This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Community: Knowledge & Support

Well, I tried to do the niacin flush; cut the 250 mg in a little less than half and drank with pomegranate juice. Kept waiting for something to happen and I really didn't feel anything. (No, I did not get the timed release/no flush kind). Since I had expected to feel all hot & bothered, I had put off taking a shower. Well, an hour after taking the niacin, I got in the shower and noticed my knees and elbows were bright red. So my question is when should I try this again and should I maybe do a little more than 1/2 of the 250 mg? Thanks for any and all suggestions!

@ EJC - well to answer some of your questions - the goal of the Niacin treatment for me is to dilate my veins on a daily basis and improve bloodflow. This is done through the flush, which is the moment it all dilates. However without the flush Niacin has a lot of good qualities for veins an arteries as it is: prevents build up of plaque, lowers your bad cholesterol etc. So even without flush it is benificial to the health of the veins.

Aspirin does not dilate the veins but thins the blood if taken in small amount (100mg and under, daily). I take my Niacin early in the morning and my aspirin at lunch, just once a day is enough.


Newlywed, you could increase it, maybe to 200 mg. It will also be influenced by the amount of food in your stomach. So eat something light, not too much, and up your intake slightly - you'll probably have a flush as you already have some red blothches. You can try and flush up to 3 x a day, howeer that is personal preference. I am quite happy with once a day. Good luck.


btw, I talked this all through with my neuro. He has seen my improvements (he is cautiously curious bout CCSVI) and he supports my use of Niacin and Aspirin. His advice was not to take over 700 mg of Niacin daily and if I bruise a lot to cut back on the aspirin (I do not bruise though, makes me think! ) and I am having my blood and liver checked every 6 months.

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dx 2002,RRMS,  suspected begin of MS 1978 (age 10)

eve - thank you for the info; I appreciate the sharing! Since I have weekend guests, I probably will not do this til Monday but I'm looking forward to it! One more question: why/what type of liver/blood testing...what are you watching?

Have taken Niacin for a few days now and since my initial 'super flush', i've taken it with food and aspirin and the flushing is hardly noticeable.

I have noticed an improvement in my cognition and speech. My memory seems to be a bit more reliable, which has given me the confidence to speak more and not just keep schtum because of fear that my memory will let me down and make me look like an ass.

Whether this is down to the Niacin, I couldn't say. My Neuro would probably say it's placebo. I'm not taking any DMD's as the side effects for all (Rebif, Avonex, Copaxone) were too much.

I have been taking a high dose vitamin D for about 6 months and also Magnesium and Zinc.

Blood thinners, plavix and aspirin. But I wonder if my 80mg/day of lippytor is having any effect. It's for arteries.

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"Try - Just A Little Bit Harder" - Janis Joplin
CCSVI procedure Albany Aug 2010
'_MS' is over - if you want it
Patients sans/without patience

1 eye

You might want to consider whether or not to continue with the high dose of Lipitor. If you have high cholesterol maybe there's another option????

Statin therapy inhibits remyelination in the central nervous system

It's a different statin of course but that research would give me pause.

Sharon

@ newlywed- The bloodtests are to ensure I do not have too much intake of Niacin, as it can affect the liver (though hardly happens when under 1500 mg per day) so he likes to keep track.

ConstableComfortable, good to hear of some improvements. Mine started with feeling clearer minded, too. Then I noticed I could go shopping, even on a saturday, when real crowded and would not feel worn out by looking up and down the racks within 20 minutes. Somehow I could just cope better with being in a busy environment.

After a few weeks I had a feeling that an internal heater had been turned on. We had the coldest winter in decades and I was not at all bothered by it. It was a wonderful feeling. Not hot, just nice and warm all the time. Cold nor heat bothered me and although the sensation has normalised I can tolerate it so much better now.

My biggest improvements started from around 2 months. It all went very gradual. I hope you will have many benefits.

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dx 2002,RRMS,  suspected begin of MS 1978 (age 10)

newly:

although it's possible that you will build up to a flush slowly, please be aware that people who are polyunsaturated fatty acid deficient do not flush when given niacin. (in the research, people=schizophrenics but i am not sure why it would only be them!)

if you are only having a mild reaction you may need to get your hands on some fish oil and/or ensure you consume the right kinds of fatty fish twice per week.

link to a study of fatty acid status in health and disease:
http://www.nutritionj.com/content/8/1/58

the link above is to full text with data tables.

the following link points to a table showing fatty acid cutoff levels to prevent heart disease:

http://www.nutritionj.com/content/8/1/58/table/T1

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my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

I was looking at an old issue of New Pathways (from the MSRC in the UK), and someone suggested this supplement.
I would like to try my husband on it, but he is taking a blood thinner (Sintrom), and I don't know if it is compatible. My husband is often cold, with icy hands and feet, low blood pressure, sometimes with white feet sometimes purplish.

Thanks Eve, We'll give this a crack with some 100mg tablets to start with.

Certainly can't do any harm.

jimmylegs - wish you were local to me - I'd hire you as my nutritionist!! I absorbed as much as the link that I could I actually stopped taking fish oil after angio since (I think!) I read that I shouldn't be taking it with Plavix (which I'm on for another 4 mos). Will try the niacin flush again tomorrow!

I have been following flush posts and thought to add my 2 cents. I had gone to a nutritionist who specializes in difft diseases. He put me on a low histamine diet to prevent inflamation. He gave me difft. supplements , including a B-Complex that had 200mg of Niacinamide. He told me my flush would depend on how much histamine I had in my body and the low histamine diet should make the flush less. Absolutely right!!!!! When I cheated and ate tomato sauce, and other things I shouldn't...I was on fire!! When I behave, hardly any flush.
Low Histamine diet, I feel better on it but sometimes I want Pizza , bananas, strawberries,,,all no-no's.


Kiki

@newly: you're right you'd need to be watchful taking plavix and high amounts of fish oil as they are both anticoagulants so you would not want to overdo things.

if i were in your situation i'd be tempted to ensure my fatty acid levels were optimal, carefully monitoring thrombin time etc, and adjust the plavix dosage accordingly.

kiki, histamines do help increase fatty acid levels in the blood, so that hangs together however, you're not supposed to flush when using niacinamide. interesting that you did depending on histamine intake.

straight, unmodified niacin users are going for the flush intentionally for a variety of benefits. niacin needs to be used with caution though. too much of a good thing and all

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my approach: no meds so far - just balanced whole foods (partial 'paleo', much less outright elimination), science, supplements, & bloodwork
my regimen - www.thisisms.com/ftopict-2489.html
www.whfoods.com, www.nutritiondata.com

Can Niacin be bought over the counter?

My previous post said I was taking Bcomplex with niacinimide and getting a flush.....I goofed....it was 200 mg niacinimide and niacin. I usually am very careful with info I post.
Sorry


Kiki