Cad symptoms and conditions

The flushing is tolreable. The itching is intolerable. I'd rather have heart surgery than suffer with that infernal itching. My cardiologist believes the severe itching is unrelated to the Niaspan because the reaction has only occured twice since I started taking the medication 6 months ago. I disagree. It seems to me the itching is caused by the Niaspan, together with some other unknown factor. There may be something to the "spicy food" suggestion posted by others. Last night, I ate a bunch of hot peppers an hour or so before taking the Niaspan. I woke at 3 am, with a mild hot flash, followed by the dreaded itching. Pure torment! My chest, back and legs were bright red. A cold shower helped a little. On the first occasion, two months ago, Benedril help some, but relief did not begin for over an hour after taking it. (Take at least two tablets!) But last night, I didn't mess around with Benedril. Instead, I took two codine tablets I had left over from surgery. Relief! If you are suffering from this terrible side-effect, may God be with you!

After taking Niacin for several years, I have the itching problem and my legs started to weep. Has this happened to anyone else? Eating beef seems to maximize the itching. JT

OMG! Tonight is my second night on Niaspan. I took the aspirin beforehand etc.. I am experiencing severe itching. I'm about to cut off my fingernails, I'm itching so badly. As I type, one foot is rubbing the other - I ITCH EVERYWHERE AND CAN'T KEEP FROM SCRATCHING!!! And it won't stop! I tried taking 2 benadryl about a half hour ago, and thus far no relief. If it continues to worsen I'll call the "ask a nurse" line to see if I should go in to poison control or the hospital. This is crazy!

Was recently prescribed Lipitor, etc. for cad (coronary artery disease). Only adverse side effect, which started immediately, was indigestion, gassy, burning sensation in stomach area. Really afffecting my enjoyment of life! Is there another statin drug that may not have this side effect?

I have had excessdive intestinal gas for the last few months since my cardiologist increased the lipitor fron 10mg to 20mg!
I have a long history of CAD and in May 2006 had a double bypass (CABG)
Also notice weakness in my knees and legs. I am a great walker and never had these problems in the past.
I now exercise my limbs before going out... but it is the excessive intestinal gas that is getting on my nerves, to the point I hate to go out as it just comes out without warning. It is very embarassing,and thought that perhaps the increased Lipitor was the culprit.However my cholesterol is now within normal limits, and the cardiologist is happy!

Iam taking 500 mg only - today I awoke with terrible red rash on upper left leg and lower right - - does NOT itch or burn - just there - has ANYONE had a rash while taking niaspan??? need answers!

I take 325mg before going to bed and I take 2000mg of Niaspan. I also each a small bowl of Total cereal. This combination seems to really help because I used to get terrible flushing and itching but haven't since adding the bowl of Total at night.

I take my Niaspan at bedtime, having taken an 81 mg. asprin tablet about a half hour prior. I stil will awaken sometimes about 4-5 hours later and, well, if you're googling niacin flush, you know the rest. Then, because I HAVE to scratch, even though it's not exactly an itch, my skin then feels raw. After about a half hour I will typically get up and walk to the kitchen on the cold tile floors in bare feet and drink something cold - just a few sips and get some damp paper towels to blot whatever burns the most. This seems to help some. At least, I usually then go to sleep, but maybe after a half hour to 45 minutes, the flush was about to remediate itself anyway. Who knows!

I take 1500 mg. Niaspan about 1 1/2 to 2 hours before going to bed. My Dr. advised me to take it with apple juice. My low fat snack and low dose aspirin is 30 minutes prior to taking niaspan/apple juice. As long as I follow this routine there is very little flushing. If I take niaspan sooner than 30 minites I have medium flushing for about 45 minutes.

At 2000mg I got such bad itching that I almost stopped taking it. I reduced my intake to 1500mg and al things considered, I won't be going back to 2000mg.

HAVE BEEN TAKING NIASPAN 500MG FOR ABOUT TWO AND ONE HALF WEEKS. TAKE IT BEFORE GOING TO BED THEN TWO HOURS LATER I AM AWAKEN BY BURNING OVER MY WHOLE BODY. THE LENGTH OF TIME VARIES. I ALSO TAKE TOPROL FOR RAPID HEART BUT BELIEVE THIS MEDICINE IS KEEPING MY HEART RATE UP, I WILL AWAKEN WITH MY HEART BEATING OUT OF MY CHEST. WOULD IT BE WISE TO DISCONTINUE USING NIASPAN? WENDELL PAYTON

I have been taking Ni aspa n for 9 months now. My Dr. started me at 500 mg. after I mo. increased to 1OOO mg. then after 2 more mos. 1500 mg.

Not a big deal. ~90% of ALL patients can tolerate niacin 1-2 gms/day,.. IF,.. the prescriber knows a few tricks. Dr. Wm. Castelli , he uses plain ole crystalline niacin AND Niaspan.
40 years ago, ALL they had was IR-Immediate Release aka plain ole crystalline niacin,.. 3-4 gms a day MONO therapy. The patients FORGET HE ASPIRIN which prevents the flush. If you forget to take an aspirin AT LEAST 30 min before dosing,.. FLUSH! aking with the dose is too late. SOLUTION 4o YEARS AGO?
Alka-Seltzer ; tha`s 325 mg of AQUEOUS aspirin, no need to ake sooner,.. wash dow he niacin with hat. AFTER,.. you eat 3 TBS applesausce while table dissoles. use ajus enough water to swallow pill, so you get all 325 mg. 90% get through the 'rough' 1st 2-4 weeks & stick with it after. IT IS HE ONLY DRUG WITH AN FDA INDICATION TO HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO REVERESE CAD, REGRESSION.
Take care,..
...be well...
Steve the Lipid Guy

Captopril plus many other drugs for cronic angina, CAD, CHF. The intern at the hospital prescribed to split a 6.25mg in half and take that half tid. The 6.25mg tablet is so small, I cannot split it. any suggestions? Is a side effect upset stomich so I throw up all my pills
Richard Burton
177 Glencairn Avenue
Toronto, Ontario,
M4R 1N3
416 484-0668