10-15 minutes to get out of bed in the morning. It took 2-3 weeks of taking losartan to start feeling it, so it can be deceiving. I'll take the HBP over the pain."

• Mrs...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 6, 2018

For High Blood Pressure "I started with a water pill for HBP/hypertension, but it wasn't working like my doc wanted it to, so she prescribed me LOSARTAN on June 21, 2018. I started taking it on July 2nd. I have had a migraine every day this week. I've been a migraine sufferer since I was 7. Before losartan, my migraines hit hard only around my cycle time but not every day. I also have seen a shift in my mood, tiredness, extreme dizziness, and brain fog/confusion. I was trying to figure out what was going on with me, then I googled the side effects of this drug, and BAM, there it is! I will not be continuing this medication and will definitely be talking to my doctor about switching to something else."