Armodafinil and Headaches: What Users Say (Page 2)

• pau...
• September 17, 2009

Armodafinil for Drowsiness "I have found it to be very smooth, have needed to take two per day, one early AM and the second one about noon to make it all day. No more trouble sleeping than normal. No shakiness or jitters, appetite seems normal. One tablet (150 mg) was no help. I seem to be more productive during the day. No nausea or headaches, dizziness. I feel like I get along with it just fine."

• Hyp...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 8, 2022

For Depression "While initially, with trying a full dose of 150 mg, I got anxious and trouble sleeping, I did notice uplifting psychological effects. I read that some people are hypersensitive to it, so I decided to try a lot smaller doses (1/6th to 1/4th of the dose, depending on the day), and found that it works great for me! I found that I like it to be as less noticeable as possible, just a slight push instead of manic energy, as the latter drains me even more afterward. After some testing, I found what works for me: breaking the pill unevenly and getting a different dosage daily keeps me more similar to 'regular normal'; picking the dose based on how difficult the day will be prevents the mania and over-exhaustion; having a break day every 3-4 days (those days I take a rest day, whole day) and a periodical break of a couple of days (pick ones with less stress and obligations) all help with keeping the dose minimal but still effective. Modafinil, however, induced severe headaches and agitation, no-no for me."

• DoJ...
• September 14, 2016

Armodafinil for Narcolepsy "Works very well at keeping me awake. No euphoria like amphetamines, very few side effects in fact aside from a very mild headache, which aspirin can fix. It seems like all it does is remove my chronic fatigue without giving extra energy. Perfect in my opinion. Anxiety can be a problem, especially at the 250 mg dose. If it is a problem, I would recommend breaking the 250 mg in half and taking them several hours apart, which also helps with the late afternoon crash. If you have high blood pressure or heart problems, probably not a good idea to take it. Also, there is a generic, not sure of the price difference."

• FAR...
• August 16, 2011

Armodafinil for Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Hypopnea Syndrome "'This is the best medicine I've taken in 20 years.' These are the words I told my doctor after taking Nuvigil. I had major depression, major allergy, irritable bowel syndrome, and sleep apnea. You name the medicine, I took it, and it didn't work. So I didn't think this would either. I took one 150 mg in the morning, and it gave me a headache, but noticed it stopped my IBS all day. So, I cut it in half the next day, and it worked wonderfully for all my symptoms. It also helped my sex drive big time! Which was totally unexpected. It's the only medicine I need/take, but it's expensive."

• 25m...
• February 25, 2012

Armodafinil for Narcolepsy "I'm 25 years old and have had narcolepsy since I was around 10. I've never been on any medication before and have lived my life around constant daytime sleepiness and having to take regular naps. My Dr. prescribed me Nuvigil. Day one was the greatest I have ever felt in 15 some odd years! I have energy to do things, can eat without having to sleep afterwards, can stay awake at work. Still, randomly, after being up for an excessive period of time, I get the urge to take a nap, and if I do so, I have no issues. Bad side effects are mild headaches and slight tightening of the chest. Bad thing is my insurance only covers a small portion of it, and most likely won't be able to afford it."

• Fir...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 19, 2013

Armodafinil for Shift Work Sleep Disorder "I have been taking Nuvigil for a week, and every day I get headaches, and my eyes are sensitive to light. Overall, I love feeling back to normal and not tired all the time. I have tried cutting my pills in 1/2 and 1/4s to stop the side effects, no luck."

• Anonymous
• February 14, 2010

Armodafinil for Narcolepsy "I got diagnosed with narcolepsy about a month ago. I got prescribed Nuvigil and took it for two weeks straight. The medicine had some side effects like headaches, but soon my body got used to the medicine. I'm a college student, so it's crucial that I stay awake when I'm in class, and Nuvigil helps me do that. Its effects slowly begin to work, so I have to take it early in the morning."

• Col...
• April 25, 2012

Armodafinil for Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Hypopnea Syndrome "I am a 22-year-old female college student. I take Pristiq, an antidepressant, daily. I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (runs in my family), and I sleep with a CPAP machine, which helps, but I was still tired and felt cloudy and unable to focus during the day. I started taking Nuvigil, and it has really helped. I am prescribed 250 mg, but I take the half dose. When I first started taking Nuvigil, I had awful headaches, and sometimes I felt jittery. Nuvigil kept me up at night for the first few weeks, but my body adjusted. I take it around 8 a.m. I feel alert and am able to focus better in school. I only get a headache if I skipped a few days, and they are not as bad."

• Ell...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 7, 2015

Armodafinil for Narcolepsy "After being diagnosed at age 35 with narcolepsy and REM sleep behavior disorder, my ENT put me on Nuvigil 150 mg to help me stay awake during the day. I'll tell you what, it didn't do a darn thing. My kids actually said they thought it made me more tired. He then bumped it up to 250 mg, and I'd say it helped for an hour or so. It gave me horrible headaches, lockjaw, and teeth grinding, pretty much no appetite, but the worst part of all had to be how bad it ALWAYS made my stomach hurt and how I felt like I was going to throw up most of the time. It definitely didn't help me, and I'd still find myself falling asleep and needing a few naps each day. I also ended up losing 7 lbs in 3 weeks, which wasn't good for me since I'm already very thin."

• tsa...
• July 5, 2010

Armodafinil for Narcolepsy "I started Nuvigil 250 mg in the morning, two weeks ago after being diagnosed with narcolepsy. I went from sleeping all night and basically most of the day with extreme napping before the Nuvigil to no naps at all. I don't even feel sleepy. That is a plus. The first three days were a miracle! I was alert. Colors seemed brighter. I felt focused for the first time in years. Slowly, I started having afternoon side effects of a dull headache. I feel 'car sick' and jittery, and my skull feels actually numb to touch. I hope this subsides soon, or I may try halving my dose of 250 mg."

• Anonymous
• January 31, 2010

Armodafinil for Narcolepsy "The first couple of days, it seemed to work great. I did get a slight headache at the times I normally dosed off. I could not fall asleep for the first few days. After a week, the effects are starting to wear off. I am tired and have no energy, but I am not falling asleep. I am taking one pill, 150 mg in the morning. I have not taken any other medicine for narcolepsy before, so I have nothing to compare it to."

• Tis...
• January 25, 2011

Armodafinil for Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Hypopnea Syndrome "I have been using Nuvigil for 4 days now. I have horrible headaches! My eyes ache and feel like someone is pushing in on them, and I want to close them and feel very tired, but not sleepy. I am irritable, but I think that is because I feel so horrible. My doctor prescribed 150 mg and said to cut them in half. I think I will try taking 1/4 of a tablet and see what happens. I am not sure if I can handle much more. I can't focus at work by late afternoon because my head hurts and my eyes are aching. Ibuprofen and Tylenol don't seem to help."

• OSA...
• January 9, 2018

For Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Hypopnea Syndrome "Took 75 mg in the am for daytime fatigue believed related to OSA. This dose caused me to feel a bit disoriented and yielded a significant day-long headache. It did improve my alertness and ability to stay awake on the job. I cut back to 1/2 of my prescribed dose to see if it would still help and not yield the persistent headache and disorientation. At that level (37.5 mg), I still got improved alertness and prevented the headache. I am experimenting with when to take the dose and if I can take a noon dose for afternoon alertness without the headache. A noon to 2 PM dose seems to not wear off completely by bedtime. Continuing to see if I can use the product or should ask for a different prescription."

• Fem...
• November 17, 2009

Armodafinil for Narcolepsy "I was diagnosed with narcolepsy about a month ago. I don't like taking pills, but falling asleep at work at 8 am is just not acceptable. I was prescribed the 150 mg, and my insurance pays for it. There is a discount program offered by some pharmacies (using Walmart). My doctor gave me some information about it, and I only paid $10. It is supposed to save $50 each month. My experience with the pill itself is mostly positive. I finally feel like I can actually pursue my dreams and goals and won't have to compromise on less because I am too tired to go for it. I also have the side effect of dry mouth, though, and on the 3rd day of full dosage, I get a bad headache. Because of that, I take only half on some days, and most weeks don't take any on Sunday."

• Mat...
• May 11, 2011

Armodafinil for Narcolepsy "I've been on Nuvigil for about 5 weeks for narcolepsy. I can actually function. I was prescribed the 150 mg 1x/day and initially had very bad headaches for the first week or so and was taking ibuprofen to deal with them. My doctor had me cut the pills to take half when I wake and half 3 hrs later, and I no longer had the headaches but still had the wakefulness. I do occasionally experience severe dry mouth that no amount of water can fix, but no longer have headaches or any other problems, and am actually awake. I do get urges to nap on occasion, but they are resistible. Amazing to be able to be awake again!"

• Tac...
• December 14, 2011

Armodafinil for Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Hypopnea Syndrome "First day on Nuvigil, prescribed by a 'second opinion' sleep doctor. My first sleep doctor kept discounting my complaints of constant sleepiness even after having the CPAP machine for over a year. He had never even talked about any medications for excessive sleepiness. But my 'second opinion' sleep doctor did pay attention. I can't thank him enough. My first day on Nuvigil has been like a sunrise. This is the first day in at least 6 years that I didn't fall asleep. No headaches, jitters, nausea. Started to feel the 'wakefulness' easing off after about 6 hours. I agree about the cost, it's outrageous at over $10/day. I also take medicines for atrial fibrillation, so Nuvigil is one of the few I can take."

• Sle...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• April 8, 2023

For Narcolepsy "The Mylan generic is horrible and not effective. The headache and severe nausea are debilitating. The taste is foul. I continued to take it thinking I'd get used to it. Not so. Not effective at keeping me awake, and the miserable side effects outweigh its usefulness. My physician specified a brand, or I pay the extra copay for the name brand. The original name brand and Sandoz brand work great. No, thank you, Mylan!"

• Anonymous
• June 29, 2010

Armodafinil for Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Hypopnea Syndrome "My first day on Nuvigil. I have not had this much energy in years, and I'm only in my late 30s. The only side effects I've noticed so far are some very mild nausea. Just enough to suppress my appetite, which is actually a good side effect. Had a mild headache this afternoon a couple of hours after taking the pill, but I cannot say that it was a result of the medication."

• Anonymous
• April 27, 2011

For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome "I have Sjögren's syndrome, which basically has the same symptoms as lupus. The fatigue was really bad, and I did not have a lot of quality time where I felt good. I have been taking some samples of Nuvigil, and it has been great! I actually can get through the day and have a little energy when I get home. I hope it continues to work! I had a headache a little the first couple of days, but no side effects since then."

• Kar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 9, 2012

Armodafinil for Drowsiness "Diagnosed with hypersomnia. Prescribed 150 mg Nuvigil 1 x day. This medication made me extremely talkative for the first few days to the point of annoyance to others and even myself. Though it curbed my extreme need for napping and did make me feel somewhat more 'alive' during the day, the side effects, for me, far outweighed the benefits. Chills, daily headaches, feeling feverish with no temperature throughout the two months I took Nuvigil. Daily stomach pain and irritability and changes in my behavior to include sadness and crying episodes, feeling overwhelmed, feelings as if I were 'losing it'. I stopped taking Nuvigil two weeks ago and no more side effects!!!!"

• hip...
• March 21, 2011

Armodafinil for Narcolepsy "Nuvigil works really well. The effectiveness does slightly wear off after several consecutive days with the dose, but taking a day or two off the medication has restored effectiveness for me. The only side effect I've experienced in the last month and a half is headaches (infrequently, at that). Be wary of mixing caffeine with Nuvigil. In my case, caffeine increases palpitation-like symptoms, increases jitteriness, and has even provoked hallucinations more than once."

• Sle...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 25, 2022

For Idiopathic Hypersomnia "Started armodafinil at 29. Just over a year of use: 200 mg daily in the morning, Monday through Friday (workdays). I typically avoid taking armodafinil on weekends (elaborated below). Prior to armodafinil, the ONLY thing that kept me 'awake' was HIGH stress and TIGHT deadlines. Armodafinil is a life changer. I'm still sleepy, but remain fully alert until at least 1 p.m. and can muster through the rest of the day without too much trouble. I don't have any side effects. Much better than modafinil, which caused me headaches, nausea, 'brain fog.' Modafinil worked for about 3 days, and then the effect wore off. I stopped taking modafinil on weekends (as prescribed by my doctor) and still had no luck. Now my doctor is okay with and without the use of armodafinil on weekends. Efficacy for armodafinil should decrease, but my experience with modafinil has me cautious."

• K_H...
• June 27, 2011

Armodafinil for Narcolepsy "As a working mom, I literally do not have time to nap during the day. It finally became enough of an annoyance that I saw a doctor for the first time in 7 years. Moral of the story, I was diagnosed with narcolepsy and prescribed Nuvigil (250 mg). I am not thrilled to be taking a (possibly addictive) medication the rest of my life, but I want to explore my other options (rather than consume 3 energy drinks/day). So far, I have only been on it a week and after the headaches and no sleep wore off, I now get only a short time where I feel like I am all there. To say I gave it a fair shot, I am going to stick it out for a month."

• Hst...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 1, 2016

For Narcolepsy "On my second month of generic, and I will be doing what is needed to get name brand Nuvigil at the next refill. I've been the person I was prior to Nuvigil several years ago. I have also had a constant headache. My nose and sinuses have felt very congested with little to no production. I do have allergies, so possibly it has nothing to do with the generic. But typically, after a round of allergy meds, it clears, and this has been ongoing for 2 months now. I can take the generic and within an hour be asleep. I feel like I did years ago before Nuvigil. I was happy for a generic because of the reduced co-pay. However, I'm ready to pay the higher cost for the name brand so I can get back to my life!"

• Bon...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 18, 2014

For Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Hypopnea Syndrome "I suffered with obstructive sleep apnea for 20 years, surviving on 1-2 hours of sleep per night. I would fall asleep everywhere, even fell asleep in two job interviews! (didn't get those jobs) I got my CPAP, and it helped a lot, but I was still sleepy during the day. Then my doctor prescribed Nuvigil 150 mg, and I woke up for the first time in 20 years! I'm 53, and I haven't felt this alive since I was a kid. Week 1, I had a small headache and insomnia, but then my erectile dysfunction went away, my memory greatly improved, I stopped falling asleep in meetings, and even my essential tremor, which runs through every male on my father's side, has all but disappeared. For me, Nuvigil is truly a miracle."