Question About Provigil

[MamaRider]

I have been doing abit of reading about rovigil and it sounds like something that might help me. Maybe even get me out of this chair and moving into the real world (Oh Happy Day!) I am sick and tired of feeling...well..tired...all the time. I am sure I am tired because I simly do NOT sleep well. I have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. It makes me feel sleepy and tired al day--everyday--all the time. It really really is suckie to feel this way. And to think there is a medicine out there that may help,well that sound good. I am currently on:Duragesic, 175,change every 72frs, Topamax 50,twice daily. Cymbalta 2 times a day,Zanaflex 3 times daily and for breakthru Diuldid 4's three times a day as needed. I also take Tylenol and started taking Lunesta for sleep, but it doesn't seem to help much with my sleep.

So, anywhooo, do any of you that take PROVIGIL think that it is worth asking my Dr for a try out of it?

Thanks, MamaRider:D

[Kira]

I took Provigil briefly last spring and it was helpful, I think... but I stopped it because I was having some trouble with anxiety and wanted to make sure it wasn't contributing to the anxiety.

I just started Provigil again yesterday, because I have been so sleepy all of the time and really just plain need to wake up and go to work/school more often. So I am giving it a try again. (I had a pain clinic appointment yesterday and that's the plan we came up with for now).

I'll let you know how it goes. So far, I do feel a little more awake during the day, but nothing too dramatic. I have a lot of stuff to get done right now, so I think the stress is also making me get off of my butt and come in to work the past few days. No side effects so far except I felt a little shaky today (mild tremors, off and on), though that could have been from my muscle & neuro issues OR from the new med.

We also increased my fentanyl patch dose yesterday. I honestly can't tell the difference between the old dose and the new dose, but we only increased it by 12.5 mcg/hr. Right now I am wearing my usual 50 mcg/hr patch and then a 12.5 mcg/hr patch with it. She said that if the extra 12.5 mcg/hr isn't enough, we can go up to the 75 mcg/hr patch when I go back in a month. And I have my breakthrough meds if I need them. Plus, if my pain is still poorly controlled even after I give the patch a little more time to get into my system at the new dosage, we may add Baclofen for my spasticity & tightness. I am hesitant about the Baclofen, though.

If you're really interested in trying the Provigil, go ahead and ask your doc about it. The worst that can happen is that he/she will say they don't want to try it, but at least then they'll know just how fatigued you've been and you can have a conversation about what your options are to deal with the fatigue.

[Gymnast_Navy_Wife]

Hi--
I take provigil on a PRN basis. However, for a good while I took it on a daily basis.I took it for extreme fatigue due to medication side effects and the fact that I was having nocturnal as well as daytime seizures and my body was getting virtually no quality or real rest. I have had no major side effects from it and it has been a blessing to me and improved my quality of life.

However, having said that there are a few things one needs to keep in mind with it. Have realistic expectations with it. Provigil is not a "cure all" per say. Provigil does not take all your fatigue away, it just basically makes you able to stay awake, not fall asleep and function better. Thats not to say you don't have more energy--- you often do, I just saying don't expect it to take all the tiredness away. One may very well still get tired on it and I did/do; but the sudden urges to sleep aren't there. Remember--- the drug was initially used soley for narcolepsy.

Somethings to remember: Timing and dosage. A lot of time it takes some trial and error to get those things right. For me, and most people I know, it takes 2-3 hours for it to fully kick in; lasts about 6 hours, then starts to slowely fade. So, I have to carefully think about what my day is going to be like and when I am going to need it to be at its fullest effectiveness. For example, when I was taking it on a daily basis --- I was working from 5:30 to 9:30 am; go to college, then work from either 1:30 to 6:00 pm or 2:45 to 6:00 pm; I would usually take it around 5 or 5:30 am; it would kickin in by about 8 am be at its peak until around 2:00-3:00 pm and slowely start to fade and wear off by about 7-8:00 pm. I was however, allowed to take another mid day/afternoon dose if need be. Now that I am taking it on a PRN basis, I adjust the time where I need it most. Dosage can also take a bit to figure out too.

I didn't have any major side effects from it-- I would feel a bit jittery as it was starting to work; but at the same time my focus and concentration was so improved, that although I was unable to stay still for long periods of time (we are talking hours); my increased alertness, etc outweighed it. I also had no problems sleeping at night (since it wore off by bed time).

As for talking to your doctor-- I have no idea how I would approach it. My doctor was the one who suggested it to me. Perhaps you could explain your fatigue to your doctor and ask if there is anything you could do for it or anything that can be done to improve your quality of life without having to give up the pain relief, etc you currently have.

Good Luck !

:) GNW

[illusion129]

Mama, a warning I must advise you about is this: a lot of insurance companies will not cover Provigil unless you have Narcolepsy OR Shift Worker's Sleep Disorder.

My Rheumatologist prescribed it a few months back for me to try, since I told her how fatigued I stay through the day, and she wanted me to give it a try. Well, I went to fill it and of course since insurance denied coverage, I didn't even get to try it. Mind you, I would have just paid cash had it been an inexpensive drug because I really did want to try it, but a month's supply was close to $300, if I remember correctly. That's just a little too much to pay, especially if the drug wouldn't help me. :mad: Stupid insurance companies...I don't think they should be allowed to dictate what a doctor orders such as denying certain medications...

Otherwise, Provigil sounds like a great drug that would be quite useful for many of those who suffer from chronic fatigue either due to pain, medication side effects, or otherwise. I'm considering asking for an ADHD-type stimulant to try it out (I know my insurance will cover this)...anything to shed some of this deadening fatigue that I have!

Good luck and let us know how it goes! - RH

[Smiling Angel]

I started taking Kadian in March of '06 for my chronic pain, and I was starting a new, full-time job. I was feeling a lot less pain. Then I started my job, which entailed 6 weeks of training and medical lectures....Well, it only took me a couple of weeks to realize that I was having some trouble keeping awake during some of those lectures, even though I was VERY interested in the subject matter. I called my PM doc, and her prescribed me the Provigil, and it really helped me. Thank goodness - I didn't want to keep snoozing during those lectures!

It's a year and a half later, and I am still taking the Kadian, and the Provigil. I still get sleepy sometimes, because I have spherocytosis, a type of anemia, but the Provigil really helps! Don't think I could do my job without it!

Good luck, and let us know how it goes!

[suede]

Okay now I feel like something is wrong with me.
I started taking the Provgial for the same reason as all of you, the first couple of days it helped then nothing.
I was disappointed I was really hoping for something to help as all of you have gotten..
Oh well just goes to show how different we all are.
Linda

[Smiling Angel]

Linda - don't get me wrong - I still get sleepy sometimes, even at work :eek: . I sit and read medical records all day, and, last week especially, I got a little sleepy in the mornings. Thank goodness for that 10:00 coffee break! There's a little Cafe right next door, and I always go with a friend during morning break to get my cup of Joe. That usually helps quite a bit!

I've also been pretty sleepy in the evenings lately. Maybe it's the change in weather, or maybe it's the fact that my anemia is getting worse again :( . My hemoglobin was so low several months after I started this job - down to 9.1. I had to go to a round of doctors - a hemotologist/oncologist, a nephrologist, had ultrasounds, MRIs, you name it. The nephrologist put me on Procrit for quite awhile. I started out at 10,000 ius, then went up to 20,000. I stayed at 20,000 for only a couple of weeks, then went up to 30,000 ius. :eek: . Finally my doctors and I decided that I wasn't going to get much higher than where I ended up at - which was 10.1. I stopped the injections several months ago, but I need to find out when the doc wants me to have my blood checked again. Hopefully, my lack of energy has more to do with the change of seasons that the change in my hemoglobin count! And I thought Procrit was only for cancer patients. Apparently NOT!

Oops, got off the track, sorry :rolleyes: .

Take care! Jacquie http://bestsmileys.com/angles/12.gif