Generic Provigil

 

Title: Medication Guide to Provigil Modafinil Therapy: Part-I

 

 

 

Provigil with the generic name or active ingredient Modafinil is a prescription drug used to improve wakefulness, attention capability, and vigilance. This psychostimulant drug has proved its efficacy in memory-improving and mood-brightening and works differently than amphetamines, methylphenidate (Ritalin) or cocaine as far as its pharmacology is concerned. It is believed to function by varying the natural chemicals called neurotransmitters in the brain.

 

Adults with narcolepsy, excessive drowsiness occurred due to sleep apnea, or shift work sleep disorder usually resort to Provigil (Modafinil) for effective treatment of their ailments. The drug also has some popular off-label uses for performance enhancement in athletes as a doping agent, neurological fatigue caused due to multiple sclerosis, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Other off-label uses include the treatment of sedation and fatigue in depression, chronic fatigue syndrome, myotonic dystrophy, fibromyalgia, opioid-induced sleepiness, and Parkinson’s disease. It also augments subjective mood and sociability among shift workers.

 

What should you know about Provigil?

 

Provigil (Modafinil) shouldn’t be used if you have hypersensitivity to Modafinil or Armodafinil (Nuvigil). There are certain things you should tell your doctor before starting the treatment. Inform your healthcare provider if you have chest pain (angina), kidney or liver disease, a heart ailment, or a past occurrence of drug addiction. Also tell your doctor if you’re taking any blood pressure medication, or if you’ve suffered from a heart attack not long ago.

 

As Provigil (Modafinil) acts upon the central nervous system, it can sometimes create effects that may impair your thought process and responses. So, you need to be highly careful while driving, running machines, or doing any other activities that requires you to be watchful. Make sure to what extent Modafinil will affect your level of wakefulness before performing any hazardous work.

 

Discontinue Modafinil and seek your doctor’s help immediately if you experience a skin rash, irrespective of how mild the condition is. The cause for concern is a similar medication has caused severe skin reactions leading to hospitalization. Other symptoms of a serious reaction include headache, sore throat, fever, vomiting with a severe blistering, peeling, and red skin rash.

 

Your doctor should be informed about any prescription or over-the-counter medicines you are currently taking that may interact with Provigil (Modafinil). These medicines should also include vitamins, minerals and herbal products. Take your doctor or pharmacist’s approval before starting or stopping any medicine.

 

What should you discuss with your doctor before taking Provigil?

 

It is always a wise thing to discuss a number of things with your doctor before commencing the Provigil (Modafinil) therapy. These include:

 

• Allergic reactions to Modafinil or Armodafinil.
• Medical conditions such as angina, cirrhosis or other liver disorders, kidney disease, history of drug addiction, a recent heart attack, a heart muscle or valve disorder like mitral valve prolapse, or use of blood pressure medicines. If you have these conditions, your doctor may prescribe you an adjustment of doses or special tests to ensure safeness of taking Provigil.
• Use of the drug during pregnancy. As Provigil is listed in the FDA pregnancy category C, it is unclear whether an unborn baby will get affected by this. However, take the advice of your doctor before using the medicine if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during the course of the treatment. Modafinil can make specific birth control pills ineffective, resulting in unwanted pregnancy. Take the advice of your doctor about the best modes of birth control to employ while taking the drug.
• It is also not known whether Provigil passes into the breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. However, don’t use this medicine without letting your doctor know if you’re breastfeeding a baby.