Provigil for Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy commonly begins in young adulthood, but in many individuals 10 to 15 years may pass between the onset of symptoms and proper diagnosis of the disorder. The most common symptom of narcolepsy is excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), which is characterized by irresistible sleep attacks that can last from a few seconds to more than an hour. These attacks can take place any time, such as during conversation or while eating or driving, and can occur frequently. As a result, narcolepsy can greatly impair an individual’s ability to perform basic daily activities such as working, studying, and socializing, as well as significantly impacting the quality of life.
Not Like a Cup of Joe
“It works in a very select area of the brain called the hypothalamus, which regulates among other things sleep and wakefulness,” Wyatt said. “And because it doesn’t work in widespread areas of the brain, it seems to have a much cleaner side-effect profile, not producing nervousness or tremulousness or shakiness that other stimulants can.”
There are some side effects, including headaches, nausea, infection, possible nervousness, anxiety and insomnia. But patients would see a limited number of those effects at one time, and they are actually less than the effects of caffeine.
Dodds thought that the pill would have effects similar to caffeine, but she was surprised.
Provigil and weight loss or gain
Provigil Aids Recovering Cocaine Users
The findings about Provigil “are exciting…because they suggest a new avenue for possible treatment of cocaine dependence,” lead author Dr. Peter T. Morgan told Reuters Health by email. “We found that Provigil improves both daytime sleepiness and nocturnal sleep in abstinent cocaine users, and we believe that these effects are behind Provigil’s apparent effectiveness in treating cocaine dependence.”
Dr. Morgan and his colleagues at Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, made these observations in a study involving 20 cocaine-dependent subjects who agreed to enter a treatment facility for 16 days, during which they would abstain from cocaine use. Subjects were randomly assigned to receive Provigil 400 mg or placebo each morning.
They underwent polysomnography on days 1 to 3, 7 to 9, and 14 to 16. Twelve healthy controls also underwent 1 night of experimental polysomnography.