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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 25 of 29. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Molybdenum on April 16, 2008, at 8:01:26
Hi All,
I've decided to add modafinil to my life in a major way. Ritalin is doing me no good - I either feel "high" or tired with little in between.
So I'm curious as to what you have found to be an effective dose of modafinil. Studies say 200mg is normal and some say that there's no hard evidence to support going to 400mg. So there's my first question. How much have you found is right for you?
Now, do you split the dose up into 1/2 at morning & midday? If so, do you have trouble sleeping?
If you don't split the dose, is it still working to keep you alert at 5pm from just a single morning dose?
Thanks - I am really interested in how you're using it. :)
- M
Posted by atmlady on April 16, 2008, at 9:19:48
In reply to Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please...!, posted by Molybdenum on April 16, 2008, at 8:01:26
For me, I started with 100mg and am still at that level after 2 months. It's pretty expensive so I'm happy I don't have to take more! I started on the generic, which after a fews days I took in divided doses, by breaking the pill in half and taking one with breakfast and one about noon. The brand name seems to be more "even" and I take the whole tablet in the morning, and it lasts me all day. Sleep will probably be a problem the first couple of days, even if you only take a dose in the morning, but you'll adjust in a few days. You will probably end up cleaning your whole house those first few days, waxing and detailing your car, etc. Enjoy! I no longer experience that physical energy lift, but mental and emotionally I still get great benefit from Provigil. Try doing some sudoku puzzles or crossword puzzles and see if you find them easy and enjoyable while on Provigil - I know I do. BTW, I have always been curious about your screen name - is there something we should know about this vitamin?
Posted by Phillipa on April 16, 2008, at 12:36:16
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please. » Molybdenum, posted by atmlady on April 16, 2008, at 9:19:48
Well you learn something everyday as didn't know the screen name was a vitamin. What's it for? Phillipa
Posted by Molybdenum on April 16, 2008, at 17:38:21
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please. » atmlady, posted by Phillipa on April 16, 2008, at 12:36:16
Thanks ladies,
well - a mystery is only interesting while it remains so.
I just liked that stupid old movie where the town folk are mining Molybdenum but because they can't pronounce it properly, the call the town "Molly Be Damned"....there. Now I've spoiled everything. Next you'll want me to spill the beans about Santa & the tooth fairy....!
Anyone else having a good working relationship with modafinil?
As for generics over name brand, indeed the name brand here costs about AUD$98 = USD$92 per 30 x 100mg.
I've just ordered some bulk powder in from a site in Norway. Even factoring in the inter-bank transfer fees from Australia to them, it's less than 1/5 the price of the name brand..!
Otherwise there's no way I could take it.
Posted by Phillipa on April 16, 2008, at 19:51:54
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please., posted by Molybdenum on April 16, 2008, at 17:38:21
Thanks that was cute!!!! The name. Love Phillipa
Posted by Emily Elizabeth on April 16, 2008, at 22:54:15
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please. » Molybdenum, posted by Phillipa on April 16, 2008, at 19:51:54
I take 400 mg in the AM. In general, I only notice a slight effect. No insomnia. I think 400 is better than 200, but I'm not sure. Hope this med help you!
Best,
EE
Posted by Molybdenum on April 16, 2008, at 23:33:16
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please., posted by Emily Elizabeth on April 16, 2008, at 22:54:15
Thanks to all so far....
There does seem to be a lot of anecdotal evidence that 400mg is better but I've read over & over in studies and the data sheets that they didn't notice any significant diff.
So have you found that it loses it's effectiveness over time and you needed to increase?
My sleep doctor says I need to have a "drug holiday" every now & then to make sure I'm not getting too much of a tolerance to these things.
Yeah.....whenever he says "drug holiday", I just have to grab my mouth & stop myself from saying something stupid that will make him think twice about writing the prescription...! ;)
And contrary to what I was expecting, I've read anecdotally that a lot of people report there to be a bit of a build-up effect with modafinil. Not anywhere like the ADs but I had expected it to be like Ritalin in that regard - that it just burned & then the fire went out.
Have you noticed a build-up type effect in your experience?
Posted by star008 on April 17, 2008, at 23:21:18
In reply to Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please...!, posted by Molybdenum on April 16, 2008, at 8:01:26
I started with 200mg and have been taking 400 for quite a while now.. I usually take one and see how my days goes.. I can always add another one later if I want too.. Some mornings I feel like sh###t and take 400 at once..there is a difference between 200 and 400.. I have tried to take more on days when I couldn't wake up and have gone as far a 800 but but it didn't help. Somedays I can take it and go to sleep... go figure..It can make me tired after awhile.. How does that work.. A drug for narcolepsy and I can sleep?? I think u are right about ritalin.. It made me tired after awhile and I had to keep increasing my dosage. Wears off too quick and makes you crash..
The first couple of days I buzzed on 200.. i mean my head was buzzing!!! It doesn't give me insomnia that I know of but I do take Lunesta to sleep.. sorry i wsn't here earlier to post.. sometimes I don't come on babble.. you can alays babblemail, like u did if there is something ou think i might be able to help u with
Posted by Molybdenum on April 17, 2008, at 23:49:08
In reply to sorry moly haven't been on.. » Molybdenum, posted by star008 on April 17, 2008, at 23:21:18
Thanks star008,
I appreciate your thoughts..!
Modafinil sure sounds weird - weirder than I remember. Lots of reports (like yours) seem to go against the standard data released from Cephalon.
I took modafinil - only about 4 boxes worth a few years ago. I remember it being much better than Ritalin for sure. I was taking 200mg and I remember feeling like I might need more. The price just made it unaffordable for me. So I just put it out of my mind (literally). Same way I take no notice of the new BMWs as they are released...! ;)
Now that I've found an O/S source of bulk powder *ahem*, I'll probably be taking it forever....(!).
I can't believe they invented it in the 1970's and that everyone isn't taking it. Just about everything you read about it is positive. Actually, "everything" I've read about it IS positive. Very strange. And I'm pretty sure it's the winner in the "how many different brand names can we market it under" competition. Wiki says it took until 2004 for it to be banned at the Olympics. Is that a joke???
Thanks again to all for your info...!
- Molly Be Damned
And the winner is.....
* Provigil (US, UK, Italy, Belgium)
* Vigil (Germany)
* Modalert, Provake, Modapro, Modafil (India)
* Modiodal (France, Mexico, Turkey, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, the Netherlands)
* Modavigil (Australia)
* Alertec (Canada)
* Vigicer (Argentina)
* Resotyl, Mentix, Alertex, Zalux (Chile)
* Modasomil (Austria, Switzerland)
* Vigia (Colombia)Now there's a job for me - making up names for drugs. Here - pass me that tube of hyperblackoutamyl please. That'll fix this damn headache for sure....!
Posted by cactus on April 18, 2008, at 0:26:56
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please., posted by Molybdenum on April 16, 2008, at 23:33:16
OK, I take 200mg in the morning, and it seems to be working very well. The first few days I felt a little strange but I have never had a buzz of it. It just gets me through the day perfectly with no side effects unless I'm extra tired from long shifts (10 days) and drink coffee, then I might get stomach cramps and the jitters.
Some days I have off work, I don't take it because it's so expensive. If the occasion arises where I need to stay out late, I'll take an extra 100mg around 3pm to get me through to midnight.
The first couple of weeks I took it, I was wandering around thinking to myself, "is this what it feels like to be normal"
For me it has the least side effects of any type of psych med I have ever touched. I'm loving it and I hope it doesn't poop out, but, for the first time ever, I haven't got the feeling that it will.
Nothing I have ever been prescribed over the last 15 years has had such a profound effect on me and my psyche (except ropinirole, bad side effects though) I haven't felt this stable for a very, very long time.
Posted by Phillipa on April 18, 2008, at 17:59:55
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please. » Molybdenum, posted by cactus on April 18, 2008, at 0:26:56
Cactus can you take it if you have anxiety and don't sleep at night? Will it make you more anxious? love Phillipa
Posted by Molybdenum on April 18, 2008, at 22:46:04
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please. » cactus, posted by Phillipa on April 18, 2008, at 17:59:55
So.....aside from not taking it some days to reduce the cost, has anyone noticed that you actually NEED to take a drug-free break now & then to reset yourself?
What I mean I suppose is do YOU think you build up a tolerance and if so, does "not taking it for the weekend" give your body enough time to make you sensitive to the lower / normal dose again?
Thanks :)
Posted by cactus on April 19, 2008, at 6:47:23
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please., posted by Molybdenum on April 18, 2008, at 22:46:04
> So.....aside from not taking it some days to reduce the cost, has anyone noticed that you actually NEED to take a drug-free break now & then to reset yourself?
>
> What I mean I suppose is do YOU think you build up a tolerance and if so, does "not taking it for the weekend" give your body enough time to make you sensitive to the lower / normal dose again?
>
> Thanks :)not sure yet, but I have 4 days off work coming up and don't plan on taking it. I'll let you know how it goes next thurs to sunday. When I have skipped it in the past for a couple of days I'm just really tired again but otherwise feel fine. I'll let you know next monday
Posted by undopaminergic on April 21, 2008, at 3:33:59
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please. » cactus, posted by Phillipa on April 18, 2008, at 17:59:55
> Cactus can you take it if you have anxiety and don't sleep at night? Will it make you more anxious? love Phillipa
>Some people may find that it increases their anxiety, while other may experience the opposite effect. Maybe you could try just a pack of 30 tablets, and you would find out?
As for sleep... I do sleep, pretty well, and for a rather long time, but I also find most of my wakeful periods extended beyond 24 h. For example, as I write this I've been awake for more than 28 h... of course, that's no record, but it illustrates some of the potential of modafinil - in this case, about 300-400 mg (don't remember) in the morning, along with some methylphenidate to get me started.
Posted by undopaminergic on April 21, 2008, at 3:55:10
In reply to Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please...!, posted by Molybdenum on April 16, 2008, at 8:01:26
Some people are sensitive and find 100 mg sufficient. 200 mg once or twice daily is considered the standard dose. However, in ADHD trials higher doses were generally employed. Personally, I notice little difference between 200 and 800 mg.
I did feel definite effects of the first couple of doses of modafinil I took. I felt more alert, and I seemed to be thinking and acting more rationally and efficiently. All that is much more subtle now. Otherwise, however, I can't say there are any noticeable signs of tolerance.
As I've mentioned before, I don't find modafinil to be sufficient to get me started in the mornings (my definition of "morning": whenever I wake up).
I find modafinil to be a very subtle and discreet drug. However, I know it's working, as I've been up for over 24 h almost every time now for weeks. That wouldn't happen by chance, and there really is little else than modafinil to explain it (a single dose of methylphenidate would never last this long).
Posted by Molybdenum on April 21, 2008, at 5:20:23
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please...!, posted by undopaminergic on April 21, 2008, at 3:55:10
undopaminergic & all,
thanks for all the the info on my new best friend (if it ever turns up!).
And the more technical data I read, the more it's said over & over that they really don't know its mechanism of action. One paper said it increased histamine levels. All I know about histamine is how crap I feel when I get a few mosquito bites. Must be another histamine..!
Thanks Again All - my scales are warmed up & waiting for the postman........
Posted by undopaminergic on April 22, 2008, at 14:56:19
In reply to Re: sorry moly haven't been on.., posted by Molybdenum on April 17, 2008, at 23:49:08
>
> I can't believe they invented it in the 1970's and that everyone isn't taking it. Just about everything you read about it is positive. Actually, "everything" I've read about it IS positive. Very strange. And I'm pretty sure it's the winner in the "how many different brand names can we market it under" competition. Wiki says it took until 2004 for it to be banned at the Olympics. Is that a joke???
>Modafinil got a lot of Olympic/sports/doping attention when Kelli White was found to have been using it. The fact that it wasn't officially banned was used as an argument against disqualification and/or suspension, so shortly thereafter, they listed it as a forbidden substance.
>
> And the winner is.....
>
> * Provigil (US, UK, Italy, Belgium)
> * Vigil (Germany)
> * Modalert, Provake, Modapro, Modafil (India)
> * Modiodal (France, Mexico, Turkey, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, the Netherlands)
> * Modavigil (Australia)
> * Alertec (Canada)
> * Vigicer (Argentina)
> * Resotyl, Mentix, Alertex, Zalux (Chile)
> * Modasomil (Austria, Switzerland)
> * Vigia (Colombia)
>Competition with Cocavigil in Colombia must be difficult, especially if Vigia is as uncompetitively priced as Provigil.
Posted by Molybdenum on April 22, 2008, at 20:27:01
In reply to Re: sorry moly haven't been on.., posted by undopaminergic on April 22, 2008, at 14:56:19
>
> Modafinil got a lot of Olympic/sports/doping attention when Kelli White was found to have been using it. The fact that it wasn't officially banned was used as an argument against disqualification and/or suspension, so shortly thereafter, they listed it as a forbidden substance.
>
> >
> > And the winner is.....
> >
> > * Provigil (US, UK, Italy, Belgium)
> > * Vigil (Germany)
> > * Modalert, Provake, Modapro, Modafil (India)
> > * Modiodal (France, Mexico, Turkey, Greece, Sweden, Denmark, Portugal, the Netherlands)
> > * Modavigil (Australia)
> > * Alertec (Canada)
> > * Vigicer (Argentina)
> > * Resotyl, Mentix, Alertex, Zalux (Chile)
> > * Modasomil (Austria, Switzerland)
> > * Vigia (Colombia)
> >
>
> Competition with Cocavigil in Colombia must be difficult, especially if Vigia is as uncompetitively priced as Provigil.Yes, but re my other post, I wonder if they gave the monkeys a choice between Cocavigil & modafinil....???
Posted by undopaminergic on April 22, 2008, at 20:29:24
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please...! » undopaminergic, posted by Molybdenum on April 21, 2008, at 5:20:23
>
> And the more technical data I read, the more it's said over & over that they really don't know its mechanism of action. One paper said it increased histamine levels. All I know about histamine is how crap I feel when I get a few mosquito bites. Must be another histamine..!
>It's the same substance, but fortunately, there are no data indicating that modafinil releases histamine in the skin (unlike morphine), only the brain. Although modafinil is a dopamine reuptake inhibitor like methylphenidate (and cocaine), its histaminergic effects seem to be produced by some other action that is unique to modafinil in comparison with the other stimulants. Possibly, the other target of modafinil is direct stimulation of a subtype of alpha1-adrenergic receptor, since alpha1-antagonists can counter some of modafinil's effects.
Posted by YZFR1K on April 27, 2008, at 1:00:56
In reply to Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please...!, posted by Molybdenum on April 16, 2008, at 8:01:26
Can anyone tell me about an online site where I can get Adrafinil (Olmifon)?
Posted by Molybdenum on April 27, 2008, at 3:51:44
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please...!, posted by YZFR1K on April 27, 2008, at 1:00:56
> Can anyone tell me about an online site where I can get Adrafinil (Olmifon)?
Hi,
I believe Dr. Bob doesn't want us to have such conversations at his site but I imagine he wouldn't object to us mentioning other forums where such things can be discussed.
Here's a sample conversation from one such site: http://www.topix.com/forum/health/narcolepsy/T5G91I20L8QQNE68F
And: www.drugbuyers.com
And another 2 from another Babbler: pharmacywatchers.com and www.pharmacychecker.com (good site for checking out Canadian Pharmacies)
But be wary - here's a post by yet another Babbler: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/main.jhtml?xml=/health/2005/08/23/nviag21.xml
So do a bit of reading before you decide whether to risk it.
Good Luck :)
M.
Posted by cactus on April 27, 2008, at 16:41:26
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please. » Molybdenum, posted by cactus on April 19, 2008, at 6:47:23
> > So.....aside from not taking it some days to reduce the cost, has anyone noticed that you actually NEED to take a drug-free break now & then to reset yourself?
> >
> > What I mean I suppose is do YOU think you build up a tolerance and if so, does "not taking it for the weekend" give your body enough time to make you sensitive to the lower / normal dose again?
> >
> > Thanks :)
>
> not sure yet, but I have 4 days off work coming up and don't plan on taking it. I'll let you know how it goes next thurs to sunday. When I have skipped it in the past for a couple of days I'm just really tired again but otherwise feel fine. I'll let you know next mondayWell it's monday morning and I just had 4 days off work.
To try and save some money, I didn't take modafinil for 4 days. The only thing I experienced was lethargy and tiredness which returned very quickly by thursday afternoon. I didn't have any plans so I just watched TV and pottered around the house. I tried visiting my sister on Saturday but I only lasted there about an hour. I was too tired to talk and engage in conversation so I had to head back home. I had trouble concentrating too and my sister said I didn't look well, actually my other sister that I live with said I looked quite pale.
I didn't feel any physical withdrawal effects like I have with other meds, just a return to how I was before I started taking it. I took my dose about an hour ago and I can feel it kicking in. After only 4 days off it, It feels like it did when I first started taking it, a little strange, but fine.
Posted by cactus on April 27, 2008, at 16:56:09
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) trial to save me some $$$, posted by cactus on April 27, 2008, at 16:41:26
The reason I did this is because modafinil is priced between $400-$500 per script, closer to $500 at most chemists in Australia. I had a chemist do me a huge favor and charge me $410, but to any Aussies out there who take it, I just discovered CHEMISTS WAREHOUSE who will sell it for $350 if you have a good chat to them.
Posted by carlton on April 27, 2008, at 17:13:26
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please. » Molybdenum, posted by cactus on April 19, 2008, at 6:47:23
I took 50mg for months, almost always took weekends off, just because I could (my thinking was "why not?"). Then, I went up to 100mg.
Now, I sometimes take 200mg a day, but mostly 100mg.
I have been taking it for more than a year -
I also take Nardil.
Posted by YZFR1K on April 27, 2008, at 18:17:20
In reply to Re: Modafinil (Provigil) Dosage Experience please., posted by carlton on April 27, 2008, at 17:13:26
I have tried pretty much all the famous medications for ADD, depression, ANHEDONIA and nothing works. I did not want to even look into Adrafinil because of my frustration but after reading about it and what people here have said, I want to try it. I cannot afford a Modafinil prescription so I am left with ordering Adrafinil online. Can anyone tell me where it can be found???? My email is my username @yahoo if there is a problem with talking about that here.
Thanks.
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