User Reviews for Niaspan oral

Am on 2,000 mg a day, very successful in increasing low HDL, some early experience with flushing but past that stage now.

Cholesteral and triglycerides dropped significantly. Much more than I anticipated.

I haqve a terrible skin rash and dry scaley skin on my calfs and shins.

Dr prescribed this to increase my HDL and lower my LDL. Took 1 1000mg pill. Within 45 minutes felt like I was on FIRE,....turned red on neck, arms, back, abdomen, ankles and feet. Felt like 10,000 bees stinging me at one time. This is not "flushing",.......this is TORTURE !! Stood in shower 40 minutes, then got out and laid on bed and developed SEVERE chills and shuddered for nearly 45 minutes with major chills. Got under cover and went to sleep 2 hours. Woke up, very nauseated and unstable.....tried to get up and balance was off..........still red all over. Made my way downstairs and ate crackers and cheese and then got OK. WILL NEVER TAKE ANOTHER one of these POISION (my opinion) pills in my life !!!!!!!!! HORRIBLE experience, and from what I read in other reviews, it doesn't raise the HDL that much anyway !!! I do NOT recommend this drug for ANYONE !! I threw my samples away and tore up the prescription the Dr game me. He will get a DOSE of my wrath next time I talk to him !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Read More Read Less

i started losing my hair.

Took 500 mg for a month. Been taking 1000 mg for 2 weeks. Will get up to 2000 mg. Bad hot flashes with entire body red and on fire. Extreme itching. I found if I take 2 ibuprofin and 1 benedryl 45 mins before the niaspan then that solves it. But the last couple weeks I have been so sleepy during the day. Anyone else with the sleepiness? Haven't done the blood work yet so don't know if it's working or not.

I do not have any problems taking this medication as others do. Never have flushed or itched. The secret is eating 3 heaping tablespoons of applesauce and then setting alarm for 30 min.and taking my niaspan. I eat nothing else after this and do not take additional medications with it. I have NEVER had a problem with side effects. The applesauce coats the stomach (pectin). My doctor told me about this. Never had to take aspirin with it. I hope this helps many people.

lowers triglycerides well

I have heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. Without meds my cholesterol is between 350-600. Liptitor brought it down to around 180, and I'm a vegan. Diet alone does almost nothing for what I have. Niaspan dropped my cholesterol to 94 total. I was on 2000 mg at the time. My liver enzymes went up so I stopped it, then slowly started taking it again. My Cholesterol jumped over 200 when I stopped the Niaspan. it has since gone back down to 148 on 500 mg, and is trending down. I have increased to 1000 mg with no issues. TO STOP THE FLUSH: There is a natural antihistamine, called Quercetin that blocks the flush. Do a Google search for it. I take 1 500 mg capsule for every 500 mg of Niaspan, at the same time. If I flush a little still I take another 500 mg of Quercetin. Within 20 minutes it is over. Most of the time i get nothing at all. I found that solution by accident on a drug rep forum. Apparently drug manufacturers know about Quercetin and how it blocks the flush, and they are working on a combination pill with Niacin and Quercetin together. it has been shown to block the flushing by 96%. Before I discovered that i could not tolerate the horrible flushing. Now it's a piece of cake. TRY IT. You can get it at any health food store or at vitacost online, which is what I use because it is so much cheaper. Soloray is the brand I use because they make 500mg capsules and they are cheap. Read More Read Less

Took my first dose half an hour after two Benadryl and 800 mg. Motrin. Woke up two hours later with severe burning all over my body. Beet red everywhere. Severe itching and burning lasted for hours. Took a sudafed to see if vasoconstriction would ease the symptoms. Still waiting for some relief. Used ice water baths to keep my mind. Tachycardia also. My cholesterol wasn't bad enough to put up with this. I'll have to try another statin and see if I can keep from throwing this one up.

Started on 500mg for 3 months then went to 1000mg. Taking at night works best but after 6 months still itching almost all day. My arms, neck, temples, cheeks, behind ears, and top of head have red blotches that itch. Right hip is painful when walking or getting up from sitting position. Hair moving on my head makes my scalp itch. Had to take steroids to get rid of rash. Three different times in 6 months. Called doctor today to try and get off it. The sun and sweating make the itch intensify. Six months is long enough for this itching to stop. Enough already!!! Read More Read Less

I've only taken it for 45 days with no flushing. I have had some problem with upset stomach. I'am swithching to otc niasan no flush 500mg due to the price of niasapan er. I won't no the effectivness until I have labs done next month.

I have been taking this drug for 6mos. now. Resently I have developed a rash along with large ichy bumps that look like pimples all over my back,arms and upper legs. They itch and bleed when I scratch them and are quite severe.I switched over from Statin drugs because of similar problems.What to do?

Before Niaspan 1/15/11 - TC 262, HDL 20, LDL 181, TRG 301. After 6 weeks (500 mg) 3/10/11 - TC 236, HDL 33, LDL 153, TRG 246. I started to take before bed with an aspirin 30 minutes prior. There were no side effects except I had a hard time sleeping. The last 4 weeks or so of taking 500 mg I took in the morning and I did not feel the flushing. I have taken the 1000 mg now for a few days and so far no side effects in the morning. I get tested again in about 6 weeks. Will repost.

I have been on this medication for 28 days and have had the usual itching and flushing but I can deal with that. I had not had the lab work yet to see if it worked to lower my cholestrol but my problem is that on Day 29 I started with pains in my abdomen, feeling bloated and a tightness in my chest which is not a side effect but I read where ulcers caused by this medication is possible. Could this medication start giving me stomach ulcers? Has anyone had this problem? Everyone speaks about the itching and flushing but I have not read about this abdominal concer. Do you think if I took it with Yougart or Milk it would help?Read More Read Less

found eating lowfat cottage with little fruit canned peaches or pineapple get no flushing

I was prescribed Niaspan after a heart attack 3 years ago when I was 49. It worked extremely well at lowering my triglycerides and LDL. The drug is very expensive so recently my provider, Kaiser Northern California, made a decision to no longer prescribe this medication. They replaced it with an over-the-counter niacin product called Slo-Niacin. Which is also extended release niacin. I am concerned that this replacement from Niaspan to Slo-Niacin won't be as effective. Any other Kaiser patients experience this? Also, has anyone had any experience with Slo-Niacin?Read More Read Less

Still have high triglyceride count and was taking 1000mg Niaspan but caused severe migraines. Can't take this drug.

I posted a review of Niaspan in mid January 2011. Applesauce works good at reducing the "flush" when you have it with the dose. WHAT REALLY HELPS & ELIMINATES IT IS...LOTS & LOTS Of water/iced tea/fluids during the day!!! ENOUGH FLUIDS ...TOTALLY Eliminates the "flush"!!!!! However, now it's either I take a double dose of Niaspan 500 mg OR Trilipix. After reviewing the reviews for Tirlipix...I choose the double dose of Niaspan!!! I will also take the PA's advice to take a regular 325 mg. Aspirin 1/2 hour BEFORE I take it...as he says it will help any "flush" effects. My chol=193 & trig=256 as of 1/27/2011. Will repost in 3 months to let you know if this works! I've also chosen to exercise more & have really gone healthier on eating. I have NO other side effects! LOTS Of fluids IS the answer to reducing if not eliminating all/most of the side effects!!! Statins & the Fibrulipic or whatever acids IS NOT the way to go! NIASPAN WORKS!!! I've been on it since August of 2010.Read More Read Less

This drug really works! I had complications in the begining with the hot flashes it caused but once my body adjusted it was fine. I have learned the heard way not to take it after drinking. The hot flashes will come back if you do take it with alcohol in your system. However besides this niaspan has truelly improved my life. I have been a heart patient for as long as I can remember and am only 19 but with this drug my numbers are all back in the "safe zone" for the first time in my life.