Provigil for chronic fatigue?

Question

My doctor has suggested that I try provigil for my chronic fatigue, has anyone else used it for this and if so how did it work for you, also I was told it is expensive I have good insurance but was curious to know about how much it cost.

Answer 1

I've used it, but not for chronic fatigue. Used it for some shift work just on an as needed basis (just got samples), and even then not frequently. Provigil is also used for narcolepsy and off-label for ADHD. It is touted as a stimulant that doesn't have the "amphetamine-like" side effects. I believe I felt that I had more energy, but remember that with many mood-affecting medications, the placebo effect is about 25%.

There is not a formal use for chronic fatigue syndrome. There has been one small study that demonstrated cognitive improvement in patients with cancer-related fatigue. I've also seen it used extensively for patients with multiple sclerosis.

Provigil is VERY expensive, and somewhat new, so your insurance may not cover it. My source says (without insurance):
100 mg (30 pills): $168.50 [$33.70 with 20% co-pay]
200 mg (30 pills): $254.99 [$51.00 with 20% co-pay]

And that's per month if you take it every day. It may be worth a try if you have a sample pack.

Side effect profile:
>10%:
Central nervous system: Headache (34%, dose related)
Gastrointestinal: Nausea (11%)

1% to 10%:
Cardiovascular: Chest pain (3%), hypertension (3%), palpitation (2%), tachycardia (2%), vasodilation (2%), edema (1%)
Central nervous system: Nervousness (7%), dizziness (5%), depression (2%), anxiety (5%; dose related), insomnia (5%), somnolence (2%), chills (1%), agitation (1%), confusion (1%), emotional lability (1%), vertigo (1%)
Gastrointestinal: Diarrhea (6%), dyspepsia (5%), xerostomia (4%), anorexia (4%), constipation (2%), flatulence (1%), mouth ulceration (1%), taste perversion (1%)
Genitourinary: Abnormal urine (1%), hematuria (1%), pyuria (1%)
Hematologic: Eosinophilia (1%)
Hepatic: LFTs abnormal (2%)
Neuromuscular & skeletal: Back pain (6%), paresthesia (2%), dyskinesia (1%), hyperkinesia (1%), hypertonia (1%), neck rigidity (1%), tremor (1%)
Ocular: Amblyopia (1%), eye pain (1%), vision abnormal (1%)
Respiratory: Pharyngitis (4%), rhinitis (7%), lung disorder (2%), asthma (1%), epistaxis (1%)
Miscellaneous: Diaphoresis

Answer 2

I have chronic fatigue but I originally got Nuvigil which is a different version of Provigil that my insurance covered 100% it works some... Like it clears my head when I'm fatigued but not a whole lot. If your insurance doesn't cover Nuvigil... I suggest your doctor try for modvigil... Good luck

Answer 3

I was given Provigil only for daytime wakefulness (I’m narcoleptic) and I found a pleasant other side-effect was that I felt much better emotionally. I’m not diagnosed with depression but only because I refuse to go to a psychiatrist to BE diagnosed. I’d rather live with my (usually mild) depression than take SSRI meds or any more pills for that matter.
So, yes, it works as a mood stabilizer, and works well for me in that regard. It also does a wonderful job keeping me feeling awake, and I don’t want more & more of it. In other words, it doesn’t seem to be addictive in a way that I build a tolerance to the amount I take (200mg each morning, or 400mg if I’ve had a particularly sleepless night).