confused Posted June 19, 2018 Share Posted June 19, 2018 I was prescribed provigil 100 mg and picked it up today. I have sleep apnea and even though i have it treated i still get really tired ( can't get out of bed, stay awake tired). So, i went back to the sleep disorder clinic and the dr recommended it. i have never taken this before. Usually, i pound coffee to wake up. Is there anything i should know? i am planning on taking it tomorrow morning. I go to work at 10. am. Is it a bad idea to start on a workday? Is there anything to know? I was warned about a rash. i have been googling and this seems like a low dose. Do most people take a higher dose? I have another appt in a month. pdoc said it is okay to take a stimulant. I did not ask about this particular med, because i did not know what would be prescribed at the time. Should i let him know? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iceberg Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 Always good to keep the pdoc in the loop but if he said stims are fine I would think it'd be ok. As far as dose it's always best to find the lowest effective dose so it's logical to start on the low side Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jt07 Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 I took 100 mg of Provigil maybe 2 or 3 times per day. It's been quite a while so my memory is a bit hazy. It was not terribly strong for me. I could and did many times take it and go right back to sleep. At that time, there was no generic and it was unbelievably expensive and my insurance finally balked at paying for it. Ritalin was much cheaper and more effective for me. I hope it helps you. You will know soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
confused Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 I took it this morning and didn't notice any effects 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Haiku Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 I started with a smallish dose similar to what you're taking now. It took a few days for my system to really recognize what was happening, so it might be the same for you. Make sure to take it early in the day because if you take it too late you'll be up later or have trouble falling asleep. I found Provigil to be a very gentle, subtle effect at lower dosages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notloki Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 1 hour ago, confused said: I took it this morning and didn't notice any effects Yep, because you are taking so little, 100 mg. I as on 400 mg a day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Haiku Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 24 minutes ago, notloki said: Yep, because you are taking so little, 100 mg. I as on 400 mg a day. Most likely the doctor is trying to see how they will tolerate the medication before increasing the dosage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notloki Posted June 21, 2018 Share Posted June 21, 2018 The other thing to note with Provigil is it is an inducer of its own metabolism , so after a week or so you might notice a reduction in effectiveness. In other words Provigil itself speeds up its own metabolism. Increasing the dose will recover the effectiveness. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtac Posted July 5, 2018 Share Posted July 5, 2018 Provigil is more effective at 200mg, although studies have shown that there isn't much benefit beyond 200mg/day. Nuvigil is a bit more potent, and I much prefer it, although I did have to bump from 150mg to 250mg a bit after switching. If you have sleep apnea, I would suspect your insurance would cover it as well, as it's one of the only "approved" uses for Nuvigil. CPAP + Nuvigil can be a great combo for treating that daytime fatigue from sleep apnea, but it takes time for your body to adjust, especially depending on your AHI. If you're looking for an amphetamine-type effect, this is not the drug for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
confused Posted July 5, 2018 Author Share Posted July 5, 2018 She upped it to 200 mg and I may feel a subtle effect. I am not looking for an amphetamine, just a way to stay awake. If I can wake up enough to make coffee and drink it I am usually okay. I can fall back asleep after the 200mg dose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts