NIASPAN Reviews (NIACIN)Average Rating: 2.7 (694 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare NIASPAN with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by length of time drug was taken longest to shortest. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 |
More on NIASPAN: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR NIASPAN | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 5 | high everything | The same itching burning hot flash, but this can be minimized by 80 mg reg aspirin taken with it and benedryl for severe rash reaction. I like this better than all the statin drugs once I figured out the side affects | Significally had positive results in lowering triglyc and chlost | F | 52 | 9 months | 5/28/2009 | 4 | high triglycerides | litle flushing,upset stomach,hungry | Before I start taking it my triglycerides were around 800,now about 250,it works. | M | 46 | 9 months | 12/15/2008 | 4 | Low HDL | Have experienced the flushing on maybe five occasions. The itching in the morning is much worse than the flushing. I take it with an 81mg aspirin and two Kirkland fishoil pills and 20+ ounces of water. I haven't had a flushing episode in months. If I drink too much alcohol, I make sure to drink A LOT of water and I may drop dose to 500mg from 1000mg for that evening. | My HDL has raised ever so slightly, but its a tough number to move up. I'm sticking with it as the ratio is ugly and family genetics are not on my side. I'd rather wake up with itching once a month than not wake up at all. | M | 36 | 9 months | 4/16/2008 | 3 | Low HDL, High LDL, High Trig | Some flushing at first but not a big problem. After using for 9 months experienced muscle inflammation according to CK test. Had similar problems with staten drugs. | Expensive drug | M | 59 | 9 months | 11/16/2007 | 3 | Low HDL, bad LDL/HDL ratio | Occassional intense flushing with large portions of my body looking and feeling like badly sunburn. Frequency lessened with time, but after 6 months still occurs perhaps one every 2 weeks. | On 1,000 mg/day. | M | 48 | 9 months | 6/22/2005 | 3 | Low HDL | Occasional hot red, burning, itching of arms/thighs in the morning. Recently nasal/sinus membranes have become dry, causing severe sinus headaches during the night. Unable to get rid of them for over half the next day. No dry mouth though and do not see this problem listed anywhere. Don't know if this is connected to Niaspan or another med reaction. | Started 500 mgs to 1000 mgs 1x per day at bedtime. Always take 3 aspirin or ibuprofen at night for pain. Now take 30 minutes prior to Niaspan. First three months, HDL rose 11 points. At six months it dropped 9 points lower than the original number. (Total swing 20 points down.) Came back up somewhat after nine months. Doc doubled dose to 2K mgs. Headaches started. During a sleep lab study at 1K mgs, they found my heart rate was 95 while asleep. Could it be the Niaspan?. I don't mind taking it if it will work, but results have been all over the map. | F | 54 | 9 months 2000 mg 1X day | 12/2/2011 | 3 | High Cholesterol/Triglycerides | Mild Flushing, Increased Appetite, Rapid Fatigue During Exercise | Have a combination of two rare high cholesterol and high triglyceride conditions (CHOL >300, TG >1000). Previously treated with maximum dosage of statins until Lipitor stopped having desired effect (CHOL> 220 on max dose) and switched to Crestor until labs showed liver/kidney problems even at lowest dose. Currently treated with 20mg Lipitor and 1000mg niaspan. Initially worked up to 2000mg per day niaspan over 4 months as directed. Month 2 (1000mg) showed best lab results but began seeing decreased stamina in gym and increased appetite (weight gain) which was at its highest during month 3 (1500mg) and month 4 (2000mg). Turns out niaspan effects the thyroid which results in these effects of winded/breathlessness after very short exertions and appetite changes. Effectiveness also decreased at highest dosage (CHOL back to 300, TG back to 750). MD reduced me back to 1000mg (when CHOL/TG were in perfect range)...awaiting quarterly lab results now. Other side effects (flushi | M | 39 | 9 months | 5/30/2008 | 3 | High cholesterol | I was told about the side effect of flushing, which I was told does not last long. I experienced what the er doctor called a reaction as in long term burning, itching and swelling that needed treatment with epinephrine and benedryl. There is a difference. The side effect is an uncomfortable nuisance the reaction can be life threatening and is much more intense. | F | 53 | 9 months | 9/6/2009 | 2 | High Triglycerides | Whole body redness, itching, painful, small hive-like bumps, and felt like I was on fire. I also started to have pronounced heartbeat and shortness of breath. These did not improve over time while on the medication. They actually got worse. My triglycerides did not go down much either. I did lose weight and started exercising more. | I stopped on my own after about 9 months and requested my doctor to put me on another medication that did not contain Niaspan or Niacin. I was not getting much sleep and could not put up with the side effects. | F | 36 | 9 months | 11/17/2008 | 1 | High LDL cholesterol | hair loss, including eyebrows and mustache and body hair, possibly premature hair color change to white. | It did lower my LDL cholesterol a little, but not enough, so my doctor put me on pravastatin in addition to niaspan, and the hair loss didn't begin until after I had been on pravastatin for two months | M | 49 | 9 months 1000 mg 1X day | 1/31/2014 | 5 | high LDL and triglycerides | Some flushing within an hour if I am still awake, because I take it at bedtime. Only a little uncomfortable. Important to get brand name Niaspan (Rx) because OTC time-release niacin causes unbearable waves of heat. DO NOT take with alcohol. I had wine with first dose of regular niacin (only 500mg) and it felt like I had a sunburn, with heat coming off my arms. Did not try that with 1500mg Niaspan. | Has improved my HDL where Crestor and Zetia did not. Lowered triglycerides and LDL enough to make my doctor satisfied. I have very high total cholesterol normally (over 400) due to familial hypercholesteremia. | F | 59 | 8 months 1500mg 1X day | 8/18/2010 | 4 | Lo HDL, Hi LDL, Hi TGL | Taking Niaspan for the past 8 months. Started with baby asprin and 500mg Niaspan. The LDL and TGL levels went down after 4 months but HDL stayed Lo. Increased to 1000 mg for 3 months but little change with HDL, though LDL went down to normal. Now taking 1500mg for the past 3 weeks with baby aspirin to raise HDL. For the past 9 months, I've changed my diet with lo fat food and burn 2000 cal / week thru regular exercise. For the past one week had severe stomach pain and further diagnosis revealed kidney stones. Stopped taking Niaspan as I'm taking medication to flush out the kidney stones. Not sure why this happened, probably niaspan flushing out all plaque and kidneys retaining all those? Need to continue when Kidney stones issue is sorted out. | An excellent drug that reduced my LDL, TGL levels. Tried Simcor before but discontinued due to severe muscle spasm and Niaspan helped to achieve control on my cholestrol levels. | M | 39 | 8 months | 4/5/2009 | 3 | Low HDL | Flushing on some days, not others. When it's bad it wakes me up at night and has been very hard to deal with, can't fall back to sleep and it wrecks my day. I've tried the aspirin and it has reduced but not eliminated the flushing and hot flashes. My experience with the flushing has been as described by others here, very bad. | Not sure if this is worth it, but I'll try a while longer. | M | 46 | 8 months | 5/30/2006 | 3 | Low HDL | Currently taking 2000mg of Niaspan and have experienced periodic flushing and itching, but nothing dabilitating. | Raised my HDL only marginally from 24 to 26 after 6 mos on 1000mg. My chief complaint is the cost of this medication $45 after insurance for one month's supply. I am seeing my doctor in two weeks, and if HDL is not up considerably, I will ask her for alternatives. | M | 49 | 8 months | 5/11/2007 | 1 | CHLOSTEROL | HORRIBLE BURNING, ITCHING, | I GAVE IT SEVERAL MONTHS TO SEE WHAT WOULD HAPPENED. THE NASTY INTENSE PAIN FROM BURNING AND ITCHING DROVE ME TO CALL MY DOCTOR AND SAY I QUIT. I WILL NEVER TAKE THIS CRAP AGAIN. | F | 61 | 8 months | 5/26/2006 | 1 | high tryglicarides | scariest burning and itching and dizziness- felt like my skin was on fire- had to lay on the cold floor to ease the pain, this happened one night after taking it for months with good results | F | 62 | 8 months | 4/24/2009 | 5 | High triglycerides, To raise HDL | Slight flushing at first. I knew what so expect, so it was no big deal. You have to do your research. | Niaspan has done amazing things for me! I've been taking Lipitor 10mg for over a decade and added Niaspan a few months ago. My triglycerides went from 435 before the Niaspan, to 56 on my last blood work. I've never been able to get my HDL above 43, but it is now 54. LDL went from 109 to 62. Total Cholesterol went from a high of 222 on just Lipitor, to 127 after Niaspan was added. Some folks may not tolerate it well, but Niaspan has changed my numbers considerably. The only downside so far is that it seems to raise blood sugar somewhat. | M | 54 | 7 months 1000mg 1X day | 7/29/2010 | 3 | Lower my cholesterol, Triglyserides | Flushing OK - more like a slight sunburn. Headaches the following day about half the time. Muscle and joint pain ALL the time. Not crazy about this drug. My TC was only about 215 and TGs were the same. Now TC is 165 and TG is 185. | I guess this stuff works but I think changing my diet and eating habits has had a bigger effect. I lost about 18 pounds and plan to lose another 10. I don't eat butter at all anymore, NO ice cream, NO beer, NO pizza, etc. My hip joints are painful ALL the time. I'm going to quit Niaspan. I may have a heart attack but at least I'll be able to walk to the phone to call the paramedics. | M | 65 | 7 months 500/1000 1X day | 7/2/2011 | 3 | high LDL | Flushing. Burning. Disrupted sleep. Tired, and fatigued. Noticed having more difficult time with exercise, even at more moderate levels than before taking Niaspan. I already had high HDLs, but Niaspan took HDL from 65 to 75. Lowered LDL from 159 to 133. | I don't know if my fatigue is a direct result (muscular) of Niaspan, or an effect of not sleeping well (which I believe is the result of the Niaspan). I have began taking it during the morning instead of at night to try to get better sleep. Has anyone else tried taking this medication in the morning or daytime rather than at bedtime? What were your results? | M | 45 | 7 months | 5/8/2008 | 1 | low hdl | flushing, picking sensation on arms and legs, rapid heartbeat, dark vein-appearing marks on the front of my thighs, swelling of face | The reaction occured suddenly one night after taking Niaspan for 7 months with no problems. | F | 60 | 7 months | 4/1/2004 |