[JustShellyToo]

My husband recently began taking Niaspan to help reduce his bad cholesterol and triglycerides and increase his good cholesterol. We have both read all of the documentation accompanying the medication and performed additional research online. My husband is experiencing a problem that we think may be related to the medication. It is embarrasing to discuss certain things with your pharmacist and/or physician, so I joined this forum to see if I might gain some insight through another (more anonymous) source.

The problem that he is experiencing is that when we become intimate, as his sense of arousal increases, he experiences extreme pain in his head like a spike has been driven through it. As you would imagine, this ruins the mood immediately. We are very concerned that he might have a stroke or other major episode when this happens. Since it is a timed-release medication, it does not seem to matter what time of the day.

He has mentioned that it seems like each instance is slightly less painful than the one prior. And, the pain seems to ease more quickly with each occurrence. Has anyone ever heard of such a side effect? Is it one that will diminish or disappear as his body fully adjusts to the pills? Or, could this be an allergic reaction of some kind? Any info would be helpful. The doctor plans to keep him on the Niaspan for a long time, and we need to know what is happening. Thank You.