Modafinil for Narcolepsy User Reviews (Page 5)

• Van...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 24, 2020

"I was diagnosed with type 2 narcolepsy and prescribed 100 mg Modafinil. The first two weeks were riddled with side effects: dizzy, unbelievably dehydrated with drinking 48 oz of water daily, miserably red, dry eyes, but marginally awake for a few hours. Months later, I was up to 200 mg 2x/daily, and I found that so long as I drink at least 64 oz of water and get 90 minutes of rigorous exercise each day, I feel more like myself. Once it built up in my system and the side effects subsided, it's kind of like a small cup of coffee running in the background for seven or eight hours. So long as I get plenty of exercise before and after work and stay hydrated throughout the day, it generally gets me through most of the workday."

• KRa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 22, 2019

Modafinil "This medication worked wonders for me. It had a lot fewer side effects than the alternatives like amphetamines and methylphenidate, however, modafinil raises histamine levels, and I broke out in hives about 2 weeks into taking it. It’s a shame because this medicine worked better than anything else I have tried."

• Jk7...
• November 30, 2016

"I have been taking Provigil for a month. I noticed a decrease in my sleepiness right away. I was falling asleep at work and while driving so many times a day I couldn't count how often. My insurance wouldn't approve it, and it was way too expensive for me to pay cash, so it took me a couple of months before I was able to get it filled. I called every pharmacy I could think of to compare prices, and Costco was way cheaper than everyone else. Their price for 30 of the 200 mg was only 39.00 compared to 700.00 at some other places. I definitely recommend getting it filled there if you have to pay cash."

• sco...
• November 6, 2009

Modafinil "It helps with my narcolepsy, but isn't strong enough. I can still fall asleep almost anytime."

• Anonymous
• July 31, 2009

Modafinil "I was recently diagnosed with narcolepsy and started on Provigil. I started with 100 mg in the morning and then 100 or 150 mg in the afternoon. The first few days I was a little dizzy at first, a little nauseous, lost my appetite, had a mild headache every night (ibuprofen took care of that), and tense jaw/neck muscles. It was working great, but once I started classes (i.e., inactivity), I was falling asleep sometimes before my noon dose and every day around 6 pm or 8 pm. So, my doctor upped it to 200 in the morning and 200 after noon. For all 3 days of it, I was awake, only crashing around 8 pm, but I was having problems with my memory and concentration. Just switched to Ritalin."

• Anonymous
• April 8, 2009

Modafinil "I have been on 2 x 200 a day for 10 months now, and it has not been the miracle drug for narcolepsy that some people talk about. I have given it a lot of time, but still have excessive daytime sleepiness. Works better for others, I suppose. Also, does anyone else notice that it makes your urine smell weird?"

• Anonymous
• March 16, 2009

Modafinil "I hear people rave about Provigil, and I was excited to try it. Unfortunately, it did not help me. I slept just as much as I did taking no medication at all. I am still in testing and trying different medications. Hopefully, I will find one that will help me stay awake eventually."

• doo...
• December 10, 2008

Modafinil "This was the first drug that my doctor prescribed for my narcolepsy. I didn't experience any side effects, but it didn't improve my wakefulness to any discernible degree with two doses of 300 mg (one dose of 300 mg upon waking in the morning; one dose of 300 mg around noon)."

• Vic...
• March 19, 2019

"I was diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy when I was a freshman in high school. I am now 26 years old with a 3-year-old daughter. While I was in high school, I was prescribed Ritalin, which did help. Recently, I was prescribed Adderall, and it worked GREAT. I was taking a 20 mg tablet twice a day (one in the morning, once at noon or 1 pm). I went and saw a new sleep disorder doctor who prescribed the modafinil at 200 mg a day (1 tablet in the morning). I am still absolutely exhausted by noon or 1 pm. On modafinil, I am fine in the morning after I take it, but again, by noon or 1 pm, I am absolutely exhausted, can't focus, and can barely keep my eyes open enough to function. I had high hopes for this medication, but it just doesn't seem to be enough for me. I don't feel any different than when I wasn't taking anything."

• Ira...
• June 9, 2016

Modafinil "I have taken Provigil years ago with no significant improvement. I went through the last 20 years being prescribed Xyrem, Cylert, Adderall, Ritalin, and recently Provigil along with Ritalin. None of these drugs provide wakefulness that lasts more than 3-4 hours. I can take the combination of Provigil and Ritalin at 9 am and fall back to sleep at 9:30 am. I take my medication on an empty stomach, but the wakefulness is almost nonexistent. I want to volunteer to be a case study because I believe I am a rare individual with narcolepsy. I want to find out if there is an underlying problem because I hear of people getting addicted to these drugs and they barely have an effect on me. I want to live a normal life and not be sleepy all day, every day."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 16, 2012

Modafinil "I have narcolepsy with cataplexy and am currently taking Provigil during the day when I first wake up. I have noticed that my cataplexy attacks are fewer, but it doesn't stop them all. I still have at least 3 big attacks a week. I have found that I am more alert taking Ritalin, but have more cataplectic attacks. I am currently working with my doc to up the dosage because the 200 mg is not enough. I have had some side effects with the medicine: mood swings, becoming fixated on a task or project, confusion, headache, and some depression. I am currently a full-time student, and for me, taking Provigil to prevent attacks vs. being more alert is the best option for me at this point."

• Anonymous
• August 16, 2009

Modafinil "Provigil made me lose my appetite at first. I lost about 20 pounds. The energy was great for a few months, but it lost its effectiveness. It only took me four months to reach the maximum dose."

• doz...
• July 28, 2009

Modafinil "I was diagnosed with narcolepsy about 2 weeks ago. For 2 months, I had been nodding off at work and at home, it got really bad when I nodded off while at a stoplight driving and when I got 'written' up for sleeping at work. I was given Provigil to help me out, which, when I started taking it, was like a miracle drug. I felt alert and not drowsy all the time. After 5 days, I started feeling nauseous, and then, 2 days later, out of the blue, it stopped working. My doctor put me on Ritalin, but I'm still having problems later in the day, on my way to see a sleep specialist."

• Bea...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 20, 2021

"Been taking this for 10 years or so. I take 800 mg a day along with Concerta 36-50 mg. My opinion? I don't like it. Never did from day one. I took Desoxyn for years before this. One small pill a day. My original Dr. gave me 5 mg. Desoxyn worked like a charm. He retired and my present Dr. decided this combo is better, it's not. What I find it to be is, it keeps you in an awake state without the Concerta, a 'foggy' awake state. (Regardless of dosage) I feel like I'm full of pills because the tablets are so large. I got used to this 'dip' you get where you feel like you're in a trance for about 20 minutes... (even with one of the pills, and it takes hours to peak). No matter how I juggle them, I seem to stay more alert at night... Desoxyn was 3 dollars and something for a month's supply. THESE? Thank God I have a prescription card. I felt myself with the Desoxyn. It activated in minutes and lasted all day. No comparison. Great if you want to be a nightwatchman."

• Dad...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• May 21, 2019

Modafinil "Does nothing for my narcolepsy. I stay on it because the doctor told me to, and I’m not competent enough to know that it’s not working. Also, I look like a drug seeker if I mention anything, and I don’t agree with the doctor's recommendation. It gives me some anxiety, my body feels awake, but my head feels sleepy. Does nothing for the brain fog I get with my narcolepsy. Armodafinil works better."

• Che...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• August 1, 2016

Modafinil "I have narcolepsy, and I am currently taking 200 mg twice daily, and it barely works. My doctor added Ritalin 20 mg twice daily, and I have been on Ritalin for previous years until I moved to TX. In 2013, I was prescribed Vyvanse 70 mg, I believe. It didn't work better than the Ritalin or Adderall I tried while in TX. My doctor then prescribed Xyrem. Needless to say, none of these drugs have provided adequate relief from daytime sleepiness. I started Provigil in January 2016, and there's no change. I took Provigil about 10 years ago, and the same results. I need serious help because I barely function."

• Jac...
• September 3, 2013

Modafinil "Provigil worked for my narcolepsy for about 6 months. After that, I began to have bouts of insomnia at night and became ultra sleepy during the daytime. I was prescribed sleep medications to help combat the new side effects. Things did not seem to improve. I also gained 40 pounds during the time I took Provigil (which was a total of 9 months). As a woman, gaining weight was my least desirable side effect of all. Finally, I switched off of Provigil and returned to what was working for me originally, Adderall XR 30 mg one to two times per day (depending on what my schedule was like that day). I only switched off of Adderall XR originally because my doctor was concerned about the potential long-term cardiovascular effects on my body."

• Anonymous
• February 14, 2011

Modafinil "I took this medicine for a month, and it didn't work for me at all."

• von...
• June 4, 2009

Modafinil "Not effective for me. I took the 200 mg once a day for 2 weeks. Did not have any reactions, good or bad. Just no effect at all."

• gfv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 14, 2021

"Started at 200 mg, now up to 400 mg. Still falling asleep many times during the day."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 23, 2021

"Modafinil was disappointing for me. I can sleep almost all day while on this med. I guess I'm one of those that it just does not work for."

• Anonymous
• November 2, 2019

"I have been recently diagnosed with narcolepsy with cataplexy and mild sleep apnea. Prescribed 100 mg modafinil twice a day. I have been on it a week and have not noticed any difference, except lights seem brighter. I have been misdiagnosed my whole life. I am 42 and am so tired of being exhausted. I am scared to drive since falling asleep and totaling my car on the interstate. I just want to be able to work and be a mom. Hate this disease. I had a hard time even getting modafinil because they wanted to treat the very mild sleep apnea first."

• Ama...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 21, 2019

Modafinil "Whether I take 50 mg-100 mg or 150 mg, it always kicks in (if it even does) 12 hr after taking it. 95% of the time, I can sleep straight through the med and I’m still severely dragging all day. This med doesn’t work for me."

• Sle...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 11, 2018

"This drug has absolutely zero effect on me. I've taken doses from 50 mg up to 400 mg, and I don't feel anything. I can take it and go to sleep immediately. For me, this is basically a sugar pill. I wish I had the great experiences others report, but I seem to be a total non-responder."

• CM5...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 16, 2016

Modafinil "Over 2 months on Provigil. Still tired, can't remember words, yawn all day. Only side effect was appetite suppressant, which is all I felt. Waiting for Dr. to prescribe something else."