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 Date added. 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 |
| 5 | hyperlipidemia | occasional fliushing | M | 76 | 10 years 2000 1X day | 3/20/2010 | 4 | Increase HDL | Itching, no flushing. Take a whole aspirin 1 hour before at night. I think my dose is to high. It did raise my HDL from 39 to 79 | M | 61 | 1 years 2000MG 1X day | 3/18/2010 | 3 | to raise my HDL | Extreme stiffening and very painful back. Also shoulder very painful and limited range. The pain was something that I had never experienced before. What clouds the picture somewhat is that I had been doing exercises in this same period but not any much different than I had been doing at other times when I had no back or shoulder pain. This pain was unbelievable! Almost couldn't walk or use the shoulder that was affected. | It did raise my HDL by about 7 points before getting to the highest dosage of 1500 mg per day but I was already experiencing some pain at 1000 mg so I did not yet go back to taking the med. Perhaps some day I will try the 500 mg level again. | M | 53 | 3 days 500 3X day | 3/17/2010 | 5 | The regular reasons | I need to post something important. I have been taking the big bright orange Niaspan pills for years now with minimun flushing when taken with asprin. The last couple months my perscription has been re-filled and the pill is now a light orange color and has an "A" on them. I just figured this was a generic. Ever since I have been on the light orange pills I have been to ER twice with rapid heart beat, chest pain, and shortness in breath. It was freaking me out because each time they said I was fine...EKG,Blood pressure etc. So I figued it must be this new pill...sure enough I stopped taking the light orange pills and everything with in 24 hours stopped. I am seeing my Doctor next week. I have a feeling this light orange pill is a boot leg product from China that has some how got in the system. I got this at Walgreens in Miami. I am having the pills analyzed now. If you get this light orange pill given to you as Niaspan instead of the bright orange pill do not accept these. | M | 60 | 5 years 2000 daily 1X day | 3/5/2010 | 2 | Cholesterol Lowering | Flushing, swelling | Only minimal effects for 6 days. On the 7th day upon waking up in the morn I noticed swelling of my wrists and redness on various places such under my arms. I was itchy over most of my body but esp. arms, wrists, hands and feet. NOTE: I WEAR CONTACTS AND IT BOTHERED ME BUT NOT TO THE POINT TO TAKE THEM OUT BUT CLOSE. It is Sunday so no Dr but Pharmacist recommended benadryl. I'm waiting for it to take effect. Seeing Dr tomorrow. | M | 67 | 7 days 500 1X day | 2/28/2010 | 5 | Low HDL | Flushing. | I must be the only one that actually enjoys the flushing. | M | 42 | 3 months 2000 mg 1X day | 2/24/2010 | 4 | high trigs and LDL, low HDL | When I tried this drug six months ago, the flushing, itching, heart palpitations, insomnia, and stomach distress were intolerable after one week, even with taking an aspirin an hour before. Now, thanks to the folks who posted here in December, 2009, who stated that taking 500 mg of Vitamin C helped, I am able to take the drug with NO side effects. Thanks. | I don't know whether this drug make my numbers ay better, but it's nice to know that at least I have a chance at it. All five statins I took over the course of three years caused side effects too numerous to list. | M | 62 | 30 days 500 mg 1X day | 2/20/2010 | 5 | hypertrigliceridemia | I get tingly and a flush often, about two to three times a month, but then I take an ibuprofen 200mg tab and it is gone within an hour. | It has done wonders to my very high triglycerides (from 700 to 200). | M | 63 | 10 years 500mg 1X day | 2/16/2010 | 5 | High Triglycerides | When I first started taking this drug 4 weeks ago I had heavy flushing and my legs itched like CRAZY> I am now to the point were it happens very little. I get the flushing still , but I have found it seems like after I eat a meal in a rest. later its getting rid of all the crap from it. My energy level has gone up ten fold and my depression is completely gone. This drug has helped with ED problems caused by other meds I take. I will take this drug as long as my doc will let me and it works it has changed my life for the good | I hope everyone could have the results I have had . My Tryg;s are in half now. wonderful | M | 42 | 5 weeks | 2/1/2010 | 4 | HIgh Cholestrol | I have taken Niaspan 500ER for about 14 months now, on top of the Tricor 145mg. that I take during the day for my high cholestrol. My doctor just added Lipitor to the other 2 because my cholestrol has not improved in the past year. All of my numbers are in the extreme danger zone. Last Sunday night, at 4:30 am, I went to the bathroom and I was having an episode of flushing when I woke up. Sat on the toilet and the flushing seemed to intensify, and the next thing I know, I am laying in the floor of my bedroom with my husband trying to wake me up. I passed out while on the toilet and I was unresponsive when he tried to get me up, so he dragged me into our bedroom. EMS came and could find no pulse nor blood pressure so off to the ER I went, via ambulance. Once in ER, as the techs moved me to the bed from the stretcher, I passed out again and this time began to convulse. The diagnosis was low blood pressure but I go to a neurologist tomorrow. I am wondering if it is a neurological problem | F | 50 | 1 years | 2/1/2010 | 1 | lower chloresterol | panic attacks, hot flashes, fast heartbeat, can't sleep | M | 83 | 3 days | 1/30/2010 | 5 | Tryglycerides low hdl high ldl | Flushing but not every time. Sometimes it's worse but by now I know what to expect. | I had been on various statins for years, after some time developed muscle cramp with each one. Had to quit jogging due to the cramps. Quit taking statins, felt much better but Doctor unhappy. Spring of 2009 tried 1500 mg of Niaspan. Twice a day 750mg. Had stomach problems and quit taking it. Tried Crestor 5mg, ldl good, hdl 30, Tryglycerides high. Fall of 2009 decided to try Niacin again and split 750 mg. Now I take about 375 mg after lunch with some other meds, including 81mg of Aspirin. My second dose after dinner. I have a reaction 2-4 hours later, but not every time and with a different intensity. It is something I can live with. With this dose I don't have much of a stomach problem. My last blood test in December 2009 was excellent. Tryglycerides went way down to 114, ldl great at 93, hdl went from 30 to 44. I work out almost every day, but my hdl was 30 before Niacin. I do take Crestor 5mg maybe twice a week. Intend to drop Crestor and see how the ldl will be. Sofar I am happy with the results of Niacin. Will try as some suggested to take vitamin C before taking Niacin | M | 66 | 180 days | 1/26/2010 | 2 | High Cholesterol | flushing, muscle aches and pains in legs, and general muscle weakness. | Started Niaspan and after 3 weeks legs started to ache like with statins. Got off for 2 weeks and pain went away. Started back on it again and again in about 3 weeks leg pain and weakness again. I can stand the hot flashes just not the leg pain...feel it it may be reducing my cholesterol , but at what price?? | F | 56 | 90 days | 1/18/2010 | 4 | high cholesterol | Taking 1500 mg. will occasionly wake up itching like crazy on arms legs, stomach. Had spicy chicken wings tonite might be the problem. | Has helped all my hdl ldl cholesterol levels | M | 57 | 1 years | 1/16/2010 | 1 | High Cholesterol | High blood pressure, paranoia, inability to concentrate, inability to sleep, high stress, constantly worried, short temper, swollen and discolored eyelids, blurred vision, constant sties, rashes on face, flushing | This is an update to my posting on Nov. 12, 2008 (now over 1 year after stopping Niaspan) - WOW - the long term side effects I was experiencing were horrible - it literally brought my life to a halt. I am now once again a productive individual without paranoia, stress and a high temper. The rash on my cheek is still pink - however it is not swollen and warm any longer. My forehead is no longer bright pink and hot to the touch - it literally looked and felt like a permanent sunburn. I still have a pink patch on my upper chest - but again it is no longer hot and itchy as before. My eyes!!!! Wow again. I no longer have to look through a fog, I can see again at night without headlights and taillights having huge hazy rings around them. This side effet took close to a year to clear up. I no longer have the huge painful sties either. Hope this helps. Please take caution with this medication as it not only has short term side effects, but the long term side effects can creep up on you and appear as other medical problems. | M | 46 | 4 years | 1/14/2010 | 1 | Raise HDL lower LDL after Stent | Flu like symptons. After 10 hours of sleep I did not feel refreshed--could have slept another 10 hours. Severe loss of memory: completely forgot how to play solitaire, Scrabble. Driving: drove past exits! | If I could have tolerated Niaspan I would not have hesitated continuing to take it because it is supposedly less harmful than statins (which I cannot tolerate either) since it is a vitamin. Nevertheless use caution when taking this or any medicine. | M | 80 | 30 days | 1/10/2010 | 4 | high cholesterol | I have been on Niaspan for about 1.5 years. I take it right before I go to bed which helps reduce the flushing. I can't take aspirin, so get the flushing sometimes- but it usually goes away within half hour or so - and usually I can go back and sleep through it. It does make me a little itchy at night sometimes - like many medications, there is an adjustment period - but it does get better, although never perfect from what I have experienced | I can't take statins -so this has helped to bring my cholestorol down and the side effects are intermitent - sometimes I don't feel flushing for a couple months - I think it is worth it - and for those of us who can't take a statin, it would be wrong to take it off the market because someone else had a poor reaction - if that were true we would not have penicillin! | F | 47 | 1.5 years | 1/8/2010 | 3 | Cholesteol, Triglycerides | Hot prickly sensation (so that's what they meant by "flushing"), mostly in face, but spreads to rest of my body occasionally. | Dr. started me off at 1000mg/day taken all at once for 30 days, then up to 2000. I'm 190lbs and pretty fit. The thorough warning about flushing helped a lot. I can see how this caused panic in some who did not have any expectation of what might happen. I generally tolerate all meds well, so this side effect thing is news. Experimenting with time of day and snacks. Will try the apple/juice idea next. Splitting the dosage seems like a good idea, although the Abbott nurse said they recommend all at once at bedtime-because the body metabolises cholesteral better at rest. | M | 46 | 10 days | 1/5/2010 | 3 | high triglycerides | I have not had any side effects and been on this for 2 weeks. | I have read all the comments and have not seen the suggestion that my doctor recommended. he says to eat an apple with the niaspan at night and the apple pectin decreases flushing. so far has worked for me. dont know results yet on lowering my numbers. will find out in Feb. | F | 39 | 2 weeks | 12/29/2009 | 2 | HDL low; triglycerides little high | The first night had nausea, severe itching & burning (as if someone set me on fire while still alive). Though the itchy and burning are not as severe now and no recurrence of nausea, I also have developed swelling in hands/ankles/feet, shortness of breath and stiffness in joints (hips, knees, ankles, back, wrists, fingers, arms). I am tired but that may be due to lack of sleep since I wake up frequently due to the fluctuations in body temperature. I have also gained weight probably due to the water retention. | Recovering from a massive pulmonary embolism. Breathing was finally getting back to normal when doctor prescribed this. I was told to take at bedtime with a snack. Crackers is not a snack. I now take it with a yogurt. I am already on an aspirin regimen and blood thinners so I do not take additional aspirin at bedtime. None of my rings fit due to the swelling in my hands. Shoes are now too tight. I walk like I am 80 due to the stiffness in my joints. I have only been taking this for just over 3 weeks and feel the side effects are worse than any benefit. I have not had additional blood tests so I do not know if this medication is effective. Will re-test after 10 weeks. Doctor prescribed a diuretic for a few days but it has not made a difference yet in the swelling. | F | 51 | 23 days | 12/26/2009 |