Valsartan for High Blood Pressure User Reviews (Page 4)

• Jac...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 3, 2018

Valsartan "I had used Diovan for some time, which worked well. When the insurance provider had me switch to Valsartan, I began to have problems, and now I am not able to go back to Diovan because of the expense of it, they charge $402.00 for a three-month supply. Outrageous!"

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 2, 2020

"Had high B/P since my 20's, now late 30's. Was put on Valsartan back in February, low dose was doing fine. Doctor switched me to a higher dose. After 2 days, woke up with a racing heartbeat and saw stars. Asking to be put on a lower dose or a different drug with no side effects."

• Pet...
• December 5, 2015

"I take 50 mg metoprolol ER at 8 pm. At 11 pm, intake 80 mg valsartan. I awake around 3 am with BP way up, like 175/56. All day and evening it is in a pretty good range. It seems the valsartan increases rather than decreases BP!"

• bp ...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 3, 2015

"My doctor gave me valsartan to take. I am 58, female, taking atenolol for 18 years, 50 mg. I took my BP this morning before meds, and it was 150 over 86. I then took the valsartan, started to feel nauseous and my throat tightening. My BP then shot up to 190 over 123, and I was frightened. Clearly not a medicine for me. Going back to lisinopril, which has some side effects, but BP is great with it."

• cin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 16, 2022

"I took valsartan for 10 days. First couple of days were ok. Then I developed jitteriness, uncontrolled shaking, chest pain, palpitations, headache, burning in stomach, nausea, heavy crawly feeling in my legs, severe muscle weakness, dizziness, and cold sweats. My blood pressure got really low: 90/69, pulse 105. I called my doctor, and he said those weren't side effects. I looked on the insert, and they were all there. I quit taking it two days ago and am starting to feel better."

• Jax...
• March 22, 2009

Valsartan "I took Diovan for two months to reduce blood pressure. It appears to be working, with no apparent side effects, other than cost. It is not available as a generic, and even with a good prescription benefit, it was costing me $60/month."

• Roo...
• August 22, 2008

Valsartan "I have been taking this medicine for several months now, and I am very pleased with the results. I had been taking another medication that wasn't able to reduce my blood pressure as well as Diovan has, and it had more side effects."

• Anonymous
• December 10, 2010

Valsartan "I take Diovan along with amlodipine and benazepril. My blood pressure is typically about 120-130/70-84. I don't know how much is due to the Diovan vs. Lotrel, but I do know that Lotrel taken by itself was unable to get these results. As for side effects, I do seem to have a dry cough (varying amounts), some dehydration, darker urine, and substantially less-frequent ejaculations. However, I am not sure if it is the medication that causes such things, even though such things are recognized as side effects."

• Dea...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 24, 2022

"I have been on this medication for some time now, and I have shortness of breath, palpitations, was put on a heart monitor for a month. Results show no heart problems. I am plagued with shortness of breath, fatigue, swelling of my feet and hands, and this is worst in the summer. Dry mouth, sometimes my throat hurts from talking. I don't like taking meds because of all that is hidden from us by the drug companies. PS: accepting the terms and policy is not true."

• wat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• March 5, 2018

"64 years old, started at 40 mg, as with all medication like this I bleed out the backside for the first few weeks, I have a persistent cough, constant ringing in my ears, hearing diminished, feels like I have cotton batting in my ears, depth perception loss, green to whitish thick phlegm, intense lower back pain, straight out of bed I need to sit with a hot water bottle for 1/2 to 1 hour just so I can walk, blood pressure still 190/203---over 80/100"

• Kjd...
• June 22, 2017

"I started on lisinopril and was sick all the time. Awful cough, nausea, and agitation took for a month. New Dr. switched me to valsartan, and I feel fantastic. The lisinopril cough seems to be almost gone, and I haven't felt nauseous one time. Very happy."

• Gub...
• February 23, 2018

"Have been on this medicine for about 6 years. Recently, I've been getting a lot of tinnitus, and the doctor said through my blood work, my potassium was a little high. This has been going on for about 4 months. Still, they didn't want me to change the medicine I was taking. But I decided to cut it in half because the tinnitus was getting horrible. I have also changed my diet because he told me my blood sugar was a little high, as was my cholesterol a little high. So I changed my diet, it's only been 3 weeks, and I've lost 11 pounds. Now my blood pressure is too low, and my tinnitus is just as bad."

• rim...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 9, 2021

"Took valsartan for 1+ month. BP under control at about 125/80. Noticed tinnitus off and on. Became more prevalent over time. Cut down the dose from 160 mg to 80 mg and added olmesartan 20 mg. BP now 130-135/70. Hoping the tinnitus reduces. BTW olmesartan is available in generic. Be sure to procure the original, olmesartan medoxomil."

• Wil...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• December 21, 2015

"When I took Diovan with HCTZ, it took a couple of weeks to get my blood pressure down to 125/80. I am an active 61-year-old male who plays tennis and walks 40 minutes a day. Then my health plan would only cover the generic valsartan with HCTZ. It was fine. Lately, my valsartan was made by a generic manufacturer, McLeod's. All of a sudden, my blood pressure shot up to 180/100. I now have to take 5 mg of amlodipine to get my blood pressure normal."

• Rac...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 9, 2023

"I started taking Valsartan 80 mg twice daily 2 weeks ago, and it did not bring my blood pressure down. The doctor switched me to Valsartan 160 mg twice daily. I felt chest pain within 5 minutes of taking it, so I was watching myself closely to see if it would happen every time I took the medicine. Side effects were my vision changed, itchy skin, and the chest pain continued after each dose. I did reach out to my doctor about all the side effects and am now waiting for a different high blood pressure medicine."

• Run...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 26, 2013

"7 years ago, my blood pressure skyrocketed to 110/100. I was going through some personal issues at home, and the doctor put me on Toprol (beta-blocker), didn't work, having heart palpitations. I started running and also changed my meds to Diovan 160 mg. BP went down to 110/70."

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 2, 2020

"Started Valsartan after needing to be taken off Lisinopril for the coughing side effect. Medication needed increased to twice the dose and never touched my BP regardless of healthy life choices. Reached out to cardiologist Crazy Med."

• RBG...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• November 19, 2023

Valsartan "Over a several year trial and error period to try to manage my familial hypertension, I now take 3 drugs to manage it. Diovan, Doxazosin, and Lercanidipine. I take all 3 at bedtime. I don't have any side effects I'm aware of, and my BP is now very well managed. Just be mindful that you need a blood test each year, and I understand they can affect liver function. After about 6 or 7 years, I've had no problems identified."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 30, 2017

"Since April 2017, I have been taking valsartan for HBP. The doctor started me off first with 320 mg for about, I think, 2 months, then changed to 160 mg because it was giving me lower back pain when I mentioned it to him, also pain on my left side. My pressure continues to be high (170 to sometimes 190), plus three other medications as well for HBP. I feel like a guinea pig having to use so many BP pills. I know that salt is not the only cause for sometimes suffering from HBP, I believe it could be other things that are causing HBP that primary care doctors are not willing to tell patients. I used to take hydrochlorothiazide, which depleted me without any signs, lisinopril, which had swollen up my face, and others."

• pwb...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 13, 2024

"Valsartan lowered my BP to 120/69 before my med, then 112/60 after taking it. I was taking 160mg with HCTZ 25 once a day, but the body aches were horrible. My shoulders hurt so bad I couldn't raise my arms above my head, my back hurt, had insomnia, and felt tired all the time. I refuse to take it or any other BP meds - diet and exercise helped, lost 50 pounds."

• car...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 19, 2021

Valsartan "160 mg after I wake up and 160 mg before I go to sleep. Also, taking rilmenidine 1 mg in the evening. My blood pressure is always from 120 to 140. Diovan (valsartan) saved me for real. I tried zofenopril, captopril, quinapril, got me dermatitis, tried amlodipine, nifedipine, felodipine, lercanidipine, my heart was like a ticking bomb. I can only take *sartan medicine and *nidine central nervous system antihypertensive agents. So I chose Diovan (valsartan). The doctors also tried olmesartan and irbesartan on me, but valsartan seemed the best for me. For my angina, I take metoprolol tartrate 50 mg after I wake up."

• Lii...
• November 27, 2016

"I've been on valsartan for a couple of years. After gallbladder surgery, my blood pressure went high, 190/90. Since then, I have been having ups and downs. I lost 10 lbs, I had two near syncopal episodes back to back. Was monitored in the ER for 12 hours and was told it was a vasovagal episode, heart BP fine. The second time I was admitted, all tests were fine. BP was okay, except prior to the stress test, it got to 200/70, 200/100. Since then, I had another episode, took 160 mg in the morning. By the evening, it climbed higher and higher to 190/87. Saw my PCP, doesn't think it's valsartan. Yesterday, I took 1/2 valsartan because the day before, BP was fine at 120/70s. Went shopping, by 4 pm, I could feel it going up. Took 1/4 tab, waited 2 hours, took another 1/4, it kept up at 160/70. Took another 1/2 tab and tried to go to sleep, heart beating."

• hel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 7, 2024

"4/2024: The dizziness side effect diminished over two to three days of use. 40mg once a day has helped lower my blood pressure somewhat, maybe enough. Only been on it for a week or so now. I take it after dinner, and I believe it helps me sleep better. High blood pressure at night can cause nosebleeds. They are lessening, I think. I feel high blood pressure makes my tinnitus stronger and louder in my ears/head. It sounds less loud when my blood pressure drops back to more normal levels. Good luck. Thanks to all who take the time to share their progress."

• Roc...
• September 28, 2017

"Took a 160 mg tablet 2 nights in a row. After the 1st dose, within minutes, I had pain down my spine. Thought maybe I'd pulled some muscles. The pain stayed around 20 hours. Took my 2nd dose, and the pain started again, only worse, up and down my spine and radiated around. Felt like I'd been in a car accident. If I hadn't looked up the drug's side effects, I would have gone to the ER thinking I'd had a heart attack. It's 18 hours later, and I still hurt. (Clearly not helping my blood pressure.) My doctor says he's never heard of anyone having this reaction, although a friend of mine, who is Ashkenazi Jewish female as I am, said it's common. Genetics maybe? Blood pressure not greatly lowered. Beta blocker works better but has side effects also."

• Oil...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• August 26, 2018

"I have been taking Valsartan for a long time and not had any side effects, but recently my supply has tasted and smelled of cellulose. The tablets are manufactured in Hungary. I've asked the chemist to give me a supply from a different manufacturer, but they say they get what they are given from their supplier. Does anyone have any suggestions."