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398059 tn?1447945633

drawbacks on fatigue drugs

I read that some of you use provigil or whatever and some other drugs for fighting fatigue.

What are the good, the bad, and the ugly on using them?
18 Responses
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398059 tn?1447945633
According to most folk Humanna is trying to save money at the expence of their clients.
Helpful - 0
432312 tn?1265644974
I had been on Provigil for several years.  The only bothersome side effect I got was lower back pain.  I suffered through a morning hunched over back routine for probably a year before I read the side affects list on the provigil site.  I was on the maximum dose 200 mg twice a day.  I started taking a lower dose hoping that would help.  I had switched perscription drug plams in Janruary.  Humanna gave me one complimentary fill of my prescription then discontinued paying for it because I don't have shift workers syndrome or narcelepsy.  They don't consider MS a dissease that provigil is helpful in.  I think provigil was a Godsend.  My pharmacist told me that he was given provigil while he was stationed in Afganistan.  He said that the US Army gives it out to soldiers to add extra alertness without the buzz.
Helpful - 0
429700 tn?1308007823
Provigil will cause problems with sleep if I take it after noon.  I have no problems with it keeping me awake when I take it in the morning.  I'm up now if I've got spasticity or something like that going on or if hubby has the TV on.

Deb
Helpful - 0
260697 tn?1202617290
Provigil can cause insomnia in some people. This is especially true if it is taken too late in the day (anything past noon I was told by my doc is too late.)

Depending on your dosage, how fast they titrate you, and how your body deals with the drug, you may or may not have problems with sleeping.

I started on 100mg/day taken when I got up in the AM. The first night I had a bit of insomnia (took me an hour to fall asleep, as opposed to my usual 5 minutes). The second night I had no problems at all with falling asleep.

Now I've opted to stay at the 100mg/day, but if I was to go up, I would take another 100mg at noon, thus increasing my risk of insomnia.

FWIW, my pcp did say that she has had more patients than not complain that it did cause them insomnia, so your question about not being able to sleep properly is warrented. Unfortunately there will be no way to know how it effects you until/if you start the Rx.


Helpful - 0
220917 tn?1309784481
When I took it for the sleep apnea, I took one dose of 100 mg at 8:00 a.m., and the next dose of 100 mg. no later than 1:00 p.m.  My doctor said that if I missed that dose, to skip it, or I'd be up all night.

Zzzzzzilla*
Helpful - 0
398059 tn?1447945633
Thanks.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
My dx is Fibromyalgia  -   but along with my extreme fatigue and pain I have a lot symptoms similar to MS  -   thus I lurke here and have learned a lot from you all!

I was prescribed PROVIGIL for my fatigue and it works GREAT for me!  

Not only do I have more ENERGY, but it helps me to MULTI-TASK , THINK CLEARLY and really GET THINGS DONE - well, at least a moderate amount of things, given I have a chronic illness. : )

As others have noted - I also try to take it EARLY in the morning so that it wares off by bedtime.  

I think it has a half life (correct term?) of about 12-14 hours.  

I have also been prescribed a really low dose of AMITRIPTYLINE (10 mg.) before bedtime.  

It is supposed to get me into the REM sleep that so many FM sufferers never get.

I havn't been on it long enough to realize the full benefit, but I think it is helping.  

I used to get a full nights sleep without it, but would wake up often.

Now I tend to sleep through the night.  I don't know if it is used w/ MS, but you could look into it.

Good luck!  
Helpful - 0
398059 tn?1447945633
Provigil sounds good.  My next concern is sleep.  Even though I suffer from fatigue, I still have trouble sleeping often.  Lately it is ok and I do not want to go back to being able to sleep 2-3 hours a night.

Does provigil cause issues with being able to fall qsleep?
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
AMO
hi michael,

yes, deb says is riight, about insurance,  some do not cover it, and even co-pay can be hight.
I tried provigil a few days, it gave me servere  abdominal pain from just a couple dose. I stopedd til it subsided and triedd again to be sure , and it did again.
I tried amantadine a few monthss  with not much effect.
And i ha d  tried namenda. That    is an alzheimer' drug. We hopedd it would clear my   thinking, but that is expensive too. I forget how long i had tha and not sure why i stopped.
I hope something helps you, always worth a  try,
amo
Helpful - 0
429700 tn?1308007823
I use Provigil and I love it!  At first, I wondered if would be able to tolerate it because I felt like I've had too much caffeine and my mouth was dry.  In addition to that, I had to fight the insurance company to get approval because it isn't cheap!  

Like a mentioned, at first I didn't think I could tolerate it, so I started cutting the pill in half.  I'm still taking only half a dose, but I'm going to raise it to the whole pill pretty soon.  I've been on it since August and I don't know how I could function without it.  The fatigue is a little better, but I what I really noticed is the cognitive benefits.  Without it, I'm staring off into space and I can't think my way out of a paper bag!

I highly recommend giving this drug a shot, Michael, if you have good insurance!

Deb
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi,
they did an article in the New York times on this medicine at the most 2 weeks ago. I may have the link but not sure if I can post it.
The main point I got from the article is  that college students cramming for tests loved it as it allowed them to stay awake and focused so they where 'buying illegally"
side effects seemed mild.

I myself am an OLD college student I just want it to function mentally would be great staying away from napping all day would be good too! My GP wants my Neuro to decide if I get it or not I hope so I don't know how one can become addicted to have some control over there life and that be a bad thing? :-)

Mary
Helpful - 0
260697 tn?1202617290
I've been on provigil for about a month now. It has only been in the past 2 weeks that I have noticed that my fatigue has improved somewhat. Before that, I didn't notice being less fatigued, but seemed to be "brighter", more like my old cognitive self.

I have been lucky, and didn't have any side effects of the Rx, but my dosage is only 100mg/day so far. My doc and I decided not to increase to 200mg unless necessary, to reduce the risks of side effects.

Since I've been suffering from major fatigue issues for over a year, it seems too coincidental that my fatigue would have improved after starting provigil were it not for the RX. I can only assume that it is helping.

Interestingly enough, my pcp, who didn't know me before I got sick, noticed when I saw her 2 weeks after starting the Rx, that I "looked better". Apparently there was something in my eyes that she hadn't seen before. A number of my friends (most of whom didn't know I started an anti-fatigue Rx) thought I looked and sounded more like my old self.

So for me, it seems to be working. YMMV....

Good luck. Talk to your doc and see what they say.

Helpful - 0
220917 tn?1309784481
I'm sure you had lots to talk about....

I think that the only drawback Quix has mentioned is the desire to become Superwoman, and doing too much, because she feels the pseudo-energy.  Then she crashes, because she's done too much.  But she has learned over time to overcome this.

I don't remember any untoward side effects from the Provigil.  I don't ever recall feeling "high" or anything.  It wasn't like caffeine, either.  I do know that I looked forward to taking it in the morning, and I think it is considered addictive, but not in the classic sense.  It's not like I was passing them out at work or anything...

I think you become reliant.  In terms of the risk/benefit ratio, I would certainly say the benefits are much heftier.  IF you are fatigued.

Hope that helps.

Zilla*
Helpful - 0
398059 tn?1447945633
I read about Quix's favorable experience.  I am interested in what she pays in return for that goodness, I do not mean money.

No, my doctor did not offer it.  I is only recent that my fatigue has become an issue.  I was having mild faigue issue before, but not as bad as my recent experiences.

Besides, we were too busy talking about my "improved" MRI results. NOT!
Helpful - 0
220917 tn?1309784481
Oh, actually I see Q posted about her experience with Provigil on the "New Fatigue Drug" thread.  Read that!

Zilla*
Helpful - 0
220917 tn?1309784481
Hi, Michael~

Hopefully Craig and Elaine will speak up here, but I believe Craig is off the Provigil because of blood pressure issues.  Docs believe the blood pressure fluctuations lead to his transitory vision loss.  (Hmmmm.)

I should also say that Quix has hailed Provigil as the drug which allows her to live her life with much better quality.  She has said without it, she would have to be classified as a statue.  Yes, she cracks me up, too.

Personally, I have taken it after being diagnosed with sleep apnea, which is the reason it came on the market.  I loved it.  However, at the time, I was seeing a neuro who had me on every drug imaginable, and I didn't like the idea, so, with the help of my internist, I went off everything but my migraine medication.  Wish I'd have stayed on the Provigil, really.

Has your doctor offered it?

Z*
Helpful - 0
393986 tn?1303825975
Provigil is one they use for excessive fatigue, on the site they said side effects are dizziness, anxiety, headache and a few others. According to a study they did out of 3500 people only 3% of them discontinued because of side effects.  They did warn about drinking with it. I will keep looking
Helpful - 0
398059 tn?1447945633
I am mostly concerned with being able think straight, not with physical exertion.
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