Nuvigil and Increased Heart Rate: What Users Say

• Lyn...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 2, 2018

For Narcolepsy "I have been on Nuvigil for almost a year now. This has been the only stimulant to work for me. I have narcolepsy and ADHD, so Adderall and its related medicines actually make me more of a zombie, albeit a very focused zombie. Nuvigil does not cause my heart to race (I also have mitral valve prolapse), and it does not negatively affect my anxiety. This medicine has been a lifesaver for me! It does affect my ability to feel hunger. I don’t get hungry until around 2 p.m., but honestly, this is a good thing because when I eat, I become very tired. This is due to the nature of narcolepsy. We are low on orexin, so when we eat, what little orexin we have gets ‘turned off.’ Orexin is the chemical in the brain that helps regulate wakefulness and sleep. Orexin on means awake, and orexin off means asleep. Orexin is directly affected by food intake."

• Anonymous
• November 19, 2010

For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome "I have Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and was prescribed Provigil, insurance denied coverage. Doctor then gave me samples of Nuvigil 150mg. WOW! What a difference, first couple of days a few heart racing minutes but then after that, it was great. Ran out so asked doctor to order at pharmacy, insurance denied again. When I take Nuvigil I can work all day and sleep just fine at night, instead of taking a 3-hour nap after school and then back to bed at 8 PM. I have so much energy, I take it at lunchtime, this way it won't wear off too soon. I have skipped days to make samples last and there is definitely a difference in my quality of life. Actually I HAVE A LIFE when I take Nuvigil."

• Lin...
• August 16, 2015

For Narcolepsy "I found myself sleeping all day against my will, and it was depressing to be so unproductive. After I was accepted to vet school, I knew I needed to figure out why I was so tired all the time. I was diagnosed with narcolepsy without cataplexy. I immediately started Nuvigil in an attempt to get regulated before I started school. About a week in, I experienced anxiety and a racing heart on a few different days. My symptoms soon subsided, and I found my quality of life drastically improved. I take it in the morning before class, and I was able to stay awake all day with very little problem. I still have good days and bad, but my worst day is still better than my life before it. I am so thankful for my doctor and Nuvigil."

• Anonymous
• August 10, 2011

For Shift Work Sleep Disorder "I'm a firefighter/paramedic, and I've been on Nuvigil for about 4 days now, and I love it. I have never been a fan of taking medications, but when between working 24-hour shifts, school full-time, and my 3-year-old daughter, I found myself exhausted all the time. I started drinking energy drinks, and they worked, but after a while, they got expensive, so I started taking caffeine pills. After a while, my body needed the caffeine every day, but I didn't necessarily need it every day, which I didn't like. I also didn't like my heart racing with the caffeine. Since starting Nuvigil, I haven't had caffeine at all, and I didn't have much of a withdrawal phase. It has had all the positive effects for me, like a stimulant, with none of the negative."

• Kel...
• October 12, 2010

For Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Hypopnea Syndrome "Today was my first day on 150 mg of Nuvigil. I took it at 7:00 am, and it is now almost 11:00 PM. I am still speeding like crazy. I cannot sleep. Breathing is twice as heavy. It's weird that 15 hours after taking it, I am still in panic mode. I was very much awake today, but rapid heartbeat all day. Threw down a hot dog to try and suppress the speeding. Otherwise, my mind went 100 mph. Definitely not sleepy a bit. Would like to eat, but just cannot do it. It feels like I'm on the movie Speed where the bus has to go so fast. Hopefully, tomorrow I will do better. I want to go to sleep so badly. I took 1 mg of Xanax and Luvox; no help at all."

• Anonymous
• September 16, 2010

For Narcolepsy "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."

• Sun...
• April 5, 2021

For Narcolepsy "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."