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 |
| 1 | High Triglycerides | Arms and body burning so bad i couldn't touch myself. Passed out and my wife called an ambulance and the paramedics said my bloodpressure bottomed out.. Spent 2 days in Hospital and was told never to take it again. Now taking Crestor for several months with no side effects... | M | 61 | 1 days | 12/17/2008 | 1 | cholesterol | My 65 year old brother that lived with me took his first 500mg of niaspan and died within an hour. He was on Lipitor and Tricor. He had just taken his medicine and I went downstairs to do laundry. I came back upstairs and thought he was asleep in his recliner instead he had died. Niaspan is dangerous and should not be taken with statins. This is being investigated by the FDA and others. The doctor that prescribed the Niaspan also worked for the company going all over the country lecturing about how wonderful NIaspan was. Please be careful of statins and niaspan. There needs to be a lot more studies done and I believe there will be. I wish someone had warned me about what could happen.. My brother would still be alive. | M | 65 | 1 days | 2/23/2009 | 1 | High triglycerides | I only took this yesterday but never again! I took the aspirin one hour before bed and took the Niaspan with applesauce, as my doctor recommended. Unlike most others here, I didn't experience the flushing. I didn't sleep well. When I got up this morning, I was extremely dizzy. I had diarrhea and then violent vomiting and accelerated heart rate. I was extremely weak and dizzy all day. I've had bouts of flu that were much easier to deal with. I am taking a statin and Omega 3's with no problems. I take a vitamin B complex with a lower amount of niacin and have had no problems with that either. If my doctor insists, I will try Lovaza. Maybe Niaspan helps with triglycerides, but if I have to feel like death warmed over every day, it's not worth it. I'll take my chances and will attempt to lose weight and exercise more. | Good for everyone who can tolerate this medicine. I wish I could. But I would rather have a life that's perhaps a little shorter but one with quality! | F | 60 | 1 days 500mg 1X day | 9/25/2010 | 1 | CHOLESTEROL | WOKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT ON FIRE, MY ENTIRE BODY WAS ON FIRE, SKIN SWOLLEN AND BRIGHT RED OVER ENTIRE BODY, EXTREME HEADACHE...KNEW IMMEDIATELY IT WAS THE NEW DRUG NIASPIAN I HAD TAKEN TWO HOURS EARLIER. CAME DIRECTLY TO THIS SITE TO CONFIRM MY SUSPICIONS. STILL ON FIRE AND MADDER THAN HELL! WHAT IS THIS POISON THEY CONTINUE TO TELL US IS GOOD FOR US? OUR BODIES ARE TELLING A VERY DIFFERENT STORY. NEVER AGAIN WILL I BE DUPED INTO TAKING ANY OF THIS STUFF. | 8 YEARS AGO I WAS ON THIS FORUM TO WARN PEOPLE ABOUT LIPITOR. NOW I AM BACK TO WARN PEOPLE ABOUT NIASPAN. JUST ANOTHER DEADLY DRUG FROM YOUR VERY WEALTHY DRUG MAKERS. DOCTORS ARE TRAINIED TO PUSH THESE DRUGS....YOU DO NOT HAVE TO TAKE THEM!!!! | F | 65 | 1 days 500 1X day | 2/25/2011 | 1 | High cholesterol | I woke up at 2am and my face was on FIRE. I felt like if someone had slapped my soooo hard all over my face. My heart rate went up. When I looked in the mirror, my face was blood red. I am a teacher and the next day I could't read from the computer because my eyes were not fucussing well. I had a terrible headache for days and I was shivering. I felt very cold. I turned the heater all the way up, but it did not help. My back pain got five times worse. I feel like if I have grown old, very tired. I have even stopped doing the little exercise I was doing. I have decided not to continue taking this stuff any more. | Very dangerous stuff!!!!Plase read my experience with this medication!!!!!!!! | M | 35 | 1 days 500 1X day | 2/4/2011 | 1 | high cholesterol | I took my first pill with dinner (potato soup and a salad). I had a glass of juice as well. I then had a piece of birthday cake (chocolate frosting). About 3 hours later the top of my head started to get really hot and I felt like I was standing under a heat lamp. Well within 10 minutes my arms turned bright red and my face was blotchy red. My ears were bright red and the redness started to travel down my body to my toes. I didn't itch, except for some very mild itchiness on my stomach and back which were also a little red. I knew from reading about Niaspan what was happening and raced to get an aspirin - 325 mg. I took it and waited. The whole episode lasted about 45 minutes. My skin finally returned to normal and I felt fine. I am also taking 100 mg of a BP med as well. I am wondering after reading all over the internet about this drug if the chocolate had something to do with the flushing? Anyway I called my doctor this morning and am waiting to hear back from her as t | F | 57 | 1 days 500 mg 1X day | 8/4/2010 | 1 | colstoral | Took this drug one time as it cause extreme tingling, heat and finally passed out twice, with paramedic saying heart rate dropped so badly I was taken to the hospital where I spent 3 days recovering from the side effects of this drug. | I may have been the rare exception but the affect it had on me was so bad, I would never recommend anyone to take it on the outside chance you too, will end up in the hosptial. | M | 64 | 1 days 30 1X day | 7/17/2010 | 1 | Lower Colesterol, etc | Human torch guy describes it perfectly. Took 500mg last night along with the aspirin 30min and light snack before bed. I woke up about 2 hours later with a burning sensation in my stomach and tingling down my left arm. As everyone else described I went into the bathroom and was red as a lobster. Then the burning sensation got worse. I felt like my body was literally on fire. Eight hours later and my eye lids are still burning and am feeling sleep deprived. I'm nervous about continuing but considering some of the other methods others have mentioned. I have an awful burning sensation in my large intestine. | All these side affects are not listed on the freak'n box it came in. Just says - Mild Flushing. I don't think they did enough testing before putting it on the market. | M | 32 | 1 days 500 mg 1X day | 8/13/2010 | 1 | To lower cholesterol | Imediately after taking the first dose I had a bad headache and dizziness. 4 hours later I turned bright red all over my body and had hives . My throat closed up. called rescue and was taken to ER. Severe reaction to Niaspan. Told not to take it again. Three days later, I'm still experiencing rapid heart beats, headaches and dizziness. I'm unsteady walking. Just feel real strange. Was absolutely fine before taking Niaspan 500 | I would never take this drug again. The side effects are awful.I will see my doctor tomorrow. Would like to know how long it takes to get this drug out of your body. | F | 68 | 1 days 500mgER 1X day | 6/20/2010 | 1 | Vascular | The flushing makes me want to rip my skin off. It affects my neck, back, arms, legs. My favorite is my eye lids. The 81mg asprin does not help | I am telling my doctor I will not take it anymore. I have discussed this with him in the past & tried to continue. No more. | F | 55 | 1 days 500 1X day | 9/5/2011 | 1 | health wellness | felt like i had 3rd degree burns. I was almost purple all over my face, arms, back and extending onto my legs. My hands felt like they were going to explode. | I took benadryl and hopped in the shower...thats when i started to get the chills. I've had a headache all day after taking it last night. I will not take this again especially after reading some of the other comments. | F | 30 | 1 days 500 1X day | 3/13/2012 | 1 | HDL = 29 | pins and needles all over body, accelerated heart rate - felt heart beat in throat, arms & legs, shortness of breath, hands felt swollen (not confirmed - too afraid to get out of bed), muscle quivering, headache the next day. | took asprin 1/2 hour before NIASPAN at night. did not eat a snack with it. drank 2 glasses of water with NIASPAN. went to bed. woke up in middle of night with all the side effects mentioned. Finally made it back to sleep. Woke up in the morning with a headache. Headache managed to stay with me all day. thought about taking NIASPAN 1 more night, but after reading all these posts, I will not be taking tonight. I will be calling doctor in morning to let him know I am not interested in taking this medicine. | M | 30 | 1 days 500 MG 1X day | 1/15/2012 | 1 | High cholestorol | Severe "flushing", though that word is not adequate to describe the experience. How to describe it--like your body is being immolated with your head as the source of the fire; like being on an IV drip of habanero pepper extract; like being immersed in the hottest jacuzzi you have ever been in; followed by freezing chills, chattering teeth, and a pulsating brain; sweating profusely and turning bright red like you fell asleep naked in the Arizona desert on an August afternoon. Take something else. Anything else. | M | 34 | 1 days 500 mg | 1/14/2012 | 1 | Raise good cholesterol | Been on Niaspan for 1 month without too many problems that I was aware of. Took Niaspan earlier than my normal bedtime w/o pain medication last night. Woke up at 4 am on fire! Couldn't stop itching all over my body, sweating, irregular heartbeat, edema in wrists and severe headache. I felt as if I had stayed out in the sun all day and had 3rd degree burns. These sensations lasted for about 40 minutes. | I have been having trouble sleeping for the past month. Now, I wonder if it is the Niaspan that is affecting my sleep. I will contact my Dr. on Monday and see if there is something else. I do not want to feel that way again! | F | 54 | 1 days | 9/18/2005 | 1 | raise HDL | Starter dose, 500mg. Followed all directions and suggestions to minimize side effects. SEVERE reaction transported to ER!! My wife says I lost consciousness. | Not for everyone | 1 days | 9/26/2006 | 1 | low HDL | took as directed, ibuprofin 30 minutes before taking Niaspan, ate a low fat snack and went directly to bed. Woke up after 7 hours sleep, drank a glass of water and within 10 minutes of being awake I started turning beet red, skin was raised, tight, bumpy and looked like I had the worst sunburn you could have. This was all over my body and face. Then the tingly feeling started. Then within a few minutes it felt like I was on fire, from the inside. So painful that I was in tears. My tongue started swelling, as did my face and arms, my heart was racing and I was scared to death. I took benadryl to counteract but it only stopped the swelling. The major side effects lasted over 2 hours. It was the most awful experience I have ever had with a drug. | I will not be taking this again. I will try raising my HDL other ways. Fish, olive oil, red wine.. there are much less painful ways to do it than this torturous way :( | F | 33 | 1 days | 2/12/2006 | 1 | high tri's | Was just prescribed this by my MD. After reading these posts I have decided not to take it. Overall satsifaction number is 2.7 and that is horrible. Will find other ways to lower my triglycerides. All my other numbers are fine. Will find a doctor who believes meds are a last resort instead of the first choice. | On the official NIASPAN website here is a key phrase: NIASPAN, with a bile acid binding resin, has not been shown to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, or stroke. | M | 60 | 0 days 1000 1X day | 12/4/2010 | 5 | I Had cholesterol at 240. | Yes, I occasionally get that flushing sensation which scared the daylights out of me at first....thought I was having a stroke. When taken with food in the morning and with dinner at night, I rarely get flushed. But at least I realize that it is a side effect of the drug and will pass soon. | My cholesterol has dropped from 240 to between 165 and 180. I am a regular blood donor so I get a reading every couple of months when I donate. I'm thrilled with the results, especially not having to take a statin. I exersize, maintain my weight and try to eat well. I think that flushing is a small price to pay for a drug that is basically made up of B vitamins. My husband has been taking Niacin in his vitamins for years and has amazing readings. | F | 56 | | 5/10/2008 | 4 | HIGH Tri's | Have had some mild gastro effects (gas/ constipation) slight irritatability and sleepiness problems (get sleepy at my desk in the afternoon). Had one mild flushing episode due to not following the directions for taking the dose (had a whiskey after dinner). | I notice that most people complaining are not honest about following directions. One guy admitted that he ate chili for dinner. The instructions tell you to stay away from spicy foods. My doctor recommeded a handful of Triscuits, a cup of yougurt and the asprin to slow the absorption of the drug and limit the side effects. WORKS GREAT!!!!! | M | 41 | | 3/21/2008 | 4 | | 12/28/2008 |