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 |
| 3 | cholesterol bad low and high | *** I AM NOT A PHYSCIAN OR A MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL. THIS IS A TESTIMONY TO MY OWN TREATMENT. The burning and hot flashes were so bad my supervisor sent me to the hospital the first time I was on this treatment. My physician demanded I go back on it but told me to take an aspirin 1/2 half hour before taking the medicine and this has eliminated the hot flashes and burning!!! So now I get the occassional shaking but considering the first side affects this is no problem! | TAKE AN ASPIRIN ONE HALF HOUR BEFORE TO HOPEFULLY STOP THE "ON FIRE" EXPERIENCE. | F | 33 | 3 months 500 2X day | 12/5/2011 | 1 | Existing Coronary Artery Disease | Minor flushing from time to time after initially getting used to it. | Talk to your doctor about continuing to use Niaspan. My cardiologist took me off of it based on the most recent study from NIH. Basically, NIH stopped their study when they learned that although Niaspan actually increased HDL, and reduced triglicerides, there was ZERO effect of reducing cardiac events, and there was a slight increase in stroke risk for for the control group. If there is no benefit, then why pay these huge prices for a medication that offers no help? | M | 57 | 2 years 2000 mg 1X day | 12/5/2011 | 3 | Low HDL | Occasional hot red, burning, itching of arms/thighs in the morning. Recently nasal/sinus membranes have become dry, causing severe sinus headaches during the night. Unable to get rid of them for over half the next day. No dry mouth though and do not see this problem listed anywhere. Don't know if this is connected to Niaspan or another med reaction. | Started 500 mgs to 1000 mgs 1x per day at bedtime. Always take 3 aspirin or ibuprofen at night for pain. Now take 30 minutes prior to Niaspan. First three months, HDL rose 11 points. At six months it dropped 9 points lower than the original number. (Total swing 20 points down.) Came back up somewhat after nine months. Doc doubled dose to 2K mgs. Headaches started. During a sleep lab study at 1K mgs, they found my heart rate was 95 while asleep. Could it be the Niaspan?. I don't mind taking it if it will work, but results have been all over the map. | F | 54 | 9 months 2000 mg 1X day | 12/2/2011 | 2 | I started out taking 500 mg per day for 1 week the Dr said on the 2nd week increase the dosage to 1000mg So I did no problem at all.Now 16 months later my body starting at the back of my head all the way to me feet is burning & itching like I am having a reaction to the medication.I went to taking 500 mg without the Dr telling me for 1 week and no problem at all.So this week I started back on the 1000mg and the same problem has started again.This is why I am here reading all the comments my body is on fire.I will go back to 500mg starting tomorrow.Thanks for all the comments.I dont have Insurance or the money to see my Dr so I will play Dr myself. | F | 49 | 16 months 1000 1X day | 12/2/2011 | 1 | high triglycerides | After third day I had nausea and headache....after taking dose on day 4 I started burning and itching.....felt like an attack of hives...I was literally crawling out of my skin...I became scared when my pulse rate came up and my blood pressure dropped from 129/65 to 88/44 within 10 minutes....I took benadryl gel and slathered all over my body and put cold cloths on my face and neck.when I was finally able to toss on some clothes my husband started for the emergency room...I soon calmed down so we stopped at our pharmacy...I am exhausted and will not take niaspan again | F | 76 | 4 days 500 mg 1X day | 12/2/2011 | 1 | cardiovascular | flushing, some imbalance | doc had me on 500 a day for one week then 2/500 the 2nd.I took for 2 days (2nd week) and on the 3rd day had a stroke, I'm now disable. that was a year ago this past August (8/10). all this because the doc thought my good cholesterol was 5 points too low. | M | 59 | 500-1000 2X day | 11/29/2011 | 1 | Low hdl 26 | flushing, burning face, arms, legs,the white of my eyes blood red. Swollen face, neck, hands and legs. Shortness of breath | no more for me | M | 57 | 7 days 500 1X day | 11/16/2011 | 1 | High tri and low HDL | First thing NO alcohol use near or after dose. The heat and tingling will wake you up and you will suffer a lot. Also my heart rate goes way up after taking. Was slated to take for 3 months made it 9 weeks. | During the time I was taking this I commented to my wife that I don't like this stuff. Last night the heat flush and tingling drove me nuts, had to get up and I passed out at the bathroom door. My heart must have raced beyond its ability, when I woke up trying to get comfortable with my head on the lino as a pillow, I was totally unable to get up and got nausious. Still couldn't get up so I had to drag my self to the toilet to vomit. It's lucky I didn't vomit while unconscious and aspirate the liquid and die.The sound of me hitting the floor/wall woke my wife she thought the front door had been kicked in by invaders. For me the stuff is no more. As far my diet, its low in saturated fats including red meat and too much carbs. For some reason my doctors never talk about diet change just take this with no diet change! | M | 51 | 70 days 500 mg 1X day | 11/13/2011 | 3 | high cholesterol | flushing not too bad once a week or so. Really bad headaches (everyday) that will go away as soon as i take the drug, muscle pain specially on my shoulders and neck, missed period and sex drive completely gone!! | I don't even know if is working yet but i really hope all this is worth it. | F | 33 | 41 days 500mg 2X day | 11/11/2011 | 4 | High cholesterol | In the beginning I had flushing every night for maybe five minutes, however that has subsided for the most part. Lately, I have noticed the joints in my hands ache, something I have never had before. All of my numbers are much better and sore hands beat another heart attack any day! | M | 56 | 1 years 1000 1X day | 10/31/2011 | 4 | HYPERLIDIPDEMIA | None.. On occassions, get flushing in face for about 2-3 min but subsides | Notice my fingernails grow quickly, have to cut them weekly and also noticed my hair growing quicker. Had some balding, seems to be patching up | M | 48 | 120 days 500MG 1X day | 10/20/2011 | 3 | high triglycerides | 500 dosage = flushing, lasting 2-3 days after 1st dose 1000 dosage = flushing, lasting 2-3 days after 1st dose; dizziness intermittently 1500 dosage = slight flushing but severe dizziness & stomach upset, all this to lower my 217 reading! | Trying to work while feeling this dizzy not easy; lost 1 day already. Having 2nd thoughts about this high dosage. Might ask (beg) for return to 1000 mg level. And yes, I'm taking my aspirin 30 min. before Niaspan. | F | 67 | 6 months 1500 1X day | 10/20/2011 | 1 | High Triglycerides | On Friday night, I started to feel lightheaded and slightly nauseous. By Saturday night, I was lightheaded and was having difficulty breathing. I woke up Sunday morning at 5:00 extremely dizzy and pale as a ghost. I laid back down and within 10 minutes felt myself burning up. I turned on the light and looked in the mirror and I was fire engine red and crawling out of my skin. Within a half hour the rash was from head to toe. The itching and burning was unbearable. | A trip to the emergency room took away the itching and burning immediately. Unfortunately, I am still pretty light-headed and out of it. I went for a follow up with my regular doctor on Monday and he said that it will last a couple of weeks until the medicine is completely out of my system. | F | 32 | 10 days 500 mg 1X day | 9/13/2011 | 1 | Vascular | The flushing makes me want to rip my skin off. It affects my neck, back, arms, legs. My favorite is my eye lids. The 81mg asprin does not help | I am telling my doctor I will not take it anymore. I have discussed this with him in the past & tried to continue. No more. | F | 55 | 1 days 500 1X day | 9/5/2011 | 1 | low hdl | middle of the night, about 5 hours after taking niaspan for a month and a half, skin started swelling, global itching and pins pricking every inch of me. Extreme exhaustion. Out of breath. Haven't taken niaspan for 4 days, yet still the same terrible symptoms. Nothing else new in my life, just Niaspan. | F | 50 | 40 days 500 mb 1X day | 9/3/2011 | 2 | high tri | hot rash, severe itching, which became worse when scratched. bad enough to make one curse. It's 3:00 a. m. central and the itching just stopped. | I have been able to link the side effects to spicy foods and some acholic drinks, such as gin and tonic. I do take 325 mg. asprin. After reading the latest reports on niaspan, I think I am going to stop usage. | M | 68 | 14 months 500 1X day | 8/4/2011 | 1 | high tri | flushing and severe itching and thats with 81mg aspirin | M | 60 | 6 months 1500 1X day | 8/2/2011 | 1 | lower triglycerides, raise HDL | muscle aches weakness, | F | 62 | 2 months 1500 1X day | 7/22/2011 | 3 | Increase HDl | Painfully intense itching causing loss of sleep. Intensified muscle soreness and back pain. Going to ask doctor to take me off medication. Supposed to wait 10 weeks to g for blood test. Want to go early to see if medication has any effect. | M | 62 | 6 weeks 500 1X day | 7/16/2011 | 2 | Bad cholesterol too high | Scalp, face and ears burning; fatigue--not enough energy to exercise, profuse sweating, "zoning out," occasional nervousness--enough to keep me tossing in bed or making my hand shake on my mouse at work. I even switched from taking at night to the morning, hoping for improvement. But no. My doctor would not ok a blood test until 6 months,so I sought out a lab on my own. | My blood test showed both my good and bad cholesterol going up 7 points since before the med. So I decided to quit. This is the 3rd day I've been off this med, and I feel miserable. Since quitting, I've been urinating excessively, especially at night, I've been woozy and very tired. My muscles are stiff. Today at work I suddenly got diarrhea. (Note: I did take Welchol for awhile, and it worked, but the muscle aches I experienced were unbearable. I am afraid to try a statin.) | F | 59 | 3 months 1000 1X day | 7/12/2011 |