Olmesartan and Lightheadedness: What Users Say

• Anonymous
• August 13, 2017

Olmesartan for High Blood Pressure "I've been on Benicar HCT 20mg/12.5mg for 3 weeks now. This medicine has some bad side effects. I've experienced light-headedness, dizziness, coughing, feeling like my chest is tight, sometimes muscle aches, and feeling tired all the time. Does anybody else experience these side effects? When you tell your doctor about your experience, they think it's not the medicine but we know our bodies."

• tod...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• February 13, 2015

Olmesartan for High Blood Pressure "Benicar is great. I have been using it for 4-5 years now. I had an initial period of being light-headed for a few weeks when I first started the medicine, but after that, no problems whatsoever. Keeps my blood pressure around 115/70. My bottom figure had been around 95. Benicar is more expensive than a lot of the other hypertension medicines, but it is well worth it for me."

• Sha...
• May 12, 2009

Olmesartan for High Blood Pressure "I had been using Benicar with good results except an occasional headache and lightheadedness upon getting up quickly. Because of the high price, I asked my doctor to prescribe a cheaper product - Lisinopril. I have only been on it a short time but have experienced so many side effects that I'm asking to go back on Benicar - high cost or not."

• Con...
• December 6, 2014

Olmesartan for High Blood Pressure "Been taking Benicar/HCT for several years now. It is a very effective antihypertensive in this combination. As they say, nothing in life is free. While it does a great job of lowering my blood pressure, I have experienced several bothersome side effects. These include lightheadedness, dizziness, and sleepiness. The latter may be due to the potent antihypertensive action of the combination. Tried cutting the pill in half, but since it is not scored, really don't know how much medicine I am getting in the split piece."

• Tar...
• January 31, 2011

Olmesartan for High Blood Pressure "I have been very pleased with the effectiveness of Benicar 20 mg. I started out taking Benicar 20/12.5 mg, and the 12.5 HCTZ caused dizziness and light-headedness after several days of use. So I requested the plain Benicar 20 mg without the HCTZ diuretic, and I have felt much better, no problems at all. My blood pressure has stayed at 120/78, and often it is even lower. I take it once daily and go about my normal routine."

• onl...
• January 12, 2009

Olmesartan for High Blood Pressure "I have been taking Benicar 20/12.5 Hydrochlorothiazide for 7 years now. It works well and keeps my blood pressure at 120/75-80. Regular Benicar without diuretic did not work so well, so I switched to HCT about 6 years ago. I do experience dizziness occasionally and get light-headed, but I was told that's normal."

• Psy...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• September 30, 2017

For High Blood Pressure "I'm a medical doctor, and I was tested to show high BP. I ignored it for many years till I began to get the occasional headache, and with a lot of coffee, I would experience near panic attacks. Then I was put on Olmesartan by the cardiologist at 160/110, and within minutes, my blood pressure was under control at a very low dose, as I have realized that I am exquisitely sensitive to Olmesartan even at 20 mg. So I am taking 10 mg Olmesartan with the initial lightheadedness at every dose administration. After 15 minutes, the symptoms pass, and I am in control for a day and a half. So I have my portable BP instrument with me, OMRON, and my BP is 120/85 most times, though it can fluctuate. But I dose myself every alternate day, and it's GREAT!"

• Bud...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 16, 2017

For High Blood Pressure "Olmesartan gets my BP down, but with downsides - sometimes systolic and diastolic decrease at different rates, and my body has difficulty adjusting back to normal. I have experienced all of the following side effects: elevated heart rate, chest pain, vertigo, breathlessness during exercise, lightheadedness. I am looking for an alternative with fewer side effects. The best advice I can give is that you should first get yourself a good BP monitor. I got myself an OMRON BP652, which is excellent. I chose a wrist monitor because it is small, portable, and easy to use. You will benefit by finding your own optimal dosage (40 mg/day was way too much for me). Effectiveness 9/10; Side effects 3/10 Overall 6/10."

• Anonymous
• June 22, 2009

Olmesartan for High Blood Pressure "I've been taking Benicar 20 mg/12.5 HCT for about 7 years, and it works great. It keeps my blood pressure down to 120-125/75-80. I do experience dizziness and light-headedness frequently, but I sit at a desk most of the day at work, so it's no big deal. I also cannot stay out in the sun long at all. I don't know if this is a side effect of Benicar, but also 2 years ago, I started getting vision 'floaters' and had to change to another prescription twice. I'm only 43, and my vision is no longer 20/20 and can only get 20/40 with corrective lenses. The eye doctor doesn't see anything wrong and says 20/40 is okay. I'll get a 2nd opinion just in case. Also, I started getting flushing or 'red face and neck' about 3 years ago. It comes and goes. Benicar is the only medicine I use."

• Anonymous
• June 21, 2010

Olmesartan for High Blood Pressure "As of today, it's two weeks since I started taking Benicar 40/12.5 mg. Wow, what an experience. I don't take any other medicines for anything. I do take vitamins and supplements. My blood pressure now is so great that it helps me deal with the side effects better. I have lightheadedness, spontaneous increase in heartbeats, light muscle aches, all of these I didn't have before taking Benicar. It took at least a week and a half for my system to adjust. I'll continue on with it, and hopefully, after significant weight loss, I will come off altogether. Until then, I'll take the 123/75 blood pressure any day!"

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 1, 2016

For High Blood Pressure "Came across Olmesartan on this site and impressed by its high rating. Had been on Amlodipine and Ramipril, both caused various side effects, including frequent urination, cystitis, itchy scalp, and very upsetting thinning of my hair to the front top of my head. Also, facial flushing, pounding head, sleeping badly with vivid dreaming. Apart from not lowering my blood pressure, 165/80, I seemed to be getting every side effect and was despairing that this was it for the rest of my life. I spoke with my GP, who was unaware of Olmesartan, I think due to the fact that it's a more expensive drug, she reluctantly prescribed it for me. It's been a month now, my BP averages 115 to 125/60, no side effects apart from slight lightheadedness. Got my life back!"

• Ann...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 12, 2018

For High Blood Pressure "I have been taking Benicar for 12 years and was switched to a generic last January 2017. I could tell no difference until they switched the generic to olmesartan in May 2017. My blood pressure was up 10-15 points, and I experienced lightheadedness to the point of blacking out twice after taking it for 10 days. My insurance will not pay for Benicar. I've tried all 5 of the medications my insurance will pay for. My doctor was about to add a third pill to the medication just to control my blood pressure. I'm running out of options."

• LaP...
• May 27, 2010

For High Blood Pressure "On April 19, I went to see my doctor for flu symptoms. He told me my blood pressure was 180/110. I also weighed 389 lbs. I left with medicines only for the flu symptoms. I was determined to tackle the blood pressure issue. I started exercising and eating healthy (not a diet). A month later, I had dropped 16 lbs and 18 points on my blood pressure; however, the doctor put me on Benicar (20 mg). It's been a week, and about the only side effect has been feeling light-headed. Some mornings I also feel sluggish. My pressure has gone down to 148/94. Although I have a way to go, I lost another 4 lbs this week. The medicine is better than I anticipated, but I will keep going and soon hope to be off of it."