I am on day 1 of taking nuvigil. I took 1 x 250mg after waking from a 14 hour sleep (my husband woke me up)..
I feel very tired (more than I normally am after sleeping 14 hrs) and it has been about 3 hours since I took the medicine. I know it is extremely early, but I feel that such a potent medication should work the first day. how long does this stuff take to work?
Nuvigil - how long does this stuff take to work?
- Asked
- 18 Aug 2012 by anonymous472048
- Updated
- 17 May 2017
- Topics
- nuvigil, narcolepsy, drowsiness, sleep disorders, sleep, sleeping
Details:
Responses (3)
LaurieShay
18 Aug 2012
Depending on whether you took it with food in your stomach or not, it should take 2 to 4 hours to begin to work. It will make you less sleepy, but not the same as an amphetamine does. It is a gradual onset and works throughout the 8 to 10 hours after taking. You will find that the second or thrid day will be the most noticeable as far as side effects which may include headache. When I take this medication, I take first thing in the morning and on an empty stomach. It doesn't make you "speedy" like an amphetamine rather a more subtle wakefulness.
ElizaJane23
19 Aug 2012
For me, Nuvigil kicks in 8-10 hours after taking it, so I'm up and taking it at 6 am, then my most awake and productive times are mid-afternoon to evening. Are you sure you started at 250mgs? That's pretty high, I believe. I started at 150 mgs and have gradually worked down to 1/2 the tablet. Give it some time to work. Best wishes - ElizaJane
darkstar01
5 Jun 2013
I suggest taking with something acidic in the morning with nuvigil, then eat breakfast after say 30minutes, the acid will help dissolve "some" of the drug quickly and give you a more awakened state. I also don't take the whole pill first thing in the morning, I split 1 pill in half and take the second half at lunch before I eat. This way I have more energy and take less naps during the day, at most I may take 1 15-30min nap once daily, previously I was take 2-3 1-2hr naps daily.. Also, caffeine will amplify the effects of this drug, if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure avoid excessive caffeine, however if you do not have any of those conditions it should be safe, I drink coffee or sodas first thing in the morning with the medication usuaully.
qkcam
6 Mar 2014
Hi I recently started Nuvigil too..and i do have a piece of toast and peanut butter a few mins after taking it. i have noticed i feel really lethargic and unmotivated for the first 5 to 6 hours after taking it.. then i can't tell if it is gone from my system and that is why i feel better, or if it is just starting to kick in. I only have 50mg tablets and experimenting with dose.. i took the whole 50mg yesterday and felt like a zombie most of the day.. open for suggestions..thank you
Jay Cutler
1 Sep 2014
It is so strange for me to read people saying it takes 5 hours to kick in or only last for 4 hours. Ive experimented alot with this medication and learned how to get the most out of it let me share my experiance. First off what meds you take and what foods you eat effects the effectivness period. If your taking anti depressants that sedate, eat alot of processed foods, do not work out regulaurly, dont sleep enough and take a sleeping pill rx or o.c they effect the drugd perfomance. I make sure i do non of the above and nuvigil is awesome for me! I wake up at 7am for work now used to wake at 8 drink coffee. Now i wake and have my water and 150mg of nuvigil beside my bed take them and then i like to grab my ipad and lay for the next 30 min the drug starts to work i feel the crankyness going away and i surf the web this is just my thing.
Jay Cutler
1 Sep 2014
It is so strange for me to read people saying it takes 5 hours to kick in or only last for 4 hours. Ive experimented alot with this medication and learned how to get the most out of it let me share my experiance. First off what meds you take and what foods you eat effects the effectivness period. If your taking anti depressants that sedate, eat alot of processed foods, do not work out regulaurly, dont sleep enough and take a sleeping pill rx or o.c they effect the drugd perfomance. I make sure i do non of the above and nuvigil is awesome for me! I wake up at 7am for work now used to wake at 8 drink coffee. Now i wake and have my water and 150mg of nuvigil beside my bed take them and then i like to grab my ipad and lay for the next 30 min the drug starts to work i feel the crankyness going away and i surf the web this is just my thing.
Further Information
- Nuvigil Information for Consumers
- Nuvigil Information for Healthcare Professionals (includes dosage details)
- Side Effects of Nuvigil (detailed)
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Yes; my doctor gave me samples of 250 and I took a whole one; perhaps because he believed my lifelong problem to be pretty severe.
I found it a little harder to fall asleep last night. It took me about 10 min as opposed to my normal mere seconds. I also woke on my own at 11 30 as opposed to still being asleep at 2 pm.
The strongest hope I have for this medicine is to be able to wake myself. Not once in my entire life have I been able to rely on my own strength to get up, not for school or now for work. I rely solely on my husbands efforts, which causes dissention between the two of us.
If I could wake myself with just an alarm clock, I could deal with the fatigue throughout the day.
Of course in a perfect world, neither of these things would plague me. I need to experiment with what time of day to take this medicine.