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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 13 of 13. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Wildflower on March 30, 2005, at 9:15:51
At which dose of provigil did you feel a difference? I've been taking it for a few weeks without any change. I take just one pill...I think it's either 100 or 200.
Posted by AuntieMel on March 30, 2005, at 12:35:54
In reply to Calling all provigil users, posted by Wildflower on March 30, 2005, at 9:15:51
your milage may vary, as they say. I got a bit of help at 100, and more at 200. It's not an earthshattering difference, but I can see more ability to concentrate.
Posted by zeugma on March 30, 2005, at 13:53:58
In reply to Re: Calling all provigil users, posted by AuntieMel on March 30, 2005, at 12:35:54
I noticed an effect at 50 mg, but not necessarily a stimulant effect.
The dosage at which it becomes a true stimulant for me is 200 mg.
-z
Posted by Wildflower on March 31, 2005, at 10:17:23
In reply to Re: Calling all provigil users, posted by zeugma on March 30, 2005, at 13:53:58
I figured out this morning that I'm on 200 mg. Anyone gone beyond that?
Posted by gromit on March 31, 2005, at 21:42:21
In reply to Calling all provigil users, posted by Wildflower on March 30, 2005, at 9:15:51
> At which dose of provigil did you feel a difference? I've been taking it for a few weeks without any change. I take just one pill...I think it's either 100 or 200.
I didn't notice a thing until I went up to 300 mg. 400 worked better but higher than that didn't seem to make a huge difference.
Posted by Dinah on April 1, 2005, at 1:32:02
In reply to Calling all provigil users, posted by Wildflower on March 30, 2005, at 9:15:51
Is that it doesn't have that much of an effect any more. It started out making me feel speedy, then it kept me awake, now it doesn't always do that. I'm allowed to take more, but I'm worried about the implications.
Posted by Wildflower on April 1, 2005, at 11:45:59
In reply to Re: Calling all provigil users, posted by zeugma on March 30, 2005, at 13:53:58
Any of you on both of these? I'm taking them and I really should be bouncing off the walls but that's not the case. Thoughts?
Posted by Dinah on April 1, 2005, at 14:14:45
In reply to What I'm worried about, posted by Dinah on April 1, 2005, at 1:32:02
Took one when I woke up, another midmorning, still found myself sprawled on my bed waking up from a nap a bit after noon.
Sigh.
Part of it may be blood sugar, but it's not all that high.
Posted by zeugma on April 1, 2005, at 21:04:13
In reply to Yep, definitely losing its kick., posted by Dinah on April 1, 2005, at 14:14:45
> Took one when I woke up, another midmorning, still found myself sprawled on my bed waking up from a nap a bit after noon.
>
> Sigh.
>
> Part of it may be blood sugar, but it's not all that high.
Dinah,How much are you taking? I remember last time you mentioned your dosage it was 100 mg.
Yesterday I was so drowsy (despite having taken 200 mg) that I tried to take a nap about noon. Unfortunately, I simply can't nap, because of my peculiar version of narcolepsy (I feel like I'm in withdrawal from paxil or something, get 'zaps' and jolts and all kinds of unpleasantries if I don't have the right level of nortriptyline in my system when I try to sleep). The drug simply didn't work because of sleep debt. If I've missed any sleep, for any reason, I pay the price, sooner or later, and the Provigil can't help with that.The situation is clonazepam is analogous. I don't feel that great state of non-anxiety that I once did from 1 mg a day. But going over that produced sedation and ataxia. 1 mg does help me say hello to neighbors, and keeps the IBS in check, more or less, because the general anxiety level is lower.
I personally, would rather take less meds, not more. I don't want to go over 200 mg. But 1 mg clonazepam is a reasonable maintainance dosage for me, although I'm still highly anxious, and hopefully you can find a dosage that is a reasonable one that keeps you on the plus side of the benefit/side effect ratio.
-z
Posted by Dinah on April 1, 2005, at 22:13:51
In reply to Re: Yep, definitely losing its kick. » Dinah, posted by zeugma on April 1, 2005, at 21:04:13
It's 100 mg. The doctor wanted me to use 100 mg morning and 100 evening, but says I can go higher. I wasn't paying much attention, because at the time 100 mg was working.
I'm sleeping like a log since I upped my Depakote to 500 mg. Hmmmm... Ok, there might be a connection there. Maybe 500 mg of Depakote is offsetting the Provigil.
1 mg of Klonopin has been my dose for eight years. I can take more as needed, but rarely do. Now that I'm sleeping well on Depakote, maybe I'll even try weaning myself from it. Or maybe not. :)
Looking on it though, I think it may be the Depakote.
Posted by Richdawn on April 2, 2005, at 14:34:06
In reply to Calling all provigil users, posted by Wildflower on March 30, 2005, at 9:15:51
> At which dose of provigil did you feel a difference? I've been taking it for a few weeks without any change. I take just one pill...I think it's either 100 or 200.
I take 50 mg of Provigil in a.m. and 50 mg. at noon. It helps me be a bit more alert but also helps my mood so that I am happier, less irritable and more social. Occasionally I also take a small dose of dexedrine spansules or sudafed for extra energy. It takes less of either of these to wake me up when I am using Provigil. The Provigil doesn't seem to affect my night sleep at all but I have to be careful not to take dex or sudafed too close to bedtime or they can keep me from sleeping well.
Just my current experiences, FWIT.
Posted by bark2323 on April 2, 2005, at 22:45:41
In reply to Re: Calling all provigil users, posted by Richdawn on April 2, 2005, at 14:34:06
Provigil works for me really well at 400mg; 200 when I wake up and another 200 at 2 or so. Mood lift, feel awake, can focus better, etc.
matt
Posted by jannbeau on April 15, 2005, at 15:15:07
In reply to Re: Calling all provigil users, posted by bark2323 on April 2, 2005, at 22:45:41
Hi, Everyone. Long time no post (most on Effexor page, but I stopped Effexor XR very soon after starting it so don't post there anymore, or anywhere, actually. Back after a long hiatus. Hey, Dr. Bob, what research category does that put me into???? (Grin)! I do see a few names from other boards, like Dinah, whom I assume is still a moderator??
Anyway, thought I'd just give you all my take on Provigil--I started Provigil about 6 months ago after taking Fastin for YEARS. I intensely dislike the Provigil. Expensive and doesn't work very well for me at 200 mg qd. I was given it for "excessive daytime drowsiness 2ndary to treated sleep apnea. Decided to try Provigil because it's "cleaner" (fewer side effects) and it is approved for use with sleep apnea treated with CPAP (I use my CPAP machine nightly) which makes my doctor happy! I started with 100 mg qd, which made me SLEEPY, rapidly moved to 200 mg/day, which still makes me sleepy before it wakes me up and only lasts four to six hours. The T1/2 in my body is short (I can follow it's excretion because the metabolites make my urine smell like cat pee! My interpretation: an amphetamine in disguise, and not a very good one at that). Dinah, I can identify with your sleepiness with Provigil. I could take a nap right now and it's only been a couple hours since I had a dose! I am entirely frustrated with this medication. One GOOD thing, I've been able to cut back on my Ambien--probably because my body metabolizes the Provigil quickly. I haven't looked up the metabolic pathway, but I take some meds that rev up the P450 enzymes in the liver.
Provigil does not seem to exacerbate my ongoing anger, which also probably relates to its lack of effect.
On the other hand, my anxiety is much worse with Provigil than with Fastin--meaning I take more Xanax (I think it's the Provigil, but it might be changes at work, so not sure). The only medication I ever took that seems to work well with no discernable side effects is Lipitor--unfortunately, Lipitor is for high cholesterol; it does nothing for my CNS (LOL)!I think I'm going to go back to Fastin because I can control Fastin's effects by taking only part of the capsule; I can control the length of action by taking two or three doses a day, all while staying within the 30 mg I am alloted, while I cannot control Provigil in this way.
My overall review of this medication: lots of hype, minimal utility for me, and we don't know the long-term effects of the medication. Provigil, the next new miracle drug - NOT!!!!
Cheers,
Jannbeau
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