benicar

[barbara]

bill wrote:

<quoted text>
B, My tingling was/is mostly in my face,head and neck. To a lesser degree in my arms. Benicar has certainly reduced my BP but main complaint is the Vertigo that I experienced. I was incapacitated for two whole days and didn't really come around for a week or more.

That is where my tingling is also. Have you experienced irregular heartbeats now and then? What is the lowest your bp has been? Have you had episodes of postural hypotension with this drug?How many milligrams are you on now and does your dosage contain the HCT? How long have you been on Benicar? When did you start to notice the side effects and what has your doctor said. My doctor thinks I am fabricating these side effects. The drug companies have them brainwashed. Your reply would really help. Thanks

[bill]

barbara wrote:

<quoted text> That is where my tingling is also. Have you experienced irregular heartbeats now and then? What is the lowest your bp has been? Have you had episodes of postural hypotension with this drug?How many milligrams are you on now and does your dosage contain the HCT? How long have you been on Benicar? When did you start to notice the side effects and what has your doctor said. My doctor thinks I am fabricating these side effects. The drug companies have them brainwashed. Your reply would really help. Thanks

Barbara, I tried posting once and didn't seem to take. I'll try again but if I don't see it, i may give you my email. I have not experienced irreg heart beats. My lowest BP was 117/75 that i have measured but I think that it really dipped once while exercising and resulted in SEVERE vertigo. I was too ill to check at that point. I think that is what 'postural hypertension' is. I am on 20 mgs with HCT and have been on it for three months. The side effects didn't really start until a couple of weeks into but given how bad my headaches were prior to Benicar, the sides are tolerable. I am very skeptical by nature, especially of MDs. He attributed my vertigo to an inner ear infection which i think is BS. My skepticism is heightened by the fact that he started me on Free samples which I am sure the drug co's gave him. A few q's for u: What is your dose? HCT? How long have you used? How old are you?(I'm 45) Good luck. B

[barbara]

bill wrote:

<quoted text>
B, My tingling was/is mostly in my face,head and neck. To a lesser degree in my arms. Benicar has certainly reduced my BP but main complaint is the Vertigo that I experienced. I was incapacitated for two whole days and didn't really come around for a week or more.

Thanks for answering. My tingling is also in my face and head but it doesn't happen all the time. I also experience lightheadedness, not dizzy, but lightheaded and this doesn't happen all the time. My metabolic panel is normal so I know it is not from electrolytes. What did your doctor tell you and are you still on the Benicar HCT.

[everett]

John wrote:

Hi Gary, I too have had these symptoms on the first use of Benicar. I switched from Zestril for the same reason, although for both drugs this is supposed to be an uncommon reaction. For me, either drug corrects my BP to normal with the first dose (within about 6hrs). This too contradicts most of the descriptios which say it can take several weeks to be effective. It is dramatically effective in my case and I can very precisely predict it. The anxiety and depression are also associated with some life events producing a sort of post trauma syndrome. i suspect the ACE blockers somehow trigger a predisposition by enhancing the brain's imagination (very unclinical here, just my speculation). It is known for producing vivid dreams. It was hard to associate the symptoms at first, as they showed up after a long use of Zestril (although tiredness showed up on the first use, then not later). But after severl "drug hollidays" it was clear there was a correlation. First night after taking Benicar I awoke at 2AM to a waking nightmare. Don't want to repeat that.
So..... have you found any alternatives? I'm planning to just focus on heavy exercise.
<quoted text>

John, I've been on benicar for the past three years,I too have had severe anxiety, I thought there for a while I was going alittle coocoo, I can't remember the last time I had a dream though. It started out at first with a small rash I would get on the side of my stomach kinda like a dry skin rash, then a dry cough, I don't get the rash anymore , but still cough alot, I also get very short of breath, I'm 41 don't smoke work every day (very active) I also wake up suddenly most nights with a clostafobic feeling and chest tightness and shortness of breath, I never had any of these symptoms before benicar. I'm 5' 10" 215lbs I too feel very strongly that if I could drop 20 -30 lbs and exercise way more there is a chance I might not need any bp meds. I am terrified of catching a cold , the first year I was on benicar I caught a cold , chest congestion sore throat, I thought I was gonna die, I felt like I was going crazy, couldn't breath felt very clostafobic, Dr. told me I had asma gave me an inhaler and that just made things worse, I didn't even think at the time it was the benicar. I am in otherwise pretty good shape, I know the benicar does great at controlling my bp. I would like to hear from anyone that has lost some weight and with exercise was able to get off their bp med altogether.

[barbara]

bill wrote:

<quoted text>
Barbara, I tried posting once and didn't seem to take. I'll try again but if I don't see it, i may give you my email. I have not experienced irreg heart beats. My lowest BP was 117/75 that i have measured but I think that it really dipped once while exercising and resulted in SEVERE vertigo. I was too ill to check at that point. I think that is what 'postural hypertension' is. I am on 20 mgs with HCT and have been on it for three months. The side effects didn't really start until a couple of weeks into but given how bad my headaches were prior to Benicar, the sides are tolerable. I am very skeptical by nature, especially of MDs. He attributed my vertigo to an inner ear infection which i think is BS. My skepticism is heightened by the fact that he started me on Free samples which I am sure the drug co's gave him. A few q's for u: What is your dose? HCT? How long have you used? How old are you?(I'm 45) Good luck. B

You may email me directly or give me your email address. I am very confused by this medication. I take 40mgs with 12.5 HCT. My blood pressure ranges from 117/60 to 136/70. When I am stressed, it is in the 130's. I have talked to the manufacturer and of course they have said that the tingling, lightheadedness, etc. is not from the meds. However, the doctor did a lipid panel and my cholesterol levels are up especially the triglycerides. Again, even though this is listed as a possible side effect, the manufacturer has said no. Who do you believe? I know hypertension is serious and has to be controlled but I wonder what these meds are doing to everything else. What are your typical side effects. That would help me a lot.

[Marisa]

My doctor also prescribed a potassium supplement because the HCT depletes your potassium. I am not sure if that could be the cause of joint problems or not. I have not experience that, however I have experienced the light headedness and sometimes nausea. It scares me.

[Chris from Colorado]

I just started taking Benicar and I feel great except that I can't sleep . I keep hearing the swishing noise (the pumping blood sound ) in my ears. Maybe if I cut the pill in half it would be better or maybe I'll just get used to it ?

[kathy]

I have been taking benicar for 4 months, in that time I have developed trigeminal neuralgia, and crippling pain in my legs and joints.

[Shell]

I have been on Benicar 20mg for almost 2 years now, I am a 34 yr. old female and prior to my starting Benicar I had anxiety, due to a bad car accident, BUT since my being on Benicar daily, I have increased with ANXIETY, DAILY, it is pretty bad, my dr. tells me I AM DEPRESSED and I need the B/P meds for my High B/P, I know that, BUT..... I cannot deal with the tingling in my face, head, hands, wake up at night with Loud Drum sounds in my ears, 1st thing in the morning I wake up and within a 1/2 hr. or so The symptoms start, I have had Vertigo, I can just be sitting down and I feel like I left the chair for a minute but really never moved, WEIRD I know, PLEASE help, do you think I should stop the Benicar in the Morning????

[todd12345]

Hi i too have been having many many problems with benicar and benicar htc it is a nasy drug if you ask me,leg pains stomach pains severe i too went off it they went away so my doctor told me to take benicar instead of the benicar hct and it was the same thing and when i stoped using it they went away i just think they need to let you know befor they just and them out they never even told me about the side effects this gives

[Rhonda]

bill wrote:

<quoted text>
I had plenty of tingling with benicar

Yes, I've been waking up in the mornings with my hands being numb,feels like no blood flow.

[Kim]

kathy wrote:

I have been taking benicar for 4 months, in that time I have developed trigeminal neuralgia, and crippling pain in my legs and joints.

Kathy, have your Dr. check your potassium (sp?):o) level next time you go to him/her. I had the same cramps etc... and then ended up in the hospital for a gallbladder surgery.(totally different altogether) But they checked my potassium and had it gotten any lower, I could have not received the surgery for possibly going into a coma. If you have cramps in your legs etc... it COULD be a sign of low potassium. They now have me on potassium pills (twice a day) along with my benicar also.I get those cramps every once in a while, but defineatly not as bad! This being the Benicar make you go to the rest room alot, flushing you out, your body is losing alot of your potassium it needs and is essential to your heart pumping the way it does... This is what Dr.'s have told me So "quote/unquote" But please always check with your own Dr.(you have to anyways because it is a prescribed medication only anyways) but you can get potassium out of many foods, bananas etc...GOOD LUCK!:O)

[Julie]

I have been on Benicar for years. I never really thought I was having side affects untill I had a cough for 3 years. I thought living in the New Oleans area that it was just allergies. I have had every med changed in the last year and still had the cough. My GP would not change it so I changed doctors. I have been off for 5 days and my cough is better. Another thing that has been happening for the last 3 years are strange muscle cramps. They happen in major muscles, back of my thighs in the middle of the night, ribcage and upper arms. I have found the muscle cramps are getting better so I hope that Benicar was the cause.

[Danny]

bill wrote:

has anyone experienced 'EXTREME' vertigo from Benicar? About a month into taking it, my inner ear had a terrible reaction to the drug which made me extremely ill. My MD suggested that it may be a viral infection of the inner ear but i have my doubts about that.

I have gone through the same thing for several months. I've been to an ear, nose, and throat specialist and was diagnosted with inner ear imbalance due to a virus or over dose of medication. I am taking 1/2 of 20 mg. of Benicar and cannot get over the Vertigo. My doctor says its not the Benicar. I beg to differ.

[Katy]

I have been on Benicar 40mg for over a year. I have been having a dry hacking cough for almost a month now. I think I've found the cause. And also facial tingling, and a sound in my ears like a marble tumbling in a dryer.
I'm going to talk to my NP this week. Maybe the dose is too much.
Thanks for all the info,
A registered nurse having problems like everybody else ;)

[Kate in AZ]

Chris from Colorado wrote:

I just started taking Benicar and I feel great except that I can't sleep . I keep hearing the swishing noise (the pumping blood sound ) in my ears. Maybe if I cut the pill in half it would be better or maybe I'll just get used to it ?

Chris - I've been on Benicar for several years now and its done a great job with controlling the BP but I, too, am unable to sleep. Insomnia started soon after but recently has become so severe that I only sleep if I've taking Ambien or Lunesta. Have you found a solution?

[barbara]

Is anyone having problems with fatigue and depression? I was very active physically, have been on Benicar HCT for about a year and am declining steadily. No energy, interests in anything and extremely tired. All lab tests, etc. normal. I think it is the Benicar HCT but doctor does not agree. Help

[michelle]

I was on Benicar HTC for over 8 months and developed anxiety which included irregular heartbeats, tremors, tingling in hands/fingers, and more, however I went off of it this summer and my symptoms have really aleviated. I think I will need to go back on some kind of BP medicine though.

[leonardo]

I have read on http://www.drugdelivery.ca/s33930-s-BENICAR.a... that benicar should not be taken in case of pregnancy…..Is this true?

[jan]

weight gain ??