Provigil

[newone]

I take provigil for fatigue and am wondering if others have the same reaction that I do. Some days it works fine - I am less tired (often my tiredness occurs in varying degrees - many days it's overwhelming). Does this happen to others? Also when do you take provigil - at the beginning of the day? when you start to feel tired?

[Naominjw]

One of my daughters takes Provigil/Nuvigil for something else, but that same thing still happens to her. On her bad days, she can still sleep through it. Nuvigil is a once-per day pill, but Provigil is a twice per day deal. She took the Provigil at 6am and again at 2pm. Sometimes she would take it earlier, like at noon or 1pm, especially if she had an exam she needed to be alert for. She used to be so bad off she'd take it an hour before she HAD to be up so she could just go back to sleep until it had time to kick in so she COULD get up.

I think many auto-immune problems are this way - symptoms fluctuate, hence the effectiveness of the medications do too. Some days people simply are more fatigued than others. If she does too much one day, she may "borrow spoons" from the next day. Provigil/Nuvigil helps but a bad day is a bad day.

Oh, on bad days when she HAD to do things, she was allowed to take extra Provigil. After switching to the once-per-day Nuvigil, on those bad days she was allowed to take a little extra Provigil on top of it.

[joy]

I do not have MS but other health problems. Sleep being a biggie right now, I spend night and day it seems just trying to get enough sleep. Hubby was given provigil for his problems I asked for a prescription but because they said it would make my blood pressure higher, I was refused. Does provigil have that effect of anyone else that is on i? Really wish I did not feel so out of it all the time. And would the Nuvigil do the same thing to high blood pressure? Anyone know, thanks. Not likely to get that far as since having 2 blod clots, things have only gotten so much worse. But hopefully they will dissolve.

[renee]

I take one Provigil in the morning on days I work.
It helps. If I am not adequately rested its affects are limited.
Good sleep plus the med. Must have both.

[hkaga]

I take provigil for hypersomnia. I take 2 200mg tablets every morning. I too have days that are better than others, but overall it has made a big difference. I usually start getting tired in early-mid afternoon... My doctor did try having me take one tablet in the am and one around 1pm but it didn't work at all. I have to take the full 400mg together. I still could stand to be less tired than I still am, but I am happy that I'm not like I used to be.

[beachcomer]

I tried provigil couple of years ago and all it did for me is made me extremely angry and agitated so I stopped taking it...hope this helps you

beach

[joy]

newone I hope that my asking questions did not stop you from getting the answers you needed. I am always glad when BrainTalk gets new members. I think this place has been so helpful for me and I know that there are a lot of good people here that are in need of help for their health problems and I find that there is always someone with knowledge and a willingness to help others. I hope that you stay with us newone if there is any of the forums that might help you. Myself I just about stay in the Emotional Forum as there are people there with all kinds of problems and they are always encouraging and have a good word to say.

[Naominjw]

I do not have MS but other health problems.... said it would make my blood pressure higher, I was refused. Does provigil have that effect of anyone else that is on i?

My dd also does not have MS but takes it for sleep-related issues (and she has other auto-immune issues). She had low blood pressure. The Provigil did not increase her blood pressure.

Another family member was tried on just a little bit of it but it made her feel agitated. But then, she did not have the same problem, and her fatigue was from a totally different source - a medication side-effect. Now she is off that medication and is not fatigued. Again though - not MS.

[ssusan]

When I worked full-time I used to take a Provigil in the morning early and another after lunch. I then started taking Ritalin as well. I have high blood pressure which is controlled by medication. It doesn't seem to be a factor.

Since starting Ampyra in 8/2010 I don't take Provigil except on a very very rare occasion.
I do take a Ritalin before my pt time teaching job but it's more for focus kind of energy than fatigue/sleepiness. That's only 2 or 3x a week at most. This is down from 2 200 mg Provigils a day+ multiple Ritalin.

I don't know what it would be like without Ampyra though.
FWIW
Susan

[KellyinMD]

When I used to work I tried taking it twice a day but it gave me headaches. I have been retired on disability for 3 years now (wow, where has the time gone!) and have recently started taking it again but not every day. Now I no longer have headaches, but most days I can take Provigil, thendrink 2 cups of coffee, then take a nap! My neuro say I can try Ritalin if I want to, I just hesitate to exhaust everything for fear I'll have nothing left to try! For now I'm home and take a nap when I need to.....That's not so easy when you are working though. He does say that Ritalin never fails though if you need it......

Take care,

Kelly

[newone]

I take provigil, am still tired most days and still take at least one nap per day. I thought Ritalin was more for focusing than fatigue. Anyone here found Ritalin to be helpful? I'm so tired of being tired.

[joy]

ssusan I am glad to hear that it has not bothered your high blood pressure. I hope to ask about this at my next doctors appointment. thanks . I am on warfrin now also so that may make a diffence as well.