User Reviews for Niaspan oral

Although i have only been on Lovaza a couple of weeks I have not experianced and flushing.

My cholesterol has been high for years. I took Lipitor for many years without much success. I had to cut down on Lipitor because of muscle problems in my legs..thus my cholesterol climbed even higher. After a move to a different State, I was put on Crestor 5mgs in the AM with a "baby" aspirin, then before bed a regular aspirin then 30 mins later 2 Niaspan ER 1,000 mg. My cholesterol is the best it has ever been in my life. It ranges in the 150 to 160's. It lowered my triglycerides to a respectable level. Also,I found out Niaspan helps clean out plaque in the arteries. After several years of trying other drugs this is the one treatment that works for me. I am very grateful to my new Doctor for this. I wasn't told to eat anything before taking Niaspan. I will try this to protect my stomach. Thank you Web MD!!Read More Read Less

I take two 500 mg tablets in AM and two in PM ALWAYS just after I eat breakfast and dinner. I take an aspirin and then Niaspan and find this is the only way I can take this stuff, otherwise I really suffer with burning and itching, looks like sunburn for an hour.

For those who are taking this time released Niacin drug...it REALLY REALLY helps in eliminating the FLUSHING EFFECTS when you eat 1/4 to 1/2 cup of APPLESAUCE BEFOREHAND!!! TREETOP APPLESAUCE has NO colorings or high fructose corn syrup in it & that's what I use. I eat the applesauce about 15 minutes BEFORE I TAKE THE NIASPAN! WORKS WONDERFULLY!!!

Been taking this medication for about 6 years, 4 without reactions. Increasingly, I now get severe itching and flushing and have to get up and take a benedril and wait about 30 minutes for it to take effect. I am considering stopping this medication.

I take 1000mg in AM and 1000 in PM. I take just after eating breakfast and dinner with an aspirin. Anywhere from two to three weeks I have serious look of sunburn and severe itching, bees stinging is good discription. Have been on for 2 years HDL from 38 to 52. This itching and sunburn is severe enough, cannot find what will keep it from happening. Any suggestions will be good.

Have taken 500mg daily for about 2 weeks with 325 mg aspirin 30 min before as instructed by Dr. I've developed severe muscle pain in right arm so that I've not slept more than 4 hours the past 2 nights.Four Advil don't help. Consequently, I haven't had the energy to run to lose the abdominal fat to improve lipids (Catch-22).Coughed really hard one day, and experienced extreme "needle" pain from between shoulder blades to fingertips.Very, very weird!! I'm off this stuff.

Niaspan prescribed for high trigs. After 6 weeks, experiencing severe itching and burning on ankles, legs and inner forearms. Stopped taking drug. 36 hours and still itching with same upset stomach and loss of appetite. Hopefully, these awful symptoms will disappear. Waiting for call back from doctor for a replacement. Drug probably works great but price of taking it is too much!!

I have been taking this medication for about5 months. I do have flushing, at worse than others. My main concern is that i am losing a lot of hair since starting this medication. Has anyone else had this problem? I don't know if maybe it is caused from a combination of my meds or not, but would sure like to know. I don't go back to my heart doctor until next June, so if anyone else is having this problem, I would sure like to know.

Have experienced one bout with flushing..Not good..Some nauesa..Still wondering if necessary drug..Taken three months HDL up three points...Will continue taking until next lipid test in six months..

My Dr. put me on 500mg Niaspan to get my hdl up (its 45) Decided to take it in the morn with other meds. (81 asp. plavix, synthroid) Has any one else taken this in the morn. that can give me any advice?

What is the difference between Niaspan and plain old Niacin SR? Why pay 20 times the cost of Niaspan over Niacin.

I love it. It has worked very well and now with diet and exercise my cholesterol is in the range the Doctor is happy with.

I recently renewed my RX for Niaspan ER and have noticed a change in the coloring and printing on the Tabs. I have also experienced quite frequent flushing which I DID NOT PRIOR TO THIS CHANGE IN APPEARANCE. I contacted Abbott who said they now produce Niaspan ER themselves rather than have the previous lab do it for them, but they say the formula HAS NOT changed. I find this hard to believe since I am a long-time user and have switched back to the unused Previous RX tabs and the same situation has reoccurred-frequent flushing w. the newer Tabs. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I have had great results using this drug over the years and cannot use Statins since they effect my liver enzymes.Read More Read Less

I had my hdl up to 39 from 29 now its back down to 34

I have been on Niaspan 500MG four x per day for over a year. My triglycerides went down from 600 to 78! But my cholesterol went UP from 252 to 254. I've dieted strictly with hardly any fats, then went to eating fats again, and back to hardly any fats. It's hard for me to stay faithful continually. I can't take statin drugs due to effect they have on my liver. Toe and feet cramps, and especially side knee pain and muscle pains in hip are my side effects besides hot extreme flushing which makes my face and arms appear sunburned, even after taking it over a year. I take all 4 pills at evening meal, but after reading these reviews, I will start taking before bed to see if that helps. Someone told me Niacin causes ulcers. I think I saw that as a side effect? Still not feeling safe taking this drug...but what to do??? Read More Read Less

The first five months or so I took this drug were fine, no side effects or anything. Cholesterol was lowered, and I felt good. About three months ago, 9 months from the start of taking it, I developed a severe skin reaction. It felt like I was on fire, literally I was laying in bed sleeping one second and the next I was sitting up in bed screaming. I felt like I was sitting in a furnace, on fire. I had taken it as instructed, at night with asprin to help with the flushing. The only way I could get it to stop was to take an allergy pill, (not recommended!) and a straight cold shower for 10 minutes. I called my dr. right away, and was told that this is a normal reaction. She encouraged me to keep taking it, I made an appt. the next day. She took my arm and ran her fingernail down my arm, and said since it didn't leave a red mark where her nail was, I shouldn't be having these problems with flushing. The on fire sensation happened twice more after taking it, and again after ten minute straight cold showers and allergy medicine, the feeling lessened. That was it for me, I quit taking it, and have yet to go back to the dr for more blood work due to no insurance right now. I can't imagine the sickness being worse than the cure. I have been told it is a harmless side effect that would lessen in time, but my problem with that is that I was on this drug with no symptoms and then all of a sudden this happens. It has not happened again since I stopped taking it, and so I will not be going back on it.Read More Read Less

This is 3rd night taking Niaspan with aspirin. However, got extremely nauseaus tonight. Not a normal symptom for me so I know it's the Niaspan. Read all the beautiful results from other reviews and it helps me decide if this negative reaction is worth taking this drug. My doctor suggested applesauce along with the aspirin before I take the niaspan. Think I may try the applesauce. That may help with the nausea. No itching or burning. Let me know if anyone has this neausea problem.

I have only used the medication almost a year. Even though my triglycerides are still dangerously high, there has been a slight decrease.