Benicar and Weight Gain: What Users Say

• Bec...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 2, 2018

For High Blood Pressure "I have just turned 66 years old on 4/30/18. I've been taking Benicar HCT for 6 months. I have been very sick with persistent uncontrollable diarrhea (having it right after eating anything), extreme shortness of breath (so bad that I had a lung scan done, which was negative), dizziness (had to stand slowly and in place until stabilized), debilitating fatigue (couldn’t muster the energy to do anything, even taking a bath was exhausting), muscle/joint pain (difficult to walk and walked with a limp), nausea (had to frequently take antinausea medication), sleeping problems (couldn’t stay awake and sometimes had difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep), weight gain (approximately 20 pounds in 6 months), and bloating (always felt full). However, no more, I stopped taking it on my own without doctor approval after researching the side effects. It has been 2 days since I stopped, and there is a remarkable difference."

• Jim...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 2, 2018

For High Blood Pressure "Benicar kept my HBP down to normal for years. Aside from fatigue and subsequent weight gain, I felt no ill effects as long as I took it at bedtime. However, now that the generic form is being pushed by the pharmacies, my HBP is back with a vengeance. The systolic number went from years at 123 to 190 in 2 months. The worthless generic substitute is Olmesartan Medoxomil! This experience has totally changed my opinion about generic drugs and where they are made. I reported this to the FDA because I was on the verge of having a stroke because of this generic Benicar."

• Ang...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 24, 2019

For High Blood Pressure "Benicar was not a good medication for me. I experienced awful side effects. Stiffening of the body, very painful joint pain especially at night, leg pain, daily stomach pains (thought I had cancer), chest pains, diarrhea, bloating, difficulty in walking, could barely walk a block without getting out of breath and needed an inhaler. I had swelling of tongue, face, feet, weight gain, and some depression due to dealing with all these issues. One day after seeing my reflection in a large window at work, I was shocked to see how hunched I was and full of pain. I was never like this and how did this happen? I started to believe I must be aging. I realized the only change in life was this medication and insisted it be switched. Once removed, the critical side effects stopped except for ongoing digestive issues."

• zap...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 6, 2016

For High Blood Pressure "Beware!! This med worked well to lower BP, but I have been on 40mg for 3 years now. This slowly caused problems I didn't catch on to immediately, such as severe pain in feet (top and bottom) like plantar fasciitis - extremely painful to walk on. Stiffness in legs like bad arthritis pains, woke up so stiff. Possibly caused depression, weight gain, and lack of sex drive. Fatigue, no energy. Also was diagnosed with underactive thyroid. Also diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Stopped taking Metformin for 2 weeks now, only noticed slight improvement in foot pain. Been off of Benicar for 5 days, seeing improvement each day, pain in feet going away, also stiffness going away. I'm a 50-year-old female, felt like a 90-year-old body in so much pain."

• hyd...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 25, 2015

For High Blood Pressure "It made me feel like I was drunk all the time, with unsteadiness on my feet and blurred vision. It also gave me hives. It made me eat constantly, and I gained about 25 pounds during the 2 months I was on it. My lower legs and ankles swelled up, and I couldn't get the swelling to go down, I tried everything. About a week to 2 weeks after quitting Benicar 300mg, the side effects started subsiding, my lower legs and ankles took the longest to go down. Even my eating has gone back to normal, but now I have 25 pounds to lose. I hope this helps anyone thinking about taking it. My mother also worked with a woman who took it for about a month, and it made her pass out at work one day, so she quit taking it too. Hope this helps!"

• Jaz...
• May 8, 2015

For High Blood Pressure "I gained 13 pounds rapidly. I was only on the medication for less than a month. I also experienced asthma-type symptoms. I am not an overweight person, and I am very athletic, but was diagnosed with HBP. I stopped taking Benicar, and my lungs are back to normal, and the weight gained stopped. I know it was the medication because the extra weight went away."

• Iaq...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 21, 2015

For High Blood Pressure "I have been taking Diovan HCT for the past 10 years; varying doses as my BP continued to increase with age. Diovan was giving me debilitating migraines, and the weight gain was out of control; even though I am a vegetarian and walk about 3 miles a day. Life on Diovan was miserable. Two weeks ago, I persuaded my doctor to switch me to Benicar HCT and to start me on the lowest dose. My BP while on Diovan HCT hovered around 190/102; the highest was 200/105, which was becoming rather common lately. So my doctor also prescribed Bystolic. Three hours after taking Benicar HCT, my blood pressure slowly dropped to 133/80. I am not used to 'normal' blood pressure, so I felt like I was drunk. Quite a nice feeling from such a small pill... LOL."

• Ren...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 30, 2021

For High Blood Pressure "I was put on 20 mg of Benicar in January 2020. After about 3 months, I started having a chronic choking cough, extreme fatigue, could barely walk a block without feeling fatigued. Rapid heartbeat, dizziness, stomach upset, and low body temp. The most troubling side effect was rapid weight gain-30 lbs in 6 months. Very debilitating year."

• blu...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 31, 2016

For High Blood Pressure "Had an active lifestyle, was able to do a 40-50 min treadmill workout (run/walk) and was able to participate in outdoor soccer. Lost gf, grandmother died, horrible boss in new job in 3 months = 189/125 diagnosed accidentally. First 20 mg (85% effective), then 40 mg worked. Blood pressure: normal, weight gain 30 pounds added. Other impacts: cramps while playing soccer. Enhanced sensation of muscle fatigue (post hitting ball) or muscle in body. Next day feel effects. Stopped running/bike ride, rowing ok. Flaky rash on elbows, dime size, now double (use moisturizer/Nivea aftershave on it, works). Weight gain, depression 3 hours after taking meds, lazy. Potassium sports drink helped muscle recovery, feel good (doctor says don't take potassium)."