Misc Modafinil during important exam - am I sabotaging myself?

[Darrellgold]

I am going to be taking an exam for the third time in about a month. The first two times I took modafinil for it, I also took modafinil while I studied. (100-150mg every time)

Because I was nervous during the exam I felt off center and I think it was due to the adrenaline my body was producing as a result of fight or flight. But this natural adrenaline, I believe, was accompanied by adrenaline that modafinil produces in the body as well, and I think, as a result, I felt too flustered to think clearly, i think there may have been TOO MUCH adrenaline running through my system.

Does anyone who understands the chemical happenings of modafinil and the natural chemical happenings of the body/brain during exam situations know whether I may be sabatoging myself by actually producing more adrenaline than I need, and thus throwing myself off?

Thank you!

 

[zagor11]

IME modafinil does nothing but keeps you awake. I use 300 mg and it makes me neither drowsy, anxious nor clear headed like dexedrine did when I was on it.

 

[Speed King]

Here is a basic explanation of Modafinil in Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modafinil

It seems like the extra symptoms you were feeling were simply caused by anxiety. Unless you are ultra sensitive to Modafinil, that is least likely the cause.

 

[Akane]

Modafinil ain't a traditional stimulant. It doesn't work in the brain like amphetamines or cocaine or any other stimulant.

I have used it for shift work disorder. All it does is promote wakefulness. Not much else.

I didn't feel adrenalinic at all personally. The effect is very subtle. I think the above response is a good explanation for what happened to you. You were just anxious.

 

[MDPV_Psychosis]

If you check out the list of possible side effects for modafinil you'll see that a broad range of effects beyond 'just promotes wakefulness' are possible in some people.

Whether or not the OP experienced just usual test related anxiety, some undesired side effects from modafinil or both is impossible for us to say.

 

[CFC]

I could be from too much anxiety, though I personally found modafinil made it hard to think clearly during exams, and so specifically avoided it.

 

[Draven26]

Modafinil for me and the ex wife helped tremendously for exams because of memorization. It was easier for us to remember everything especially if we studied even an hour before class (( I think that was the best part is that it helped us keep everything we just studied before the test in our minds and exams were like a piece of cake )) other then that it was decent I guess in making studying more enjoyable but it's nothing like amphetamines. One major positive though is that it's not addictive as amphetamines or hardly at all I think because it doesn't get you high and too wired that you can't eat or sleep. In a way I guess it's like a cup of coffee with a kick

 

[fairnymph]

I had a similar experience using Adderal during an exam once. I've found stims are great for studying but not exams. I'm not even really an anxious person, either. Modafanil isn't a stim, still, I'd treat it like one based on your experience. Possibly placebo effect increased your anxiety, or you're just sensitive to it.

 

[Darrellgold]

thanks everyone!