Armodafinil for Narcolepsy User Reviews (Page 4)

• mai...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 3, 2023

"My doctor prescribed armodafinil to treat narcolepsy. I was on it for over a week, and it is quite possibly the worst week I have experienced in a long time. I have been diagnosed with depression, however, I am on Pristiq and haven't had an issue for years. The first day, 150 mg was fine, I felt 'normal,' so to say, just without the extreme fatigue all the time. On the second day, I felt spaced out, like I wasn't quite there, but I also wasn't fatigued, so I continued on. On the fourth day, I felt extremely nauseous and dizzy. I was sitting on my bed, however, it felt like I was on a boat rocking back and forth. The fifth day is when the crying, depression, anxiety, and racing heartbeat all came in. It was like a switch was flicked in my head. It made me so sad, depressed, unable to see the point of life, and stressed out about 1,000 tiny things I would never stress out about. This, alongside a racing heartbeat, made me feel even more anxious. I went to my GP, who said I have tachycardia and need to stop taking it ASAP."

• Anonymous
• September 16, 2010

Armodafinil "I've been taking 250 mg for almost a week. At first, I felt a bit euphoric, but that quickly passed. Now I just feel physically anxious - sweating, increased heart rate and blood pressure, heat waves. I'm cutting down to 150 mg and hoping that the effects subside as I get used to being on the medicine. If this anxiety does not go away, I cannot continue on the medication."

• Ech...
• September 26, 2011

Armodafinil "Nuvigil worked great at 150 mg for a few months, then I needed to supplement with a quart of coffee in the mornings to keep me going until 1 pm. Bumped up to 225 mg. Not much better. Very expensive, $90 per month ($3 per pill). Aggressiveness, headaches, and thirst until I got used to it. No side effects now."

• Sup...
• July 27, 2011

Armodafinil "I've known something was wrong with me for several years now, but only recently did I 'push the point' and get some face time with a specialist. The pulmonologist put me on a CPAP machine and dismissed my MSLT results, whereas the neurologist paid attention to my MSLT results and diagnosed me with narcolepsy. He put me on 250 mg Nuvigil, broken in half, 1 in AM and 1 at noon. The first day it worked *great*, the rest of the first week or two it worked so-so (still had 'the nods' at my desk, driving, etc., but usually didn't fall completely asleep), but it really hasn't helped since then. I, too, will 'stick it out' for a month."

• bxg...
• January 20, 2012

Armodafinil "If it wasn't for the cost, I would give it a ten. I've been taking 150 mgs a day for almost a year. With a card from the drug company, I only pay $20, but when that card expires, I can't afford $50 per month. My doctor just prescribed me Ritalin 10 mgs 3 times a day (also probably have ADD)."

• Sun...
• April 5, 2021

Armodafinil "I was diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy in 2015. Nuvigil was the second medication I was prescribed. It did seem to help at first, but had to be increased frequently, and I topped out in less than three months. It still doesn't help unless I come off of it for a while and am pretty much a zombie for that period of time. Then I get a few days of being able to function before it feels like I have taken nothing at all again. I have to supplement with stackers, 5-hour energy shots, and Red Bulls. I have actually used all of the above together and still fallen asleep with the empty Red Bull can in my hand! My heart rate is always high, blood pressure has become a problem, and still my doctor will not prescribe anything else."

• Oli...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 10, 2021

Armodafinil "I just wanted to share for anyone who experienced severe side effects with Provigil. On the lowest dose of Provigil, I experienced extreme hair loss, extreme stutters and physical tics, brain fog, nausea, dizziness, shortness of breath, and hysteria. I went through Dex, Ritalin, and Ritalin LA, which didn't work for me. My doctor really pushed me to try Nuvigil, which I was super fearful of. I've been on 250 mg of Nuvigil about 2 weeks now, and no signs yet of the side effects I experienced with other medications. Like others, I find I crash between 12-5 pm, depending on the day's activities and will probably be supplementing Dex in as an afternoon filler, as previously discussed with my SS. My diagnosis is severe idiopathic hypersomnia. If I forget my medication for just one day, I will sleep a minimum of 18 hours, the longest so far is 36 hours. Nuvigil doesn't make me feel like a zombie-awake, but nobody is home."

• Anonymous
• February 24, 2011

Armodafinil "About 6 years ago, I was diagnosed with narcolepsy and sleep apnea. I started taking Provigil 100 mg once per day. Then 200 mg once per day. Then my doctor tried me on Concerta; it had a quick peak of energy, but it didn't last at all. Plus, since it is a controlled substance, it was harder to get. We had to go to the doctor in person every month to get a prescription, unlike other medicines that allowed pharmacy refills. My doctor switched me back to Provigil 200 mg twice a day. This amount actually worked, but most insurance plans only allow 1 200 mg per day. After Nuvigil came out, my doctor switched me due to the insurance company wanting to save money. Nuvigil 350 mg 1 per day does not work for me. I have a low 4 hours after I took it."

• OU_...
• October 2, 2018

"Nuvigil worked fine for me for the first 6 months or so, but then not only did it stop working, but now it actually makes me more tired when I take it. My narcolepsy has been debilitating. Due to the ineffectiveness of Nuvigil, my doctor added a stimulant to my treatment. When I take the stimulant, I feel great. The weird thing is now when I take the Nuvigil, I feel like it completely counters the stimulant, and I get really tired again. So tired that it's not safe for me to drive. I know Nuvigil is a godsend to others with narcolepsy, and that's great. I'm envious of you because I hate being on stimulants."

• Miz...
• July 20, 2011

Armodafinil "It was recommended by my doctor that I try Nuvigil because I have a tendency to become sleepy while driving, either short or long distances. I was concerned that the drug may be habit-forming, but he reassured me that I would not have a problem with it. This medicine appears to be working well with no noticeable side effects thus far, 2 weeks."

• Tro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 27, 2019

"I started Nuvigil on Tuesday, and it is now Thursday. So I have three days' experience using it. I'm 54, and I have suffered lifelong depression. I have a sleep disorder, and I sleep maybe 2 to 3 hours a night, with revolving thoughts that won't stop. I've tried over 65 medications, and none of them have worked. But when I took Nuvigil, within one hour, my head silenced for the first time in my life. All those thoughts and worries that keep me constantly in a state of panic and anxiety went away, and I can concentrate and think. But here's the bad side: I can't orgasm. Are any other people having sexual side effects? And if so, does it go away?"

• Nic...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 5, 2021

"Dealt with hypersomnia for about 5 years, also have Major Depressive Disorder, so docs thought it may have been because of that. Did everything you could think of and it only got worse. 5 years later, I can finally afford to pay for a sleep study, and I finally found a doctor that would actually help me with symptoms. He put me on Modafinil 200 mg first, worked good for focus, helped me stay awake a little, but sometimes I'd fall asleep in a couple of hours. Then he gave me Armodafinil 200 mg. Much better for staying awake, not as good for focus, and wears off at around 4 hrs. I suffer in the morning trying to wake up and get ready for the day, so I can prolong taking it as much as possible. I wait until about 9:30 am to take it, then by 1:30 pm or 2 pm I start feeling tired again. Not cutting it. Doctor recently gave me the highest dose, 250 mg, it didn't feel the same or stronger, and I full-on knocked out at work for an hour yesterday. Still fighting with insurance to approve the sleep study, so I know what is wrong with me."

• Kat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 11, 2021

"Miles above Adderall for wakefulness. Not even a comparison. I recommend taking on an empty stomach. May not work for some if you have recently eaten food. Seriously. It's a thing. I was on 20 mg XR and 40 mg IR Adderall for years. Still was miserable. Still am at times, but I have excessive health problems. Either way, was nervous to switch, but Adderall never keeps me awake. This is excellent. I take 250 mg right from the start. I can still fall asleep on it during my worst times, but nothing like the ineffectiveness of Adderall."

• sle...
• December 30, 2010

Armodafinil "My little sister was diagnosed about 2 years ago with narcolepsy, just recently, so was I. My doctor gave me a sample of Nuvigil for 4 weeks and a prescription for Adderall. I took Nuvigil, and I felt great! However, I took the medicine at about 5:30 am and could not turn my brain off or get to sleep until after 1:30 am. I then took half of the pill to maybe reduce the time it keeps me awake, but nothing happened at all. In reading some of the comments here, it sounds like maybe this medicine will wear off quicker in the future."

• Bil...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 4, 2018

"Former ultra runner. Two lumbar, two cervical, and a right temporal lobe surgery for epilepsy for good measure. Narcolepsy from spinal insults. Started on the ADHD meds, moved to modafinil. Importantly, both Modafinil and Armodafinil take an hour to kick in. I take 100 mg of caffeine with it in the AM; 7:00. Armodafinil and Modafinil also interfere with pain meds. I can 'get it done,' but need more caffeine at 4:00. I also crash right after dinner. I get a month for $40."

• Bun...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 1, 2015

"I have had lupus since 1986. Fortunately, it has been a mild form. When I had a job where I had an hour for lunch, I was able to take a 20-minute cat nap, and that helped get me through the afternoon. Now I have a job with only a 1/2 hour for lunch. I was having trouble staying awake in the afternoons. Then I saw a news article on TV about Nuvigil and its use on people with lupus. So, I had my psychologist write an RX for it, and it was like flipping on a switch. My insurance paid for it for a year, and now they are denying it, saying it's off-label. They will cover the Provigil, and I've tried that; with disastrous results. So, they would rather I lose my job because I can't stay awake than cover a medication."

• Bri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 26, 2020

"I have suspected narcolepsy (still waiting on my sleep study) and bipolar I. My doctor tried me on Adderall, and it made me extremely irritable and angry. I was switched to armodafinil, and it is much better. I don’t have any side effects that I have noticed. For me, during the day, I can still feel extremely tired at times, but I’m alert and still able to function. I am able to drive normally now without being at the point of nodding off, which honestly was my biggest concern with the narcolepsy."

• Sle...
• December 8, 2018

Armodafinil "Been telling doctors for 20 years about being excessively tired. Finally broke down, bawling to my current doctor this year, she sent me for a Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), and I failed the test. Finally had my diagnosis. The doctor put me on Ritalin LA 20 mg, lost potency within 5 days, increased the dose to 30 mg, still didn't work. I seen a sleep specialist, he put me on Nuvigil. Took it for a couple of days, did not help at all! In fact, it made me feel like I was going through withdrawal from the Suboxone I take and felt it made narcolepsy worse. I take Suboxone because 10 years ago I used pain pills to 'give me energy', I got addicted to pain pills, obviously. Been on Suboxone for 6 years. I was hoping I finally had a diagnosis of narcolepsy, I could get on the right meds and get off Suboxone. My doctor wanted to put me on Ritalin 20 mg LA for morning and Ritalin 10 mg for the afternoon, but insurance wouldn't cover it. Only 30 mg as a whole. I honestly think the dose she wanted to put me on would have helped, but the insurance knows best, right? Makes me so mad!"

• jes...
• September 28, 2011

"I have been taking Nuvigil since I was diagnosed with narcolepsy 10 months ago, and I finally feel like myself. I was barely functional without it. When I first started, I had some trouble with side effects: sleeplessness, anxiety, and jitters. What worked for me was starting at a much lower dose and working my way up to the dosage I needed. I do several things that I think also help me get the most out of Nuvigil. 1) I take my medicine at the same time every single morning, even on weekends; 2) I drink a lot of water; if I'm dehydrated at all, my heart rate goes up; and 3) I take CoQ10 and B12 (both recommended by my neurologist). These completely got rid of the anxiety problems I was having. It took some time to really figure out, but 100% worth it."

• Ama...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 24, 2018

"This medicine is okay. I like Provigil. I was first on Provigil for 19 years. The doctor took me off without reason. The detox is awful. It is just not as strong as Nuvigil. Nuvigil is strong. And Provigil kept me up longer. Wondering why?"

• Mom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 6, 2017

"I've just switched from Modafinil to Armodafinil. I take twice a day, dividing the 150 mg tablet into 2 parts with a full meal. With Modafinil, I had eye irritation. It wasn't serious, but good enough to make me worried because I already have glaucoma. The eye irritation reduced as I divided my dosage of 200 mg Modafinil into 2 times with a full meal. Though it may reduce the effectiveness, the side effect alleviation was more prominent. This prompted me to take Armodafinil because I thought I may reduce the dosage further. Hence, I started with Armodafinil 150 mg, and I think the plan has really worked out. The eye irritation effect is virtually non-existent! Still, it's early days to comment on other properties, but I will as they become evident."

• Wor...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• December 13, 2021

"I get mine filled at Costco because of insurance issues. It’s really changed my life, and now I can actually start living instead of being in a coma-like state. Some side effects that never went away: dry mouth, sweating a lot, headache when I don’t drink enough, jittery for the first hour, hungrier. All of this is worth it. I’m used to side effects from other meds, but this is the only one that worked."

• ada...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 4, 2022

"It has been a mixed experience for me with armodafinil. The benefits for me have included requiring a little less sleep along with boosting mood. It has not given me much physical energy, but it does seem to keep me awake, which is all it’s really supposed to do from my understanding."

• 24f...
• October 28, 2009

"I was diagnosed with narcolepsy by an MSLT and just found out the results today. I only experience ES with narcolepsy. I have been taking this medicine for almost 2 months now. I have had the dosage increased twice. At first, when I started taking the medicine, I was very energized and had a hard time sleeping a few nights. After getting used to the medicine, I don't feel excessively energized, jittery, or have trouble sleeping at all. I just feel awake, and it gives me the power to lead a successful life. I have had a few side effects from the medicine. I often experience neck cramps/aches and almost always get dry mouth. I also sometimes have a lack of appetite. These side effects are very manageable. Armodafinil has changed my life."

• Sut...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 25, 2020

"Armodafinil helped my narcolepsy a lot at first and was my first try at this type of medicine. I had to increase, and after a year and a half of trying various combinations, it was minimal at best. Awake but not engaged, or functioning well, and felt artificially awake."