Niaspan ER and allergic reaction

Began taking 500mg of niaspan after 81 mil of Bayer 30 minutes prior (at 11:00 in the am) about 3 weeks ago. Recommended at this time since I do enjoy my 2 glasses of red wine at night. I then take 10mg of Lipitor before bed. Side effects have been swollen lips that keep peeling, after many OTC lip balms, racing heart and unbelievable insomnia. Only had flushing the first day before nurse, not doctor, told me about aspirin. I don't know whether my allergic reaction is the Niaspan or the Lipitor. I also had mild nausea and foot cramps at night. The nausea has subsided but not my lip problem.

For one year prior to taking these drugs, I was on 10/40 of Vytorin but since all the negative results of that drug, my doctor has taken all his patients off of it.

December 20, 2007 11:30 PM
I have been on Niaspan ER 500 Mgs for 4 weeks, I have never had the redness or itching until tonight. I can't believe the intolerable itching. I woke my husband and was ready to go to the emergency room, I thought it was an allergic reaction to something. The itching started in my legs, mainly from my ankles to my knees, but I did have some itching higher up on my thighs. Also had the itching on my wrists and lower arms. I am going to try Benadryl as someone suggested on your website, hopefully it will help some, if not I will be forced to stop taking this medicine, the itching is to much to put up with..............Brenda

No Need to Experience the Flushing of Niaspan !!!!
NOT an allergic reaction OR a "cardiac" reaction,.. it IS temporary & it is PROSTAGLANDIN !! Try this,...
Not a big deal. ~90% of ALL patients can tolerate Niaspan / ER-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 THE ASPIRIN which prevents the flush. If you forget to take an aspirin AT LEAST 30 min before dosing,.. FLUSH! Taking with the dose is too late. SOLUTION 40 YEARS AGO?
Alka-Seltzer ; that`s a 325 mg of AQUEOUS aspirin, no need to take sooner,.. wash down the niacin with that. AFTER,.. you eat 3 TBS applesausce whil waiting for the ALKA-SELTZER tablet to dissolve. Use just enough water to swallow pill, so you get all of the 325 mg aspipirin in the ALKA-SELTZER. 90% of patients get through the 'rough' 1st 2-4 weeks & stick with it after. IT IS THE ONLY DRUG WITH AN FDA INDICATION TO HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO REVERSE CAD, REGRESSION.
Remember; hot drinks, alcohol, spicy food less than 2-3 hrs prior to Niaspan is a NO-NO !!
Take care,.. ...be well... Steve the Lipid Guy

The flushing didn't start for me until after I'd been taking it a couple of weeks, and seems to be getting worse. I am also experiencing bad swelling of feet and ankles. Muscles in back of my thighs are very sore, just like they got when I was put on statins several years ago, and I had to stop taking them because I got where I could hardly get up from a sitting position. I was assured this is not a statin and led to believe it is "safe". I also have arrhythmia and cannot afford to have my heart racing, which hasn't happened yet, but I think this Niaspan is going to go the way of the statins for me. I want to know what percentage of heart attack victims are on cholesterol lowering drugs - the truth. How can I find out? Thanks. Ernestine B.

I am alright when I take 500mg of Niaspan at bed time but if I increase it to 1000 or as my Dr wants 1500, I have a severe reaction. It does not happen right away but about 4 hours after I take it. The itching is unbearable. I was told that over the counter items like Benedril(sp) would help but it takes a long time if it does help. I do not get these reactions every night, sometimes once or twice a week. I was told to take an aspirin or Advil before taking the niaspan and that seems to lesson the attack. I will say when I took the 1000mg it doubled my HDL(good) cholesterol but I don't think the unbearable itching is worth it. I have been told by my Alergy Doctor that there is something to take to prevent the attacks but he could not remember what it was. He did say that it is not an alergic reaction but a cardiac reaction. I wish I could find the remedy because it has helped raise my HDL dramatically.

A few weeks ago, my Dr. put me on this medication, (1000mg) a day.
To my horror I thought I was dying. I had no idea of the side affects. My skin turned red light a sunburn, my heart began to race, I was completely flush & the itching was unbearable! I thought I was having an allergic reaction to the medication. Is this what it was?
Is there any other medicines that can be substituted for this medication? It really scared the heck out of me.