I have been taking Losartan since 1996.
During that time I have noticed several changes in my health but until now I did not even consider that they may be side effects of the drug.
I will list my symptoms and I would appreciate anyone's views or similar experiences whilst taking this drug.
(I have asked my GP but he puts everything down to age!!. I was 51 when I started taking them,
I'm 68 now)
Symptoms
Anxious feelings like feeling a bit scared all the time.
Burning sensation in lower legs when laid down in bed.
Cramp in legs and feet.
Skin blotchy.and a bit purple in colour. A bit like when you have sat in front of a fire too long.
This started in my legs but now covers most of my body.
Breathlessness and a wheezy cough.
Any helpful comments or advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
pam
Pam, in reply to your post, I started on Amlodopine, gave me leg ache. Doctor said Amlodopine would not be the reason. I disagreed. Changed to Ramaprill. (Leg ache stopped).Got the usual cough. I then spoke about this to a friend, who happens to be a Doctor. He advised me to try Candesarten. I spoke to my GP about this, who insitendtally got the hump because I had got a second opinion. Ever since I have been on Candesarten I have not been "happy". I know you are not on Candesarten, but Losartan, like Candesarten is an angiotensin II receptor antagonist. They both work by "messing" with your ( our) brain. Hence, that is why some people's bodies cannot handle what is going on, that is making you feel Ill. What we have to do is get off these drugs that are messing with our brains, and find one that suits our bodies. I have been on Candesarten for 18 months, maybe 2 years and I have to change or stop. What's the point in being miserable when you don't have to be? By the way, I spoke to my Doctor freind about the side affects, and he said "well, that's what they do!" Thanks Pam, this has galvanised me into action and I for one will be coming off of these " brain benders" and moving back onto something, I have previously taken, or trying a new one!? Best of luck.
Hi slim35664
I went to my GP on Monday this week and asked to change from Losartan.
He was not happy and poo poo'd the idea that my symptoms were side effects.
Anyway he prescribed Amlodopine.
After reading the posts on Amlodopine I decided to stop taking the Losartan and keep a check on my blood pressure. Unfortunately it has been very high so I daren't leave it any longer.
I have taken my 1st Amlodopine this morning. I will let you know how I get on.
I have searched the web but I cannot find any BP Meds that don't seem to have mostly the same side effects.
When I started on Losartan it was supposed to be the one with the least side effects but I feel it has stolen many years from my life.
Please keep in touch if you find one that suits!
Kind regards
pam
Well I have had 2 doses of Amlodopine 5mg. and I feel terrible.
I was actually starting to feel a bit better after coming off the Losartan but I am now back to wheezing, coughing. I have got the awful anxiety feeling back in my stomach and chest. i am completely sick of this but my blood pressure gets really high if I don't take medication for it.
Which meds have you had and which one would you say had the least side effects for you?
Quick update
Stopped the Amlodopine after 2 doses.
Decided to stop all BP meds and keep a check on BP.
i have kept a chart of my readings and it shows a gradual decrease in my BP. i went back to the Doctors
and saw a locum. He perused the chart and then checked my Bp. He said that he was very happy with my readings and that I should continue to monitor and to go back if i noticed a significant rise.
I am feeling much brighter now. i am no longer breathless but i have got an annoying tickley cough.
Burning and cramp in my legs has just about gone. My mood has improved dramatically. The aniety feelings are gradually easing off.
After nearly 18 years on these pills I feel as though I have got my life back.
Good luck to anyone else who is having problems with these meds
I too was getting burning in my lower legs in bed and excruciating itching on my feet and palms. I also had a cough and was unusually breathless. My Doctor said I had a water infection which sounded plausable but the lab results said otherwise. I had also gone from peeing a lot to hardly peeing at all. After stopping Losartan, the cough and itching disappeared almost immediately and the peeing is now frequent again. I presume it was down to the Losartan as some of these things ARE listed as possible side effects. Until recently I was happy with my medication. I am now going for as many long walks as I can to keep my blood pressure in check. Always check with your Doctor before taking this step.
Have felt great with Losartan - but I am putting on weight! This may be bcause I am eating too much now that my previous digestive problems seem to have largely disappeared!
However I would like to know where the Angiotensin that is blocked goes. Out through the kidneys? Anym adverse consequences over time? I think I fear dialysis more than a heart attack!
Hi pam. Just came out from the er. I have same symptoms. Been taking losartan for a year and i suddenly feel these nervousness, tingling and numbness in all my extremities and body. Lost appetite and always nauseous. My gosh they just diagnosed me with anxiety disorder. I do believe its from long term use of losartan. They did several blood test and everything was ok but i have no reason to be anxious like this...i have to suggest tomorrow to my famly dr to change my maintenance to see if these symptoms improves before considering anxiety drugs...
yeah , I've been taking it since I was 33 now at 48 I'm wondering it too? I'm sure there is no meds are good for you there's always repercussions..
Hi there,
How are you doing are you still taking Losartan.
I am taking Losartan since 2007, since two years I am having spells of vertigo and balancing problem which are progressing so much so that my GP and Neurologist who always never listened to my complaints are now of the opinion that I am going towards Multiple Sclerosis or some type of Upper Motor Neuron disorder. As i gone through the side effects of it I contribute these are the side effects of long term use of losartan because my neurologist says that I don't follow any of the criteria of MS. If somebody has any information about it please share it, though I am a doctor from back home but not licenced in Canada is very much disappointed with doctors in Canada.
I've no idea why some Dr's seem to be such d*k* about these drugs, they often downplay the potential adverse effects and take the hump when people want to change. To be honest Pam all of these could be and some are likely to be related to the Losartan. People are given drugs in order to reduce the risk of them becoming ill, not to make them feel ill, its very common for people to go through several drugs before they find one thats tollerable.
However don't give up on your doctor, just ignore his attitude, tell him again about these things and that you realise they are all pretty common and you would like to try something else. If he says they are not side effects and you shouldn't change, simply ignore what he has said and say something like so you think I shouldn't take any treatment now. if he says yes you do, simply say well I've explained I'm not continuing to take this so what should we try. Always nice and quietly persistent.
Hi Pam
have seen your report after a year. hopefully you are feeling better now.I do agree with slim 35664 that our bodies are all different and we are reacting to the medicines in different ways. back in 2015 the consultant ( not GP) put me on ramapril and the cough was terrible. As I knew from my mother who went undiagnosed for her cough for two years and suffered terribly from ramapril , i stopped after 3 weeks and within two weeks cough was gone.As we all know doctors disagree with us about sideeffects but we are the ones who live it.Anyhow ,i am on Losartan now and agree with one of your symptoms " cramp in legs and feet" . It is definitely a side effect.Your other symptoms, luckily , i do not have, as my body is different to yours.
I think the third alternative is candesarten but I will carry on with my Losartan until my next annual check up and see how it goes. good luck.
Pam I started taking Losartan a few months ago. I sometimes get that "feeling a bit lost" feeling, have been feeling very down to the point I could cry. Don't know if the tablets are causing this or not. I'm afraid to try anything else as I got rid of the terrible cough from Ramipril which I had for about ten years. No cramp or anything like that in my legs though or burning.
I have been on Losartan around six months, I feel like I want to cry at times and feeling a bit down.
I was on Losartan 100mg for about 3 months and I started to experience difficulty walking. I take the grandchildren to school and am 78 I ended up using a walking stick and couldn't walk without feeling pain in hips and knees I spoke to my GP and he reduced the dose to 25 and another Amlodipine. The pain went away within a week and now I am experiencing constant cold symptoms which I put down to hay fever but now I shall be visiting the GP again for something different.
Hi! I was given the okay to stop my Losartan about six days ago. My light headedness and dizziness have disappeared. I am morbidly obese and have going to the gym religiously before work Monday-Friday, and so far my pressure is doing great! Oh, yeah, I mainly eat meat once a day and I’m doing intermittent fasting. My body seems to love it! Hope this helps......All blood pressure pills seem to have nasty side effects. Take them until you get control of the situation! And trust me, you CAN gain control!
Hello Pam, I have read your post and some of the other comments. I could write a book about BP meds have been on most of them. Im taking Losartan at the moment did great at first and got my BP down to 110/60. Now its high again. I have had dizziness, cordination problems on my right side. This is a just a short list have had other problems , too.
I had double vision in Jan, took med for Flu, BP, med. I went to sleep and woke up with double vision. The only other thing I was taking from time to time was some xanax. It has now finally gone away and I see great again. I know either one or the combo of both did this. It took about 3 months. If you look up side effects everyone of BP meds most say can cause double vision or blurry vision. Losartan is a ARB and works on your brain and it along with many others has major side effects. They all do some not has bad but they all do if not now then wait and they will happen. I have been a list a mile long. Still taking Losartan but a low dose and playing tennis , biking, gym almost every day. I may go to a Hypertension Center to see if my kidneys are causing it. Im just tired of doctors but I read that the Hypertension Centers can help quite a bit. Anyway, if anyone suspects that a drug is giving them problems then its a good chance it is. So Im doing what I can to take as little and enjoy life. Enjoy life and each day as its a gift .Good Luck!
Hi javar im glad that your dr remive your bp meds. What are you taking now? Natural meds and diet? What is the side effect when you stop taking losartan? Did you wean off or just stop taking it?
Hi Anthony. I am not taking any medication anymore. I just eat better, workout for an hour before work, and have significantly reduced meat consumption. Losing weight has been a wonderful help to my blood pressure. Hope this helps.
Nice to hear that javar any natural meds that you are taking now like garlic or banana? Im on my way for diet now eating too much meat more on vegies and fruits only.