Misc Why does modafinil make your urine smell so foul?

[the_integerian]

I used to take modafinil (provigil) for ADHD. One weird side effect I used to get was that it made my urine smell very unpleasant, almost chemically. The psych that was prescribing it to me at the time didn't know why and told me that he only had one or two other patients that experienced the same peculiar side effect. Looking at the modafinil molecule I see that there is a sulfur group. Could that be the cause of the foul-smelling urine or was something else causing it?

 

[Cane2theLeft]

^ that'd be my guess with my near-absent knowledge of chemistry. One of the major metabolites is modafinil sulfone... I'm not sure how much information is out there regarding the smell produced by metabolites of modafinil in urine but maybe someone will have more information for you

Would it be feasible to try nuvigil (armodafinil) to see if you get the same side effect from that?

 

[drewbocop]

I noticed a weird smell to my piss when I took Nuvigil for a couple days. Very strong chemical-y smell like you said... similar to what too much Kratom makes it smell like. And no I'm not down by the toilet bowl huffing my piss, it is THAT strong that I can smell it from normal stance lol.

 

[bunge]

as suggested above its more then likely a by-product from metabolisation of the modafinil.
I wouldnt worry too much about it being harmful as if its in your urine then your body is effectively expelling it. A healthy renal system is very good at isolating and expelling toxic byproducts.
The fact that a large number of people get this side effect and others dont is interesting but not usual. Take asparagus for example, a large percentage of people (80-90% i believe) experience smelly wee if they eat a large portion of asparagus. I however, fall into a small percentile of people that dont experience this effect. Its all just individual body chemistry.

 

[Coolwhip]

as suggested above its more then likely a by-product from metabolisation of the modafinil.
I wouldnt worry too much about it being harmful as if its in your urine then your body is effectively expelling it. A healthy renal system is very good at isolating and expelling toxic byproducts.
The fact that a large number of people get this side effect and others dont is interesting but not usual. Take asparagus for example, a large percentage of people (80-90% i believe) experience smelly wee if they eat a large portion of asparagus. I however, fall into a small percentile of people that dont experience this effect. Its all just individual body chemistry.

Asparagus makes everyones urine smell, it's just that some peoples sense of smell can't detect it(myself, and everyone in my immediate family can't detect the asparagus smell in urine, but my wife can). I imagine it's probably the same for Modafinil, makes everyones pee smell but seem people are just unable to detect the odor.

 

[fukme]

Weird... I have sulpher farts sometimes