Modafinil?

mgran · Jan 20, 2012 at 06:09 PM

Hi everyone... has anyone ever taken this medication to help with excessive sleepiness? I'm wondering if it's worth asking my doctor for something to help me wake up. I wouldn't take it every day, just two or at most three times a week when I have to be up in the morning.

Is it safe? I've read it's been prescribed to help cognitive function in schizophrenics, so I imagine it won't have horrid side effects like some other meds I can think of. At the moment I'm drinking upwards of six cups of coffee a day... sometimes more.

Is there a safe website I could buy some from to try it? What do people think?

Gently1 · Jan 20, 2012 at 08:06 PM

My opinion is that find out the cause of the of your sleepiness and treat that first. like any med with dr supervision.

The sleep dr recommended alertec or modaifinil to help with my day time sleepiness. I have not used it yet.

My pdoc did not wish to add the this med as daytime sleepiness is slowly improving.
More important was my daytime sleepiness was from non-restoretive sleep.

The side effects of clonazepam- and zoloft, these drugs mess with your sleep architecture and I was sleeping 12 hours a day and woke up more tired then when i went to bed.
I do not have any sleep pathology- apena, etc

Lowering the clonazepam, and making a change to my sleep hygiene, with eyeshades until I can find the energy to create a totally dark room.

G

mgran · Jan 20, 2012 at 08:11 PM

I'm on seroquel, down to 300 a day now, and lamactil, 100mg. Some nights I cannot get to sleep at all, and I can go a very long time without sleep. Then I crash, and can barely move.

I feel if I came off the seroquel I'd not be so sleepy anymore, but I can't imagine it would be a solution, since the psychosis would very likely come back.

Gently1 · Jan 20, 2012 at 08:36 PM

Mgran,

It is so challenging, sleep is critical along with nutrition etc, I wish I had the sleep test a year ago.

Seroquel is my friend for sleep and mood in depression- 75mg, as far as I know it does not effect my quality of sleep.

Speak with you Dr about your sleep pattern. There are so many meds and everyone has a different effect.

Also the book 'six weeks to good sleep" if you are interested I will look up the exact name and the author. Is very good, with my energy, I have not followed the program exactly, but have more awareness why sleep is important. T
To feel in control, I get up the same time every day, even if i get up do a few morning things and have to go back to bed to 'reboot'. And now I am staying awake a little longer each night.
G

mgran · Jan 21, 2012 at 08:18 AM

The book on sleep might be very useful. Thank you.

Gently1 · Jan 21, 2012 at 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgran

The book on sleep might be very useful. Thank you.

Say good night to insomnia : [the six-week program]
Jacobs, Gregg D.

I will double check on Monday, I think this is the one I used from the library. It is a very well use book!

Hope you have a good nights sleep soon.
G

mgran · Jan 22, 2012 at 02:49 PM

The other big problem with having such bad sleep patterns is that my dreams have become really vivid and disturbing. Last night I had a horrible dream of a young man being raped. I don't know if it was sublimated to make it easier to cope with, that it was a man rather than a woman. But it was still awful, and I've been feeling guilty all day that I couldn't help him, even though it was just a dream. I just stood and watched.

I have pretty nasty dreams several times a week, not all of that nature, but still disturbing. I suppose it could be the anti psychotic. And I'd sooner have these experiences when I was asleep. Still... I'm a bit sick of it.

Gently1 · Jan 22, 2012 at 09:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgran

The other big problem with having such bad sleep patterns is that my dreams have become really vivid and disturbing. Last night I had a horrible dream of a young man being raped. I don't know if it was sublimated to make it easier to cope with, that it was a man rather than a woman. But it was still awful, and I've been feeling guilty all day that I couldn't help him, even though it was just a dream. I just stood and watched.

I have pretty nasty dreams several times a week, not all of that nature, but still disturbing. I suppose it could be the anti psychotic. And I'd sooner have these experiences when I was asleep. Still... I'm a bit sick of it.

i added trigger due to content of dream-

yes dreams are amazing, and exhusting, still i feel the number one reason i wake up more exhusted then when i went to bed

for almost 2 years, tidalwaves, volcanos, tornados, finding shelter, shoveling snow up hill, or other stressful dreams, and i would wake up shaking.
dreams of movie length- last night disturbing story line, and i was observation not participant. bad people got prison, and when released suffered a shame filled life for the treachery- sometime i just go that was a sad dream, no energy to figure out meaning

well may we both have a refuge from intense dreams tonight
G

mgran · Jan 22, 2012 at 09:08 PM

Thank you... it's two am and I've been avoiding sleep. Thanks for adding "trigger", I didn't know we could do that.

Gently1 · Jan 23, 2012 at 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgran

Thank you... it's two am and I've been avoiding sleep. Thanks for adding "trigger", I didn't know we could do that.

When you "go advanced".

hope your finally had some deep sleep and good dreams.
G

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mgran Grand Poohbah Member Since Jul 2009 Posts: 1,987 14 75 hugs given	Jan 21, 2012 at 08:18 AM #5 The book on sleep might be very useful. Thank you. __________________ Here I sit so patiently Waiting to find out what price You have to pay to get out of Going through all these things twice.
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mgran Grand Poohbah Member Since Jul 2009 Posts: 1,987 14 75 hugs given	Jan 22, 2012 at 09:08 PM #9 Thank you... it's two am and I've been avoiding sleep. Thanks for adding "trigger", I didn't know we could do that. __________________ Here I sit so patiently Waiting to find out what price You have to pay to get out of Going through all these things twice.
	Reply With Quote