NIASPAN Reviews (NIACIN)

Average Rating: 2.7 (694 Ratings)

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 HYPERLIPIDEMIA

 Type: Rx Drug

  

NIASPAN  (NIACIN):  Niacin is used with a proper diet and exercise program to help lower "bad" cholesterol and fats (LDL, triglycerides) and raise "good" cholesterol (HDL) in the blood. It is generally used after non-drug treatments have not been fully successful at lowering cholesterol. Niacin is also known as vitamin B-3 (nicotinic acid), one of the B-complex vitamins. It may be used with or without other medications. Lowering "bad" cholesterol/triglycerides and raising "good" cholesterol helps prevent strokes and heart attacks. Lowering fats may also help reduce the risk of pancreas problems (pancreatitis) in people at risk. In addition to eating a proper diet (such as a low-cholesterol/low-fat diet), other lifestyle changes that may help this medication work better include exercising, losing weight if overweight, and stopping smoking. Consult your doctor for more details.   FDA Approval Date: 1997-07-28 (Sources: U.S. Centers for Medicare Services, FDA)

  

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Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.)
5=HIGH (this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal.)

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


RATING  REASONSIDE EFFECTS FOR NIASPANCOMMENTSSEXAGEDURATION/
DOSAGE
DATE ADDED
 
 5   I have had no side effects. I take 1000mg daily. F 51 10 months
10/29/2008
 3  High cholesterol & triglycerides "flushing"...hardy-har-har. Felt like shingles. And facial swelling so bad that I now look like an eskimo. Apparently I have to deal with the edema? Also joint pain, but a little less severe than the lipator (which was intolerable). I have gone back down to 500 mg, but the doctor isn't going to be happy. Also had to stop taking my mega-B vitamin because it was making the "shingles" worse! Couldn't bear wearing anything on my legs. I just hope we don't find out all these side effects aren't in fact overdose symptoms that will wreck the liver! F 55 200 days
10/28/2008
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 2  To raise HDL Despite taking the aspirin 1/2 hour before, I still get some itching and terrible burning. I am also extremely tired, and somewhat nauseous in the mornings. Have only been on it for 4-5 days, so will stick it out a little longer. Am taking 500 mg, but I am extremely sensitive to all medications, so this level packs a wallop for me. So glad to read that others have fatigue and/or stomach reactions. Sometimes you think it's all in your head, so it's reassuring to read what others experience. F 52
10/16/2008
 1  Total Cholestrol 236 HDL 26 LDL 134 Fainted - passed out , Increased heart beat, Rashes on skin - Elevated bumps on the skin on boths hands and legs , Itching -needles running on legs and hands, I was on 1500mg Niaspan at bed time. I woke up at around 5.00AM and went to restroom due to high itching and rashes over my hands and feet. I fainted in the restroom with few injuries....went to the doctor in the morning and they advised to stop Niaspan....NEVER TAKE THIS MEDICINE IF YOU EXPERIENCE ALLERGIC CONDITIONS LIKE DIZZINESS, FAINTING,HIGH HEART BEAT and rashes on skin. M 29 6 months
10/16/2008
 1  To raise HDL levels DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG. What a horrible experience. I took 500 mg right after my dinner. about 2 hrs. later while watching quietly TV I felt needles stabbing my all over my arms, legs, torso and face.My skin was red and burning and my torso felt like there was a "fire within". I also came very close to passing out twice. I thought I was having a stroke or something. I was very close to having my husband take me to the ER. I went on the internet and found this site - THANK YOU - and discovered that these are common reactions to this medication. Why would anyone take this medication when there are so many others out there that can help HDL without these drastic side effects. These side effects cannot be good for other organs in the body. F 61 4 days
10/16/2008
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 4  low HDL Flushing but have discovered many ways to prevent and will share: apples or applesauce really work, Advil LiquiGels OR uncoated traditional aspirin at least 325mg (not 81mg), fiber supplements like metamucil, benadryl for the itchy flushes Tolerance takes about 1-3 months to not flush very often F 43 1 years
10/15/2008
 1  diabetic ldl 110 read this: www.cafepharma.com/boards/newreply.php?s=5da1d93ecb2c21528d4c712302b47098&do=newreply&noquote=1&p=1516439 according to pharm reps, its all a money game F 50 30 days
10/15/2008
 2  slightly low HDL, slightly high LDL I experience "flushing" 2-3 times per week even though I take a full size aspirin with it every night before bed. Sometimes it's HORRIBLE, sometimes it's minor, sometimes I even feel it during the day. I have been taking Niaspan for nearly two years: the first year at 500mg, the second year at 1000 mg. The flushing episodes decreased after I had my thyroid removed, but that's relative. I went from almost nightly to a few times per week. Still really nasty! My sleep is badly interrupted. I have had NO improvement in my HDL or LDL, in fact, they even got worse once. This might work for some people, but when I see my doctor next we will talk about stopping it. I certainly don't want to increase the dosage. F 52 2 years
10/9/2008
 5  high cholesterol Beneficial side effects: cured my migraine headaches. Negative side effects: stomach discomfort/soft stool/flushing for about a month, then the effects disappeared. I had been prescribed various statins, and all of them proved horrific, making me feel decades older. I demanded something different and my previously very high cholersteral levels are now normal. F 51 7 weeks
10/8/2008
 5  Triglycerides, cholesterol 3 episodes of flushing during first few months on Niaspan. No such episodes in 6 months. I have had very favorable results since starting Niaspan 500 mg last January. Triglycerides went from 633 to 119, and cholesterol improved significantly as well (279 down to 210) I did have to tweak my aspirin dosage to avoid any more flushing (I use that term loosely - more like the feeling of bursting into flames!). I now take a half of a 325mg aspirin at least 1 hour before the Niaspan. M 45 9 months
10/7/2008
 1  cholesterol Fatigue, wierd and bad dreams, difficulty sleeping, the usual fire-like flushing (made worse by the fact that I am an unnaturally heavy perspirer), nervousness and anxiety during the non-sleeping hours, mild headaches during the night (I very rarely had headaches before), a feeling that I had been on narcotics. The reaction to this medication frightens me; enough so that, regardless of its intended benefits, I am going to stop taking it; my Doctor is not going to be pleased. M 61 45 days
10/1/2008
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 1  cholesterol SEVERE FLUSHING! last night i felt the FIRE spread across upper body. it started from my nose across my face and neck down arms! itching followed. I endured the fear and panic, only to be immediately followed with being on the edge of passing out and nausious while trying to call my wife for help, (i didn't have the strength to call out to her loud enough!) Don't risk it! i did not take asprin or eat before taking but will never try this again. worst feelings i have ever felt in my life. this can't be worth any gains... heed the warnings. this has to be bad for you. M 39 22 days
9/30/2008
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 1  raise HDL lower LDL I awoke at 3 AM on fire. This is no exaggeration. I thought I'd need to wake my husband to take me to emergency. I awoke two nights ago "dreaming" my arms were on fire. This time it is my entire body. My face was leathery and distorted. I took as directed: 81 mg aspirin 1 hr before taking at bedtime. I also took with a snack. This episode was so scary I will NEVER take another niaspan. Luckily I thought of going to the website to find reactions, which prevented me from going to emergency. F 61 10 days
9/27/2008
 1  lower Cholesterol My ears turned red and felt like fire. It started to spread. I started to itch and broke out in small bumps. Benadryl spray eased it. I thought I was having an allergic reaction. I have a hard time falling asleep. I have wierd dreams and wake up all night long. I have headaches. I used the asprin just like they said and if it helps I would be scared to know what would happen if I didn't take it. It has also made my stomach feel bloated, given me constipation, gas, and nausea. This is only 500 mg. I am watching my diet and increasing exercise. I wish it was just a flush. It felt more like the fires of hell after rolling in posion ivy. It makes hot flashes look like a walk in the park. F 54 1 months
9/17/2008
 3  Low HDL "Flushing" does not begin to describe the experience of this medication at its worst. I have been rather non-compliant with it over the last 5 years because of the side effects but whenever I get motivated to start up again I spend a few days in HELL building up my tolerance. I woke up last night feeling like I was in broiler. I don't mean that lightheartedly. I really felt like I was surrounded by fire. Standing made it a little better but you can't sleep standing up. I took a decongestant (for the vasoconstrictor effect) and watched TV with cool compresses on my legs for 2 1/2 hours before I could go back to bed. I couldn't recline on the couch because that made it feel worse. It feels like your entire body is sunburned and no amount of lotion will help. By the way, being in Minnesota I can say that cool air temperature does not make this feel any better. If anything, all it does is give you a chill. And that's just from 1000mg. I have to build myself back up to Having gone off and back on Niaspan several times for 5 or so years I can say that the worst period for me is start of the regimen. Building up tolerance is excruciating. But once I did that, the side effects went away. I tried the aspirin thing but it never seemed to make any difference. M 43 5 years
9/16/2008
 3  Raise good cholesterol I have had none to speak of until tonight. I agree with the "burning in hell" comparison. My body is red all over and itches and feels like some is sticking needles in me. If this doesn't raise my good cholesterol in the next reading, I'm off of this drug. Been exercising 3 times a week, can't seem to get the good cholesterol raised. M 61 6 months
9/16/2008
 4  low hdl when first prescribed the doctor did not say much other than may have some flushing. I had major flushing and drop in BP. Bigeest mistake is the doctor did not know about starting patients out on low doses and building up. See that over and over again in these posts. Anyone should TELL your doctor that you want a starter pack. Go slow several weeks before increasing doses Has helped my HDL. I'm glad I did my research (former medic) and can probably stay on it. F 53 1 years
9/13/2008
 5  Raise HDL Flushing, "Sunburn" color my doctor started me out on 500mg night for 2 weeks. then i went to 1000mg for 1 month. had my blood tested and then he upped me to 2000mg once daily at dinnertime. only had 1 night where i woke up and had the "i'm on fire" feeling with lots of tingling and "pins-and-needles". sometimes wake up in the night feeling warm. however, i was up once a night for years before this so it is not getting me up anymore than i already was. i take this right after supper and really have had few problems. after just 1 month, my HDL went from 24 to 37. i was told to double the dose and i am about to have my blood tested to see. M 42 2 months
9/8/2008
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 4  to lower triglycerides & raise HDL Have figured out how to live with this drug, which I've been on for 2 months. For me, I have to take it after eating dinner. If I take it then I can tolerate it and don't wake up with the burning sensations or racing heart. I have to time it so that if I'm going to the gym I do so before taking the Niaspan. F 52
9/6/2008
 4  reducing triglycerides Weakness, fatigue excessive daytime sleepiness. Helped these symptoms when dosage reduced back to 500 mg from 1000 mg. Last night missed my dosage, feel great today. I also take 81 mg aspirin 30 minutes prior to taking Niaspan. Triglycerides down to normal range. Appreciate any recommendations on reducing these side effects. M 48 2 years
9/5/2008
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