Cure for Lexapro Fatigue?

Question

Has anybody tried Modafinil (Provigil, Modalert, Alertec) to counteract the inevitable side effect of Lexapro fatigue?

Answer 1

My stepson is on Provigil for Narcolepsy and it works, however, as a physician, I would caution against starting on a medicine to counteract the effects of another without first trying to adjust your Lexapro dosing schedule. By this, I mean that if you take it in the morning and it makes you sleepy, take it at night. If you take it at night, then take it in the morning. Lexapro is not the only antidepressant out there, Cymbalta tends to wake people up and so does Effexor. I happen to think that Lexapro is the most effective starting antidepressant out there, but Cymbalta works well as well. Effexor also works, but is frequently combined with other drugs to achieve better antidepressant effects.
Psychotherapy can be the most effective of all, but most psychiatrists have become the pill pushers of advanced babysitting practices for the government and that leaves you to have to seek out a good Ph.D or MS licensed therapist that concentrates on your particular main problem.
For organic depression, which is depression from true chemical imbalances, most can be corrected with medications to a certain degree, But when a person feels better, the natural tendency is to stop the medication which returns the imbalance and the depression state.
There is no easy answer to the treatment of depression, but if it is from your situation, then I suggest that you get out from or change your situation.
Many people stay depressed because they spend their whole lives trying to please someone who will never give them what they need (ie. a strict parent, an unemotional spouse, an unruly child) Examine your life carefully and seek help if necessary to deal with any of the above issues if they exist.
If all else fails then I would think that Provigil would be OK with your doctor's approval

Answer 2

I've never used Provigil but if it's any help the fatigue levels off over time. I find keeping busy keeps tiredness at bay. When I'm just hanging around I always want to nap.