Re: Ritalin and Provigil

[Guest guest]

Larry,

Online information identifies Provigil as addictive. Did you have any trouble

stopping taking it? I would like to know before I see a neurologist next month.

I intend to discuss with her my CMT symptoms as well as my suddenly rapidly

increasing fatigue.

Daria

[Guest guest]

I took provigil for awhile this spring while waiting for disabilty

benifits. I found it a lafesaver, but had the same problems with

cost and insurance. Since it wasn't " for " CMT, the insurance

company denied it. I am now working through them for an appeal.

I did not have any physical problem stopping. The only addictive

part was feeling the weight of fatigue disappear. It was amazing.

But I had no problems stopping.

Now I am back to caffiene and trying to slow down.

It's a bummer when we have these resources and yet they are out of

reach. Good luck,

Lenka

>

> Bethany:

>

> I'm sure most of the regulars here in the group are REALLY tired of

> hearing; fatigue is my major problem with CMT. The best drug I

found

> is Provigil whose generic name is modafinal. The drug is on-label

for

> fatigue due to sleep apnea or shift-sleep disorder. It is not on

label

> for CMT, MS, MD, or any other disease. Cephalon, the marketer of

the

> drug paid $135M to generic drug manufacturers not to make the drug

> until 2011.

>

> The drug costs $8-9 per pill, and insurers use the off-label

excuse to

> deny coverage. I believe Provigil is the best drug for fatigue I

have

> ever been prescribed. I took 100mg in the morning and 100mg in the

> afternoon. The dosage/schedule never interfered with sleeping. If

you

> can get it, I would try it first.

>

> Since being denied coverage for Provigil I have tried two different

> fatigue drugs, amantadene and Ritalin. Both are inexpensive, off-

label

> for CMT and general fatigue, but covered by my health care

accountants.

>

> Amantadene didn't work for me. For the last two months I have been

> taking Ritalin success. I weigh 225 pounds and started with 10mg in

> the morning and 10mg at 2:00 PM. I found the dosage/schedule

> interfered with sleeping. I was able to fall asleep but woke up at

> 2:00AM and had difficulty falling back to sleep.

>

> Last week I started taking 15mg of Ritalin in the morning and with

a

> caffeine boost with an afternoon Vault Zero, both fatigue and sleep

> seem to be in balance.

>

> Understand that Ritalin is an amphetamine and has more side effects

> than Provigil, but it does work.

>

> -- Larry

>

[Guest guest]

Daria:

I had no trouble stopping the drug.

As for being addictive, I saw no signs of it. The drug is getting very

bad press as it is involved in most of the athletic doping scandals

today. When I was taking it I just wanted to get at all the tasks for

the day. I didn't have to marshal my energy to those tasks that were

most critical.

I can speak of addiction with some candor as I was addicted to pain

medication after being wounded in Vietnam. In those days, Demerol was

handed out like Chiclets. I weaned myself off the drug. It has been 40

years but I still remember the feelings and understand the siren

quality of narcotics.

Provigil, not anywhere near addictive. Do I miss the energy? You bet.

The Ritalin I take now has more addictive properties than Provigil.

I am very careful with Ritalin.

-- Larry