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 |
| 3 | High triglycerides and cholesterol | I took Niaspan for six months. On only three occasions I experienced the very extreme reactions others have mentioned. I awoke 'flushing' - it felt like I'd been skinned, dipped in gasoline and set on fire. I got up to splash myself with cold water. I was light-headed and very dizzy. Then I experienced nausea and belly cramps, diarrhea. Eventually, (a couple of hours), those symptoms abated and I experienced extreme chills. | My doctor took me off Niaspan when I told him about the severity of the reaction, also my liver enzyme levels were rising, (I also take a statin drug to reduce cholesterol). Niaspan did reduce triglyceride levels appreciably. | F | 52 | 6 months | 7/24/2008 | 3 | low hdl | flushing at about 3 in the morning, would wake me up, I took Naispan at night, about 10 pm | I take my other medicine now about 8 pm, with a 81 mg asprin. I take my Naispan pill to my TV chair so i will remember it and just before I go to bed I take it,(between 10-12 pm) a couple of hours after asprin...no flushing any more | M | 63 | 6 months | 7/17/2008 | 3 | Raise good cholesterol | I have had none to speak of until tonight. I agree with the "burning in hell" comparison. My body is red all over and itches and feels like some is sticking needles in me. | If this doesn't raise my good cholesterol in the next reading, I'm off of this drug. Been exercising 3 times a week, can't seem to get the good cholesterol raised. | M | 61 | 6 months | 9/16/2008 | 3 | high cholesterol, high LDL | sweating at night around neck area, some flushing during the day | lowed TGL, no effect on others; experienced elevated blook pressure after 6 mos, stopped dosage. | M | 63 | 6 months | 2/24/2006 | 3 | high triglycerides | 500 dosage = flushing, lasting 2-3 days after 1st dose 1000 dosage = flushing, lasting 2-3 days after 1st dose; dizziness intermittently 1500 dosage = slight flushing but severe dizziness & stomach upset, all this to lower my 217 reading! | Trying to work while feeling this dizzy not easy; lost 1 day already. Having 2nd thoughts about this high dosage. Might ask (beg) for return to 1000 mg level. And yes, I'm taking my aspirin 30 min. before Niaspan. | F | 67 | 6 months 1500 1X day | 10/20/2011 | 3 | high triglycerides - 850 | Hot, burning, very itchy, red rash mostly over arms, torso, legs | Dr did recommend taking a baby aspirin prior to taking Niaspan to counteract the rash. I had cut down a regular aspirin, but found I needed at least half of a 325mg aspriri to prevent rash. Occasionally, that doesn't help and I still get rash. I immediately take another aspirin. Rash goes away slowly. Other drugs brought down the triglyceride levels down to 350. Niaspan ER only helped with increasing my good cholesterol. Exercising after one month, brought Trig. down to 250. | F | 54 | 6 months 1X day | 12/4/2010 | 3 | Low HDL | I began in April with 500mg in a.m. and 500mg in evening. Raised to 1000mg 2x/day this month. Initially, HDL went up, but came back down, hence the increase in dosage. As for side effects, I have experienced bad flushing only once, when I forgot to take my 'baby'aspirin 30 min. before. As long as I take the aspirin 30 min. beforehand and avoid 'hot/spicy' foods, no real problem with flushing. Occasionally, there will be slight tingling or sunburn feeling that lasts about 10 min about 3 hours after dosage. I think it can be associated with being in the sun or becoming overheated, but nothing serious. I am curious if any men have experienced any sexual side effect? It seems around time of increased dosage, my stamina seemed affected. Not sure if coincidental. | M | 58 | 6 months 1000 2X day | 10/25/2010 | 3 | cholesterol levels | Doc warned me about flushing so I always take with aspirin. had experienced some mild flushes in the first couple months (prickling starts in earlobes, goes down neck and upper chest). Last night had an EXTREME case of flushing. Was woken at midnight from a deep sleep, my whole body was on fire. Usually its just upper body, but this time my whole body (including backside and legs) were insanely hot, prickly and BRIGHT red all over. Also, my lower face/lips/chin were oddly swollen and itchy. These effects lasted over an hour. Even the next day, my earlobes still feel hot and prickly. | If I hadn't already known this was a side-effect of Niaspan, I would have gone to the emergency room, convinced something was seriously wrong. It has made my cholesterol levels better, but the extreme flushing is scary and I'm starting to think it may not be worth it to keep taking the prescription. | F | 42 | 6 months 500mg 1X day | 1/14/2011 | 3 | yes | I've been taking Niaspan for over 6 months now starting at 1000MG and increasing to 2000MG per day for the last 6 weeks. Beside minimal flusing, I suspect I have devolope varicose veine (the veines look crunchy and appear in my lower legs). I'm asking if anyone have experienced the same thing. I'm not sure if it the Niaspan sideefffect. Please, email me at [email protected] Thank very much, | Taking for high Trigo and Low HDL | M | 48 | 6 months 2000 1X day | 1/1/2011 | 2 | Low HDL | None | Cholesterol numbers got worse. | M | 51 | 6 months 500 mg 1X day | 12/6/2011 | 1 | high tri | flushing and severe itching and thats with 81mg aspirin | M | 60 | 6 months 1500 1X day | 8/2/2011 | 1 | cholesterol | I had no idea what the side effects are. About two months ago my lower legs got red and itched and the skin is so dry. The itching is unbearable at times and I scratch and omg it feelsso good and not good to do and then I break the skin open. I am having trouble sleeping even though Im tired when I go to bed. I have a bad knee but both calves are sore and I do have gas which I never had before. I am gonna stop this drug and see if there is improvement in what is going on. | If this is causing my problem or even part of it it makes me so angry. All my dr does is give me another pill if I complain. | F | 74 | 6 months 1500 1X day | 1/8/2011 | 1 | Change my LDL & HDL levels | I started with the flushing which went away but after 6 months I had gout in my finger really bad. When the doctor sent me for blood work he discovered my sugar levels were at the point of making me pre-diabetic. I stopped taking Niaspan and my sugar levels dropped back to normal. | I WILL NEVER take Niaspan again, I would rather have bad LDL levels. Also I still have problems with my finger which the doctor says I will always have, it will never return to normal. Thanks Guys. | M | 50 | 6 months 1000 mg 2X day | 8/10/2010 | 1 | Low HDL, good LDL | My doctor says "We'll start you on 500mg then move you to 1000mg after a month. The only side effect you may notice is flushing, you know, a red face. Just take an aspirin before bedtime." Flushing? Let's describe it another way Doc! On the first night on 1000mg, how about - like waking up at 2AM and thinking you've been sleeping in an ant mound! Wife was concerned (Hah! no ants on her side of the bed!) and made me go the ER, an expensive way to find out the rest of the story about this drug. | Been on 500mg daily for five months since and even with aspirin before taking, still get the "burning crawlies" several times a week. Only a small HDL change, up from 38 to 42. Not certain that's significant. | M | 42 | 6 months | 7/2/2006 | 1 | Total Cholestrol 236 HDL 26 LDL 134 | Fainted - passed out , Increased heart beat, Rashes on skin - Elevated bumps on the skin on boths hands and legs , Itching -needles running on legs and hands, | I was on 1500mg Niaspan at bed time. I woke up at around 5.00AM and went to restroom due to high itching and rashes over my hands and feet. I fainted in the restroom with few injuries....went to the doctor in the morning and they advised to stop Niaspan....NEVER TAKE THIS MEDICINE IF YOU EXPERIENCE ALLERGIC CONDITIONS LIKE DIZZINESS, FAINTING,HIGH HEART BEAT and rashes on skin. | M | 29 | 6 months | 10/16/2008 | 1 | High cholesterol | Severe flushing, sleeplessness, fidgity | My cholesterol dropped 5 points, my HDL dropped 3 points, and my LDL raised 1 point. Hardly any effect whatsoever. I stopped as soon as I got the results and have felt much better ever since. | M | 54 | 6 months | 5/22/2005 | 1 | To lower cholesterol | I took 500 mg daily for 2 weeks as suggested by my doctor, then was supposed to increase to 1000 mg. However, flushing and itching was intolerable, so dropped back to 500 mg along with 81 mg coated aspirin and yogurt. Flushing continued intermittently but was tolerable. I did develop mild "eczema" on the back of one hand for which two dermatologists prescribed steroid creams and moisturizing lotion. Blood numbers did improve after 6 months on Niaspan. However, shortly after that blood test, I developed more severe "eczema" that did not respond to steroid creams (even the strongest) and then developed itchy lesions on my legs, arms, and recently torso. Thinking that these lesions might be related to one of the three drugs I was taking, I stopped taking Niaspan for a month or so, with little improvement in the lesions but at least no new ones formed. My conclusion was that Niaspan probably was not the cause, so just recently resumed taking it. Now new lesions | I will try other methods to reduce cholesterol -- Niaspan is certainly not worth the discomfort (and possible liver disease??) | M | 66 | 6 months | 8/23/2007 | 1 | Raise HDL | Brief and infrequent periods of itching and burning. Symptoms were controlled by aspirin 1/2 hour prior to 2,000mg of Niaspan. Taking applesauce with Niaspan was very helpful. HDL started at 32 and went down to 20 where it remains 6 months later. It didn't help me. | Monthly blood tests showed consistent increase in blood sugar from month to month. Wasn't aware of Diabetes limit of 100. Latest blood test gave blood sugar reading of 130. Spoke with doctor today, he says that Niaspan can give one diabetes. I am off Niaspan, this is too dangerous for me, besides that, it didn't help. I'll try losing weight, getting exercise and adding olive oil to my diet. | M | 63 | 6 months | 7/11/2007 | 1 | I awoke with an itch that began to burn then spread until i was itching all over. flushing when on this drug is tolerable but the paiful itch is abnormal and i would rate this drug as dangerous. i will never use it again. | M | 57 | 6 months | 8/16/2007 | 1 | to raise HDL | Side effects were it made my all my food taste terrible. Everything I ate I forced it down. I took this medicine for 6 months. Because I had trouble eating, I lost 15 lbs. | Just had a blood test and after being on Niaspan for 6 months, it did absolutely nothing. My HDL was exactly the same as it was before I began taking it. My doctor has taken me off this medicine. Now I have to drink Ensure to gain some weight back. | M | 77 | 6 months | 2/11/2008 |