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 | Hi Triglycerides | Terrible burning and intching that can last from a few minutes to a few hours the following morning; not eveyday but at least once a week | Other than the burning anf itching I have no other side effects | M | 48 | 1 years | 11/17/2007 | 3 | to raise HDL | I get a burning sensation on upper part of my body several nights a week, usually 3 to 4 hours after taking medication. The burning sensation usually last about 30 mins to hour. Also developed some skin irritation on arms and back recently that went away. I also have dry skin/itching. Raised my HDL from 28 to 42. | I take 1000 mg/day along with an 80 mg aspirin and a snack a half hour before going to bed. | M | 47 | 1 years | 12/23/2004 | 3 | Low HDL | Whole body rash and severe itching | I was taking 1500mg of Niaspan along with 250mg of aspirin every night. I am also taking Zetia to lower my LDL. I had no or very mior reactions to this drug for nearly a year and then BAM I woke up with the rash over my torso and legs. I thought it was my laundry detergent, so I rewashed all my clothes in a new detergent. The rash went away and I attributed it to the new detergent, but then it came back. I saw my doctor a couple of weeks ago and he told me that most patients do not stay on the drug very long because of these side effects. He told me stop taking it. I still feel a little tingly, but that could be the Zetia. | M | 43 | 1 years | 10/13/2007 | 3 | High cholesterol | Intense flushing, tingling, and pin-prick sensations especially in crook of elbow and knee, and armpits. Tends to raise my blood sugar (including A1C), especially in doses of more than 1500 mg/day. | Symptoms usually appear about 4 hours after dosage, sporadically for a few days after starting or increasing dose. Generally not a problem after adjustment, but can reappear now and then for apparently no reason. Never had an episode of more then 30 minute's duration. Exertion tends to worsen symptoms. | M | 48 | 1 years | 6/23/2005 | 2 | Low HDL hi TGs | Periodic flushing - one night really bad, but then when increased from 1500 to 2000 experienced almost constant itching over most of my body. 2 weeks with itching, though immed cut back to 1500 Doctor wants me to take Tricor, but not interested. | approx results-3 month intervals dose/hdl/ldl/TriG: 500/29/87/236; 500/23/86/225; 1000/28/77/246; 1500/22/69/182. Not overwhelming | M | 46 | 1 years | 10/21/2005 | 2 | Low HDL | I usually get the "burn" that lasts from 2-4 hours about once every month and a half. But last night I had extreme burn (my skin was beet red) and extreme itching on my legs. It was almost unbearable. I think I may go off this. | M | 39 | 1 years 1X day | 1/13/2011 | 2 | To improve HDL | A big flash the first time at 500 mg. Hit me when I was moving around. Flashes tapered off over the next few weeks, but I noticed whenever I had a big or late dinner and followed it with Niaspan, it increased the chances of flashes; big & small. Titrated up to 1000 mg tablet without much trouble and stayed with it for most of a year. HDL levels got worse (37 to 33). Now at 1500 dose, hoping for improvement. | To ward off flashes, I've done 2 things... 1 - Eat light before taking the pill. I think that pill will disolve in your stomach acids on top of a big meal and feed you a big dose all at once when it finally moves into the intestines (that's my theory to explain my experience). 2 - Be still after taking it, as you would be still when you sleep. Moving around increases the risk of a flash, and if I have one, moving around makes it much, much worse. If I wake up with that sunburn type flash going on, I lay still & calm and it passes within minutes. If I get up, move around and fail to stay calm, I'm in for a whopper... | M | 52 | 1 years | 8/1/2008 | 1 | High cholesterol | Swelling from head to feet including eye lids and inside ears, feels like I have been wraped in insulation, itching, burning the heat is some times awful, skin turns red. | I take niaspan with crestor and aspirn I have tried cold water baths and rub down in alcohol nothing helps. My joints hurt and musles cramp I get so week I can't make it to bed, My heart hurts and I find it hard to breath, This happens at least 3 or more times a week. This has even come on around 5:00 PM when I haven't taken a niaspan, I worked my way up to 1000 and have even worked down to 500 but nothing works. | F | 61 | 1 years | 5/6/2009 | 1 | High Cholesterol can't take Statins | I am a thin woman,over 65, am not a big eat meater and not an alcoholic, etc. I took niaspan, for about a year (increased from 1000 mgm to 2000 mgm. I all of a sudden had an acute attact of Gout (with Tophi). I have now had a 2nd attact (all in 6 months time. I also developed a very high blood sugar (from 110 to 155. My Uric acid came back as 10. I stopped niaspan, started Colchicine and Allopurinol, and my uric acid dropped to 4.6 and blood sugar to 110. This is not a side effect - it's a terrible disease that noone in my family has ever had. Nor is there any diabetes in my family. I blame Niaspan for this, and think that they should be made to label bottles boldly for both M.D. and patient to see easily. Also the Pharmacy that dispenses should be told. What gross incompetence. | F | 70 | 1 years | 5/28/2009 | 1 | High Cholesterol,cannot takeStatins | I took Niacin ER 2000 mg.for 3 yrs. I expected the occasional flushing and rash on my face. During this time I became very anxious and unable to deal with stress. I was put on two antidepressants. I started with reflux, nausea,inability to eat without coughing and spitting up, severe weakness so much that I felt a "sinking" feeling and would have to go to bed for an hour several times a day. I attributed the nausea etc. to GI problems. On three occasions during the three years I thought all this was possibly the flu or stress. Three weeks ago my face began to swell. I looked like I had gained 20 pounds. My weight remained the same. I had blisters on my tongue and sores in my mouth( attributed by my GI MD and Dentist to stress)My tongue felt like it was on fire. I called my Primary care doctor and he said to stop the Niacin immediately and take ASA and Benadryl.I started to look up the side effects of Niacin on medical sites and blogs. All of my symptoms were there. Within one week after stopping the Niacin All of my symptoms disappeared including GI symptoms. I no longer need my acid reducing prescription. I have much more energy. My husband says I am a different person. It has now been three weeks since I quit. I can exercise now and I will gradually start to discontinue my antidepressants. I wish I had known of All the side effects. I urge you all to Refuse to take Niacin! I have begun a natural treatment of 1 Tablespoon of Organic Virgin Coconut Oil twice a da | F | 73 | 1 years 2000 mg ER | 10/1/2014 | 1 | High Cholesterol,cannot takeStatins | I took Niacin ER 2000 mg.for 3 yrs. I expected the occasional flushing and rash on my face. During this time I became very anxious and unable to deal with stress. I was put on two antidepressants. I started with reflux, nausea,inability to eat without coughing and spitting up, severe weakness so much that I felt a "sinking" feeling and would have to go to bed for an hour several times a day. I attributed the nausea etc. to GI problems. On three occasions during the three years I thought all this was possibly the flu or stress. Three weeks ago my face began to swell. I looked like I had gained 20 pounds. My weight remained the same. I had blisters on my tongue and sores in my mouth( attributed by my GI MD and Dentist to stress)My tongue felt like it was on fire. I called my Primary care doctor and he said to stop the Niacin immediately and take ASA and Benadryl.I started to look up the side effects of Niacin on medical sites and blogs. All of my symptoms were there. Within one week after stopping the Niacin All of my symptoms disappeared including GI symptoms. I no longer need my acid reducing prescription. I have much more energy. My husband says I am a different person. It has now been three weeks since I quit. I can exercise now and I will gradually start to discontinue my antidepressants. I wish I had known of All the side effects. I urge you all to Refuse to take Niacin! I have begun a natural treatment of 1 Tablespoon of Organic Virgin Coconut Oil twice a da | F | 73 | 1 years 2000 mg ER | 10/3/2014 | 1 | to lower trigs. | extreme itching still a year later, Can not sleep without sleeping medication and that does not always work. | worst medicine on the market | M | 64 | 1 years 500 mg 1X day | 12/29/2010 | 1 | Low HDL | Extreme burning reaction. Felt like I was on fire! Like someone poured gas over my entire body and sit me on fire! | Fell and hit head. Cracked skull with bleeding on brain. Required brain surgery. This drug has ruined my life! (I am a commerciat pilot) My doctor still says it's OK drug although it has not raised HDL one bit! This drug should be banned! | M | 81 | 1 years 1000 1X day | 2/11/2012 | 1 | High cholesterol | I have been taking this drug for 1 year and tolerating the side effects of waking at night with flushing and burning skin every couple of weeks. Symptoms subside in 20 minutes or so. Recently I experienced the burning itchy rash followed by a period of nausea, went into spasms and then passed out. My husband said I threw back my head and drew up my hands and twitched like I was having a seizure. He actually thought I died because he couldn't feel a pulse. I was rushed to the hospital all vital signs were okay and the rash was gone by the time I arrived. It was diagnosed as fainting. My doctor took me off this med. and sent me to a cardiologist who attributed it totally to Niaspan. | My cardiologist said my episode was not uncommon for those taking niapan. I'm off it for good. | F | 63 | 1 years | 2/24/2007 | 1 | HIGH CHOLESTEROL | My Pharmacy had switched to the ORANGE coated 1,000MG tablets. I experienced shortness of breath and irregular heartbeats. I had taken the WHITE non-coated 1,000MG tablets for 1 1/2 years with no serious side effects. | I much rather prefer the WHITE non-coated Niaspan 1,000MG tablets. I am now off Niaspan for good... and I am glad. | M | 29 | 1 years | 1/11/2008 | 3 | high triglycerides, unsidedown HDL | body turns sunburned red, extreme itching- creates anxiety due to the discomfort this is the second time-ate a crispy duck and then had a carvel sundae. reaction commenced +/- 7 hours after taking 1000MG | M | 62 | 120 months | 4/28/2005 | 4 | Triglycerirdes High HDL Low | Flushing and Sweating mostly at random times, and a rare occassion of the red blotchy rash that feels like many have desribed as being on fire, having fire ants stinging and so on. The red blotchy rash accompanied with the itching and swelling mainly in the areas of the ankles, face and arms mostly I have confirmed is contributed by eating something with a fat content just prior to taking the Niaspan or taking the baby asprin at the same time. This last about a hour or so for me. | I am 44 years of age, 6ft 1 Inches tall and 230lbs. I am working to get below 200lbs which is near to my supposed ideal weight. I do excercise, not regularly but I do. I walk, bike ride and even swim, whatever you can do to keep the metabolism high enough to do your body the best it can, then do it because it defintiely has it's advantages, but also a good diet is important as well. For me, I try my best to eat correctly but that is not always easy because of many life factors we all suffer from, long work hours, stress and so on. So we have to manage it all as best we can. As with anything everyone can react differently to OTC's or Prescribed meds, some more acute than others as clearly mentioned on this blog, or many experienced nothing at all, or experience the exact same things at the same levels. SO I STRONGLY RECCOMMEND that before you do anything, consult with your physician 1st and if you don't have one, find one through a friend or relative! Do your research, because it's your body not your physicians or anyone elses. I for one hate taking meds like most people do, but sometimes we have no choice. That said before I was precribed anything I did some research and asked some friends who have the same issues with Cholestorol that I have which were high triglycerides and Low HDL. Although they excercise (SOME A LOT MORE THAN I DO) and try and eat right, cholestorol can be genetic issue or just a problem for some regardless, and the need for OTC's or MEDS becomes neccessa | M | 44 | 24 months | 9/7/2009 | 5 | High Cholesterol | Occational very mild flushing... like maybe once a month. I'm usually back to sleep in minutes by removing clothing and covers to cool down. Coolness helps a lot. I take 3000 mg Niaspan at bedtime. | Niaspan is fantastic! In 17 months on 3000 mg Niaspan taken at bedtime, I reduced my Total-C from 328 to 195, LDL from 222 to 135, TG's from 304 to 153, and increaded my HDL from 46 to 52. That's a 50% reduction on average. Statins never provided those results in my 16 years of dealing with high cholesterol. And I hated the side effects of statins. I'm currently taking 3000 mg a day. Start out slow so your body gets use to them. like 500 mg for 4 weeks, then 1000 mg for 4 weeks, etc. I started out on 1000 mg a day and bumped it up to 2000 mg 4 weeks later, and 3000 mg 4 weeks after that. I tollerate Niaspan just fine with little flushing. Ideally, you want to be taking 2000 mg a day at bedtime. Some folks don't like the flushing... and others like myself do not have a problem with flushing what so ever. You never know until you try. | M | 48 | 20 months | 8/14/2007 | 4 | CHOLESTEROL | I have not taken the prescription Niaspan. I have just seen a commercial and thought that I would look up to see how new patients are doing with this new drug. Ouch, it does appear that people are having problems. I have been taking Niacin aka vitamin B-3 which is inositol hexanicotinate 500 mg once a day and this is Flush Free. I have never had any flushing with this and I feel fine. I have no allergies and no asthma. You can buy this at any Walgreens or CVS. It would be worth trying if you are having a reaction from Niaspan. I don't know what the difference is between Niacin B-3 and Niaspan. | I also tried Lipitor and had too much muscle weakness in my arms and legs. Since taking Niacin B-3, my muscles are back to normal and I can run and lift mt 10 lbs weights again. | F | 63 | 18 months 500 MG 1X day | 3/3/2011 | 3 | Heart attacks/cholestorol | Mild flushing, aspirin half-hour before seems to help that. Quite a bit of spaciness over the past four months but this could be because of other meds I am on in particular Lovastatin. Sticker shock from the price! | Started at 500mg then up to 1000mg then up to 1500mg. I am also on Lovastatin 20mg doubled to 40mg in July last year which reduced my overall cholesterol including HDL currently 42, a year ago 34, 6 months ago 45. I would have to say at best it is mediocre, for me anyway. | M | 55 | 18 months | 1/15/2008 |