A good night’s sleep is essential for overall health and wellness. Untreated sleep disorders can lead to serious complications including heart disease, diabetes and mental illness.

Modafinil (Provigil) is an FDA-approved treatment for narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome and shift work sleep disorder. It improves wakefulness but does not replace the need for standard treatment of the underlying cause of the sleep disorder.

How to Take Modafinil

Modafinil 200 mg is a powerful stimulant, but it does not have the same risks of addiction and abuse as other prescription medications like amphetamines or methylphenidate. However, it can still cause psychological dependence in some users and disrupt natural sleep patterns. It is recommended that people taking this medication be monitored by their doctors to avoid misuse and addiction.

Modifinil (MOE DAF i nil) helps treat sleep disorders like narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome, and shift work disorder by promoting wakefulness. It is used alone or with other medicines to treat these sleep problems. It also may be used to help people stay awake while driving or working at night.

This medicine can reduce the effectiveness of some types of birth control pills. If you use hormonal birth control, you should use another method of birth control while taking this medicine and for one month after stopping it.

This drug can make you dizzy or drowsy. Do not drive or operate machines until you know how this medicine affects you.

Dosage

Modafinil (also known by the brand name Provigil Australia) is a wakefulness promoting medication that can help people with narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea or shift work disorder stay awake. It is a controlled substance and is only available with a doctor’s prescription.

Modafinil may affect your thinking and reaction time, so be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how this medicine will affect you. This medicine can also cause dizziness or drowsiness. Do not drink alcohol or take other drugs that can make you drowsy while taking this medicine.

This medicine may cause a serious reaction called DRESS (Drug Reaction with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms). Get emergency medical help if you have symptoms such as fever, chills, tiredness, chest pain, skin rash, or trouble breathing. This reaction can lead to death. Also tell your doctor if you have ever had a severe allergic reaction to any other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives. Do not use this medicine in children.

Side Effects

Modafinil can also induce a sense of euphoria and mood changes. This can lead to abuse and dependence if used in excess. It is therefore important to follow the dosage and timing guidelines given by your doctor and not increase the dose or frequency without medical guidance.

People who are addicted to this medication may develop psychosis or mania in some cases. This can result in hallucinations and aggressive behavior. It can also cause other mental problems such as depression and severe anxiety.

People with narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea or shift work sleep disorder can take this drug to help them stay awake during the day. It can also be used to treat jet lag and fatigue caused by long flights, illnesses or overwork. It is also often used as a cognitive enhancer and can improve memory and concentration in some individuals. This is called off-label use and is not approved by the FDA. This can be very dangerous.

Precautions

Modafinil is used to help people with sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome and shift work sleep disorder (SWSD) stay awake during the day. It does not cure these conditions and should be taken only as directed by your doctor. It should not be used to treat occasional drowsiness. Talk to your doctor about good sleep habits and other ways to get enough sleep.

The most common side effects of modafinil are headache, nausea, nervousness, anxiety and dizziness. These are usually mild and go away after the first month of treatment. Rare but serious side effects include severe skin reactions such as Stevens-Johnson Syndrome and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis that can cause death if not treated immediately.

Before starting treatment, tell your doctor or pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements and herbal products you are taking. Also, tell them if you use hormonal birth control (eg, oral contraceptives). Modafinil may interact with these drugs.