NIASPAN Reviews (NIACIN)Average Rating: 2.7 (694 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare NIASPAN with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
|
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 |
| 4 | cholesterol control | Radical flushing/burning feeling. | The radical flushing that one would experience taking this medication was effectively controlled by taking an 81mg asprin 30 minutes before bedtime, then taking the 4 Niaspan caps with two cups of apple sauce. Usually I am not aware of any flushing effects as I sleep. Occasionaly, I will feel the effect upon waking in the night and rarely upon awaking the next morning. Chocolate and some candy's eaten at bedtime will negate the buffering effect of the apple sauce. These foods also seem to amplify the flushing effect. I would seriously avoid chocolate after taking Niaspan. My cholesterol numbers continue to improve with each 6 month lab test. After receiving a quad bypass at 50, my heart disease was described as "quite serious". Niaspan, along with lovastatin and carvediol have become my daily regimine, and I am having little or no negitive side effects from these drugs in combination. | M | 53 | 3 years 2000 | 10/30/2014 | 4 | High cholesterol, Lp(a) | On 2 g Niaspan and 40 mg Zocor for several years. No side effects other than mild flushing that lasted about 1/2-hour. Reduced my Total C from 239 to 115 mg/dl, and my Lp(a) from 39 to 13 mg/dl. | M | 76 | 3 years | 6/9/2009 | 4 | M | 77 | 3 years | 5/31/2008 | 4 | To raise HDL and lower LDL | Niaspan has worked wonderfully in reducing my husband and my Cholesterol - particularly in reducing the LDL and raising our HDL levels. BUT most importantly you must take an aspirin or 1/2 an aspirin @1 hour before the Niaspan to PREVENT FLUSHING | Again I cannot emphasize enough that you must take an aspirin or 1/2 an aspirin at least 1/2 hour before taking the Niaspan. Then it can be tolerated. I also take it at night. | F | 66 | 3 years | 6/5/2008 | 2 | low HDL | Occasional flushing, muscle and joint pain especially in legs and feet | My HDL is normally around 28. I've been taking 1000 mg. with aspirin before bed. The flushing sometimes, but not often, wakes me up at night and lasts about 10-15 minutes. Its not that bad and I can deal with it. The problem is it makes my joints and muscles ache and weak, especially the legs and bottom of my feet. They feel fatigued, like I've been walking 10 miles in bad shoes. The doctor told me to quit taking niaspan about a year ago in preparation of a colonoscopy and the pain went away. I didn't put two and two together until last week when I started taking the niaspan again and within a couple of days the leg and foot pain returned. It never raised my HDL more than a few points but the doctor said I should continue its use anyway because of its overall benefits. I haven't talked to my doctor about the leg pain yet. I'll stop taking it again to see if the pain goes away just to be sure it is related to the drug. | M | 50 | 3 years | 12/21/2008 | 1 | Don't know why, Lipitor was fine | My GP took me off Niaspan because my liver levels were increasing. Pain in my right leg from my hip down to my ankle every morning when I woke up. Flushing I could put up with. But liver levels are more important | The Cardiologist I was and repeat was going to put me on 2 medications Niaspan and Maltaq for my heart. Both medications almost did me in. Always read the side effects. If they don't sound good to you tell your doctor. If he doesn't agree with you find another doctor who will listen and not just take samples. | M | 70 | 3 years 1X day | 7/27/2013 | 1 | High Triglycerides | Major, major flushing. The pain was often intolerable. I had to take 5 low dose aspirins every night just to prevent the pain, which was affecting my sleep. I also suspect it was the cause of my increased senstivity to the sun (which is really tough in South Florida) I was on the medication for three years, and it never got better, and my doctor refused to switch my meds. I ended up getting a new doctor, who switched me without hesitation. I'm sorry it took me so long. | To be fair, the Niaspan DID lower my triglycerides, but there are other medications that can do the same without all the pain. | M | 39 | 3 years | 2/10/2007 | 4 | Low HDL levels; Heart attack | I have ocassional hot flashes, mostly they occurr if I take the Niaspan more than one hour before going to sleep, or if I fail to eat a snack (pretzels, yogurt, raisins) before taking the medication. Have been diagnosed with Raynauds since I started cholesterol meds, not sure if the Niaspan is aggervating it or not. | HDL levels have increased about 20 points to acceptable levels. The medication is so expensive that I have reduced the dosage to 1 tablet 4 times a week, I will have my HDL levels checked in 6 months and if they are still at acceptable levels I will be discussing with my cardiolgist about changing to regular OTC niacin tablets. | M | 59 | 2.5 years 1000 mg 4X W | 1/15/2012 | 3 | To increase good cholesterol | I have experienced insomnia for about the last two years and did not attribute it to the Niaspan, but I am beginning to see a trend on here... I flush occasionally, especially if I eat ice cream or something high in fat, which I try not to do close to bedtime because of the Niaspan, so I am going to def try the apple/applesauce thing...I am also going to try cutting the dosage in half and taking 500 in the morning and 500 at night to see if it helps with my sleep and the flushing! | F | 40 | 2.5 years 1000 1X day | 7/13/2010 | 5 | High triglycerides | I was started out at 500 mg/day and my doctor told me to take an 81 mg aspirin about half an hour before taking the Niaspan, in conjunction with my last meal of the day. I experienced intense flushing each day for 2 - 3 weeks, then the flushing lessened. After 6 months I increased to 1000 mg/day, another 6 months to 1500 mg/day and now 2000 mg/day for 6 months. With each increase I experienced more flushing again for a couple weeks. When I went to 2000 mg I increased to 2 81 mg aspirin. If I miss a day or 2, I have more severe flushing but for the most part have very little reaction any more. I have found that taking the 2 aspirin before dinner and the Niaspan about an hour after the aspirin, the side effects are mildest. | After 10+ years of trying various medications, and combinations thereof, my triglycerides and HDL are at normal levels!! With a lesser dosage, my 40 year old son, who has also experienced flushing, has had a positive outcome with Niaspan as well. | F | 67 | 2 years 2000 mg 1X day | 7/12/2010 | 5 | raise hdl's | had the itching and burning skin, but it has passed ny splitung the doses to one in the morning and one at bed | after a couple of month's it improved my hdl level's significantly | M | 44 | 2 years 500 2X day | 6/14/2013 | 5 | angina; bad lipid profile | minor flushing - usually controlled by taking medicine after a meal or by breaking the pill and taking half in AM; half in PM - not a big problem. | Was apprehensive about flushing and possible liver damage. Started with 100mg straight Niacin. Then alternated it with 500mg sustained release one day and 100mg the next. After a while went to 500 one day and 250 (which I break in two and take half in the morning, half in the evening to avoid the flush) the next. Works great. No more angina. I can climb hills, walk several miles. This is a miracle drug! (and dirt cheap: I buy non-prescription; it's basically the same as Niaspan) Now, my lipid#s are great. Saved me a bypass operation! Of course exercise and diet probably had something to do with it, too. | M | 70 | 2 years 250 to 500 1X day | 3/8/2011 | 5 | High trigs flus 200 | lushing only at start or if I skip. Chol from 205 to 167. 5rigs from over 299 to below 150. Avid runner. Take in AM before run. No racey heart. | Less side effect with activie lifestyle. | M | 70 | 2 years 500 1X day | 4/30/2011 | 5 | High triglycerides | Occasional, minor flushing. Can avoid by eating foods low in fat when taken. | This review is actually for the generic, slo-niacin. I worked with my doc for over a year trying different statins for months at a time with frequent cholersterol testing. Nothing has helped lower my triglycerides and raise my HDL better than the combination of niacin and fish oil. I take 2 grams niacin each night, and fish oil three times throughout the day (~1200mg, or 9 pills total). | M | 33 | 2 years | 3/2/2009 | 5 | cholesterol | slight occasional flushing | This does everything a statin does without the terrible statin side-effects. If not for niacin, I would not be taking any cholesterol medicine at all. The flushing is minor and very occasional. I know it will go away in a few minutes, so I ignore it. Taking statins made me feel like I was always sick. | F | 45 | 2 years | 11/4/2007 | 5 | Cholesterol | Flushing is common but you can build up a resistance. Take with Asprin to minimize the flushing. Periodically I stop taking this med and when I start back up I need to take a lower dose for a few days to rebuild my resistance. | If you experience severe reactions - flushing, rash, etc... Benadryl will aleviate those symptoms so keep some on hand. | M | 48 | 2 years | 4/13/2007 | 5 | High Trg | Only occasional flushing and itching even with high dosage. | Had better than expected results with this drug. Significantly lowered my Trg level (down to lower normal from abnormally high) and increased HDL. | M | 56 | 2 years | 10/10/2007 | 5 | High Triglycerides / Cholesterol | I had major buring under skin, skin turning red and itching. The pain was excruciating and lasted for hours. I Finally realized it was due to my eating sugar. I make sure to keep away from sugar for a few hours prior and after taking Niaspan and I do not get the reaction anymore. Dr said spicy foods could also cause the reaction. I am taking 2000 mgs of Niaspan a day in addition to 3750 mgs of Wechol in addition to garlic pills (supposed to be good to lower cholesterol). My Triglycerides were 871, now down to almost normal range. Cholesterol was 330, now down to 221. I would be dead if I did not take Niaspan. I can not take statins due to fibromyalsia so Niaspan was my last option and it is working. | M | 36 | 2 years | 5/7/2009 | 5 | cholesterol | Some flushing in the first month or two. Later = none | I tried 4 different statins and thought they were going to kill me. I finally refused to take them. I asked about niacin and was given this prescription. It gives the same benefits as the the statins without the horrible side-effects. I used to get occasional flushing at night with niacin, but I knew it would go away after a while and I ignored it. Now I get NO side effects. I take 1 gram (1000 mg) at night. | M | 44 | 2 years | 5/29/2009 | 5 | high cholesterol | occasionly flushing for the first couple of weeks. Dry mouth at night. | It works. I tried 3 different statins first and they had terrible side effects. Niacin is much better. | M | 58 | 2 years | 12/25/2009 |