Lisinopril brings “the cough from hell”

About five years ago my doctor decided to put me on a medication to lower my blood pressure. Up until this time, diet and exercise were working but not anymore. My numbers were ranging 230/140 and that is not good at all. I was prescribed Lisinopril and for the two months that I took it, I was miserable. I did not initially make the connection and thought other things were wrong with me. I believed I was dealing with sinus problems and allergies. It started with a cough at around 4:00 every morning. I would cough nine or 10 times in a row, and could not stop. This is a very troubling feeling because most times I cough a little and it would go away but I had absolutely no control over this. I had never experienced side effects from medication before so this upset me greatly. During the day I began experiencing indigestion and acid reflux. When I bent over my chest felt as if it were on fire and after eating my throat hurt and my ears burned. I tried over the counter remedies but they did not help much.

I could not understand what was wrong with me or why so I changed my diet and began losing weight. This did not help either so I prayed for guidance and one day I had a strong feeling that it was the medication. I looked up Lisinopril online and found that it was but one of a group of medications whose name ended in “pril” and were said to cause the "cough from hell." I immediately stopped taking this medication and the "cough from hell" went away. I shared all of this with my doctor who did not seem too concerned and prescribed me a different medication.

I am currently embarking on a method of diet and exercise that I hope will get my BP numbers to the place where no medication is needed. I have had no side effects from the new medication. Unfortunately there are issues I continue to deal with today that I did not prior to taking Lisinopri. I began to frequently have heartburn and the pain that goes into my ears. When I am overly stressed it seems 10 times worse. A good friend said her doctor told her that when we are overstressed, our body will react with the last issue that we have dealt with. This situation over a period of time has manifested in the following ways: There are days when right after eating that I would have a dry cough that went on and on until it produced mucus in my chest. Keep in mind I had no fever or cold or flu symptoms. When I coughed it up I would actually throw up and my eyes would water as if I was near atom of red onions.

My eyes would burn as if I had gotten some smoke inside them and my nose would run uncontrollably. My doctor said it was allergies and prescribed Zyrtec. With all due respect to the medical community, I did not want to be given additional prescription meds for indigestion or have that scope put down my throat, but I was miserable, all because of one drug. My best guess is that my body never totally healed from the Lisinopril and when I deal with anxiety it brings the issues back big time. I could find nothing on the Internet about a dry cough producing mucus in the nose and throat. I don’t know anyone else who deals with it and my doctor continue to say it’s allergies. All I know is none of this bothered me until I began taking the Lisinopril.

I have been experiencing relive these past two weeks because I found out something else. My husband was listening to a video of a woman saying that lying down after eating almost killed her. I realized that I had begun eating while sitting in the bed and often lying down afterwards. Now I understand why it’s been said that you should allow food to digest for 2 hours prior to lying down and not to eat late at night. If none of this is making sense to you then let me make it crystal clear. I have dealt with health problems, not because I was sick, but because of a prescribed medication and bad habits. The Lisinopril opened the door for my body to react and my lying down after eating and eating late at night exasperated the situation. I read articles online indicating that food does not digest properly when Er are not sitting up straight. My personal habits were adding fuel to the fire that began with the blood pressure medication.

If you are taking any “pril” meds and are coughing and dealing with acid reflux and indigestion, please notify your health care provider immediately. If you are lying down after eating or actually drinking gets your meals while slumped or laying on your side please stop. I have to wonder how many people have been prescribed medications, been given exams and had their throats proved seeking answers when it could have been medication and not sitting upright. Money spent on doctor visits or going to the ER and they could not figure out what was going on?

I also took notice that when I gained weight and or my bra, pantyhose girdle or other clothing was tight that it caused the acid reflux to worsen. Losing weight helped tremendously. On occasions when I’m eating and get the urge to cough, I dip on a little water and it stops the urge. This article is not to diagnose any condition and I’m not giving suggestions on how anyone can bypass their doctors orders. I’m sharing my story because through it someone else may find it useful. Here is what you should process from this information and please always check with your healthcare provider.

1. Lisinopril can cause a terrible cough that won’t stop and lead to other annoying health issues .

2. If indigestion results from Lisinopril it can lead to acid reflux and even vomiting.

3. Gaining weight and wearing tight undergarments can make the situation worse.

4. Lying down while eating or right after can make all of these symptoms worse

5. Eating late at night can cause gastrointestinal problems.

I found myself improving when I did the following on a consistent basis;

1. Not eating late at night

2. Sitting straight up or walking after eating.

3.Making sir my clothing is not to tight.

4. Dipping in water during a meal often stops the urge to cough.

5. Losing weight made everything better.

I found out that two of my relatives had the cough from hell because they f Lisinopril and found similar testimonies on the Internet.