NIASPAN Reviews (NIACIN)

Average Rating: 2.7 (694 Ratings)

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 HYPERLIPIDEMIA

 Type: Rx Drug

  

NIASPAN  (NIACIN):  Niacin is used with a proper diet and exercise program to help lower "bad" cholesterol and fats (LDL, triglycerides) and raise "good" cholesterol (HDL) in the blood. It is generally used after non-drug treatments have not been fully successful at lowering cholesterol. Niacin is also known as vitamin B-3 (nicotinic acid), one of the B-complex vitamins. It may be used with or without other medications. Lowering "bad" cholesterol/triglycerides and raising "good" cholesterol helps prevent strokes and heart attacks. Lowering fats may also help reduce the risk of pancreas problems (pancreatitis) in people at risk. In addition to eating a proper diet (such as a low-cholesterol/low-fat diet), other lifestyle changes that may help this medication work better include exercising, losing weight if overweight, and stopping smoking. Consult your doctor for more details.   FDA Approval Date: 1997-07-28 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)

  

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.)
5=HIGH (this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.)

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RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR NIASPANCOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 5  Elevated Lpa levels Light flushing, nausea My Dr prescribed Niaspan and monitored it with me over a year, beginning with 500 mg and every 6 weeks increasing the dosage to 750 mg, 1000 mg, 1250 mg, 1500 mg and then finally 2000 mg. This monitoring allowed my body to adjust to the different strengths. However, my Dr. has now said to stop taking Naispan as studies have recently shown that it is not proven to be as effective as they first thought. Has anyone else heard this? Should I stop all at once or do I need to wean myself from it? F 66 5 years
1000 MG 2X day
10/27/2014
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 4  Raise HDL I take 1500 mg anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours before bedtime with water and a cracker. Some occasional mild flushing. Sometimes after my shower in the morning, I'll itch for fifteen minutes (I think the water cooling my skin begins this on, and putting on my clothes and warming back up takes it away). HDL went from the teens to around 31. M 55 5 years
8/12/2008
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 4  Increase HDL Occasional flushing shortly after taking the NIASPAN (at night) and infrequently in the AM when I drink a cup of coffee. In all cases this is reduced by an Aspirin does prior to the medication. The NIASPAN does hold up my HDL levels well even on a very reduced fat diet. It does appear to increase skin dryness and sensitivity, especially in winter, but a slight increase in fat intake and a good cream makes this possible side effect minimal. Taking Statins, NIASPAN and Zetia all in the PM, shot my liver enzymes to 2.5x normal but moving the Zetia to the AM ( which is a better timing anyway) removed this side effect. Since my TGs are very low to start with and the other drugs I take target mostly my LDLs, it is not feasible to measure what the impacts were on LDLs or TGs in my case. The rest of my family did not tolerate NIASPAN ( or niacin in general ) very well and had to reduce or stop the treatment since the flushing was so severe and extended. Since I am on a shotgun treatment, I do have to split the dosing of the drugs AM/PM to avoid impacting my liver enzymes. Since almost all of the cholesterol drugs do have impacts on the liver, you should be aware of this and monitor how you react to the timing and combination of the multiple drugs and ensure that you do perform the periodic testing of hepatic enzymes especially if the timing and combination of drugs is changed. M 54 5 years
2000 1X day
1/13/2011
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 4  low HDL Have used it for ~ 5 years (1000mg) with little adverse affects other than occasional (1/month) itching/burning/rash-like reaction (lasting 1/2-1hr) reported by many others. Trying to figure out why sometimes get rash and most other times do not -- up to 8-10 hrs after taking the drug. I think it is due to eating spicy (capasin is causative ingredient I believe) food for dinner the night before. My guess is that both it and Niaspan tend to become synergetic in vasal dilation, but I have not seen anybody else report this relationship. This has become a bit more of a problem since I stopped taking 81 mg aspirin with it (I now take Plavix rather than aspirin). M 61 5 years
1/23/2006
 4  hyperlipidemia, low HDL, coronary d Intense burning of skin, redness – preceded by, or followed by intense itching in large areas in various parts of the body. At first, these symptoms were consistent, usually 1-3 hours after a 500mg. dose. But I put up with these side effects, because I had severe muscle weakness and pain with several statins. Started Niaspan after I stopped Lipitor in 2003. Since upping the dose to 1000mg twice a day, I get occasional flushes once or twice a week. More distressing is a new set of symptoms I have had 4 times in the last three months. It typically starts early in the day with a chill with shivering (without fever), cold hands (sometimes hands and feet), nausea and dry-heaves vomiting. On each of those occasions I had some chocolate the night before – not unusual, I am a chocoholic, have at least a taste of it every day. However, after reading this survey I'm considering giving it up. I plan to cut the dose to 1500mg. a day. At first I thought the flushes were intolerable. But I was assured my body would adjust to it. Besides, the statin alternative has no appeal. For me, the myositis is predictable. I have had no muscle weakness or pain since starting Niaspan. Apparently individuals react differently to Niaspan. But if you drink alcohol, the flush is a certainty. I am satisfied with the effect of Niaspan on my cholesterol numbers. M 79 5 years
1/5/2008
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 3  cholesterol a little high At first it was just the flushing, but gradually and in the past few months and more in the last weeks I have experienced the excruciating joint and muscle pain and stiffness (neck, shoulder, back arms wrists, hands stiff calves, legs etc...) to what I experienced on LIPITOR, also anxiety, chest pressure, vaginal burning, head achey, and fatigue. During the past few months I tried to use Replens and experienced horrible vaginal burning. I know I am post-menopausal, but I believe Niaspan has robbed me of my sex life which I have always enjoyed. Intercourse is impossible. My hdl and ldl #s have improved greatly, however I am afraid to continue. I exercise at a gym twice a week and walk every day for exercise. I am disappointed that none of my doctors even brought up Niaspan as a possible source of my problems. Thank you for this opportunity to learn from others. I hope this might help other women connect vaginal problems they may be experiencing with this drug. Why do we have to be detectives? I came to the conclusion myself about the vaginal problem one night when I forgot to take the Niaspan and I did not burn from Replens. I think I may have reached a toxic level with Niaspan. I am not sure if that can be tested. F 67 5 years
2X day
5/5/2010
 3  Low HDL "Flushing" does not begin to describe the experience of this medication at its worst. I have been rather non-compliant with it over the last 5 years because of the side effects but whenever I get motivated to start up again I spend a few days in HELL building up my tolerance. I woke up last night feeling like I was in broiler. I don't mean that lightheartedly. I really felt like I was surrounded by fire. Standing made it a little better but you can't sleep standing up. I took a decongestant (for the vasoconstrictor effect) and watched TV with cool compresses on my legs for 2 1/2 hours before I could go back to bed. I couldn't recline on the couch because that made it feel worse. It feels like your entire body is sunburned and no amount of lotion will help. By the way, being in Minnesota I can say that cool air temperature does not make this feel any better. If anything, all it does is give you a chill. And that's just from 1000mg. I have to build myself back up to Having gone off and back on Niaspan several times for 5 or so years I can say that the worst period for me is start of the regimen. Building up tolerance is excruciating. But once I did that, the side effects went away. I tried the aspirin thing but it never seemed to make any difference. M 43 5 years
9/16/2008
 2  High cholesterol, Muscle pain in neck & shoulders and calves in legs. The flushing can be controlled with taking an aspirin or a motrin a half hour before taking the niaspan. F 69 5 years
1500 mg 1X day
6/3/2010
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Patient History
 5  to increase HDL Flushing for about 30 minutes however not severe. With a combination of 40 MG Lipitor and 1000 MG of Niaspan my total cholesterol is in the 80-90 range. M 68 4 years
1000 MG 1X day
6/28/2010
 5  High triglycerides Occassionally awakened to heart pounding and ichy, burning feeling of my skin of my face, forehead, arms, groin, and legs. Usually ~2-3 hours after falling asleep. Never associated the symptoms with the Rx. Each time it occurred, I had eaten some chocolate during the night-time. Thought it was reaction (a punishment for being so stupid?)to the chocolate. Shower didn't help. Took 2 ibuprophen and rubbed a 'skin calming cream' whereever ichy, burning was occurring. That helped! My triglycerydes were 395. Total cholesterol was 294. Taking Lipotor (20 mg) as well. Combo had worked! Trig. now down to 165! and total cholesterol 153! M 65 4 years
500 mg. 1X day
12/1/2010
 5  high LDL, low HDL, high TGL Occasional flushing, mostly at night, sometimes just comes out of nowhere during the day. Take with one regular aspirin seems to help. Talked my cardio into putting me on Naispan after having really bad psychological side affects from 3 different statins. It works better than any of them and I would much rather itch a little every once in a while than be so depressed I can't function. Lowered my LDL by about 75, increase HDL by about 15, lowered tris by over 100. M 49 4 years
10/6/2005
 5  MI None My Doctor put me on niaspan after I had a heart attack. My cholesterol is 103 My HDL is 53 and LDL is 25. M 61 4 years
11/6/2007
 5  cholesterol / low hdl occaisional flushing - taking 2000 mg once per day at bedtime .... sleeping through flushing. Taking with 10 mg Crestor - combination working Total Chol. down to 93. Had heart attack 4.5 yrs ago. Angiogram now shows whatwas 80% clogged has reversed itself to only 30% clogged. Also taking with 4-5 grams L-Arginine per day. M 57 4 years
11/23/2008
 5  raise HDL, lower triglycerides flushing, if I take it too early before going to bed very effective, take 1000 mg/1xd before bed M 59 4 years
7/8/2004
 5  elevated cholesterol initially flushing face and ears = now nothing Works as well as statins which I now refuse to take. The night flushing went away after a couple of months. M 45 4 years
8/2/2009
 4   hot flashes or flushing of the skin Asprin before seems to help and lots of water M 4 years
11/17/2003
 4  Low HDL 500 mg for 4 years. Occasional flushing and rare severe flushing with rapid heartbeat and breathing restrictions 1 to 4 hours after taking. Flushing starts in the face and slowly extends to feet. Symptoms dissipate in the same order. Taking 100 mg of Diphenhydramine (Benedryl) at onset will reduce the severity and duration of my symptoms. I have never suffered severe symptoms after taking 100 mg of this antihistamine. Had I not discovered this I would probably refuse to take Niaspan. M 57 4 years
11/18/2008
 4  needed it help On fire,every night from head to toes not happy with it :( F 56 4 years
500mg
12/17/2012
 4  Increase HDL Occasional flushing and itching, on rare occasion a mild headache My HDL was around 30 so it was dangerously low. Exercise got it up to 39 but was still low. Enter Niaspan. I take 1500 mg every evening with plenty of water (important) and within 3 months my HDL was up to 54. It does what it's supposed to do. If your body does not react to it I highly recommend it. M 50 4 years
1500 1X day
3/6/2011
 4  Low HDL Flushing in face, neck, chest and arms. I have been taking this stuff for 4 years plus and still experience the flushing, not every time but pretty regular. It does work though - if you can stand it. My HDL level was in the low 20's when I first started. After a few months is was up in the lower 40's and has continued to stay there. If there was any other medication to raise HDL I would switch, Niaspan has too many side effects. M 62 4 years
1500 mg 1X day
2/5/2011

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