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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by antigua on April 13, 2007, at 10:35:21
Hi, we've never conversed before but I thought you might be able to help me as you seem to know a lot about Provigil.
I take 60 mg of Cymbalta daily and 1-1.5 mg of klonopin as needed. I've been after my Pdoc to do something about the afternoon fatigue so he relented yesterday and added Provigil.
What do know about Provigil? Will it make me manic? I know he would rather have cut back on the Klonopin but I'm not ready to do that yet.
Any advice from anyone would be appreciated!
thanks,
antigua
Posted by Phillipa on April 13, 2007, at 11:49:21
In reply to football: Advice on Provigil, posted by antigua on April 13, 2007, at 10:35:21
I still don't understand why providgil and klonopin don't cancel each other out one being an awake med and the other a downer or relaxant? Love Phillipa
Posted by gardenergirl on April 13, 2007, at 12:36:57
In reply to football: Advice on Provigil, posted by antigua on April 13, 2007, at 10:35:21
Hi antigua!
I've taken Provigil for a year or so. In my experience, it doesn't make me feel revved up or even stimulated. I just feel awake and alert once I've taken it. I'm not at all a morning person usually, so if I can be wide awake and even smiling and cracking jokes with my husband at 7:00 a.m., this might just be a miracle drug.
It also eliminated my need for afternoon or early evening naps. It didn't interfere with nighttime sleep, either. In fact, Provigil seems to help me keep a pretty regular sleep/wake cycle.
The only side effect I've experienced was a headache for about a week or two when I first started and again when I went from 100 mg to 200 mg.
Good luck, whatever you decide.
Namaste
gg
Posted by antigua on April 13, 2007, at 13:09:04
In reply to Re: football: Advice on Provigil » antigua, posted by Phillipa on April 13, 2007, at 11:49:21
I need the klonopin to offset the cymbalta sometimes. I take long naps in the afternoon and I'm hoping to eliminate them. Being productive for just a few hours a day isn't enough, and I don't like my kids seeing me sleeping everyday.
antigua
Posted by antigua on April 13, 2007, at 13:14:19
In reply to Re: football: Advice on Provigil » antigua, posted by gardenergirl on April 13, 2007, at 12:36:57
Thanks gardengirl. Maybe the Provigil can take the place of the Cymbalta if this works out. I saw my pdoc last night and he wanted to up the Cymbalta (depression creeping in), but I had lowered it because I don't like the blunt feeling the higher dose gave me. I'm only on 5mg of Provigil until April 30th, so we'll see how it goes. Does Provigil work on depression?
Thanks for your support,
antigua
Posted by antigua on April 13, 2007, at 13:37:02
In reply to Re: football: Advice on Provigil » gardenergirl, posted by antigua on April 13, 2007, at 13:14:19
Posted by football on April 13, 2007, at 13:58:08
In reply to Correction, 50mg (nm), posted by antigua on April 13, 2007, at 13:37:02
Basically what gardenergirl said. It makes you awake, alert, more motivated, and helps with concentration and memory in a natural sort of way and doesn't make you feel at all revved up the way an amphetamine would.
I started at 100 MG twice a day (it seems like the effect wears out after about 6 hours) and it was helpful, but it wasn't till I bumped it up to 200 MG twice a day that I really got the full benefit. (Though perhaps if after-noon fatigue is your only problem, you would only need it once a day.) I've had zero side effects and it's really been a miracle drug for wiping out my day-time fatigue.I see no way it would make you manic, because as I mentioned, it's not at all amphetamine-like.
Also, it's hard to determine for sure if it's helped with my depression as I started taking it right when I started Nardil. So I can't be certain if my depression-reduction has been all thanks to Nardil or if the Provigil has helped has well.
However, I just browsed Remedyfind, and it seems that many people have found it useful for treating depression.
http://www.remedyfind.com/treatments/9/2038/
Posted by antigua on April 13, 2007, at 14:40:18
In reply to Re: Correction, 50mg, posted by football on April 13, 2007, at 13:58:08
Thank you so much for taking the time to respond. Everything I've read so far sounds good. I'll give it a try.
thanks again,
antigua
Posted by Malcolm64 on April 13, 2007, at 15:26:56
In reply to Correction, 50mg (nm), posted by antigua on April 13, 2007, at 13:37:02
Posted by jealibeanz on April 13, 2007, at 17:10:52
In reply to football: Advice on Provigil, posted by antigua on April 13, 2007, at 10:35:21
> Hi, we've never conversed before but I thought you might be able to help me as you seem to know a lot about Provigil.
>
> I take 60 mg of Cymbalta daily and 1-1.5 mg of klonopin as needed. I've been after my Pdoc to do something about the afternoon fatigue so he relented yesterday and added Provigil.
>
> What do know about Provigil? Will it make me manic? I know he would rather have cut back on the Klonopin but I'm not ready to do that yet.
>
> Any advice from anyone would be appreciated!
> thanks,
> antiguaThis is my 3rd time on Provigil, 400 mg. I've been on it for a few months. The only reason why I discontinued it before because it suddenly stopped working, but after a break was effective again.
It's not stimulating like an amphetamine-based drug, but it is stimulating in its own way. I tend to feel normal- awake and functional, as opposed to drowsy and useless. The odd thing I found is that unlike an amphetamine, Provigil does not interfere with my sleep, even if taken late in the day. I could even take a nap soon after my dose if I chose, but when I awake the Provigil still does its job.
One benefit is that I don't feel a "come down" as it begins to wear off. It's not noticeable at all.
Sometimes in the beginning I have more anxiety, headache, thirst, and muscle tension. It also occurs if I take 400 mg at once, as opposed to morning and noon. These side effects subside when my body becomes accustomed to the medication.
Taking it along with a benzo doesn't cancel out the effects of both drugs. Yes, one is stimulating, while the other is a relaxant/sedative... but in my opinion benzo's have a much greater anxiolytic effect than sedation, so there is a benefit. Plus, they aren't antagonists of each other. They have completely different mechanisms. I do understand the question though, as I've been questioned by a doctor (not my regular one) why I'd take such a combo, and that it was completely counter-productive. That's when I want to ask them to walk a mile in my shoes, and then get back to me... not just go by the textbook.
Provigil can be a bit of an antidepressant. I would never say euphoric by any means. If nothing else, it makes me happier that I'm able to function, instead of sleeping all day.
Posted by football on April 13, 2007, at 19:37:13
In reply to Can you combine Provigil with an MAO? (nm), posted by Malcolm64 on April 13, 2007, at 15:26:56
Yes
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