Provigil for Narcolepsy User Reviews (Page 3)

• stt...
• July 19, 2009

"This is the first prescription I have taken for narcolepsy. It has been 3 years now while taking 200 mg 3 times a day. It turns out that naps are going to be a part of life, more particularly for the peak periods, just to get over that tough time during the day. I would highly recommend letting your employer know about this condition. Narcolepsy is a handicap, of which you are protected. In other words, if you are caught sleeping on the job, they cannot fire you for it. They need to make considerations for this condition and develop a work schedule that allows you the ability to work a full shift. Provigil has worked well for me. I wouldn't want to go back to the way it used to be."

• Fur...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 30, 2022

"Was prescribed it first at 100 mg about 5 years ago, only for when necessary. Worked for the first couple of years, jumping between a dose of 100 mg and 200 mg when necessary, but it really didn't do much. Helped my energy management, but I never really felt awake at all. Honestly, it just feels like a slightly more pronounced version of coffee, but even that stuff barely does anything for me at all. No longer taking it. Note, the taste isn't great, and I've almost spat it out a couple of rare times."

• Ket...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 9, 2017

"I have taken this medicine for a year. I have found that it works, but it takes a lot of work (if that makes any sense). I am on 400 mg a day for narcolepsy. I have found with this medicine if I take it and then eat, almost no effect, if I eat, wait about an hour, take the pill, then that's fine. If I don't drink a lot of water, then it doesn't matter, because it doesn't work. For a person that always wants to sleep, scheduling this little pill twice a day is almost not worth it."

• cra...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 23, 2012

"After the first 200 mg dose, I experienced a powerful, irresistible, and complete voiding of my bowel. It left me weak, so I did not take any more for a full day. Then I took half a tablet (100 mg) and experienced the same thing again. At a quarter dose (50 mg), the same thing happened. I think Provigil is an excellent laxative. It gave (at all those doses) a moderate improvement in wakefulness for about two hours; it did not help with my cataplexy. Since then, 40 mg (4 x 10 mg) of methylphenidate allows me to stay awake and alert and also eliminates attacks of cataplexy."

• doz...
• July 28, 2009

"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."

• Anonymous
• July 31, 2009

"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."

• SL8...
• September 18, 2011

"I'm a 36-year-old female, and I've been living with narcolepsy for over 20 years and was just diagnosed about 2 months ago! I have been on Provigil for 1 week, 200 mg twice a day. With that, I still feel like a walking zombie. I have not noticed a change, with no side effects. I was taken off of Nuvigil 150 mg 1x/day. I did notice a huge difference with that. I remember feeling... wow, this is what it feels like to be awake. But it would die out by noontime and barely get me through the rest of my day. I also experienced a dull, constant headache and random nausea. It now seems almost worth going back to it and dealing with the side effects."

• tee...
• August 8, 2009

"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."

• Jul...
• April 13, 2009

"Provigil works great for me, at 200 mg once in the morning. I usually feel dull-witted and fatigued, but I don't suddenly 'switch off.' After about a week of steady doses, however, I often develop a bad headache and have to quit taking the stuff for a few days. Maybe that's a good thing if it keeps me from getting habituated. Ritalin did nothing except make my hands shake."

• neu...
• November 12, 2008

"This is a wonderful medicine. Costly, but great. However, I have found that it is best to take it an hour before eating or, if need be, an hour AFTER eating. This medication changed my quality of life. Future downfall...if I decide to have kids. Then what? Consider this if you are thinking about having kids."

• Anonymous
• October 1, 2009

"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."

• doo...
• December 10, 2008

"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)."

• too...
• July 24, 2009

"I started taking Provigil about a year ago when it was suspected I had narcolepsy. I was tested and found it was Idiopathic Hypersomnia (lack of melatonin). They call it idiopathic because they don't know what causes it. Provigil works one day for me, then not the next. You can only take 200 mg max per day. I went off it and on Ritalin. I am awake without any ill effects. I have recently been tested again for narcolepsy and was found that I am narcoleptic. The test given last year was done incorrectly (without my CPAP), it was supposed to be done with it on during my sleep study. All is good now."

• Anonymous
• November 4, 2009

"Provigil has worked well at treating my narcolepsy. I had to stop taking it when I was pregnant and resumed taking it after my daughter's birth. If you choose to take Provigil and have children, you need to be driven around for the duration of your pregnancy and up until you are back on the medication."

• Med...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 18, 2016

"You get used to this and need to take more, or not take it (therefore not drive) for about a week. But only 'helpful' insights will be printed (after editing). So my saying $3600 a month for 60 pills? Really? Are they worth their weight in gold? They don't seem to have any side effects, for me. Other than tremors. So that's a plus. Should they cost more than most people make in a year? I am disabled and receive $10,000 a year. After researching, I'm not finding any major payouts from the company, due to lawsuits. (I realize awards are confidential, but there haven't been many cases. Who am I kidding? This won't be printed. I just had to say something because the cost is abominable. Ok. I c $$ How did you do the A-spam thing? Impressed!"

• Anonymous
• April 30, 2008

"Compared to Ritalin I was taking, Provigil works much better and has fewer side effects. Hasn't affected my blood pressure."

• Anonymous
• June 24, 2008

"Works great for my narcolepsy; the only complaint I have is that the price is prohibitive. It is the only medication that has worked effectively for my condition and with dramatic results."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 13, 2012

"Felt like the Energizer Bunny! Within an hour, I was racing around work. Pain I normally have (back surgery) disappeared, but after 6 hours when I slowed down finally, I ached everywhere!"

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

"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."

• Sag...
• July 25, 2013

"Wide awake, enhanced reflexes, but too expensive."

• Mil...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 11, 2014

"This was more effective than any others tried, including Ritalin and Vyvanse, which made my heart rate rise to the 140s. Modafinil worked quickly but not suddenly and lasted for the entire day."

• Wil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 10, 2019

"Does not work for me at all. It gave me bad headaches, and I still slept all the time."

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

"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."

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

"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
• April 10, 2008

"I have never felt better."