Modafinil for Narcolepsy User Reviews (Page 3)

• Inf...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 16, 2015

Modafinil "Sensational medication. Provigil taken alone for my narcolepsy kept me awake and alert when needed, yet allowed me to take my short nap(s) throughout the day when needed."

• Fro...
• July 27, 2015

Modafinil "I have taken Provigil for 5 years now (since I was 16) 400 mg a day, as the lower dosage was ineffective. It has been a godsend. I really struggled through school, and while it didn't help me get top grades, it did wonders for keeping me awake during lessons. I'm awake for around 15 hours a day, with a 2-hour nap in the afternoon and 7 hours sleep at night. The best part is being able to have a sleep pattern, something which beforehand, I could never experience. Without this drug, I could never get anything done."

• rue...
• February 7, 2014

Modafinil "I tried to write a lot more, but the space is limited. I'd tried ADHD medicines and loaded up with caffeine, but nothing seemed to work to manage my excessive sleep cycles. I stumbled across information on Provigil and asked my doctor if I could try it. I was skeptical because I have eczema, and I have to be careful about the medications, foods, and external allergens I'm exposed to. I began at the lowest dose once a day and increased to that twice a day after a year and a half because it seemed the effectiveness was decreasing. I do take breaks from the meds, usually for a day or two, but I've had to for months (cost) and haven't experienced noticeable withdrawal symptoms, like with all the other chemicals."

• Sle...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• February 28, 2013

Modafinil "For the past few years, my friends all made fun of me for how many naps I took. Eventually, I was not able to leave very far from my house lest I get a sleep attack and need to lay down immediately. I've slept everywhere - from the bathroom floor at my work (before I was fired for leaving early so many times to sleep) to friends' cars during the middle of the day. After FINALLY getting a narcolepsy diagnosis (good luck getting insurance to pay without it - even the Patient Assist Program won't send you meds unless your diagnosis is documented), I am now experiencing how normal people must live. As long as I take the Provigil at the exact times I need to (100mg at 8am, noon, 4pm), I can work, making me feel like an asset to society again."

• awa...
• January 23, 2013

Modafinil "I've had delayed sleep phase syndrome, mood disorder, and ADHD all my life, due to a brain injury at birth and a family pattern of delayed sleep phase syndrome. I managed a successful professional career, but with great difficulty and struggles with different medications. I way overused caffeine, with mixed results and side effects. Provigil has been wonderful, and I wish it had been available when I was a child, in school, and working. I feel normal, alert, and not constantly fighting sleepiness, inattention, and depression. I can't help wondering how much better I might have done with this medicine. It is helping me with my second career as an artist."

• bet...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• January 9, 2013

Modafinil "I took Provigil for about 7 years. When I was working, my insurance covered it. I had no idea of the price. It is a wonderful medicine but way too expensive if you have to pay for it. Without any discounts, it's approximately $1,300 per prescription. I am on Medicare now and they will not cover it, so I am no longer taking it. It was great at keeping me from sleeping all the time and helped a lot with my depression. Perhaps the price will come down someday and I can start it again. Highly recommended."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 11, 2012

Modafinil "For over 5 years, Provigil worked very well. It would appear I have developed a tolerance, as within the past 6 months, I have had an extreme decrease in efficacy."

• Anonymous
• September 27, 2010

Modafinil "Ever since I was age 13, I would have sleep attacks almost every day; about 5 days out of a week. It really affected my schoolwork because I just couldn't force myself to stay awake. Two years ago, when I was 18, I finally investigated why I was having these sleep attacks. I was eventually diagnosed with narcolepsy by a neurologist. He put me on Provigil, 200 mg in the morning and 100 mg in the afternoon. Within a week, I noticed a huge difference. I've never felt so awake and refreshed in years. Now I'll only have around 10 sleep attacks per year. The only flaw this drug has is its price. MAKE SURE your insurance covers it. They may not at first, but give them documentation of your condition, and they will."

• Mic...
• January 24, 2010

Modafinil "Effective, yet extremely expensive for folks like me who don't have prescription coverage (insurance). Wish there was a generic form of this. This medicine has the least amount of side effects and is very effective for me."

• Anonymous
• October 1, 2009

Modafinil "I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, for that, I got a CPAP. But I also had trouble with zombie episodes and uncontrollable sleepiness (at work, while driving, very scary). I was diagnosed with narcolepsy several years ago (not formally tested, though). I have all the symptoms (night terrors, sleep paralysis), but I have not been tested for it. Anyway, my sleep doctor put me on it primarily because of several driving issues. It seems to work well, I have not dozed off or had a zombie episode since I have been on it. I still feel tired, and I can sleep if I want to, so I feel a little more in control. I also don't feel like a speed freak, like Adderall. I am on 200 mg in the morning for the past 2 weeks. So far, I am pleased with it."

• tee...
• August 8, 2009

Modafinil "For several years, I have been on Provigil, with a small dosage of Ritalin as a supplement. The Provigil was not enough for me, but it was much better than being on Ritalin alone. Ritalin had a tendency to make me anxious and talk constantly. Life is good now as a narcoleptic."

• Anonymous
• July 17, 2009

Modafinil "Pros: Works well in keeping me alert, no significant downer when the drug wears off, can be used on an as-needed basis. Cons: EXPENSIVE!"

• Cel...
• June 1, 2009

"This is the first and only drug I've ever taken for narcolepsy, and my standard of life, work, etc., has improved incredibly since then. I do get the side effects (dry eyes, dry mouth, crawling skin, headaches, tummy problems, and ironically enough, sometimes tiredness too), but these are subsets of one main side effect - massive dehydration. So I just drink lots of water and am mindful of it. Once you get over the main onset headache (which admittedly took me a few weeks), the benefits far outweigh the cons. I'm lucky with the costs, as I live in the UK, so 6 boxes x 30 tabs (200 mg) only costs the price of a prescription (about"

• laz...
• May 1, 2009

Modafinil "I have been taking Provigil for 1 year now. I take 200 mg 3 x daily. It has helped me more than any other drug I have been prescribed, however, I do get headaches and find myself dehydrated."

• Anonymous
• January 6, 2009

Modafinil "I have used Provigil for about 4 years now, and I really like it. I feel completely normal when I take it. In fact, the only time I notice the drug is when I forget to take it. However, it is costly, but I did find a substantial discount in my insurance's mail-order program. Also, for someone who asked earlier, I stopped taking Provigil as soon as I found out I was pregnant. There is too little known yet, and my kid was not going to be the guinea pig. Surprisingly, something changed because of being pregnant, and I did surprisingly well for those 8 months. I just made sure to take regular naps."

• jbi...
• March 31, 2008

"Great medication for narcolepsy. I would recommend it to anyone. No side effects, and most importantly, I have no problem falling asleep at night when I should be sleeping."

• hol...
• January 23, 2008

"I've been taking modafinil for close to 3 years now. I've had narcolepsy for as long as I remember, and I've always suffered from excessive sleepiness. This is the only medicine that has helped. There are different brands, manufacturers, etc., so just be careful about where you purchase from. Honestly, I do not have insurance, so I buy from an online pharmacy - otherwise, it would be too costly. It has changed my life, although sometimes it feels less effective. Overall, it has really helped me."

• Sle...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 11, 2024

Modafinil "I take it first thing in the morning. It has definitely solved my problem of excessive sleepiness during the day! One side effect that I'm dealing with is a daily headache. If that goes away, this drug has been a lifesaver for me."

• Not...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 7, 2020

"I was diagnosed with narcolepsy, specifically excessive daytime sleepiness, in the '90s. I was prescribed Ritalin twice a day for more than a decade. After moving and changing doctors, I was switched to Pemoline, which was the closest I ever felt to 'normal' until it was pulled off the market for being linked with liver failure. By then, Modafinil had been approved by the FDA for use in treating excessive daytime sleepiness in narcolepsy. It has been very helpful for daytime, though I can still fall asleep (nap) during the day, and I notice that if I forget my 2nd (afternoon) dose, I'm not able to stay asleep through the night."

• Laz...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 15, 2020

Modafinil "This med has been very helpful for my excessive daytime sleepiness (idiopathic hypersomnia). Probably saved me from ending my career as a therapist altogether, although I’m limited to seeing half the usual number of clients. First 100 mg dose at 8 am, and I’m good to go for about 4 hours—and quite talkative and energetic. By noon or 1, I’m getting quite tired and, even though I take my afternoon dose of 100 mg, the rest of the day I typically feel quite tense and often irritable. Tight knot in upper back. Seeing clients is a real challenge. My life remains pretty limited by my idiopathic hypersomnia, but I’m so relieved to at least be able to work enough to support my family. Losing that capacity altogether would have been devastating, so I’m very grateful for Provigil."

• Jam...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 7, 2018

"I have had very little side effect on this medication, and it helps a lot. There are stronger drugs out there, but I cannot stand their side effects. So, this is good for me and maybe others that dislike the side effects of other medications."

• Dox...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 13, 2016

"Was diagnosed with narcolepsy 30 years ago at age 40 years old. For the last 10 years, have been on Adderall (2 x 20 mg at 8 am, 2 x 20 mg and 2 x 20 mg at 1 pm) & Ritalin (2 x 10 mg at 9 am, 12 pm & 2 pm). Reason for Ritalin was to augment the Adderall 'peak and fall off.' I had tried Provigil when it first came out, but it didn't work. Now, at 70 years old, it seemed that I had developed a tolerance to Adderall. After a lengthy discussion with my health care provider, I agreed to give Provigil another try (200 mg once daily). At my next doctor's appointment, I complained of the 'afternoon fall off,' and the dose was changed to 200 mg twice daily (morning and early afternoon). Issue solved, and Provigil is working GREAT!!!"

• Gee...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 27, 2016

Modafinil "IMHO, modafinil is a good medication. I was originally diagnosed with EDS. A couple of years later, MSLT showed REM, blablabla, narcolepsy. I've tried it all. Best was Dexedrine, which is no longer manufactured (as far as I understand). Adderall dropped me down to about 95 lbs (even though I'm a small girl). Ritalin made me super anxious and mute and slow. And Provigil was just okay and very expensive. Stopped the Provigil because it cost $500 a month, 60 tabs BID 100 mg. I just can't keep paying for it. I went back to Ritalin, which is the cheapest of them all because I thought I was better. Never been more wrong! Not being on the Provigil has shown me I do have narcolepsy. Without Provigil, I can barely function :-/. But how can I carve out $500 for it?!"

• lol...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 5, 2015

Modafinil "I'm in the Navy, and it was very hard fighting my sleep for the first 5 years of being in. I finally got a sleep study, and they diagnosed me with narcolepsy. I don't really like taking medication for anything, but my doctor introduced me to Provigil. I finally feel like a normal person, although the first month I had very bad headaches. It slowly went away, and I went from taking 1 100 mg pill a day to 2 100 mg pills. My body got used to it within the first 2 months. Overall, I love this medicine. Works pretty good for me."

• Fre...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 15, 2014

"I was diagnosed with narcolepsy a while ago and have been started on modafinil. This does work, but with some side effects, which I tend to find only if I take the whole 100 mcg at one go, rather than have it in twos. By separating the whole dose, it has helped with the headaches and increased heart rate. I don't take it on a daily basis, but only when I am at work or at uni. Another brownie point for this medicine is that it definitely curbs my appetite for hours."