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 |
| 4 | high cholesterol | First time I was hot as if on fire. Nurse told my husband for me to eat applesauce, as well as take an aspirin. Ate the sauce immediately. What a difference, have had mild to no side effects on 750 mg. | F | 72 | 5 days 750 1X day | 12/23/2010 | 3 | High Cholesterol | Itching....yes, I get the flush and the feeling of being on fire from the inside out, but it's the itching that has finally caused me to stop taking this medication. The itching happens anytime, day or night, regardless of taking the medication before bed. This has caused severe itching in my groin, hands, legs, arms and face. | My bad cholesterol went down with the drug. However, so did my good cholesterol. It isn't worth the severe itching. I am calling my doctor on Monday to tell her I am through with this medication and to see if we can try something else. | F | 41 | 5 months 500 1X day | 12/11/2010 | 4 | Extremely high triglycerides | I have experienced the flushing and burning and very red skin but it usually happens about once or twice a week. It lasts for approximately 15-20 minutes. It can be very uncomfortable but I know it is working for me! | My triglycerides were well over 1,600!!! I started with 500 mg. for a couple of months and my triglcerides were then below 1000. The doctors increased the Niaspan to 1000 mg per day which I take at night. I had lab work done yesterday and my triglycerides were 430. I know I am making great strides but until they get below 400 we can't get a correct reading on my HDLs and LDLs. I think the Niaspan has helped tremendously. | F | 60 | 6 months 1000 1X day | 12/8/2010 | 3 | high triglicerides 830 | I felt loopy like i was drunk or like a hang over | I was anticipating all the crazy side effects everyone had posted, I did take an ibuprophen 1/2 hour before and then had some jello too. I didnt experience any flushing or burning or itching. Hopefully tonight won't be so bad, this will be my 2nd dose. | F | 37 | 1 days 500 mg 1X day | 12/7/2010 Patient History | 1 | High Cholesterol | No flushing at night, probably because I am on 700 mg Neurontin at bed time for Multiple Sclerosis. Severe fatigue, already an issue with MS, set in about 2 weeks in, followed by a general feeling of malaise and depression. Migraine headaches occurred daily about 3 hours before next dose was due. Eye pain and swelling, irregular heart rhythm, blotches of rash on face. | As far as I am concerned, I would not touch this medication with a ten foot pole again. My neurologist was surprised it had been prescribed, didn't think it was used at all anymore due to it's high side effects profile. He advised me to discontinue use, called this medication downright scary, as there is no predicting how a person will react to niacin in such large dosage. It can work for some and be very dangerous for others. | F | 55 | 3 weeks 1000mg 1X day | 12/6/2010 | 3 | high triglycerides - 850 | Hot, burning, very itchy, red rash mostly over arms, torso, legs | Dr did recommend taking a baby aspirin prior to taking Niaspan to counteract the rash. I had cut down a regular aspirin, but found I needed at least half of a 325mg aspriri to prevent rash. Occasionally, that doesn't help and I still get rash. I immediately take another aspirin. Rash goes away slowly. Other drugs brought down the triglyceride levels down to 350. Niaspan ER only helped with increasing my good cholesterol. Exercising after one month, brought Trig. down to 250. | F | 54 | 6 months 1X day | 12/4/2010 | 1 | high tri's | Was just prescribed this by my MD. After reading these posts I have decided not to take it. Overall satsifaction number is 2.7 and that is horrible. Will find other ways to lower my triglycerides. All my other numbers are fine. Will find a doctor who believes meds are a last resort instead of the first choice. | On the official NIASPAN website here is a key phrase: NIASPAN, with a bile acid binding resin, has not been shown to prevent heart disease, heart attacks, or stroke. | M | 60 | 0 days 1000 1X day | 12/4/2010 | 5 | low HDL | none | doubled HDL level | M | 71 | 3 months 2000 mg 1X day | 12/3/2010 | 4 | High LDL, could not tolerate statin | Controls my cholesterol well, but I've had to learn to live with unpleasant side-effects. Taken at bedtime with aspirin, only wake up with moderate itching 2-3x per week. However, have had a couple of severe episodes; once when I took an iron supplement at the same time woke up with severe flushing like hot needles, shortness of breath, palpitations, nausea,shaking like a leaf. Had a fairly severe bout again last night, does Niaspan trigger hot flashes perhaps? | F | 48 | 2 years 1000 1X day | 12/3/2010 | 5 | High triglycerides | Occassionally awakened to heart pounding and ichy, burning feeling of my skin of my face, forehead, arms, groin, and legs. Usually ~2-3 hours after falling asleep. Never associated the symptoms with the Rx. Each time it occurred, I had eaten some chocolate during the night-time. Thought it was reaction (a punishment for being so stupid?)to the chocolate. Shower didn't help. Took 2 ibuprophen and rubbed a 'skin calming cream' whereever ichy, burning was occurring. That helped! | My triglycerydes were 395. Total cholesterol was 294. Taking Lipotor (20 mg) as well. Combo had worked! Trig. now down to 165! and total cholesterol 153! | M | 65 | 4 years 500 mg. 1X day | 12/1/2010 | 4 | Flushing. Take a low dose asprin or a chew a couple of baby asprin with your dose to moderate the flushing effect. | Take a low dose asprin or a chew a couple of baby asprin with your dose to moderate the flushing effect. | M | 51 | 1X day | 11/28/2010 | 1 | Lower LDLs | Chest Rash (maculopaulr), burning nose, burning thighs, sties on eyes and ringing in ears. All these were additional to normal flushing sensation that dr's warn you about. | Immediatly discontinued use and chest rash and sties went away slowly(months). Hot compresses helped on eyes. It is now 18 months and remaining symptoms are yet with me, although not as severe. Very slowly things are headed back to normal. I have seen multiple doctors (allergists and dematologists) and they are not of much help. Most are reluctant to attribute these long lasting symptoms to Niaspan, but when I confront them with what else it can be, they have no answer. I think my family practitioner is practicing defensive medicine. I will concede that my set of symptoms are rare, judging by the low number of other patients who have reported severe long term side-effects. Nevertheless, I have no history of hypochondria and I strongly believe that it IS the Niaspan. My advice to those suffering with severe side effects is to (1) discontinue use immediatly and (2) tell your physician that just because something is rare and you have not seen it, doesn't mean that reported symptoms cannot be due to Niasapn | M | 69 | 3 weeks 1000 mg 1X day | 11/26/2010 | 5 | Cholesterol LDL was 700 | on occasion I do experience the Burning sensation or Skin on fire that people describe. I consider this a small price to pay to lower my colesterol and keep it down as it has done for the six years I've taken Niaspan.. | It seems to me the negative comments are more from people not warned about the burning sensation some people experience.. I have only had this happen a few times over six years but can attest to the fact it is uncomfortable. But so are the concerns over Blocked arties and heart attacks. This drug works.I consider the burning a sign its working and enjoy every minute of the sensation.. Burn baby Burn TOTAL Colesterol now barely over 100 | M | 65 | 6 years 1000 2X day | 11/18/2010 | 4 | cholesterol | I'm so glad I found this site. I was searching the internet for my symptoms, which are waking up feeling like I'm on fire. The first time it happened I freaked out. My skin was hot, puffy and bright red everywhere. I thought something very serious was wrong with me. I was so scared that I think I must have had a panic attack. I was dizzy and was having trouble breathing. I took a cold shower. It didn't really help. I told my wife to dial 911. Luckily, she was still half asleep and didn't hear me. I went downstairs to get some water and the feeling just started to go away. The swelling and redness subsided shortly after. This feeling of being on fire only happens occasionally, like maybe a few times a month. Once I realized it would go away I just started ignoring it. I've found that if I don't panic, and ignore the burning, it will go away in a few minutes. Even though I developed this ignore-it technique, I was not aware of this side effect being the cause of Niaspan | I have always taken Niaspan at night just before going to bed. It makes sense that I'd experience the side effects at night or upon waking in the morning. Now that I know how to deal with them, it's not a big deal. The drug is working for me. | M | 40 | 4 months 500 MG 1X day | 11/16/2010 | 3 | Triglycerides, cholesterol | Mild and infrequent flush, tingling sensation. Taking Ecotrin 325 a few minutes ahead of Niaspan helps. | M | 53 | 5 months 500 mg 1X day | 11/15/2010 | 1 | low hdl | Woke 2 hours after taking drug. I was burning and itching! looked in the mirror and I was red and puffy. I took a shower and drank alot of water. Then I started shivering and I made myself vomit, and drank a whole bunch more water. Symptoms subsided in about an hour. | Unless you really need to, don't take this stuff! Ask your doctor about the real side effeccts! | M | 33 | 2 days 500 1X day | 11/15/2010 | 4 | High Cholestrol / Triglycerides | Moderate to Severe Flushing but not intolerable. | Oddly I also have thoracic spinal pain but it clears up moderately during the niacin flush providing temporary relief. | M | 43 | 6 years 750MG 1X day | 11/9/2010 | 3 | M | 80 | 10 days 50 1X day | 11/7/2010 | 2 | The usual reasons | WOW! Thank goodness for this website! I was expecting the "Flush" to be similar to a hot flash - no big deal. Awoke 2.5 hours after first dose with a feeling of needles coming thru my skin. Started at the base of my skull and went to arms and legs. Still half asleep, I started scracthing violently, then realized it was the DRUG! Leaped out of bed and looked in the mirror to see my entire body was bright red. I'm allergic to Sulfa drugs and this was the same reaction so I immediately took 2 Benadryl and drank 2 large glasses of cold water. Looked down at my knees and they were all wrinkly! Ran to the internet and found you and was relieved to see I wasn't dying! Calmed down and then started shaking, nose running, etc. Read thru your posts, tried to stay calm and went back to bed. | Scared to face the second night so I cut the tablet in half and only took 250 mg with applesauce, triscuits and lots of water. NO SIDE EFFECTS! But further research shows minimum of 500 mg -- 250 is probably not enough to do anything, but I'm going to take it slow and build up to 500 in a week or two. Geez! And my cholesterol is basically under control and all blood work was VERY normal! Would love to wean off the simvastatin entirely if I can tolerate this drug! Thanks again for being here and taking the time to share your experiences! | F | 63 | 2 days 500 mg 1X day | 11/6/2010 | 5 | elevated lipoprotein(a) | some extreme flushing at first and insomnia. i don't take it at bedtime; usually early in the day. i rarely have flushing any longer unless i forget a dose, and then will have some flushing. | it has lowered my previously very elevated lipoprotein(a) levels. and though my LDL and HDL and tryglicerides were very good prior to the Niaspan, they are now even better. heart disease is a killer in my family. i am grateful that thus far this drug is helping me. | F | 54 | 6 months 1500 mg. 1X day | 11/3/2010 |