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Is Sunosi (solriamfetol) a controlled substance?

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Aug 31, 2023.

Official answer

by Drugs.com

Yes. Sunosi (solriamfetol) is a Schedule IV Controlled Substance in the United States.

Sunosi (solriamfetol) is a selective dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (DNRI) for the treatment of excessive sleepiness in adult patients with narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It was approved by the FDA in March 2019.

Sunosi is a federally controlled substance (CIV) because it contains solriamfetol, which has the potential for abuse.

Sunosi should always be stored in a safe place to protect it from theft. Any unused or expired Sunosi should be disposed of via a medication take-back program, or mixed with an undesirable substance and thrown away in the household trash.

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Yes, you can have narcolepsy and insomnia together. Almost 50% of people with narcolepsy also experience disturbed night-time sleep, fragmented sleep, or difficulty staying asleep at night. Sleep may be disrupted by insomnia, vivid dreaming, sleep apnea, acting out while dreaming, or periodic leg movements. Continue reading

One of the earliest signs of narcolepsy is suddenly falling asleep during the daytime, even if you have had a full night’s sleep. This excessive sleepiness is like a “sleep attack” or an overwhelming sense of sleepiness that comes on quickly, and narcolepsy should be considered if a child or teen habitually falls asleep in class, or an adult finds themselves constantly dozing off at work, despite having had a full nights sleep. In between these sleep attacks, people with narcolepsy have normal levels of alertness, particularly if they are doing something that keeps their attention. Narcolepsy most commonly starts in young adults, aged 15 to 25, although it can occur at any age. Continue reading

Although narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia both have excessive daytime sleepiness as a common symptom, people with idiopathic hypersomnia have no sleep-onset rapid eye movement (REM) period, naps are unrefreshing (unlike with narcolepsy) and idiopathic hypersomnia is not associated with cataplexy. Idiopathic hypersomnia can be difficult to distinguish from narcolepsy, but sleep laboratory studies can help differentiate between them. Continue reading

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