There are 495 ratings for the drug: PROVIGIL in the Askapatient database.

Key to ratings for provigil: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine.

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Rating	Reason	Side Effects	Comments	Sex	Age	Time Taken and Dosage		Date Added
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4	Attention/concentration issues	Gouging my wallet. This drug costs more than street drugs, it's criminal what they charge. No negative side effects from the drug other than the occasional nervousness, usually remedied by consuming less caffeine.	I started Providgil 3 months back to treat my ADD/concentration issues. I was originally put on Ritilan in 5th grade and then went on Adderall and Dexedrine in high school and college. I had substance abuse problems that were exacerbated by these meds and eventually had to come off everything and get clean. Now, 6 years later, still clean and sober I found my attention issues to be an issue again. I first tried Strattera which was a completely bogus drug. It made my symptoms worse, and had *several* unpleasant side effects. I tried Wellbutrin which worked great for a while, but stopped it after the max dose started to lose its effect. I reluctantly started on Providgil 3 months ago, I stayed away from it because it was a controlled substance. Now that I've been on it for 3 months I'm having difficulty understanding why it's controlled. It definitely wakes you up but doesn't provide a ton of euphoria. I honestly felt more euphoric on wellbutrin(which isn't controlled). Bottom line is the drug worked really well for me at first, but it's starting to lose its efficacy; just like everything else...And I'm at the max dose of 600mg a/day. My doctor is suggesting adding Wellbutrin back in to the mix, so we will see. I'm curious if anyone else has had a similar experience, I'm doing whatever I can to avoid anything in the ritian/amphetamine class of drugs. I will also add that regular exercise and a diet low in carbohydrates high in protein have helped a lot too.	M	30	3 months 300 2X D		7/27/2010 Email
4	Depression related exhaustion	Unexpected mood lift!!!!!	I was prescribed provigil as, after 10yrs+ of extreme exhaustion as part of my recurrent treatment resistant depression, my psych was clutching at straws! The funny thing is I can still sleep through a provigil dose if I want to (although if I do get out of bed I am much more lucid) but I have experienced the most amazing lift in my mood. Within 10 days of taking provigil I genuinely felt like the cloud which has been over my head for 10 years started to get a bit thinner. 9 months later and I still feel it gives me a lift.	F	32	9 months 200 3X D		7/17/2010
4	Exams / depression / work	Took for exams. Concentration excellent the first 4 days straight on it. Excellent mood, nothing could irritate me. In my own focused world. "Life is great" followed by moments of INTENSE CREATIVITY/INSPIRATION. but: wheezing / lung fluid / chest pain / my eyes were "slow." DAY 5: withdrew to get sleep, unable to. Extreme fatigue, social phobia, depression. ( continue for 2 weeks when I stopped it.)		F	20	2 months 200 2X D		6/27/2010
2	Excessive Daytime Sleepiness	Stomach Bloating, brain fog about 1/2 hour after taking it which goes away eventually.	I was first diagnosed with Narcolepsy (sp?) over 25 years ago. I was given 5 mg. of Desoxyn at the time. Desoxyn is the best meds ever made in my opinion. I also found out later I have attention deficit. The Desoxyn was my cure all. And , I might add it was , at the time 3 dollars and something out of my pocket. For the whole prescription.NOW, my faithful family doctor retired. So my new doctor prefers to have me take Provigil. THANK GOD I have a prescription card! I only pay 18dollars. Mt poor prescription plan has to pay 1,000 and something a month.!!And all 800mg. doesn't come close to what the 5mg. desoxyn did. I feel like I"m always fighting with the pill.Especially when you get that "Ozzie Osbourne" state 20 min. after you take it. You know. When you walk in a room and wonder why you did? or try to think what for? Or you just sit there ..thinking? After that goes away. Yes, you DO stay awake. But it's like your eyes are just staying open. Rarely , I'll feel decent enough to tackle a "real" job in the house. I called the company and told them , For this price it should jump out of the bottle and clean my house for me.lol! It's better than nothing! Otherwise I would sleep my life away. Also, I take 2 18mg. of Concerta a day to "curb" the "Ozzie" effect which I hate. Personally, I feel the Desoxyn was much safer and more effective and resonably priced. Too much money for a Hi-tech Cappacchino tablet. AND THEY themselves don't kn	F	46	5 years 800mg 2X D		6/27/2010 Email
4	replacement for adderall	i speed for a couple of hr.s , then like you feel like you want to keep taking them, irritating, but the comedown is not as bad as adderall but if you dont take any more the comedown is horrible it rlly is, i would not reccommend to exceed more than reccommended amt a day unless you want to feel like shhhit	do not take more than reccomended amout you will have the worst comedown ever	F	19	1 years 8 8X D		6/26/2010
4	Excessive Daytime Sleepiness	I had trouble going to sleep at first but that quickly went away. I have other health issues that are just being discovered so that might be why I got used to it.	I felt wonderful for about 6 months and then I started having major fatigue and worsening of all symptoms regardless of dosage. It wasn't doing anything for me. This isn't typical though. Now I''m finding out I have low cortisol and growth hormone levels due to a pituitary tumor which is probably the reason it has stopped working for me.	F	31	9 months 200mg 1X D		6/24/2010 Email
5	Mood Disorder/Bipolar/Borderline/	Increase in motivation,energy,focus: enhanced if taken on empty stomach. Caffeine, etc. can cause tinnitus & irritability. Behaves like an antidepressant. Mood changes, thinking changes, more outgoing personality (occasionally obstreperous/annoying to others).	I took this to help with suicidal thoughts and actions. It has been the only drug that has changed my thinking patterns & increased motivation to create (music). I have done outrageous things on Provigil, which fall into the Bipolar list - like walk out on a performance - or upbraid a priest in public. With experience, and therapy, skills, you can learn to control the "over the top" feelings. If I feel it waning, I may stop it for a few days, or break the pill in half. The withdrawal is like this: falling down a mental staircase. It is not nearly as unpleasant as coming off an SSRI. I have stopped the med many times, and felt fine for up to 1 month. I felt after 1 month that an additional drop occurs, since I've tried this many times. I begin to wonder if permanent changes have been made to my brain chemistry: or long term changes, at least. This is an effective agent to help with suicidal urges. It is sad that so many people feel these urges in our modern age. There is no pill to cure the entire socio-economic trend.	M	46	8 years 100mg 1X D		6/15/2010 Email
3	tiredness and depression	anxiety, somewhat worsening of my depression	This medication has been very good at relieving the tiredness I felt throught the day. It also has been a great help in helping my ADD symptoms. I may discontinue the medication because of my worsoning anxiety.	F	45	30 days 200 1X D		6/3/2010
4	Chronic fatigue	EVERYthing has side effects, but if I drink enough coffee to feel reasonably awake, my stomach is a mess. This is like NoDoz without the shakes. I take tiny chips of Provigil only on mornings when I have to be up early for a job or appointment, and I don't recommend taking it every day. When I'm on it, it's the only time I feel OK, except when I'm on vacation 24/7. Otherwise, I'm tired all day, every day. At least with this, I'm only exhausted some days and not others. But yeah, it has drawbacks similar to those of Adderall or any other speed, except that it's not technically addicting and doesn't cause death...that I've heard.	If you have a tendency toward bruxism (tooth-grinding), get a night mouthguard. If it is believed that you have bipolar mood disorder or mania, or a personality disorder, do not take this drug. If you are depressed or chronically fatigued, I recommend this drug on working or busy mornings at critical times only, just to take the edge off the fatigue. Allow your body and brain a weekly or monthly taper-off and cleanout. Use Provigil when it goes generic instead of the more expensive new replacement brand coming out.	F	54	3 months 25-50 mg. 1X D		6/2/2010
2	As supplement to Prozac and CFS	Inital alertness for about 4 hours followed by extreme fatigue along with muscle aches. Although the initial alertness would wear off in 4 hours or so I still would not be able to sleep for days unless I took at least 10 mg (5 times the normal daily dose) of Ativan along with 50 mg. of Seroquil. Sometimes even with 1 Ambien CR 12.5mg added to keep me asleep.	Needless to say I was not alert most of the time (except during that first few hours in the moring when I first took Provigil.) By noon time I was miserable, aching all over, headach, chest pain and feeling anxious. Just a normal dose of a benzo had no effect nor did a commonly perscribed sleeping perscribed pill. Only Seroquil 50mg to 100 mg would ocunteract the terrible physical feeling from Provigil and eventually allow me to sleep.	M	60	5 years 200 mg 1X D		5/17/2010 Email
5	Counter side effects of Gabapentin	Seems to works best if not taken every day. I stop taking it Fri-Sun and feel a bit of withdrawals by Sat. Primary withdraw symptom is uncharacteristically irritable.	Background: was prescribed Gabapentin (Neurontin) to address a pinched nerve. Gabapentin had the side effects SIGNIFICANT memory loss and "brain fog" for months after discontinuing use. Provigil was a lifesaver. It got me through this recovery period and kept me functional at work. Note: this short-term use of Provigil is not covered by insurance and the drug costs $$$, but well worth it my opinion.	M	45	60 days 50 4X W		5/5/2010
5	Idiopathic Hypersomnia	Headache	Headache goes away with Tylenol (1,000 mg). For some reason, Advil and ibuprophen meds don't work. I have Idiopathic Hypersomnia. At times I was sleeping up to 20hrs a day. I would eat, sleep and go to the bathroom. Tired all the time. I was literally sleeping my life away. I had seen around twenty different doctors before I was diagnosed and given Provigil/Modafinil (200mg). My wife says it is like I have come back from the dead. I do not "feel" the effect of this medicine. It is not like drinking a soda pop and feeling the caffine work (or eating a lot of sugar). For me, it does not "kick-in". But it works. I find myself staying awake during the day, and doing things. However, after two weeks, the effect started wearing off. I started taking naps and going for the sugar and caffeine. A month and a half after I started 200mg, the doctor raised the dosage over a number of weeks to 600mg a day. The medicine started working again, but after 400mg I couldn't tell much difference in wakefulness. As the dosage increased (by 100mg a week), I also noticed that I started waking up earlier and earlier. From 9:30am to 8:30am to 7:45am. I expected a lot from this medicine, and it has proven itself. Sadly, it has not been enough. The next step is to add other medications on top of this. Important notes: Around every hour and a half of taking this medicine, I notice a slight drop in its effect. No getting pregnant.	M	39	90 days 400 mg 1X D		5/1/2010 Email
3	provigil	bad headache for the first 3 days; appetite suppresent; some stomach pain; yawning; irritability; I don't feel my normal "happy" self anymore. :(	The first week was GREAT! I hadn't felt this "normal" for a long time. Week 2: seems to be fading out on me. I'm drinking more and more coffee to try to keep that feeling from week 1. I've napped after work 2 out of 4 days and could probably sleep right now. I don't know what to think...	F	42	11 days 200 MG 2X D		4/22/2010
5	resistant depression, focus.	little headache, nothing else.	it's the best drug for attention ever taken it increased alert, concentration, without making you high or manic. you may use it such as augument of your antidepressant or alone. great med.	M	24	7 days 100 2X D		4/19/2010
4	Narcolepsy	No known side effects.	My excess daytime sleepyness has ceased. I am very pleased with this medication.	M	53	4 years 100 mg 2X D		4/13/2010
4	Night shift worker	Slight jaw grinding and occasional mild headaches.	Thought process is more focused.Mood is elevated, but can turn irritable if the situation provokes it.It does help keep me awake, but have dosed off, if extremely tired for brief moments. I only take when I work night shift, or if I am going to have a very demanding day.	M	51	9 months 100 mg 1X D		4/10/2010
5	Shift worker sleep disorder	Decreased appetite, higher blood pressure, vivid dreams.	I frequently work the day and night shift in the same week, so sleeping and staying awake can be difficult, but Provigil keeps me awake when I need to be awake. I am sensitive to medications, so I only take 1/2 a pill (100 mg). If I drink coffee at the same time,I get jittery and have heart palpitations. Provigil keeps me awake for about 18 hours, and I have a decreased appetite. The first 2 months taking Provigil, I lost 40 lbs. It does not always work consistently; sometimes I get breakthrough sleepiness. I found that if I take Provigil to stay awake and then Ambien to go to sleep, I will have blackouts, but I think that is the fault of the Ambien.	F	49	3 years 200 1X D		4/7/2010
2	Winter hypersomnia	Gastrointestinal side-effect which felt like a strange blend of nausea and hunger pains, light-headedness, and a spaced-out feeling. I also had a blood vessel on my scalp start pumping abnormally hard on the third day of Provigil use (didn't calm down until about two days afterwords).	No reduction in sleepiness or desire to sleep whatsoever.	M	20	3 days 100 1X D		4/6/2010 Email
4	Working night shift	I haven't had any trouble with it.	I bought generic Provigil online at www.provigilbuy.com. The price is cheaper and many useful information. I haven't ever taken branded provigil. So I don't know exactly if there is any side effect when taking a typical named Provigil!!	M	29	1 days 200 1X D		3/15/2010
3	Antidepressant related fatigue/adhd	Headaches for little while at first, then went away. Strong smelling urine, birth control-lessened effects.	This seemed to work great at first but then like anything else your body becomes used to it and it doesn't seem to do much. Ladies, be aware that if you use any type of hormonal birth control like the pill, it can make it less effective. I had to discontinue use because I was getting breakthrough bleeding which was annoying. I actually liked this better then concerta but had to go back to the concerta because of the birth control issue.	F	35	30 days 200 1X D		3/12/2010
4	Shift Work Sleep Disorder	Jaw clenching, change in urine odor, very mild OCD, mild euphoria, exacerbated mood swings, appetite swings	I work as a sleep technician, so naturally I work nights consistently. Naturally, I have to get things done through the day on my days off, so I have to switch sleep schedules. I asked my doctor about Provigil and she gave me a RX for 100mg per day. After a couple of days, I really noticed a difference as it seemed to have to build up in my system first. Now I just take it occasionally before work if I feel like I didn't sleep as well as I should or after work on days off if I have errands that I have to do through the day.	M	22	30 days 100mg 1X D		3/7/2010
4	Excesessive Daytime Sleepiness	Provigil doesn't seem to be effective consistantly	When I first started taking Prov. It was wonderful because it kept me alert and able to work, drive and be apart of my family. But now after years of taking it, I find that some days, it doesn't work at all. I take 300mg every morning. If I choose to change that I can (per my neurologist) take 200 in the am and the remaining 100mg at noon. It is 200.00 a pill and so I am asking to be put back on Cylert. The side effects of cylert are liver damage so my hope is switch back and forth.	F	53	7 years 100 3X D		3/4/2010 Email
1	To combat constant tiredness	Headache; sleeplessness; anxiety; crying jags and hopelessness.	This was prescribed by my psychiatrist as a supplement to Prozac which I have been taking for many years, but which has started making me very tired recently. I am not narcoleptic, but I was beginning to need a nap every afternoon. However, when taking this drug I immediately (within days) developed episodes of major depression, started crying hysterically, did not want to live, and felt generally hopeless. Prior to this my mood was always stable if not very optimistic. I immediately stopped taking it and will never touch it again; a day later I already am starting to feel much better.	F	57	1 weeks 100 MG 1X D		2/28/2010 Email
1	sleep apnea/borderline narcolepsy	I had severe headache with full dose, but none when I split dose in half. Built up tolerance & used full dose during last yr on drug. Became super talkative had difficult controlling what I said during first few hours of taking dose & I am a very shy person. Drug did keep me alert during the day, but I did not realize until off the drug what price I paid for that alertness.	This drug is addicting! I feel like a different person. Clear of this drug for about 3 weeks now. I suffered extreme withdrawal (flu like symptoms) when I was unable to take the drug. After the withdrawal, depression I did not know I had lifted, my thinking process became clear and short term memory loss improved. I thought I had ADD and sought psyc help a yr ago. I almost lost my job and missed out on two separate promotions I did not feel qualified for at the time, all because of this drug. I was not consistently using my CPAP machine at night, but now I do and I have not felt the initial tiredness that I felt when I first started this drug.	F	53	6 years 200 mg 1X D		2/28/2010 Email
5	hypersomnolence	strong smelling urine, clenching	This drug has made a significant improvement in my quality of life. I was diagnosed with mixed (central and obstructive) sleep apnea, and faithfully wore my CPAP device to the prescribed levels with little improvement in my symptoms. I was diagnosed with borderline narcolepsy after a 24 hour stay at a sleep lab, and was put on provigil. Prior to provigil, I would regularly fall asleep at work or in meetings. I was afraid to drive alone for more than an hour for fear that I would fall asleep driving. (I had many close calls!). I have never felt any euphoria as described by others. The greatest drawback is the expense, but I compare it to the fact that I can keep my job and haven't wrecked any cars.	M	52	3 years 200mg 1X D		2/26/2010
5	Depression, Fatigue	Strong-smelling urine, jaw tightness, occassional insomnia	Life-changer for me as well. I have suffered from Major Depression for years and no other medication has had such a positive effect. I can focus better, have more energy, a positive mood, and less irritability. I will agree that taking more than 400 mg is pointless. 200 mg is enough for me to function that way I am SUPPOSED to function.	F	32	6 months 200 mg 1X D		2/23/2010
3	MS Fatigue	Racing heart rate, High Blood pressure (even though on meds to control that) trouble sleeping at times, strange dreams. These side effects only happened within the last 2 months.	I began taking Provigil shortly after being diagnosed with MS is December 2004. When I first started taking it, I only took 100mg once a day. It seemed to do the trick. If I knew I was going to be doing something that would keep me up late, I would take a full dose of 200mg. A couple of years ago, I just started taking a full dose--thinking that more would be more wakefulness. Never noticed any side effects until December 2009. All of a sudden my Blood pressure that had been controlled with medication for 6+ years was running high and my resting pulse would be 90-100 beats per minute. I couldn't sleep because I could hear my heart beating in my ears most of the time. I was also anxious and would have panic attacks. My MD told me to reduce the dose to 100mg and see what happened. I stopped taking the Provigil all together thinking I would rather be tired than feel the way I had been feeling. It has now been 5 1/2 days being off of it and although tired, my pulse has returned to 70-75 BPM. I haven't checked my blood pressure but will see my MD on Thursday. For those who have high Blood Pressure, be very carefull taking this medication.	F	44	5 years 200 1X D		2/23/2010 Email
4	MS fatigue	Intense Headaches, migraine type, Pain in right eye and side of face like my migraines. but sometimes no headache!! It's a wonder drug that gets me out of bed and allows me to have a normal day of being productive. I take it when I really have to do something, like go out at night or else I do'nt take it. No other bad side effects except difficult to fall asleep, so I just take 1/2 of the 200 mg pill or 1/4 . BEen taking it for years but very infrequently as stated above. Lately a little more because it does give one energy to exercise, etc.which is important for MS patients and well anyone to do!! Lifts mood a bit, but the headaches when they occur, are bad!!		F	59	100 1X D		2/21/2010
5	Restless leg syndrome, sleepiness	headaches 1st few weeks; wake earlier than normal, but still feel refreshed; more vivid dreams; slight anxiety at 200mg, but fine with 100mg/day	I was diagnosed with Restless Legs Syndrome, which remains untreated because I can't tolerate the meds (made me compulsive/manic). I am a computer programmer and almost lost my job because I could not stay awake in the afternoons and could not focus at all. I was so tired in the evenings that just making dinner for my family was a huge effort. Provigil allows me to function normally, do my job well, and still get a decent night's sleep. I wake up earlier than normal, but I seem to need less sleep. I used to sleep 9 hours and still feel tired -- now I get by fine on 7 or 8. An occasional headache was the only annoying side effect, but I rarely get those now. I took the prescribed 200mg for a day or two, but it made me anxious so I cut back to 1/2 pill and it works great. On weekends I skip it altogether. My advice is to start at a lower dose and work up to what works for you. If you have a serious reaction or are on a million other drugs, then maybe its not for you, but it did save my job, and my family is deeply grateful that I'm back to my upbeat, energetic self.	F	45	1 years 100mg 1X D		2/20/2010
4	depression/fatigue	jitteriness the first couple days, unpleasant smelling urine, weight loss	i started taking this for depression as a supplement to lamictal & nortriptylene & hoped it would also help my excessive fatigue. it does help with both...but i don't know if i'd consider it a miracle drug. i have hardcore depression & have developed anxiety over the last year or so. i've increased my dosage of provigil from 100mg to 200mg and have just increased it to 300mg. i lost a lot of weight & i'm small to begin with, so it kind of worries me. but i haven't had any terrible side effects. if you know your body, you'll know right away if the drug is harming you	F	30	6 months 200mg 1X D		2/17/2010
5	Fatigue related to sleep apnea	Bruxism (grinding teeth), motormouth	Provigil is outstanding if taken correctly. I take 100mg on awakening in the morning and 50-100mg at noon - none after that. 32 years of type 1 insulin dependent diabetes has resulted in constant fatigue and occasional depression for which I use Lexapro 10mg once daily which also causes drowsiness. Last May, my doctor prescribed Provigil. The first two months produced pure euphoria to the point that I looked forward to getting up early in the morning to take it. I gained so much energy and ambition that I built an addition on my house. I am disabled/retired due to diabetes. To avoid insomnia, I don't take Provigil after noon and since it has only a 6 hour half-life, it's at a low level by night. I take 0.25 mg (1/2 tab) of clonazepam before bed for restless leg syndrome (developed many years before taking Provigil) and sleep like a baby. The euphoria is long gone and I'm taking a larger dose than when I started due to some tolerance developing. On occasion, I will stop taking it for 4-5 days without withdrawal symptoms just to clear my system. Bruxism has always been a problem for me and Provigil has made it worse. On Provigil vs. Nuvigil. Provigil will become generic next year and, by making an inconsequential change in chemistry, the blood suckers created a new prescription drug, Nuvigil that will fill their coffers for the next seven years. When Provigil goes generic, buy it instead of Nuvigil and save $.	M	64	10 months 100 mg 2X D		2/12/2010
2	Fatigue from radiation-breast cance	Mild euphoria-I was still tired but no longer cared that I was tired; Loss of apptetite (I liked this one); unable to multi-task	I begged my Dr to let me try this - I started getting really fatigued during my radiation treatments; It did not make me more awake at all; I am usually a fast paced thinker-this stuff actually slowed my thoughts down and made me easily distracted; would find myself staring at the wall thinking about nothing; did not make me jittery at all; it probably would be a good diet pill....I'm usually always hungry and this made me not even think of food; Very interesting drug....	F	40	1 weeks		2/3/2010
4	sleeping too much - hypersomnia	Often unable to get into a deep sleep; less appetite (thankfully). Stimulants aren't for everyone - be careful.	My doctor told me to take half the dose but I forgot & took the full dose for 1 week - which made me jittery, and I didn't sleep well. I cut it in half & that helped the next week. But that still seemed too much, so since then, I now take 1/4 the dose (cutting the pill isn't easy), and that seems to be the right amount for me. I have always needed a lot of sleep, but now I am functioning very well on this dosage & very pleased with the results. Provigil may not be for everyone but that is why YOU need to discuss any issues with YOUR MEDICAL DOCTOR. Sometimes it's just a matter of deciding if the benefits outweigh the downsides. I am glad it has worked for me! It hasn't eliminated all the sleepiness ... yawning throughout the afternoon still, but has eliminated the excessive sleeping for me.	F	43	1 months		1/26/2010
5	Cognitive enhancement, increased me	Slight headache, itchy dry eyes, mentally dull (foggy). These symptoms subsided over the first three days.	DAY 1: I thought I had made a mistake. The effect was the opposite of what I wanted. I felt dull and disconnected a slight headache. It was not a good experience. DAY 2: Broke up the 200mg dose into two 100mg doses, one at 6:30 the second at 12:30. The experience was good. I had none of the "dull and disconnected" feeling I had experience on the prior day. While I had energy, I didn’t feel over stimulated. The only symptom to remain was a slight feeling of "dry eye". However, it was very minor. My ability to focus and stay on task was noticeably improved. No noticeable “drop-off”, or crash. The effects are very subtle but noticeable. Very different then stimulates that provide a dopamine flush, and crash. I would recommend it.	M	43	2 months		1/21/2010
5	to combat extreme fatigue		I did not experience any ill-effects from taking Provigil. This medication has assisted me in making it through my very busy work day; as a rehabilitative therapist, I am required to physically lift elderly people, assist them when ambulating, and otherwise need to be on the go for a great part of my day working in a rehabilitative subacute-care hospital setting. While I find that this medication is non-addictive, I have found that when I forget to take it, I am inexplicably tired and seem to "drag" through my day; when I get home and and realize that I had forgotten to take my medication, it makes me realize how effective it really is. I have been taking this medication for approximately 1 and 1/2 years. I have not experienced weight gain or weight loss with this product and it does not affect my sleep at all, which is extremely important in people who need a good night's sleep.	F	46	2 years		1/16/2010
3	MS,FATIGUE	HALLUCINATIONS, DREAMS BECAME EXTREMELY VIVID, APPETITE LOSS. UNEVEN SLEEPING PATTERNS, SOME DAYS I STAY AWAKE FOR 48 HOURS AROUND THE CLOCK.	WHEN I FIRST STARTED THE MEDICATION, I LOVED IT. I WAS MUCH MORE AWAKE, ALERT. PROVIGIL WOKE MY BODY UP, LIKE IT WAS BEFORE THE MS AND THE COMPLICATIONS THAT CAME ALONG WITH IT. I DID HALLUCINATE ALOT, STILL DO. HOWEVER, THEY ARE NOT AS STRONG AS IT WAS WHEN I STARTED. NOW I AM GETTING TIRED AFTER I TAKE 50MG IN A.M. WHEN I STILL AM TO TIRED TO FOCUS, I WILL TAKE THE OTHER 50MG . I STARTED OUT WITH 200MG A DAY. I WAS TO WIRED, HYPER. SLEEPING BECAME MORE DIFFICULT. THEN I ASKED MY DOCTOR TO WEAKEN THE DOSE. I THEN STARTED TAKING 100MG DAILY. 50MG IN A.M. ANOTHER 50MG IN EARLY AFTERNOON. I MELLOWED DOWN A LOT. I LIKED THAT BETTER, MELLOWED AND ABLE TO STILL STAY AWAKE. SOON BECAME SO TIRED AGAIN, DIFFICULT TO STAY AWAKE. MANY TIMES I GET VERY TIRED AFTER TAKING THIS MEDICATION. SOME DAYS I ADD ANOTHER 50MG UP TO 100MG, TOTALING 200MG A DAY. IT HAS BEEN AN UP AND DOWN EXPERIENCE ALL AROUND, I HAVE BEEN ON THE PROVIGIL ROLLER COASTER APPROX. 2 YEARS NOW. WHEN I TAKE 0MG ON A GIVEN DAY, I WILL SLEEP ALL DAY INTO THE NEXT DAY. I STOPPED DRIVING, FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHER DRIVERS AS WELL MYSELF. I HAVE HEAVY MOMENTS OF VERTIGO, LOTS OF DIZZINESS, BLURRED VISION, DOUBLE VISION, NO VISION. HEAD FEELS LIKE UP IN THE CLOUDS, SOME OF THESE SYMPTOMS MAY BE MS RELATED. ANYMORE I AM NOT SURE. THIS MEDICATION HAS MANY EFFECTS UPON WHOM IS TAKING IT, I WILL NOT RECOMMEND PROVIGIL, NOR WILL I RECOMMEND UPON IT. EVRY BODY HAS DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES. THESE WERE SOME OF MINE....	F	38	2 years		1/9/2010 Email
3	Brain cancer and fatigue	It started off keeping me awake and was great upon first use, I could talk more and I seemed happier. As I recovered from the illness it started causing severe euphoria insomia and racing thoughts, oh and my pee smelled funny.		M	17	5 months		1/7/2010
1	narcolepsy	change in personality, mood swings, doing things out of character and lying about it	This drug nearly ruined my life! I had and huge change in personality, I would have mood swings. I did things that were out of character for me and then I would lie about it. I was working two jobs and was constantly tired and was diagnosed with narcolepsy because I could not stay awake - well duh! I now take a nap in the afternoon and try to get more sleep at night - I am now off this awful stuff and living a very happy and content life! DON'T GET ON THIS STUFF IT WILL RUIN YOUR LIFE!!!	M	26	16 months		1/7/2010
4	Chronic Fatigue in Early Afternoon	None. The drug works wonderfully. A benefit is weight loss. I think because I am moving more, I am burning calories and not able to focus on food. I have to admit that there are times when I want to sleep and sometimes I purposely don't take the drug. I really look for this medication to be prescribed more for depression and fatigue.	Different drugs work differently for different people. I highly recommend this drug. I only need 1/2 tab taken about 9 am to get me through the day and avoid the early afternoon fatigue I get. I don't want the drug to interfere with my sleep, so I don't take it BID as was prescribed for me. I take this med very irregularly.	F	52	6 years		1/1/2010
3	extreme daytime sleepiness	Fatigue, moodiness, muscle pain. Agitation at times. Possibly some paranoia or suspicion.	If you are lactose intolerant, be sure to take Lactaid tabs with Provigil. The formula contains lactose. The jury is still out on Provigil for me: I don't like the psych side effects. It does lift depression but the minute I miss a dose, i feel despondent. I also feel my judgment and caution are off kilter when I take Provigil. As if I am overly-enthusiastic about things. Less prespective than I would normally have.	F	55	30 days		12/17/2009
1	chronic fatigue	felt wired and energetic. later fatigued and passed out, hard time breathing. Stopped taking after saw small rash after 3 days. itchy skin, body pains, sore eyes, warm sensations in body, flu-like symptoms, fever, chills	Took 25mg of provigil for 3 days. worked great the first day. 2nd and 3rd day I felt more fatigued and passed out. 3rd day I noticed a tiny harmless rash on my leg. Stopped because I've heard of Steven Johnson syndrome. Then experienced flu like symptoms, fatigue, malaise, itching, dry and sore eyes, body aches, warm sensations in skin, fever and chills. This is still ongoing, though it seems to be improving 8 days after discontinuing the drug. I'm very concerned. I'm not out of the water yet. This could develop into SJS	M	23	3 days		12/17/2009 Email
2	chronic fatigue	started out great, within a few weeks started feeling very depressed. Starting having obsessive compulsive feelings.		F	20	30 days		12/14/2009
4	extreme daytime sleepiness	possible hairloss, trouble staying asleep at night, paranoia at night, hot hands (i think it raised my temperature and my hands are usually cold), crash after 5-6 hours	it works pretty well for me. i take 50 mg in the morning and then again at 1pm if needed. i am more alert, which i guess is what we're going for.	F	24	2 months		12/3/2009
5	idiopathic hypersomnia	None	100 mg dosage, only during the work week. Very beneficial in helping to ameliorate afternoon drowsiness. Not a cure-all, but beneficial used as described.	M	52	7 years		12/2/2009
5	Depression, memory prob, fatigue	The first day I felt "high" and disconnected. Since then,some dizziness on and off.	OMG! I can function again. I am alert, have desire to do things, things aren't such a struggle because of fatigue and brain fog. I do notice when it starts to wear off. It has a "peak" time and then I go downhill. So I can't take it too early in the day.	F	41	1 weeks		12/1/2009
5	chronic fatigue syndrome	It sometimes keeps me awake longer but not always.	I have been taking provigil for about 5 years...it gave me a life! Unfortunately it hasn't made me want to stop eating but I can plan to do something and actually do it. I'm taking 150 mg tab in am.or 1/2 am and 1/2 around 1 pm it doesn't last all day. Around 2 or 3 in afternoon, I'm done.	F	65	5 years		11/28/2009
4	Sleep disorder NOS/CFS	Headache, increase in allergies, little bit of jitteryness, maybe hair loss? (I have marked hair loss and thinning, but am not sure if it's a side effect of Provigil or one of the other meds I'm on.)	This drug has been phenomenally helpful to me! I have a "sleep disorder not otherwise specified" (my sleep cycles are really messed up, so that sleep never feeling restorative or "good"), as well as CFS and related autoimmune disorders, and the end result is that without Provigil, I am a groggy, foggy, unmotivated MESS 24/7. It is so hard to get out of bed, to sustain my energy throughout the day, or to feel alert and present. I was very reluctant to start a medication that I could possibly become dependent on, but Provigil has been fantastic, and has, as so many people have said, given me my life back. The problems are: 1) I do still get tired around 3-5 pm, and if I want sustained wakefulness, I have to take a second dose; 2) when I try to stop taking Provigil -- which I have (see #3) -- I return to my groggy-mess state and am utterly miserable, and 3) I am uninsured, and paying for this drug out of pocket is HORRIBLE. I can't afford it anymore -- hell, I couldn't afford it 4 years ago! -- and I'm now in that wretched place of trying to live without it, and finding I really cant' do so, and wondering what the hell is going to happen to me. Ack!	F	39	5 years		11/22/2009
5	severe hypersomnia and depression	HAD VERY SCARY CHESTPAINS, BUT ONLY FOR TWO DAYS. bEEN TAKING NOW FOR THREE MONTHS, BUT HAVE HAD VERY BAD HYPERSALIVATION DEVELOP AND GETTING WORSE.ANYONE KNOW HOW TO DEAL WITH THIS SIDE EFFECT/	wOULD REALLY APPRECIATE IF ANYBODY KNOWS HAS HAD THIS AWFUL HYPERSALIVATION, AND FOUND A CURE FOR IT? (APART FROM STOPPING THE DRUG).it is so helpful in all other ways, and given me a chance to live a normal life again	M	56	3 months		11/16/2009 Email
2	sleep apnea with daytime fatigue	I started at 200mg for 2 days then cut back to 50mg for 3 weeks. Now on 100mg at 6:30am. Pain and cramping in legs which is getting worse. Increased difficulty in falling asleep due to overall muscle pain. This has increased daytime fatigue, sore eyes and sleepiness. I am in a total brain fog.	I would rate this at 1 but it may be the best drug for some people. That is not for me to decide. This expensive treatment has been a total failure.	F	63	34 days		11/13/2009
1	chronic fatigue and sleep disorders	Extreme tachycardia (over 200 beats per minute, very high heart rate!), chest pain and pressure, jitters, and actually increased sleepiness.	Horrible experience. It was a risk given that I already have mild tachycardia, but it threw my heart rate through the roof. It took a couple hours to get back to normal, but it was a disaster. Surprisingly it even made me feel more tired.	F	24	1 times		10/12/2009
1	sleep apnea	mood swings, changed personality and way of thinking, made me act inappropriately, RUINED MY LIFE!!		F	35	9 months		10/11/2009
1	narcolepsy	My thinking was all screwed up - had mood swings - couldn't focus on anything. One minute I would be fine the next I was argumentative. Little things that would have never bothered me before became major issues. It almost destroyed my marriage -	I would act inappropriately and had horrible mood swings. My family could see what it was doing to me and got me off this horrilbe stuff. I would have to say they probably saved my life and my marriage. DO NOT TAKE THIS HORRIBLE STUFF!!!	M	26	10 months		10/10/2009
4	Obst. Sleep Apnea	'Growling' GI tract	Taking 'Indian' Modalert for 3 months. Works exactly as advertised. 100mg most days is quite enough to stay alert during working hours, 200mg if less than 7 hr sleep the night before. Can remember things that used to escape my memory. Definitely makes me more alert and more confident in my memory. 200mg will stoke me (6'1,235#), more than that approaches drug abuse. Do yourself a favor; lay off it on weekends, monitor your heart regularly, and don't exercise within 6 hr of taking a dose. It works for me!	M	53	120 days		10/5/2009
3	ADD depression anxiety	tightness in the skin, jittery, insomnia	It depends on the type of Provigil you have. The real stuff, Provigil, works wonders--makes you alert and able to keep at a task--but for me it peters out after a week of taking 200mg daily. The other kinds of modafinil, Modapro and Modalert do little to alleviate depression symptoms. That is especially true of Modapro.	M	44	1 years		9/18/2009
5	To help stay alert	None	I work swing shift and was having trouble staying alert while driving home in the morning. I have had no trouble since I started taking Provigil. I only take it 7 times a month while on night runs.	M	55	8 months		9/16/2009
2	MS-related fatigue, cognitive diff.	Disconnected feeling, anxiety, tight-chest, splitting headache, muscle and joint pain, flu-like symptoms, dizziness, loose stools, nausea, weird dreams, sore behind eyes, sore feeling all over body.	This is my third day taking Provigil and the worst symptom-wise. Took 100 mg the first day. After an hour experienced strange, disconnected feeling ("tripping" feeling) that lasted for about an hour. Five hours later, finally felt nice surge of energy that lasted throughout the eve. Weird and unpleasant dreams that night. I skipped a day, then took another 100 mg dose 2nd morning. This time no disconnected feeling, no energy surge, just loose stools, mild nausea and muscle stiffness. By nighttime was sneezing with runny nose and congestion. I didn't connect any of this to the Provigil--assumed it didn't work and that it was time to up my dosage to the rec. 200 mg. So today, day 3, I took 200mg in the morn. w/ breakfast and coffee. Half hour later had same weird out of body feeling. Lasted about an hour; following that, a crushing sensation in my chest. I was panting, anxious, w/ nausea and loose stools. Later in day developed splitting headache, sore muscles, and dizziness on top of earlier symptoms. Maybe I'm coming down with something, but after reading some of these comments I'm thinking it's the Provigil. Also taking 4.5 mg LDN at night for MS, no other meds. Can't find info on poss. drug interactions w/ these. I've had MS for 13 years and my fatigue has become debilitating. Was hoping something would finally work. I'm so desperate for fatigue relief that I'm willing to keep trying, but not if I feel this bad all the time. Do these side effects go away? I feel l	F	37	3 days		9/8/2009 Email
4	Idiopathic hypersomnolence	Worsened night terrors/hypnagogic hallucinations. Even more vivid dreams than before. Metallic taste in mouth - found this board trying to figure out if this is a Provigil side effect. This metallic taste only started recently although I've been on drug more than a year.	I have suffered excessive daytime sleepiness since teen years. Out of the drugs I've been prescribed - Concerta, Ritalin LA, Ritalin - Provigil has the best effect. I feel the most awake in the morning -- with the other drugs, I didn't feel awake until I actually took the meds. Drawback: My insurance does not cover, so I may switch back to something else.	F	45	1 years		9/4/2009
5	Sedation/Parkinsons Medication	None	Best medication I've taken for Parkinson's! I felt almost "normal" while using it. My energy level was back to normal, I was clear headed, able to think clearer, and the ability to function normally was fantastic. I also required less Parkiinson's medication. I highly recommend it's use for patients with Parkinson's.	F	58	1 years		9/3/2009 Email
3	excessive sleepiness	Nausea, Headaches, Increased Heart Rate, Afternoon Crash, Impaired Depth Perception	Provigil works - started taking it 2 months ago on occasion and it managed to get me out of bed before 8 am, which is great. Unfortunately it comes hand-in-hand with headaches, severe nausea (most times I would wake up to throw up and continue throwing up throughout the morning) and while it's designed to make you focus, I find the associated side effects render me less productive. There is a definite afternoon crash (circa 3pm on a regular 8 to 5 day), which doesn't make me sleepy - just distracted and dizzy. 50% of the times I've taken it, I experience insomnia and can't fall asleep until +/- 3 am. Friendly suggestion: this is a relatively new drug and most of its side effects are still getting added to the list...If you don't absolutely have to take it - don't.	M	27	2 months		9/2/2009
3	ADHD	Headaches, increased sensitivity to allergens.	This was a great prescription for me, and it was a sad day when I had to give it up. I had minor headaches with it to begin with that never really went away, but I thought I could cope. However, this became paired with a problematic increased senstivity to allergens. I suffer seasonal allergies, but it is usually only for a couple of weeks to a month at most. When I expected allergy season to stop, it didn't and I began to suffer from increased rhinitis, which led to numerous sinus migraines for me. It was a random check one night on Provigil side effects that brought the prolem to light. I stopped the provigil and my allergies disappeared. Currently trying out Nuvigil on the off chance that it doesn't have the same issues. So far, after a couple of weeks, it seems to be working fine. No allergies, and no headaches.	M	41	3 months		8/30/2009
5	excessive sleepinsess	NONE	LOVE THIS DRUG! IT helps me stay awake and focus better. But sometimes I can sleep after taking it...? Don't know why. However, MOST of the time it wroks wonders!	F	25	3 months		7/28/2009
5	chronic fatigue	overeating discontinued, lost all excess weight, depression lifted, calmness prevails, focused, alert, desire to learn	somehow this works better than any antidepressants I have been prescribed (a true lifer) for major depressive disorder. see my psychiatrist regularly. currently not taking any more antidepressants which cause too much lethargy. just taking provigil 200 mg with coffee before work and good to go for all day. normal human being finally after 40 years of chronic fatigue.	F	55	1 years		7/24/2009
3	Fatigue, Possible Sleep Apnea	RASH, loss of appetite, mania, over-medicated feeling, acne, thinning hair	Like many others, the first time I took it was great! I had energy, hyper mental clarity, and a feeling of extreme confidence. After a couple of weeks it wasn't working as well, and then the side effects kicked in. I felt sweaty, it seemed like my heart was racing (I have high BP), and the worst was the late afternoon crash I would experience everyday at 3 pm; I would be so drained I could barely finish my work day, which defeated the entire purpose of taking the medication. I also had a terrible rash on my face (my eye almost swelled shut), neck, and arms. At the time I blamed the rash on possible poison ivy since I had weeded the lawn, but now I'm not so sure. My face was also breaking out severely, and I had alway had a beautiful complexion. I stopped taking it when I ran out after 30 days. In about another month I re-filled it, wanting to give it another try since it did help initially, and I had lost weight as a bonus. This time it worked for only a day or 2 before the negative outweighed the positive effects, not to mention the $50 co-pay. I'm convinced that if a drug is not absolutely necessary to sustain your life, it's not worth taking due to the cost and inevitable unpleasant or even harmful side effects.	F	44	1 months		7/24/2009
5		Narcolepsy (EDS, HH) Positive Side Effects: Wide Awake, Alert, Mentally Acute, Quicker (Normal) Thinking, Easier to wake up in the morning (Still difficult at times) Negative Side Effects: Temporary Depression (non-clinical), Impulsivity, Short Temper, Midly Elevated Blood Pressure	This medication radically changed my quality of life. I initially took it for 2 years at age 20-21. I was unable to continue when I lost my health insurance. Due to this I went without medication and by the time I had medical coverage again I did not want any record of my "disability" and decided to go without it. I remained unmedicated for the next 8 years. EDS and Hypnagogic Hallucinations were my primary symptoms. Unmedicated it required constant napping and over the counter stimulants to remain awake although rarely alert. When I feared that the condition would negatively impact my career I made the decision to return to the medication building up to my present amount of 100mg in the morning and 100mg at noon. I found that it caused severe anxiety during the daily withdrawl period (5-10pm) but allowed me to be very tired by bed time. The effect on my impulsivity and temper have been trying to manage but still manageable. I see many people here have very extreme side effects but many of them are taking doses that I can't even comprehend. I have moderate to severe narcolepsy with very extreme EDS and 200mg is enough to keep me bouncing my leg all day. Either way since everyone is different trying this medication is definitely worth it. It has been a miracle for me. It keeps me awake but most importantly it makes me fully mentally alert which is something I haven't experienced in a very long time.	M	30	3 months		7/16/2009 Email
5	sleepiness, extreme fatigue	loss of appetite and nausea	I began Provigil about a month ago and it has helped me significantly! For about three months, I felt as though my engery level decreased significantly. It did not matter how much sleep I was getting at night, I always felt extreme fatigue. I could not find the energy to get my day started. I felt as though I needed several naps throughout the day. I eventually found myself having emotional breakdowns because I could not find the motivation/"energy" within me to care for my toddler and care on my obligations as a housewife. On top of everything else, I began feeling depressed. At my "breaking point" my husband called my rhuematologist to notify him of my condition. Within an hour of taking my first 100 mg dose, I noticed a significant difference. I feel as though it has taken two weeks for the medication to work to its fullest potential. I finally feel normal again. It has truly been a miracle for me and my family!	F	25	30 days		7/6/2009
1	Drug resistant depression/ADHD	Severe liver inflammation	It works better than a stimulant however it is dangerous. Took it 1 year ago for 3 weeks & landed in the hospital with liver & spleen inflammation. Wasn't sure of cause then. Tried again this month, and within 3 days same thing. Other side effects - nausea, headache, crashing feeling in afternoon.	F	37	4 days		7/5/2009
4	Idiopathic Hypersomnia w/long sleep	Jitters, itchy scalp, headaches	I have been taking 200mg in the am, and 100-200mg after lunch. I have not needed to nap after work, but still get very sleepy by evening. Provigil makes me jittery, and it is about impossible to fall asleep now. After taking it 2 months, my scalp has started to itch and I find myself scratching my scalp in my sleep until I create sores. Hoping my hair does not start to fall out... Still not feeling great, but the provigil does help.	M	32	2 months		7/3/2009 Email
5	MS fatigue	Slight headache during the first few days of starting it.	I am so glad my doctor suggested trying this drug. I take 100 mg daily. I feel like myself again...clearer thinking and more energy. The best part is, it doesn't feel artificial or over the top for me. I just started taking this drug and I hope things will remain this way for me. It feels like a miracle.	F	46	3 weeks		6/18/2009
5	Severe fatigue	Headaches, and brusing easily. I truly could not have a normal life without this drug. Started with 100mg, after two years went to 200mg. I just increased to 300mg, this is after 9 years.		F	52	9 years		6/14/2009
3	Idiopathic hypersomnia	I have mild bi-polar symptoms and I think it increases my hypermania when it flairs up. Other than that it does O.K.	It has been a wonder drug for me. I am 51 yrs. old and have been lethargic and sleepy all my life. Never even considered being tested for narcolepsy untill about 2 yrs. ago. I have all the classic signs except for 1 so they labeled me as having hypersomnia. Idiopathic just means they don't really know "why". It's just a doctors way of sounding intelligent when they really do not have a clue.Anyway, provigil works for me without all the increased heart rate or the "high" feeling.	F	51	1 years		6/13/2009 Email
4	idiopathic hypersomnia	negative: frotal lobe headaches, insomnia, crabby positive: i am able to stay awake and live my life!!!!	This has been a godsend to me! Everyone on this board knows how frustrating our sleep issues have been from first trying to understand why we were so sleepy and not being able to stay awake - to going from doctor to doctor being told to exercise regularly and eat more sensibly and that will solve sleeping 15 hours a day. When I had the sleep study done and took my first weeks does of Provigil I was back to who I really was. I am happy, happy, happy!	F	32	3 months		6/12/2009
2	To increase cognitive functions	CAUTION!!! Provigil was extremely addicting for me and I was unable to only take the proscribed amount. I experienced dry mouth, trouble swallowing, upset stomach, trouble sleeping, strained jaw, loss of appetite and weird feeling.	I have an addicting personality. If something makes me feel good I just want to take more and more of it. Provigil was a pleasurable stimulant which was used to help me regain clarity from the fog of other meds I was taking. I have taken Provigil on and off over the last few years. I could never stay on it consistently because I would start abusing it within days of starting back on it. This last time I ordered Provigil online from India because I don't have insurance. Before that I hadn't taking it for about one and a half years. It was delivered about two weeks ago. The first day I ended up taking 1200mg! The side effects I mentioned became very present and the next 24 hours were miserable. After a couple more failed attempts at managing Provigil I just flushed the rest. I'll never take provigil again, in my case the bad far out weighted the good.	M	28			6/10/2009
3	many years of narcolepsy	Itchy scalp and lots of hair fell out within a couple weeks of starting meds. Increased frequency of headaches.	Although I was alarmed at how much of my hair fell out, Provigil helped me function so much better -- fending off the previously irresistible drowsiness, so I could drive safely, and improved my ability to focus and work productively -- that I felt its good points outweighed the disadvantages. However, when my insurance stopped covering it for a few months, it was so costly that I had to give it up for a while. The withdrawal was exhausting. When coverage resumed, and I restarted the Provigil, a lot more hair fell out and broke off; but, since I needed to function safely, I accepted that loss. When the insurance interrupted coverage again ("doughnut hole" -- a rip-off to discuss in a different forum), once more I had to adjust to life without the meds. So, I've decided to stay off it for now because it's too hard on my system to keep adjusting to the on & off coverage.	F	61	3 years		5/21/2009 Email
3	Severe fatigue	diarrhea, constant nausea, trouble sleeping through the night	Although the side effects are difficult to deal with, Provigil has made a great improvement in my quality of life. I can work more focused, give appropriate attention to my 6 year old and not feel like I'm sleeping my days away. I have enough enery to live. It's still very early in my treatment. I'm hopeful that the correct dose will decrease my side effects.	F	31	2 days		5/20/2009
3	IDIOPATHIC HYPERSOMNIA	Jittery, itchy face, dry mouth, decreased appetite.	The first day was the best...I felt like a new person. I do have more energy and get things done. The absolute urge to take a nap is much less, and this is a welcome feeling after 25 years of wanting to crash all the time. It does not completely get rid of the urge to sleep during the day, but makes it more tolerable. I feel awful from it at the moment, because I drank too much coffee this morning along with the medication. I won't be doing that again, as I don't like the current feeling at the moment. Basically, each day I have felt differently on this med. Doc gave me 7 samples of Provigil and will be switching to Ritalin for cost reasons.	F	38	5 days		5/18/2009
3	Adult ADHD	Loss of appetite. Leukopenia.	200 mg/3xs daily	F	33	5 years		5/17/2009
4	sleep apnea/excessive daytime sleep	If taken too late in the day, I experienced difficulty getting to bed at an appropriate time. I have experienced very few other side effects (using 200-300 mg/day).	It's definitely improved the quality of my life.	F	37	3 years		5/12/2009
1	Have CFS, and POTS	After taking the drugs for 3 days, I began hallucinating, could not sleep. Had to go to the hospital last week because I kept having visions. In the last 2 days my face is breaking out, my left eye is swollen shut and I have have violent diarhea.	PLEASE, PLEASE be informed of the possible side effects. They are VERY SERIOUS and SEVERE!!! I am still afraid what may happen in the next few months from taking this 200mg for 3 days.	F	18	3 days		5/9/2009 Email
5	daytime sleepiness/ mild narco.	Mild headaches, Tylenol took them away. Dry mouth and nose. Extremely irritable, angry. Not hungry, change in taste. I have noticed that most of the side affects reported are typical in stimulant drugs.	I will undergo the side effects as long as they arent life threatening, I feel I am a danger to other people and myself driving, I fall asleep at lights, run of the road, take out mail boxes and signs, was ready to give up my license. I am not sleepy at all, I was miss diagnosed and have suffered for 20 yrs. Very happy that I can function. I wont have to quit another job or worry about killing some one. If anyone can let me know if you experienced anger and irritability and did it or does it go away?	F	41	2 days		5/6/2009 Email
3	OSA / SWSD / Excessive Sleepiness	Mild dizziness,headache, at first. Increase in spontineity in speech and thought.	100 mg/day. To early to tell if effective or beneficial. Im experiencing the stimulant effect/ nothing outragous though. Im somewhat skeptical on the long term benefits.	M	48	3 days		5/3/2009
3	depression, sleepiness	mild headache first few days, intensified depression	The main reason my doctor prescribed Provigil was that I have extreme morning sleepiness and lack of energy. I've been on Cymbalta for over 2 years, but at the dose I tolerate best it doesn't completely relieve the depression. I started Provigil at 1/3 of a 200 mg tablet (approx. 67 mg) for 10 days, and then increased to 1/2 (100 mg) per doctor's instructions. The first two or three days on Provigil I did have increased energy and motivation, and although that faded somewhat after a week or so I did feel more alert. Some nights I had a lot of trouble getting to sleep, and my sleep schedule became erratic because I would stay up very late until I became sleepy. Earlier this week, after having taken Provigil for about 1 month, I became extremely depressed, anxious, and tearful. I didn't link it to Provigil until I read the comments of others who have had a similar experience. I had also noticed that I was talking a lot, which is out of character for me, but I didn't link that to the Provigil, either, until I read other patients' comments. My doctor has taken me off Provigil and increased the Cymbalta. I may try it again at a low dose because I need some relief from the sleepiness/fatigue, which has returned full force.	F	54	1 months		5/2/2009
5	Narcolepsy	Decreased effectiveness if taken consistently. Occasional headaches. Panic attacks if I mix high doses with other stimulants. Insomnia if taken after noon. Anxiety with dose of 200mg or more.	This medicine is a life-saver for me. Taking it keeps me from falling asleep in classes, airports, at work, or while eating, but 100 mg doesn't disrupt my sleep cycle at all. It helps me concentrate and keeps my thoughts from wandering off as often, too. Taking it has made me a much better student without negative psychological effects.	F	19	3 years		5/1/2009
1	extreme sleepiness / sleep apnea	hallusinations, hearing voices, constant fear of death/being killed, anxiety, verdigo, sleepiness, depression, shaking, ringing in ears, loss of apitite, loss of weight, incohirent thoughts, inappropriate social behavior, foggy mind, could not stop talking - as if on cocaine but worse, mental addiction.	I CANNOT STRESS MORE TO ANYONE PLEASE NEVER TOUCH THIS DRUG AND IF YOUR ON IT, GET OFF IT. When i first took this pill i was in love with it, i thought i found the missing link to how to live life normally. I was constantly tired, sleeping all day if i could, but then i could not sleep at night. The first few weeks i took as perscribed 200 mg a day, then i felt it was not enough and begged to get perscribed 400mg a day, which is rare for someone to take and the most a doctor legally can perscribe. From then on i was hooked, taking 5- 7 pills a day which would back fire more and more as time went on, but it was impossible for me to stop cause i couldnt get out of bed anymore without it. i eventually had to sleep two days straight to get off it . . i would consider this a legal herion when it comes to how quick a person can get hooked on it. i believe this because being constantly tired all the time no matter who you are, makes a person feel hopeless in life and depressed, we try eveything but nothing works, we eny others who can live life normally, then we find something that can actually give us the enegy we believe everyone else possesses normally - but its a lie. i would take the way i feel now over provigil anyday. i cant even eblieve who i turned into , i almost lost my child. and my home just because of my behavior, i am completely sane and i found myself on easter upstairs at my parents talking to " ghoasts" i could only see through reflextions or shadows, but	F	23	1 years		4/30/2009 Email
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3	OSA treated with CPAP but still EDS	itchiness after taking 50 mg of Provigil... I split a capsule in fourths. I usually bounce out of bed today I did not.	Yesterday, My first day on Provigil I was not as sleepy. I was focused. But reading the side effects and experiencing the itchiness and not bouncing out of bed. I will discontinue and maybe give it another try in a few weeks. I think I would rather be sleepy....	F	53	1 days		4/23/2009 Email
5	Depression - with Effexor	Headaches,nausea,motion sickness(sensitivity to motion, I didn't have before)loss of appetite, sadly no weight loss yet ;)	The side effects I experienced were because I had to tinker with how I took the medication in time with my other medications (effexor and suboxone). I was taking all my meds together and it made me VERY sick. Now i wait an hour between each med and it's made a world of difference. Let me be clear: PROVIGIL IS A MIRACLE FOR ME. I feel like a brand new person. I don't feel manic or high, or jittery like a stimulant, just CLEAR, FOCUSED, CALM AND HAPPY. My family notices a difference and I thank God every day that I have doctors who listen to what I need and the research I did on this drug.	F	36	10 days		4/15/2009
2	Sleep Apnea	I have sleep apnea and I am still trying to get a good setup on my cpap machine so until then I am always tired. When I took the sample pack it was wonderful to finally not have to take a nap at work. I had to fight with my isurance for 6 weeks to get it and I still have to pay $50. Now I am on the 4th day of taking it again and I am a walking zombie and almost more tired then before.	I would love to feel the affects I felt the 1st week, I have not changed any medication and it seems that my apnea is actually getting better (cpap is working a little better than before)	M	43	10 days		4/7/2009
1	fatigue from MS & MS medications	The horrible side effect, after about four years' of use, was hypomania, which I didn't associate with the Provigil, and which became full-blown mania within the next year. Early side effects, which I'd been managing, seemed related to getting the dose correct to allow normal sleep -- after the first month or two, I ended up going for many months being awake 36 hours, sleeping 6 hours until I "mixed and matched" a lower dose of Provigil with a high dose of Celexa antidepressant at neurologist's and psychopharmacologist's suggestion	I wouldn't take Provigil over a long period of time. I began taking it after enrolling in a double blind study of Tysabri, a then-new MS drug given by infusion. I thought I was getting the Tysabri, not a placebo, because the first infusion knocked me on my ass so much that I couldn't get out of bed for three days. (It did turn out to be the Tysabri.) Hence the Provigil prescription. Once the balancing of the dose seemed to be settled, I didn't see any problem with it. About four or so years into its use, I began having intrusive, running thoughts that prevented sleep. Others with MS said it sounded like mania, which can come with the MS, and which is treatable. My doctor said it was hypomania, gave me some Ambien, and it went away on its own after only two nights of Ambien -- or did it? I could sleep, but without me really being aware of it, I wasn't even thinking about sleeping, and I wasn't tired. When I did sleep, I wasn't being kept awake by racing thoughts, so all seemed well. Wrong. I ended up with full-blown mania. While manic, I stopped taking all my meds, and the mania lifted. Because I'd taken the Provigil so long with no apparent ill effects, I (illogically) assumed it was the Tysabri which caused the mania. I stopped the Tysabri, added back in the Provigil, and gradually noticed I was beginning to have "magical thinking," a symtpon which presaged the hypomania turing into mania. So, I stopped the Provigil and the magical thinking went	F	50	5 years		3/24/2009
4	for SSRI apathy	Provigil does raise your body temperature a little bit so I felt hot sometimes. It also has a tolerance build up that is perceptible. So when you take it at first it is stronger and more effective than if used every day.	I think this works but works better if you take a weekend or a few days off here and there.	M	53	2 years		3/21/2009
3	Mixed connective tissue dz/fatigue	Alopecia, itchy scalp, dark, strong colored urine.	I was prescribed a 200 mg tab to take once a day, but had only been taking 100 mg (1/2 tab). I noticed accelerated hair loss (on Plaquenil too, which had already thinned me out considerably), but felt so much more "with it" on the Provigil, that I hung in there. After about 7 months on the 100 mg daily dose, I began to notice the accelerated hair loss (especially thinning at the temples and "crown"), and then unexplained itchiness in my scalp area. The dark strong colored urine was apparent immediately after starting the med. I am afraid that I felt the need to discontinue this medication, even tho it helped (significantly) with my severe day time fatigue. Concerned that I was going to eventually lose all of my hair and the itchiness was bothersome!	F	39	8 months		3/17/2009
5	severe narcolepsy	Extremely dry eyes; had dry eye syndrome for several years prior to taking Provigil, then it became much worse after taking Provigil. Still looking for the best dry eye treatment.	This drug is a miracle. I began taking one 200MG pill daily three weeks ago. I went from depression and pain caused by constantly fighting extreme fatigue to feeling NORMAL again. Have eliminated celebrex and flexeril for muscle pain, eliminated pulmicort and singulair for asthma. Rarely take arthritis tylenol. Has changed my life in a very positive way. I've also lost 12 pounds, need weight loss after gaining 50 pounds since narcolepsy set-in perhaps 3 years ago (hard to assess the starting point).	F	51	3 weeks		3/8/2009
1	sleepiness/weight gain from Seroque	Panic attacks, blurred vision, RASH, RASH, RASH!!!!	I had taken Provigil about 1.5 years ago, and it was wonderful! No problems whatsoever. I had discontinued it because the blurred vision was getting a little intolerable, though. I started again about six months ago, got this nasty rash all over, including my face! I didn't link it to the Provigil until I googled it and read the FDA black box warning about the possibility of Stevens-Johnson syndrome and other possible fatal rashes. My last dose was a couple of days ago. I still have an intolerable rash and I can't wait for it to go away - if it does.	F	45	2 years		3/6/2009
5	side effect of tegretol	I have to take tegretol for trigeminal neuralgia, it makes the excruciating pain go away, but it makes me so sleepy. I end up sleeping all the time. Provigil has totally cured that with no side effects at all. I take 100 mg in the morning with my morning tegretol. No provigil with my evening tegretol. No trouble sleeping.		F	61	5 days		3/2/2009
3	Difficulting getting up	feelings of physical tension	I have insomnia and sleep apnea. Even with a CPAP and doses of Trazodone, Seroquil and klonopin, I still have difficulties going to sleep. I find it hard to get up as a result oif the meds I need to get to sleep and stay asleep. I take 100 mg of Provigil to try and become awake earlier. The doctors keep playing with the dosage and the dosages of my sleep meds to try and get a balance, but haven't found one yet.	M	61	2 months		2/28/2009 Email
3	Fibromyalgia, CFS, EDS	Day 1: 100 mg, felt awesome for about 5 hours. Day 2: 200 mg (as prescribed), massive migraine. Day 3: back to 100 mg - still massive migraine that not even Imitrex could shake. Day 4: 50 mg, awaiting effects... scared about migraines but am not willing to give up yet!	I've read so many great reports on this drug, I had to give it a try. I was prescribed 200mg in the am, but I think that was way too much for me. I'm going to start a bit lower (50mg) and see what happens. Maybe you have to build up to it. I hope so, because I'm not ready to give up yet! I'll rate it again after I (hopefully) find the right dosage for me. I thank the people on this site for sharing their experiences. I consult it any time I am given a new rx. Very helpful!	F	39	4 days		2/27/2009
3	Idiopathic Hypersomnia	The only side effect that i've experienced is headaches, which seems to be less frequent over time.	I started taking Provigil about a month ago. Originally I took 200mg in the morning. Now I take 200 mg in the morning and 100 mg (half a pill) at around 3 each day. One of my main problems was not being able to wake up in the morning, so I set my alarm for 6am and take my provigil and go back to sleep. Waking up has been less difficult. I still don't feel wonderful, and often get tired. At night I become EXTREMELY talkative. It's almost embarassing that I can't shut myself up. I'll report back after I've taken it for a few months	F	19	1 months		2/24/2009 Email
2	sleep apnea/EDS	slight headache and nausea and no real benefit	I also have depression, 3 wks after Psych upped my Lexapro, I became really sleepy, went for another sleep test with MLST, CPAP working fine but had a lot of limb movement, ruled out RLS but no mention of PLMD (Periodic Limb Movement Disorder) which I later found was linked to depression and taking SSRIs, as someone said some times docs just treat symptoms, I didn't need to "stay awake", I needed a good nights sleep! Lowered the lexapro (might stop it) and feel much better	F	45	7 days		2/24/2009
5	sleep apnea/EDS	mild headaches, feeling of being very "caffeinated", softer stool	I take 200 - 400mg a day, and have found this drug to be a life-saver. Without it, I would be sleeping all the time and barely able to function. Start off at a low dose and work your way upward until you find a dose that works for you (though I wouldn't recommend going beyond 400mg/day as it hasn't been proven to be that much more effective at 600mg/day than 400mg/day).	F	22	1.5 years		2/17/2009 Email
5	extreme tiredness & foggy thinking	Weight loss...I've gone from a size 18 to a 12...gotta love that! Mild headaches that go away with an aspirin.	Love this medicine! While there are days that are not as energetic as others, my worst day on Provigil is 100% better than my best day off of it.	F	38	2 months		2/14/2009
5	I have apnea, sleepy in afternoon	I take only half a pill per day. If I take more sometimes I feel like my heart is racing a bit and mild light headedness; but not always. If I'm already tired I don't get that.	I've been on this about six months now. I participated in a lab rat study of a new drug that does the same thing last year but that drug is not yet available so this was prescribed. I take half a pill per day most of the time, I have no problems sleeping and no side effects that I can discern. I have not had issues with low blood pressure (mine is a bit on the high side but not bad). If it gets to be late at night and I have a need to stay up all night I can take an additional whole pill and function the whole night with no problem and sleep as long as I need to the next day without any symptoms of racing heart or light headedness. This pill has been used since WWII to keep pilots functioning on long flights, there have been few reported issues but as folks have already pointed out there statistically will be a few that can't use it. I drink about one or two soda's a day (with caffeine) have not noticed any issues with that. I think this is a great drug and until that other comp	F	44	6 months		2/4/2009 Email

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Average rating for drug: 3.6. This page is printer-friendly; use landscape print with background color turned on.

Key to ratings: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine.

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