Niaspan

[mrgee59]

I've been taking Niaspan 1000mg nightly but it raises my fast readings 30 -40 points every morning. My primary and cardiologist want me on it to raise my HDLs to over 50. It was in the 30s and my last lipid had it at 48. However I'm more concerned with my AM Fasting reading and my A1c which has gone up from 6.1 to 6.6. Anyone else have a problem with Niaspan?

[mho357]

Mrgee59,

I've been taking 500 mg since October of last year. My a1c has stayed constant and I have not noticed an increase in my morning numbers.

Perhaps something else is the cause of your a1c rise?

Mark

[mrgee59]

Thanks but the doc told me it probably make it rise. Do you take yours at bedtime as well?

[TomB]

MrGee59

I've been taking 1000mg of Niaspan 2 times a day for the past several years. At first, it raised my overall glucose level a bit but after raising Actos from 15mg to 30mg the good numbers returned.

Once you enter the ball game of multiple meds, there will always be a plus and minus to weigh. I have not found any studies that address this in any constructive way so we're left to common sense and best guess judgement. Which one gets the priority - lipids or glucose? Right now it looks like your doc figured that handling lipids gets attention. Now that you have an idea of how your glucose was afftected you can tweak your diabetes meds. You might as well get used to this because adjusting and changing meds goes on forever. Wait til statins enter the picture.

One of the tools I use to track how meds are affecting me it that I always get a copy of my blood/lab tests and enter the data into an Excel spreadsheet. That way both my doc and I can get a historical snapshot of how my body reacts over time. You might find something like that helpful, even comforting.
Tom

[mho357]

Thanks but the doc told me it probably make it rise. Do you take yours at bedtime as well?

Yes - I take it before bed with a snack.

What are you having for a snack? Maybe that has something to do with your rise?

Mark

[mrgee59]

Thanks for the input.

I have 20 years of my lipid and A1c panels saved the same way in Excel. You have suggested what I plan to do when I see my primary in April. I'm already taking the max (5/500) so hopefully I can get on something else in an oral form. I'd like to avoid insulin as long as possible.