Hi - I have used Provigil on and off for 10 ish years. Off the past 3 because I moved to an area where my doctors don't like to medicate much. I see a huge difference in my ability to function well. I have always had to work, but off the provigil I can't work as effectively and I certainly can't even begin to keep up with anything outside of work.

When I need it it works great - I can tell when I start doing better and don't need it for a while or don't need as much because when I need it I simply feel more normal when it is in my system - i also sleep better at night.
When I don't need it I feel slightly jittery like I have had a sudafed.

Good luck!

I tried both recently. I'll start by saying that I already know I am VERY hypersensitive to meds and because of that, I was afraid to even try anything. I've tried some anti depressants in the past and had HORRIBLE side effects.

I started with nuvigil. The low dose, which I believe is 150mg? HORRIBLE side effects. I had read reviews ahead of time and most seemed positive. Very few negatives, so I had high hopes. But it was horrible. I was sick as a dog for 3 days. Like I had the flu. Sweating, nervous, headache, nausea, NO appetite (didn't eat a single thing all day -bonus points for that side effect), insomnia that night, never fell asleep... however, didn't have any energy during the day like I was supposed to, just laid on the couch feeling like crap all day. I did not take anymore and it took 3 days to get out of my system.

Then I tried provigil a week later. I made them give me the lowest dose (100mg). And I think I may have broken that in half, just to be safe. I did not feel the side effects that I had with nuvigil. However, I didn't really feel anything positive either. But I figured since it didn't make me sick, I'd stick it out for a bit and see. However, when I went to bed that night, I had THE most horrific, gory, violent, vivid, graphic nightmare (one of the possible side effects and one that I've experienced in the past with some of the anti depressants as well). There was no way I was going to be able to deal w/ those nightmares so I never took another pill.

I still have both bottles, full.

Now, like I said, I'm very hypersensitive, so most ppl will not have the horrendous side effects that I do to meds. But just thought I'd share.

Thank you for both the replies. I have to return to work soon and my MD says that a CNS stimulant is the only thing left to try. I hate stimulants, but I have to work, so I am going to pray that I react like MissE! I don't tend to be overly sensitive to meds, but I get headaches easily, even from coffee. Crossing my fingers....

Based on your own unique chemistry I would recommend that you try the meds before you actually return to work. I would start with 50 mg. Tread the new med with care, use a light touch. I don't drink coffee or drink caffeine 98% of the time, so I'm not pro jitters, shakes or amped up activity. With the low dose med I feel more alert, more focused......when I was first prescribed the med I took 150 mg and while I wasn't jittery,etc. it was too much medicine for me. I was gently awake all of that day, that night and maybe fell asleep around early afternoon. It was way too much AWAKE FUEL for me. A lot of us are hypersensitive to meds, so just take it easy............do the low dose and see. If 50 mg is not enough to wake up up then ask your doctor how to best increase the dosage.

I know this isn't easy to do.......to work with illness......I know many still do and I did it for a lot of years. I wish you the very best with your journey and with the return to work, meds......all of it!

Be kind to yourself everyday, hugs!

Serve, Thanks so much for the support. This is so hard and relatively new. I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder in 1997 and it took me 15 years to finally get back to 80%. I celebrated by going on a fabulous snorkeling trip to the Bahamas in Aug 2012; got dengue fever, didn't know it and 4 months later it was too late to treat it, and had post viral CFS. Wow, talk about scrapping the depths to find some hope/motivation to start from below where I started in 1997.. I am going to take your advice and start with 50mg. Best....

Of all of the Chronic Problems I have CFS was always the one I didn't think about at all... I had a Dr. at my Pain Management Clinic that gave me samples of Provigil due to me falling asleep all the time, standing up, sitting, leaning, you name it... So for about 3 years I got them for free..Then I had to start getting a script and had to fight with my medicaid to pay for it... They did. Then in January I was approved for Disability and got on Medicare. Now they don't want to pay the $1200.00 a month for it so my Dr. put me on Adderall...For the past week I have been taking it and WOW..just like Speed (it is) so now my Medicare has finally approved it and I started back on it today.. Big Difference... Just be careful with whatever you take..

Thanks for the feedback; I think the Nuvigil is not going to work for me- very nauseated and "seasick" today. I think I'll have to explore something like adderall. Definitely will be careful.
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Hi, I tried it and it did absolutely nothing at all. Sorry, but that's actually pretty typical. Perhaps you will have better luck than I did so its definitely worth a go.

Its NOT a stimulant though. Its not classified as such and doesn't work like stimulants.

I had no luck with stimulants either though. Did nothing, lol.