Modafinil -- thoughts and experiences

[tadfish]

its actually does good long term stuff to ya brain.
i'll find the info somewhere
well i am sure if you go to most smart drug nootpics online stores you can find info about it

 

[morphene]

i was prescribed provigil off-label a number of years ago by a doctor who had an understanding with my employer for deadlines when we needed to code late or through the night. Anyway, it works as advertised, keeps you awake and alert without any negative (or positive) side-effects. It does improve concentration to a degree, but say if you stay up all night working you'll still find that you're not firing on all cylinders the next day - ie it's no substitute for sleep which should be obvious. It's definitely unique in that it lacks any kind of rebound or jitters at normal doses, milder but more effective than caffeine. Definitely not recreational at all. I never used it daily or anything close to that or felt any desire to take it when i wasn't tired.

FWIW, a couple years later when that job was a memory I ordered some of the bulk powder modafinil from a well known vendor that originates in india. I personally found that it seemed to take almost exactly twice as much (400mg vs 200mg) for the same effect, but otherwise didn't seem any worse. I dunno if that's real or not but I definitely thought that right away and never changed my mind.

 

[RainingDownOxy]

i suffer from serious fatigue from FM and the side effects from opiates i take (as prescribed) for pain. would this drug be suitable and does anyone know if it is available in the uk please?

this is one of the reasons i was put on it, from opiate sedation. I was just too damn tired to do anything bc of the narcs but obviously need to take them as Rx'd for pain.

it would be a good choice to be on it for your situation. it works pretty good. And it is easier to get prescribed rather than asking your doc for a stimulant such as Dexedrine, Adderall, Ritalin etc...

 

[egor]

Works GREAT for finessing finicky walleyes; got my best of the season 2 nights ago (only a 23" slightly over 4lb fish, but damn nice this early in the season) as well as several 15-20" fish. I outfished my buddies by close to a 3 to 1 margin

 

[Heuristic]

I'm interested in hearing peoples experiences with modafinil. I am looking to get off dexamphetamine for my ADD as with all my commitments, it's runing my sleep patterns and therefore making the rest of life quite difficult.
So modafinil: any good for ADD (ie concentration)?

And of course, it wouldn't be OD if people didn't share whether or not modafinil made them high, as the above article suggests (dopamine release??). I'm interested to know whether or not this story is hype, because I'd think anything on par with 20mg Ritalin would be quite well known before a science website got ahold of a "parents - drug canger for your kids!!" piece

A few things. That study quoted by AP is interesting, and the AP article (at least the portion quoted) omitted something important. While the study did show increased dopamine levels in a certain part of the brain known to be linked to addictive behavior, the study also showed that the subjects taking the medication did not actually report any feelings of euphoria or "high" that you might find with addictive stimulants.

I do not believe there are any withdrawal effects from it.

There are conflicting studies about whether its use is habit forming, but it certainly seems far less habit-forming and addictive than the other stimulants mentioned in this thread, including caffeine.

It increases the degree to which you feel awake. It does not completely replace a cognitive deficit resulting from sleep deprivation; if you don't sleep, your performance will suffer, but this, like caffeine, can mitigate the damage (no medication replaces the cognitive deficit resulting from sleep deprivation--which is why regular amphetamine use, ostensibly for performance reasons, is actually self-defeating). It's about as effective a cognitive enhancer as caffeine, although caffeine has far broader effects on your CNS.

It does not seem to disrupt sleep patterns.

Taking higher doses seems to result in headaches, and increased incidence of anxiety, and other adverse, unwanted, side-effects.

IMO it has very low abuse potential. It's a good medication for what it is designed to do: keep you awake without disrupting your sleep cycle.

Worthwhile to discuss with your doctor.

 

[chrlefxtrt]

Provigil was the third drug I tried for ADhD. I started with Prozac, didn't work so well for me. Then I tried Strattera. Strattera actually worked well for me, but I was one of the rare people with negative side effects from it (random suicidal thoughts). This sucked because I was able to get all of the free Strattera samples I could carry from my doc, and it was working for the ADHD.

Next was Provigil. It was effective for me, but not effective enough to pay the hefty price tag that came along with it.

Then I tried Adderall 15mg, it was okay but not quite right. I worked up to 40mg of Adderall a day and my doctor recommended that I try Vyvanse (stopped at 120mg a day?). I tried it for a while and it worked "almost as well as the Adderall. I eventually switched back to Adderall this time on XR. My doc said some people have better reactions to the amphetamine mixture in Adderall or something. I am currently taking 60mg Xr a day (30mg when I wake up, and 30mg about 5hrs after I wake up).

It is too bad my experiment with provigil didn't work out. It helped with the much needed concentration, but it didn't help much with my minor to medium level of hyperactivity. And it would have been nice to have something to take that wasn't a schedule II. I take Percocet for a semi-effective spinal fusion in 2005.

My opinion would be that if you are sensitive to stimulants (like some others have stated) or don't have very severe AD"H"D, Provigil would be a good alternative to try.


If Provigil works for you and you can afford it, go for it. If you are looking for something to "fuck" you up, Provigil is not for you.

Sorry for the rant. I got "fucked up" this evening.

 

[robcypher]

^ Yeh, that's why THIS surprised me.

Sounds interesting so far. I'm on Zyban at the moment to quit smoking and it works really well, probaby because it's almost a merger between an anti-depressant and a stimulant. I find it more a mood-brightner than anything else... must be increasing my dopamine levels quite effectively in order for that to happen.
It's not the lack of sleep that bothers me about Dexedrine so much... it's the burnt out feeling it gives you after taking it everyday for a month... lethargic and all that shit.
Anyway, thanks for the reports so far guys

zyban aka wellbutrin is not that strong of a dopamine reuptake inhibitor;
more than likely it's the norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor action you're
feeling.

 

[robcypher]

I've had modafinil before (an ex of mine used to be prescribed it for "lack of energy" before
switching to adderall). It worked great for staying up for days without feeling exhausted or
burned out like on meth; not much of a euphoric feeling. I could see how people could get
physically addicted on it after a couple of months; not so much psychologically though.

 

[dokomo]

On days where I don't get enough sleep (~5 hours or so) I can take it and still feel totally normal that day. However If I get plenty of sleep and take one, I feel great, am optimistic and get tons of stuff done during the day. I havent ever felt withdrawal or anything like that when I don't take it (usually dont take it on weekends) so I don't know about physical addiction either.

 

[tadfish]

love the stuff great for study, nicer alternative to stims like amphets.
and it has long term positive effects on brain.
how long have people stayed awake on it for
its really good for that. but like any stim or sleep deprivation after 3 days things go bad.
I like how u can have a tablet go to bed set alarm for two hours later and wake up and it feels like u got a nice 8 hours. strange drug anyone else done this.
Its so expensive in australia.
its great for ADHD
anyone had bad sideeffects?
anyone snorted it?
beware of Indian powders they shit and most caffeine and make u feel sick there papers are false

 

[KarsNTrux]

Great Experience w/ Provigil...!

Im a former Opiate addict, and have just recentley finished my Suboxone treatment ( Not NEAR as hard to come off as Ive herad horror stories here to be...) I've been diagnosed with Non Hyper ADD for 2 years now, and I have just started treatment with Adderall & Provigil after suffering a year on the absolute JUNK called Strattera(100MG/DAY) In Ohio, a Sub user cannot be prescribed any Sch II med's. I have used Provigil for about 6 months, and the effects are very subtle alone. A very good med though even alone. Very mild, slight mood elevation and a 6-8 hour energy boost which I felt little to no side effects from. No anxiety, no shakes, nothing, just subtle energy boost. I don't feel it's very effective for ADD/ADHD treatment alone. It does help, but nothing to write home about. I've now been on Adderall XR 30MG/Day for a month or so. In combo, these drugs compliment each other alot. I've taken Adderall alone many times in my days, yet taken with Provigil, it seems to actually potentiate the addy AND take away some of the anxious/shaky side effects of the Addy alone. I really enjoy the two together, VERY VERY expensive though. $10.XX/Each at Walgreen's w/o Insurance. If I didn't have insurance, I wouldn't pay that honestly, I would let it go. Yet with Insurance, it's a great booster for any of the ADD meds(Minus Strattera). I also suffer a deeply addictive personality, so I watch myself closley with my Addy's. I dont see any addictive qualities from the Modanifil though, alone or combo with the Addy. Very clean, very subtle, little to no side effects. Makes me talk a little more, smile a little more, and be a little nicer to customer's I find lying to me about how much they make constantly LoL. I would ABSOLUTLEY reccomend Provigil to anyone with insurance. Most doc's have 7 day sample's they are very willing to let you try, and it's not hard to get, most doc's I know are very willing to let you try it. If you see a doc, ask for the 7 day sample, it's worth a try. The first time you take it is AMAZING, very similar to first time Adderall/Dexedrine...
Sorry for the long post, Im a newbie...=)

 

[tadfish]

point form and summary pls
bit hard to read but coming from me....i can't talk lol
good to hear Karsntrux

 

[Acid4Blood]

I've been taking 200mg modafinil most days for the past few weeks. I took a 200mg tablet at 12pm today & am feeling very focused & on the ball now (even after smokin 2 pipes of excellent sativa weed earlier )
I wasn't crazy on modafinil the first week I took it but after a day or 2 off it, I really noticed the lack of concentration & focus. So when I started taking it again I experienced all its good effects & none of the butterfly-belly i got the first week (esp. when mixing it with weed) . Much like other dopamine acting stimulants.
So yeah, I'd well believe that modafinil works on the dopamine system. The days I don't take it my mind does miss it as i don't feel as focused.
Useful chemical, thats for sure
Oh yeah, I use Modafil 200mg tabs, not Provigil.

 

[filenet]

definitely rec value with modafinil - higher dosages will most definitely see you go hard & strong for a very long time. only side effects experienced at these levels were slight indigestion & weird smelling urine

 

[ebola?]

I have used the chemical occasionally, but never having been prescribed the compound to treat any 'disorder'. Doses of 100-200 mg enhance focus, alertness, and energy. The effect is quite noticeable if I'm sleep deprived (almost like having gotten proper rest). The effect is extremely subtle if I got adequate sleep the night before. There are almost no peripheral side-effects or jitters. It's almost like a purely centrally acting, non-anxiogenic caffeine. At no point is the compound euphoric or even 'fun' for me.

I once took an accidental overdose of 400 mg (I was really groggy that morning and took the wrong dose (go figure ). Bracing myself for a jittery pain of a day, I was pleasantly surprised to experience only increased duration and perhaps a mild headache near the end of the day.

I have moderate experience with classical stimulants, mostly dopamine releasers, and I find them moderately to highly euphoric (but have not found a good DARI).

ebola

 

[dokomo]

Just wanted to update - My insurance is changing so I've had to go a period of time without anyone covering my modafinil script. I've used my prescription for a couple of modafinil preparations from India called Modalert and Modvigil. I took modalert and got a terrible headache and felt groggy all day. The Modvigil is much better than Modalert but has still been causing headaches. I'd like to point out that neither of these were ANYWHERE near as effective or side-effect free as US name-brand Provigil. I wouldn't suggest getting any but the name brand.

 

[Virtuoso]

I take Nuvigil, one half of the racemic mixture that is Provigil. Given my extensive history of stimulant use, I must say that it is one of the most unpleasant drugs I have ever taken. I take the 250mg tablets (which may just be too much) but it gets me to the point that I feel incredibly exhausted and suffer all the downsides of exhaustion, but just cannot sleep. It keeps you awake, but it does not "wake you up" per se.

If you take it, be prepared to not sleep for 18-36 hours. One tablet kept me awake for close to two days. This is with me actively trying to sleep (no sound, no light, etc) and it just wasn't happening. Also, it seems very cardiotoxic. One dose made it difficult to go up stairs without feeling chest pains.

 

[morphene]

Just wanted to update - My insurance is changing so I've had to go a period of time without anyone covering my modafinil script. I've used my prescription for a couple of modafinil preparations from India called Modalert and Modvigil. I took modalert and got a terrible headache and felt groggy all day. The Modvigil is much better than Modalert but has still been causing headaches. I'd like to point out that neither of these were ANYWHERE near as effective or side-effect free as US name-brand Provigil. I wouldn't suggest getting any but the name brand.

I've seen many reports similar to yours, along with a large amount of speculation that several of the indian sourced tablets available over the internet are counterfeits - either containing only caffeine or being heavily cut with caffeine. Which does seem to fit with your and other peoples descriptions of the effects or side effects. India is a well known source for counterfeits of all types. Strangely my experience I wrote about in this thread months ago wasn't anything like that. I got it as a bulk powder and not in a pressed tab though it did originate from india as well. I found it to be basically identical to provigil which I had taken often with the caveat that I needed to take twice as much (400mg) to have the same effect, which of course is highly suspicious. But I didn't have any negative side effects from it, and I'm pretty sensitive to caffeine, taking a heavy dose in a pill makes me feel like total ass.

 

[dokomo]

I've seen many reports similar to yours often, along with a large amount of speculation that several of the indian sourced tablets available over the internet are counterfeits - either containing only caffeine or being heavily cut with caffeine. Which does seem to fit with your and other peoples descriptions of the effects or side effects. India is a well known source for counterfeits of all types. Strangely my experience I wrote about in this thread months ago wasn't anything like that. I got it as a bulk powder though and not in a pressed tab though it did originate from india as well. I found it to be basically identical to provigil which I had taken often with the caveat that I needed to take twice as much (400mg) to have the same effect, which of course is highly suspicious. But I didn't have any negative side effects from it, and I'm pretty sensitive to caffeine, taking a heavy dose in a pill makes me feel like total ass.

I'm pretty sensitive to caffeine as well--it always causes my heart rate to increase among other things. That doesn't fit what I felt with either of these preps however. Modalert was just awful, I've been worried that I ingested some kind of toxin or something. Modvigil definitely has that Provigil feel, just weaker and "dirtier" you could put it.

It feels like it could be a faulty enantiomeric mix or something. I've been meaning to run some tests on it in the lab to see if I can identify
what's really in it. I've got access to GC, IR and NMR so hopefully I can get some kind of clue what we're dealing with.

 

[min0taur]

I took modafinil at 200mg only twice. The first 15min came on feeling like an amphetamine, but never proceeded to the euphoria/focusing stage. I couldn't really focus on the drug, and I was disappointed that bupropion and strattera worked better. It did put me into a kinda bright mood however, and I could see it working for ADD in some people. I actually asked my doc for modafinil so I wouldn't have to take my methylphenidate every day. I think this drug would be put to best use in this fashon.

Then again, I only took it twice. Oh yeah, and although I took it at 9am, I couldn't get to sleep until 2am. Despite taking mirtazapine, which usually knocks me out in an hour.