How To Stop Taking Losartan (Top voted first)

I had taken losartan50/hctz 12.5 for 10 years, In recently years I suffered dry coughing and bad running nose allergy. I found out this is the side effect of losartan. Cutting the dose to half, changing to a water pill.. did not solve the problem. Over this holiday I developed bronchitis and was quite ill. I had very bad coughing, losing voice, sinus infection, nose bleeding, etc. I stopped taking Losartan to avoid further complications. I notified my doctor that I will check my blood pressure if the record is not over 140-90. I will keep the Losartan off. What else can I do?

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muchin, Same thing happened to me! I never get sick, and while on Losartan for 3 months, I caught a bug at work. Coughing till my ribs were sore, lost my voice, sinus infection - no nose bleed though. It lasted a week! Now in my 4th month on Losartan, I can't think clearly, coughing, so tired, legs and arms so weak! I can't mow my lawn or even walk across the store at work - my legs, hips and back just wear out quickly. Another thing I noticed is that I don't want to do anything. Don't want to spend time with family, don't want to cook for myself, don't want to indulge in my many hobbies. When I finish work, I just want to go home and do nothing. I'm not myself at all. I go to the doc in a couple days. I can't keep doing this drug. This isn't living.

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Linda! I read your story. I've had the same problems and kept getting worse and worse and the doctor thinks I know nothing. I changed to a doctor who now works with me as a partner instead of a dictator! I was so sick for a long time so I took myself off of losartan and with in 3 days my symptoms started diminishing and started feeling better. My joint pains were horrendous so I started taking c0-q10 enzyme one a day which took all joint pain away, and for the first time in years I could sleep pain free! Then I started taking a digestive enzyme that I could get at the supplements store which has really helped more than ever. I changed my diet to just nibbling on light foods like non-gmo tuna from bumble bee....All foods I eat are organic or non-gmo. My horrendous sinus problems and allergies disappeared almost completely. Almost a week after I took myself off the meds and my coughing softened and slowed way down to just a few times a day....I was told after four weeks it would completely disappear. Before taking myself off of losartan I would bleed from my bronchioles from coughing so much but now that has stopped! Yeah! I do have multiple sclerosis which causes my extreme fatigue but since getting off of that crazy losartan I am starting to have more energy now too! Just a note: co-q10 enzyme that I get is both water soluble and fat soluble and I have lost 17 pounds so far. It works on a molecular level to repair and energize each cell in your body!

When I stopped listening to the doctors and took control of my own health I am beginning to heal now. I've talked to quite a few doctors and they are all pharmaceutical doctors who want to sell drugs, not really to make me better! They've been brainwashed, (taught) to sell pharmaceuticals so go figure! They are ok for prescribing things like an antibiotic for infections or help treat simple things but their training causes them to put everyone in the same category not realizing that each person is an individual with unique set of individual problems so what works for one person might be poison for another! They don't have the capacity to accept this truth. I've found that only about one in 20 doctors really care about patients health and are willing to work with that person. So question them first before allowing them to treat you...Ask them if they are willing to work with you as a partner in your health care or not! You know your own body better than they do and it is so easy to surf the web and get awesome information to guide you. By the way, after stopping the losartan my blood pressure has normalized where before it either was way too low or way too high! Like I said each person is different so you have to study your system to know your needs! Note: all ace inhibitors like losartan and lisinopril and all others have these exact same side effects....Tell that doctor to get online and read the many hundreds of people who are all suffering from the exact same side effects! Good luck.

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I saw my doctor on Jan 20,16. after stop losartan for 4 weeks. with my bp record average 130-77.,She said I can stop taking Losartan but don't throw away the pills yet. ,I felt much better for a few days then somehow I got three cases of nose bleeding . I was very upset . I use a new mintor to check my bp and it rise to 149-83 after some testing. I am now taking half dose of Losartan/hct 50 -12.5. to be safe . I am still coughing. what is the best way I am confused..

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I had that and other complications from any medication in the ace inhibitors family. They also take a while to leave your body via your lungs and kidneys according to a post on another medical site from a pharmacist. For me anyway I had to get off any medication from the ace inhibitors family. And it is only slowly getting better. I consulted my new doctor and she was happy to put me on something else. At any rate all the ace inhibitors family for some reason just made my blood pressure go higher the more they boosted the dose. I had a surgeon who took me off most of the dose of ace inhibitors I was taking and my blood pressure was the lowest it had been in a long time! Felt so much better! Had already lost tons of weight and was on a very healthy diet so at first couldn't figure out why my blood pressure was so high! It was the meds!

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Hello, Muchin! How are you doing?

Have your symptoms improved, yet?

The FDA lists other typical side effects of this medication as possibly including nausea, dizziness, headache and increased urination.

However, if your blood pressure starts to elevate, again, there is no need to go back on it. There are many other options that your doctor can prescribe for you. It's really just a matter of trying various ones to see which one works for you, without making you miserable.

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i am 55 and i had a big stroke episode on march 19 2016. Dr put me on losartan and in a couple of days i developed severely draining post nasal drip.they sent me home sick like this.after another week and a half i saw my Doc and she gave a zpac and 6 days of methylprednislone,none of which helped my now horrible coughing made my life hell...went back 26 april and she took me off losartan and on amlodapine. went back 28 april and begged for relief from coughing as i pulled 2 back muscles and ab muscles as we. Dr gave me a steriod shot and some amoxacillin.later that afternoon i felt some relief until next night it came back wose than ever. so april30 Dr told me to go to ER she didnt know how to help me! At ER they did xrays and did a flu swab and said i didnt have the flu or pnumonia, but they found an irritated nodule on my lung that wasnt there 3 weeks earlier! probably from coughing so hard.! they just gave me more prednislone and sent me home. the steriods made me feel better within an hour. So i say the steroids finally work because of stopping the losartan, which tells me that it is the culprit. My question is why did the original Drs assume it was a flu as well as my personal Dr? a simple flu swab would have narrowed the problem down! i took over aproxamently 150 benedryl pillls in 3 weeks just to breathe! not to mention 50 plus tylenol 3 for cough and robitussin sometime as well! Ihope when i take the lasst steroid pill in 2 more days i dont go back to living hell coughing again. how long does it take to get losartan out of my system? These doctors probably dont know themselves. i never took any meds before thhis and felt good 6 weeks ago.Hunts

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I too had the same symptoms but add digestive issues to the problem..I have been on the med with the water pill in it for 6 years and I have lost 45 lbs since being put on it..I do monitor my blood pressure at home and it hasnt been what I think high...with that being my blood pressure has been 123/78 and 127/80 and I have taken myself off of them now its been 7 days and I feel much better...my Dr refused to take me off meds although I was starting to just feel not so good all the time, I do not take any other meds so it had to be this...hope you can find a way to control yours too

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i was on lisinopril but about a year ago started this horrible bronchial cough with bleeding....I was worn out. asked my doctor about losartan and she put me on 12.5 mg. My coughing changed from bronchial to just an annoying wet flim type of cough...no bleeding but it seems to be getting worse. Can't sleep but just an hour or two then back to coughing. Also, indigestion and choking and heart burn type symptoms have arisen. Can't eat at all now. i go for many days, sometimes weeks before being able to eat! This is the strangest med I've ever taken...so many side effects....better to expire than live this way is how I feel. My pressure seems to be stable whether I'm on meds or not which makes me wonder if I really needs anything at all. I did change my diet to all non-gmo and organic and seems to help but I also included CO-Q-10 which relieves joint pains. My blood oxygen level is at 96%....I am 70 years old...not bad huh? I must not be needing BP meds anymore so I just stopped them completely and am waiting to see how I do over the next 4 weeks. Oh, it would be so nice to feel human again.

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~UPDATE~ Went to the heart doc for follow up to find I gained #$@! 10 lbs.! Told him about these side effects: extremely tired, lightheaded, can't think (don't want to think), legs & arms weak, legs & hips hurt. His reply? "Losartan doesn't have these types of side effects." So he schedules me for more tests - and ABI one day, and an ultrasound of my legs another day. I asked why I couldn't get both tests in the same day. The receptionist says "because your insurance won't pay for them if we do them on the same day." I'm so frustrated with this doctor & his office. He blows off my concerns, treats me like I'm crazy, doesn't think I need to know details about anything. I felt terrible at work today, and I just can't take this drug anymore!

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Last day of the six week withdrawal of Losartan and Lisinopril and Atenolol..it actually has taken longer than that. Side effects are gone. Feel so much better now. But because I do have 4 terminal illnesses my doctor has called in hospice for comfort care, thank God! My blood pressure stabilized on it's own. One product that helped me with keeping pain levels down is essential oils (Lavender). More effective than most all others I tried. Lavender works topically. No side effects. Naturally gets rid of pain...even 8 to 10 level pains. I'm just sorry for anyone who has to get on Lisinolpril or an ACE Inhibitor but you have to follow your doctor. Just do your own research and get informed so that you can help make things go easier and smoother for yourself.

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Now I need to give the rest of my history. I have dual hypertension. Been on Atenolol 25mg and Lisinopril 25mg for a long time. The lisinopril caused problems starting about a year ago. Incessant bronchial coughing so bad I was bleeding. Loss of sleep and absolutely no energy to get out of bed. Lethargic, sinuous problems. I had to apply mentholated ointment under my nose to try to slow down the coughing and it worked. My Dr changed my lisinopril to losartan (cozaar 25 mg) which changed my cough from a bronchial cough to a phlegm type of cough but my sinus problem still persisted. Loss of sleep, and weakness unlike anything I've ever encountered....couldn't get out of bed....couldn't do anything...had to have others assist me. Horrible heart burn and indigestion and belching and choking on anything I tried to eat or drink! Loss of appetite and constipation. I was bedridden the whole time (2 weeks).

To make a long story short I realized I could not handle Losartan and atenolol anymore...they were killing me! So I took myself off of both and started feeling better after 2 days. I can sleep now and the coughing has diminished a little but still working on why I have such heart burn when eating or drinking food and water. I'm on a non-gmo and organic diet which I'm sure does help. 70 years old, 96% blood oxygen count...something must be working right there. My Dr said it takes about 4 and a half weeks to purge the lisinopril out of my body....got 3 weeks left to go. Oh, did I mention I have multiple sclerosis and an aneurysm that has tripled in size. I also have mucus colitis. Extreme fatigue is the main part of my ms that interferes a lot plus sensitivity to extreme temperatures. Since turning 70 I am not active so maybe I don't need HP meds anymore, I don't know, it is a guessing game for me and my Dr. I just know I am feeling better not taking anything right now.

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I wrote a post (#25) about stopping Losartan in July. It has been 2 months and I think it is not completely out of my system yet, unfortunately. I gained 35 pounds in 1 year for no apparent reason and have never weighed this much in my whole life, not even when pregnant. My legs and stomach were filled with fluid and even my chest. I had pneumonia twice in 10 months and many rounds of antibiotics. Six months during this time I was on an extreme diet because of food sensitivities that I have not had previously. My gut was destroyed by the losartan. Maybe someday I will be able to eat the offending foods. Since realizing that Losartan was a very awful drug I am seeing that many things I suffered from were also from this....pain in ankles and feet, weak muscles and inflammation. I also had CONSTANT mucous in my throat, more like thick stuff attached to the back of my tongue. I went through Puffs like they were going out of style and had them everywhere in my house. My doctor, to my surprise, did not pick up on this but had me have a CT scan of my sinuses and $6000 dollars of evaluations for mold sickness. One of the markers for mold sickness is treated by Losartan. Realizing my diagnostics for this marker was high on Losartan he reevaluated me and it came way down even after only 2 weeks OFF of Losartan.

I am wondering if the new drug has mold in it. I am sure I will never know. He never said anything about weight gain and he is picky about keeping track. He was also not wanting to believe me when I said the Losartan was the problem until I went to the pharmacy and found out they started purchasing another Company's Losartan exactly when I became sick. I printed out the info for my Dr. as he had suggested the adjuvants could be bothering me. He thought I should get my blood pressure under control and seemed upset I was blaming the meds. PRE-HYPERTENSION is not a disease. Heck, hypertension is not a disease but a symptom of a greater problem. My bp is anywhere from 111/63 to 127/77 and that is GOOD readings! I am taking magnesium and CoQ10 which he instructed me to take a few years ago. So that is what works...and exercise, NOT drugs, unless it is temporary until you get the nutrients you need to bring down your blood pressure. The drugs are more dangerous to one's health than a reading that might possibly cause an attack or stroke. Wish the best to all trying to heal from taking this. I am not sure I would take it even if I had symptoms. This drug damaged my kidneys.

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My husband has been on losartan for a year or so and has developed a cough that will not go away and has had some issues with breathing in the middle of the night. He thinks it is a cold and I think it a side effect of medicine. It has been going on for over 4 weeks. I am afraid if he keeps taking the medicine it is going to kill him. He thinks if he stops he will have a heart attack. What would you do if it were you? We went to the clinic but have not talked to his regular doctor yet he has an appt in a few weeks. but I am afraid for his life.

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I HAVE ASTHMA, AND I COUGH A LOT ANYWAY, BUT THE LOSARTAN HAS MADE IT WORSE,AND MY ASTHMA AND ALLERGY DOCTOR, TOLD ME TO HAVE MY DOCTOR PUT ME ON A MEDICATION THAT DOESN`T MAKE ME COUGH! I`M STARTING TO BELIEVE THAT NATURAL REMEDIES FROM A HEALTH FOOD STORE WOULD BE SAFER, WITH LESS SIDE AFFECTS! SINCE BEING ON LOSARTAN I FEEL LIKE I HAVE A COLD ALL OF THE TIME!

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Re: Linda (# 19)

What’s the natural vitamins you are using? IM ON Losartan 25mg and it seems to be making my heart skip a beat at least that’s what I? feel like...

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Thanks for your message.I am feeling better now still coughing a little. after taking 10 days amoxicillin and five days prednisone plus strong coughing medicine. I am on my way to recovery. The runing nose is improving too.
my blood pressure records is ok for the time being . I am not anxious to try any new blood pressure medicine though. My doctor, she had me on HCT 25mg shortly before . I tried it for 4 days. I could not sleep at night at all .This is not listed as a side effect either. At my age, 76 I want talk as little as medicine as possible now.. I will see my doctor next week . I wish my old doctor did not retire , He is very good in sorting things out for me. muchin

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They had 3 different brands with about the same herbal ingredients. I chose Michael's Blood Pressure Factors.

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Re: Denise (# 18)

Hi Denise, Tonia here, i have been on Meteprolol 50 mg 2x daily and was having side effects from that. Tinitus, fullness in the ears, dizziness, light headed, couldnt eat... so they are transitioning me off Metprolol and on to 50mg Losartan Potassium, i just kept getting worse and worse. Severe side effects, pain and burning in chest, elevated heart rate, nausea, headache, dizziness i cant even name all of them. I was wondering since i have not come completely off the Meteprolo if i can just stop the Losartan,( i am literally scared to take it) and just increase the Meteprolol until i can see the Doc. I have only taken the Losartan for less than a week... it seems the patient knows mire than the doc any more.
This has been hell week for me, actually has been for 3 weeks, i cant work like this. I hope you are doing better now, God bless you and thanks for posting your journey...

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Re: Linda (# 16)

I was on Losartan for a number of years. The pharmacy where I bought it changed the company that they purchased from. I have suffered tremendously after starting on the new company's Losartan. I wish I would have know to suspect this medication. It destroyed the lining to my gut. Extreme sinus issues and acute sinus and upper respiratory issue with bronchitis and then pneumonia. Extreme deep cough, inability to sleep more than 3-4 hours. Lots of edema and even stomach edema to point I couldn't sit straight. Not able to breathe well either. I really thought I was dying and it got worse the longer I was on. I prayed for God to reveal what I was possibly ingesting that caused this and the idea came to me to check the Losartan. By this time I was already diagnosed with many food intolerances and was not eating much but I still gained 30 pounds in 1 year. I am a tiny person and never weighed that much in my life!! My doctor didn't want me to get off and tried another one and the symptoms started right away plus new ones and again thought I was dying. NO more for me and I am looking for some natural ways to keep my blood pressure down. Also a big symptom I forgot to mention was kidney damage and I was dehydrated which is weird as I drink a good half gallon of water a day.

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I fainted and was taken off of los attain but ended up with a pacemaker. Always wondered if the medicine caused it

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