Generic Provigil

 

 

 

Provigil (Modafinil) is a prescription drug manufactured by Cephalon and used for the treatment of narcolepsy and other sleep disturbances such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Continuous use of the drug for a long period of time can make you over dependent upon it. That’s the reason why some people prefer to stop taking it. Other reasons for discontinuing the medicine may include severer side effects such as allergic reactions (hives, difficulty breathing and swallowing), depression, hallucinations, psychosis, and chest pain. These serious side effects may even go to the extent of suicidal thoughts among patients.

 

If you’re suffering from sleep apnea, narcolepsy or any other sleep disorder and taking Provigil (Modafinil) tablets for treatment, then you should talk with your healthcare provider about alternative treatment options before discontinuing Provigil.

 

Your discontinuation process must take place in a gradual manner instead of ceasing use of Provigil (Modafinil) suddenly. Various clinical studies have shown an effective method of tapering off the drug. According to them, reducing your dose from 150 mg to 125 mg and then to 100 mg may make the changeover away from Modafinil easier. It may also hold up the reappearance sleep disorder symptoms. You should chalk out a particular tapering strategy with your physician who may prescribe you appropriate lower doses to phase out the drug.

 

You can expect the symptoms of your sleep disorder to return soon after stopping Provigil. As the drug is basically a stimulant to enhance alertness and works on the central nervous system, it may impair your thinking and behavior. Therefore, you need to observe a high degree of carefulness while driving, operating machines, or performing any activity that could result in injury or death if you get attacked by a sleep disorder.

 

Various types of mental illness may crop up as you gradually discontinue Provigil (Modafinil). Inform your doctor or another healthcare provider about any drastic mood changes, acute emotional reactions, or strange psychological states while terminating the treatment.

 

The effect of alcohol intake on health during Provigil treatment has not been studied. Alcohol may aggravate some of the side effects of the drug. So, patients are advised to stay away from alcohol while taking Provigil (Modafinil). There is also the possibility of interactions between Modafinil and other drugs including prescription and non-prescription drugs, vitamins, minerals, and herbal products. Consult your physician if you’re taking or plan to take any new medication. Similarly, take the permission of your physician if you want to stop taking any existing medication.

 

Before beginning the Provigil therapy, tell your doctor about the drugs you’re using such as propranolol (Inderal), cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune, Gengraf), a sedative such as diazepam (Valium), midazolam (Versed), or triazolam (Halcion), rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane, Rifater), antifungal medications such as itraconazole (Sporanox) or ketoconazole (Nizoral), antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil, Etrafon), doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), and others.