I feel kinda numb, hasnt made me to alert, I took it about an hour and a half ago for the cost i was expecting more to happen
I took provigil 200mg my 1st time. what am i supposed to feel?
Question posted by gregsixstring on 6 Aug 2009
Last updated on 11 February 2018
5 Answers
Thor283
4 Aug 2011
I've been taking Provigil, on and off, and only 3 or 4 times a week for 7 years. I never used to take it daily, and I used to get 2 a day. As for what I felt after taking it, I felt Nothing. Usually it helped me stay awake, but sometimes not. For the last year the cheapo insurance co. only let's me have 1 pill a day.
I take Provigil to help me stay awake and function because I have pretty bad insomnia and the typical sleeping pills, Ambien, Lunesta etc. don't work on me. I also have Major depressive disorder and GAD. Someone said Provigil gave them excess anxiety, or jumpiness, and yes that has happened to me too. But it doesn't happen often. Due to lack of sleep I have taken Provigil almost everyday for the past 2 months. Even if it was just 100 mg, I took it. Today it ran out and I am noticing my depression is worse. I have heard some people use Provigil for depression but I didn't think it did anything for me.
I am now wondering if to get the Anti depressant effects I would have had to take it daily whether I needed it to stay awake or not. Can this be true? Has anyone else noticed a return of their depression after quitting Provigil?
If Provigil can really help my depression that's great because almost nothing else does.
Mdawnwells
11 Feb 2018
I have been given Provigil twice now, I stopped before as I have several chronic health issues, including one that can cause seizures, that causes extreme migraines, and it seemed to only make them worse and makes me very nauseated too. I also have PTSD and conflicting diagnosis' of Rapid-cycling Bipolar 2 or BPD which has until several years ago always had been well managed with medication, until I took a bad fall and suffered a head injury, the third one in my lifetime unfortunately. Following the injury, my HA's worsened and the frequency of my seizures increased and I was hospitalized a couple of times. Soon after I was forced out of my position at the hospital I worked at and was forced to file for disability. I experienced a longer than usual period of depression and was having problems with getting motivated to do even simple tasks.
This medication did help, other than after the 12 hour effective period I would be extremely tired again and by 16 hrs I would begin to experience a headache from the withdrawal from not having it in my system, that even Excedrin would not touch usually. I stuck with it to see if once my body got used to it if this would stop but after two and a half months nothing changed. This may only be a problem that pertains to my specific situation, due to my injuries and health conditions, but when I'm looking for answers I would rather have all sides than just one or two short ones that say "It was fine" or " don't use it" I hope this helps! Good luck to you!
happygolucky28
13 Jan 2011
I started Provigil around the 16th of December. My first week i was miserable. I had headache, nausea, vomiting, and dizziness. My doctor tried 100mg the first day and it made it feel like my brain was going to explode. So we put me on 50mg twice a day for 3days and then back 100mg twice a day. I also take Zofran an anti Nausea to keep the Provigil from making me sick. I feel better now during the day but I wake up more during the night. Overall tho i am happier, more awake, and can pay attention. I take Provigil for Over sleep due to Severe Major Depressive Disorder... he may also be thinking that i am in the beginning stages of Narcolepsy. :D
cecile how
30 Dec 2009
I have been taking provigal for 3 years.first 100 millagrams for 2 years then 200 for this last year. this is the only way I can funtcion on a daily basis.I have many illness.it works for exactly 8 hrs.Now my insurance company wants to put me on nugival.I,ll give it a try. alittle nervous.Not sure what to except from this.
sis
scrappydoo
18 Aug 2009
hey, check this, I was told that "no', it doesn't have to build up like an SSRI (Provigil IS wicked expensive like $13 w/out insurance, AND, it's an SNRI), so it acts on different chems, but, yeah, you'll be feeling something by now as it might take a couple days... Here is my story with it, maybe it'll help.
Day one, I took half of one and fell asleep in the movie theatre. Later I ran to the car and got my blood going and took the other half, another 100mg. I fell asleep again. WTF?! is what I was thinking.
Then, day 2, I got weary, tired, and eventually fell asleep.
Day 3, it started keeping my alert and stuff, but it felt weird, like I got those nasty side effects like headache, a feeling like my head was shrunken, and so on, and by day 4, I re-visited the doc who prescribed it since he just wanted to see how it would work on me, and I was like, hey, I'm not paying for it ($340/Rx!!! ), plus it sucks, AND THEN later that day, I was visiting my councellor, with my dad, and I was pretty much high, like tripping without any visuals. It was strange as all get-out. Now, fortunately, I had only bought 6 pills for $75, have 2 left, will flush or keep em, and my doc put me on adderall 20mg 1.5x /day. So, Provigil is "weird", and will affect you in different ways. I DO believe it works, and IF you can tolerate the weird side-effects, you'll be very focused, and probably even kinda like Provigil in some ways. But if you get any trippy side effects, then you might wanna try to use good ole amphetamine-salt (adderall, that is).
Or, now there is Nuvigal. Go to the website and print out the forms for patient assistance and you can get it for free or low-cost, because the drug company is promoting it. HURRY! They will prolly do the same as what they did with Provigil and dicontinue coupons, etc soon!
gregsixstring
25 Aug 2009
Thanks for your help. I took my first one and later about 1 hour i felt like I was going to exploed. I was jittery, nervous, man I was speeding. The next day I took half. Still the same thing. Next day i took a quarter one still a little shaky but ok. I do believe this provigil is a prescription for legal speed. I do go without some days but I have never felt liked that since when I was in my younger days taking a hit of speed. Dont know if I will get anymore, yes they are high. Thank you
scrappydoo
26 Aug 2009
Hey, Greg, yeah, I went to visit the "family therapist" guy that my dad and I see, basically for advice and stuff. It was there in this older man's office, that on the 4th day, I kinda tweeked-out, was high and happy, and don't really remember some of it. So, freaking, now, this older counselor guy, whom I generally trust and like, pissed me off big-time by telling me that I was DEFINITELY "STONED" that day; that he had called some of his doctor-friends (remember, some docs are sucky), and NONE of them, supposedly, had EVER heard of THIS type of reaction on Provigil. So, I tried defending myself, becauise I was ONLY messed up from the Provigil ONLY, for SURE, because I don't even use any illicit nor illegal drugs... not since college some 4+ yrs ago!
So, my dad had to back me up and say that this "psychosis" or "high", only lasted a little while after we left said counselor's office. My dad and I hit Chili's for some grub, and I drank tea, not even alcohol, so I was sober. I DO take oxycodone HCL and even Fentanyl 25mcg/hour ("pain patches"), and I was taking LESS oxy, but usually, this does nothing, so once again, I was just pissed that this "know-it-all" counselor had called me a drug addict and that he was so SURE that I was high from Provigil AND something else! I don't appreiate being accused when I'm positive I'm correct, so it really burned. I nearly left his (the counselor) freakin office, but wanted to set him right.
Anyhow, it appears that EVERYONE's body chemistry is different, as I've told my primary doc, and even expressed to my pain mgmt doc, to assist in my prognosis.
And then, I've also re-read the BOTTLE the Provigil came in, and it SAYS that it could (and if it does to consult your doctor immediately!) affect your MOOD... well, duh, that's exactly what happened!! But, no doctors knew of this happening?? It's a crock of shit. Again, pros are also Joes, and vice-versa. Actually, my currently halted short book will explain all of this! I just cannot wait to submit it to the AMA, the Journal of Psychology, and more!!!
So, yeah, the fact you felt all speedy like you were on speed isn't surprising, however, is different in some ways (my body/brain took longer to absorb it or something). The STRAGE thing is, however, Greg, that Provigil is in fact NOT an amphetamine-salts like ADD/ADHD drugs are, like Adderall (that's actually what I switched to, and it is addictive!).
Finally, unfortunately for me, it looks like without insurance (which basically requires getting a job), I won't be able to safely take AND AFFORD anything that will effectively keep me awake so that I CAN work (caffeine is bad for my anxiety BTW). Go figure, stuck in a Catch-22... but I am very used to that!
(MAYBE one day, I might get to try "Nuvigil"... who knows?)
doglover44
6 May 2011
I too fell asleep at the theater while on provigil. It's horrible to be treated like you are deliberately dozing off when you don't even remember blinking but find yourself being nudged awake only to repeat the process. I'm for trying the new drug and quickly as stated while cost is down. For me provigil was a waste of time money and side effects. I didn't feel any wakefulness.
suzanne66
9 Aug 2009
What and how are you taking it? Do you need to take it to stay awake or do you take it for Narcolepsy or a sleep disorder? If you have been prescribed it daily it can take 2 to 4 days to reach its full effect.
Related topics
provigil, depression, drowsiness
Further information
- Provigil uses and safety info
- Provigil prescribing info & package insert (for Health Professionals)
- Side effects of Provigil (detailed)
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