NIASPAN Reviews (NIACIN)Average Rating: 2.7 (694 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare NIASPAN with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
|
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 |
| 4 | High Triglycerides | No side effects if I eat yogurt just before taking. Flushing and burning if I don't eat the yogurt. Yogurt works better than applesauce. Both are good for the flushing side effect. 1000 milligrams. | M | 58 | 2 months | 1/10/2009 | 4 | High Cholesterol | nothing to report except burning, itchy skin, not after every dose but when it happens it is severe. It wakes me from a dead sleep. I am taking aspirin before the niaspan, and am also taking fish oil with the niaspan. My regimine is 30 minutes before bedtime, I take an aspirin, then at bedtime take 750 or 1000mg niaspan ( my dose has changed) and fish oil. Usually do so without incident. On two occasions I have had sever reactions but otherwsie am fine. | M | 49 | 1 years | 1/8/2009 | 1 | HIGH TRIGLYCERIDIES | I HAVE BEEN TAKING NIASPAN FOR ABOUT A MONTH NOW AND EVERY OTHER DOSE I HAVE THE BURNING OF THE SKIN, SO BAD I GET PANIC ATTACKS. DR SAID THAT MY BODY SHOULD GET USED TO IT. BUT WHAT'S WEIRD IS THAT IT DOESNT HAPPEN EVERY TIME. | IT MAKES ME FEEL BAD | F | 27 | 1 months | 1/7/2009 | 3 | High Triglycerides | Been on 500mg for 2 months.Woke last night burning so bad I thought my skin was on fire.Woke my husband because I thought I was going to pass out. Ten minutes later throwing and going.After I threw up the burning was better but lasted 3 hours.SCAREY. | Dr. told me about side effects but never had any burning until 2 months later.I am still disoriented from last night and will call Dr. in the morning to see if it has helped my triglycerides at all.If not,then I am done with it.All I can say is if you experience this ,try to stay calm and it will pass.Best of luck. | F | 42 | 2 months | 1/4/2009 | 4 | | 12/28/2008 | 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 | 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 | 4 | high triglycerides | litle flushing,upset stomach,hungry | Before I start taking it my triglycerides were around 800,now about 250,it works. | M | 46 | 9 months | 12/15/2008 | 1 | High Triglycerides, High LDL | After about 3 weeks, I started getting excruciating headaches! Severe nausea and vomiting. I've missed 2 days of work because of it. I have what I think is a severe cold, but could also be an allergic reaction to it...I started these symptoms about a week and a half after starting Niaspan. Sinus congestion, ears are popping, coughing, runny nose, sneezing, sore throat, feverish, aches. Have not had the severe itching. | Niaspan ER 500mg, taken near bedtime with snack and aspirin. Headaches, nausea, and vomiting only in the daytime or when I wake up in the mornings. | F | 38 | 3 weeks | 12/11/2008 | 1 | Slightly raised cholesterol | Burning and extreme flushing of face, hands and legs. Felt like I had been sprayed with acid and then dried with a blow lamp. Unable to sleep as a result. This was even at the relateivley low dose stage. | My doctor didn't warn me about the side effects and frankly I can't imaging why he prescribed it when statins are preferred by most doctors. I took myself off it as it was ruining my life. | F | 40 | 1 months | 12/2/2008 | 4 | elevated lipoprotein (a) | I've been taking Niaspan for about a month (2000 mg at bedtime). I have elevated Lp(a) with normal HDL's, LDL's, and a high calcium score. I've been fine except this morning, about 9 hours after taking it, I feel a bounding heartbeat and slightly elevated heart rate (not palpitations). I've never experienced this and am wondering if it is from the Niaspan. | F | 44 | 1.5 months | 11/27/2008 | 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 | High Chol: 3000 mg Niaspan daily | I take 3000 mg Niaspan daily, at bedtime. This is the highest therapeutic dose recommended. Side effects include flushing and itching, and tightening of tendens behind knees. Niaspan should only be taken at bed time as the liver produces cholesterol during the sleep cycle. The other benefit is that the flushing and itching is significantly reduced or eliminated during sleep. The flushing never really bothered me too much... at least not to the point that I ever thought about discontinuing Niaspan. I had taken niacin a number of times years earlier, so I knew about the flushing and itching in advance of starting Niaspan. Niaspan side effects are nothing in comparison. I rarely get any flushing or itching now... and not a big deal when I do. I just expose my skin to the air and go back to sleep. | Before Niaspan: T-Chol 328, Trig 304, LDL 222, HDL 46. After Niaspan: T-Chol 181, Trig 150, LDL 100, HDL 52. My triglicerides can fluctuate upwards of 300 at times, which I attibute 100% to alcohol and sweet mixers. Cutting out alcohol and sugar drops my Triglicerides down to 150. If flushing and itching are your only side effects, I highly recommend sticking with Niaspan as the flushing and itching will subside. Start with a low dose and build up tollerence before increasing dose. I've tried verious statins over a 7 year period and none of them lowered my cholesterol to the level that Niaspan did. And Niaspan side effects are nothing compared to the side effects statins cause. | M | 49 | 3 years | 11/22/2008 | 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 | 3 | Very Low HDL and High LDL | I am a Male 38. Its 4am right now and I am having my first episode of Niaspan side effects. I am taking 500 mg and today made the mistaking of having very spicy food for dinner and now I am paying the price for. My body is on fire as I write this and its feels like that ants are all over my body. The only thing different I did today is eating that very spicy food. Trust me it wont happen again. The burning sensation started 20 minutes ago and it is a little better now. This is what you call breaking news reporting I am writing as it is happening.lol. | M | 38 | 15 days | 11/17/2008 | 2 | High Triglycerides | Whole body redness, itching, painful, small hive-like bumps, and felt like I was on fire. I also started to have pronounced heartbeat and shortness of breath. These did not improve over time while on the medication. They actually got worse. My triglycerides did not go down much either. I did lose weight and started exercising more. | I stopped on my own after about 9 months and requested my doctor to put me on another medication that did not contain Niaspan or Niacin. I was not getting much sleep and could not put up with the side effects. | F | 36 | 9 months | 11/17/2008 | 5 | High Cholesteral & Triglycerides | I have the typical side effects (flushing, itchiness, pins & needles) about once a month but they are minor and normally preceded by spicy food, which is not recommended when taking Niaspan. | Extremely satisfied with results so far. I have been taking 1000mg/day for 6 months now and cholesteral went from 223 to 185 and triglycerides went from 259 to 120. Also saw a minor reduction in LDL from 139 to 118 and minor increase in HDL from 32 to 42. Have been on Tricor for almost 4 years and never saw this type of movement in my numbers. | M | 50 | 6 months | 11/16/2008 | 1 | lower cholesterol | Not only does my husband experience the occasional hot pin pricks & flusing, but has also developed PERIODIC LEG MOVEMENT (PLM) from using this drug. We are disgusted because he went through a sleep study and the Dr.'s knew he was on this drug. No mention whatsoever that this may be the cause of the PLM. PLM is different from restless leg syndrome. | My husband has extremely painful leg cramping & uncontrolled movement approximately 1/2 hour after taking this drug. We just discovered that the 1,000 mg. of Niaspan he was taking before bed was the cause of the PLM. As soon as he can get into talk w/his cardiologist, he plans to discontiue this drug. He has been on this drug for approximately 8 years and has been going through the PLM almost the entire time. No Dr. has ever told us that Niaspan could be the cause. If anyone wants more info on PERIODIC LEG MOVEMENT in relation to taking Niaspan, please feel free to email us. | M | 57 | 8 years | 11/16/2008 | 4 | Bad Cholesterol Too High.... | None whatsoever, it may be psychosematic, after reading the labels on some of the side effects, but nothing more. | I have been taking this medication for over two weeks, and have not had a problem. I believe that it may effect some folks differently, just like the fact that no one has the same personality, or fingerprint. Haven't had a problem at all. I am a post CABG-5 open heart surgery patient, going on two and one half years now, and my cardiologist, at the world reknown Heart Center in MA, is fair, direct and to the point. Sorry that I cannot concur with most of you on this particular medication. It's great to have a venue such as this to share these factoid's on the follow-up care in these United States. Make a great day happen! | M | 52 | 16 days | 11/14/2008 | 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 | I did not realize these side effects were caused by Niaspan until I read other comments here. I have stopped taking Niaspan for 2 months now. Blood pressure returned to normal within 2 weeks, sties have reduced - almost gone, eyelids are no longer swollen, much more relaxed, concentration levels almost back to normal, temper under control, rashes on face are still there but now I doubt they are "sun damage" as dermatologist had diagnosed, did not have to take blood pressure pills that were prescribed. I have to say it was extremely frustrating to be going from doctor to doctor trying to get my sties, rashes and high blood pressure under control. Stopping Niaspan solved all of that. | M | 45 | 4 years | 11/12/2008 |