I wonder about it. Provigil didn't last long for me. I built up a tolerance in like a week. I didn't take it for two days... slept way more, so I guess it actually does something, although not very much. Was wondering about Nuvigil. Provigil costs me $60 copayment. I think Nuvigil would probably cost the same in all honesty, but now if it works better... ;-)

As soon as I was diagnosed a few weeks ago they sent me home with two trial packs of NuVigil. 12 pills. I've never been on provigil so I can't compare them. But as soon as they put me on the nuvigil I became a zombie....I couldn't so much as take a nap for three days straight. Then lack of sleep caught up with me and I crashed for two days. Need less to say after the 12 pills, they decided to take me off. But then I went through awful withdrawals!! My doc also said the same things...cheaper. But that he hasn't been happy with the effects it has on everyone.

Well I have to say...After I got the sample of NUVIGIL from my Dr. I called my Insurance company to find out how much it was going to be (since my Dr. had said it would cost less). I had a big laugh! I guess it doesn't matter how much it costs because my insurance won't cover it.
So then I found myself asking the question...What different drugs do you allow for Narcolepsy? She reeled off a list and after weeding through her list with me I discovered they allow: Ritalin-and all it's generics, Adderal-and all it's generics, and Provigil. Well there you have it. So, then I found myself calling my Dr. to tell him what he could prescribe for me.
So let's get this again.....
I have an illness. My Dr. wants me to have a certain med. My insurance company says NO. I ask my insurance company what I CAN have. I tell my Dr. what to prescribe for me.
Did you get that?
So, who is the Doctor here?????
This is the sad state of our health care system!
Frightening!
Thanks for listening!
HappyHappy

I tried Nuvigil and didn't like it.

Tried Provigil a few different times over the years and it was totally useless to me.

I felt awful taking Nuvigil. It's hard to describe though. I would say it was similar to having the flu but without the respiratory problems. The headaches, body pains, general weakness, fatigue, were all there...

I haven't tried the Nuvigil, but I thought that it was supposed to address the side effects of Provigil.

I'm with Happy, the insurance company dictates what I'm allowed to take. Don't get me started there! Every year it's a battle to get my meds approved by the insurance company. I don't know which is worse, the disorder or the ins. co!

I have only been officially diagnosed with narcolepsy for 2 days. My doctor has been treating me as if I have had it for about 5 months now. I have been taking Nuvigil for about 2 months now, before that I was taking Provigil for about the same amount of time. I think I am starting to feel like what Desertdude was talking about, but I have only been feeling that way the last couple of days. I have been taking both meds with Adderol, so that might change what it does to me, I dont know. As far as insurance goes, I am active duty military, so I can't compare.

Tried Provigil first, it worked for a couple of weeks, but gave me awful headaches, even at 100mg, and already started to lose effectiveness by the time I was taken off it.

My neurologist (who is NOT my sleep specialist, although he does treat other patients for sleep disorders) suggested I try Nuvigil, even though I had problems on the other drug. I have decided not to do so until I speak with my regular treating doctor.

I've just been put on medication to prevent these awful headaches from the stimulants...I think I'm probably going to stay far away from the brother of the med that gave me the worst ones and lost effectiveness the fastest.

I am so glad to see this post! I recently was diagnosed with narcolepsy and my doctor also put me on Nuvigil, seemingly thinking it would be a miracle cure. Not wanting to seem like a hypochondriac, when I started to get the flu like symptoms (only mine do include a hacking cough) I did not call my doctor until about a month of dealing with it. At that time, the receptionist for my sleep doctor told me that my doctor was out of town and I would have to wait 12 days to even speak to someone other than her, because she would not give me to a nurse or the doctor on call, stating that "generally speaking, sleep issues are not an emergency." So I went to my primary care physician, who basically said she knew nothing about Nuvigil, so just stop taking it and see if I feel better. Now, I'm still not feeling 100% better, but the sleepiness is bad (I fell asleep in the middle of a two person meeting at work while talking!).

So I guess I'm not in the same boat, but I feel for you in that what do you do - it's hard to decide how to pick meds, pay for them, and feel better! Hang in there!

Kakes: I hate to stir up trouble, but I'd call the sleep doctor back ASAP, and talk to the receptionist again. (I can't believe the receptionist wouldn't have a nurse call you back!!!) When she tells you that sleep medicine issues aren't an emergency, tell her that the side effects of the medication the doctor prescribed for you was making you sick, that you had to stop taking it, and now that you're not on anything you're falling asleep while talking to clients/your boss/etc. at work, and that losing your job because of your narcolepsy IS an emergency. Ask her if she's willing to pay for your doctor bills when you no longer have insurance. Ok, don't say that, but I'd be thinking it....

Regardless, her attitude is not only wrong, but dangerous. She's not even a nurse or doctor, so she has absolutely no grounds for determining that your side effects aren't dangerous. Ask her where she got her medical degree from and that she's basically practicing medicine if she's telling YOU that your side effects will be fine for 12 days and don't need to be discussed with an actual health care provider. Drug side effects, regardless of the illness they're treating, can absolutely be an emergency. While allergic or systemic and lethal side effects to these drugs is very rare, any bad side effects to any drugs need to be brought to the attention of a doctor or nurse promptly, not in two weeks! If she's rude, I'd ask her if she wants to get sued. Achem. Sorry. I used to be a lawyer. Some bad habits die hard.

Regardless, if the twelve days are almost up anyway, when you see the doctor, tell him exactly what happened, what the receptionist said, and that you're nervous about trying new medications, because if you have a bad reaction or side effect, you'll have no one to go to for help until he's available. I'm quite confident he'll have a talk with that receptionist, and she'll be told to refer ALL medical issues or problems to a nurse if he's out. I can't imagine any other scenario.

Good luck!

Thanks for the feeback Nyxx. I stopped taking the Nuvigil, and my sleep doctor told me to go back on it once I was 100% better (he's back in town now). I think the receptionist freaked out bc she was so inappropriate to me and realized she was wrong, so when the sleep doctor called me back (on a Sunday!), he was defensive of her actions, kind of making me feel like I was a big pain in the butt. Now I'm just trying to move forward and figure out the meds and not waste my worry on that receptionist. I mean, what can you do, besides move on? It would only upset me more and not make me feel any better!

Just started Nuvigil 150 mg today, I am wondering if any one who is on it now, or have tried it had any eye\vision problems? My eyes are very itchy, and burning today, could be allergies, but I am not having any other allergy symptoms. So I don't know if this is just a fluke, or if any one else has experienced this?
Thanks

Hello to the Nuvigil topic again... So, I talked to my sleep doctor about my headaches after reading this post. They took me off the 250mg and he gave me the 7 day trial of the 150mg. I quit taking everything else except Xyrem with it. (my doc seems to think Nuvigil and Xyrem are the miricle combo). The Xyrem helps, but I realized another side effect of the Nuvigil that I had before, but I thought another med was the culprit. To answer cheri1216, I have noticed that the muscles around my eyes have a lot of.... I guess twitching? Its like the muscles around and behind my eyes are what cause my headaches, along with a constant tension headache feeling at the base of my skull. Now, on to the new side effect. I am going to through in a disclaimer here. I am not trying to offend or embarass any one by this next question. I am simply seeking answers. Has anyone taking Nuvigil had any issues with a change in the amount of time they can be "intimate" with their signifigant other? I noticed this really bad when I was on the 250mg, but thought it was due to another medication I was on at the time. However, I am only on Nuvigil and Xyrem, (which I was not taking the first time I had this problem). I had a similar but opposite reaction when I was taking Abilify for depression. But, with the Nuvigil, it seems our (my wife and I) time for "intamacy" is over before it really gets started. Any thoughts?

I've never taken Provigil. When I started having concerns about my sleep, my general doctor immediately handed me a trial of 150mg of Nuvigil. Before that, I was popping caffeine pills. Once I started on the Nuvigil, it enabled me to keep my job. I suffered no side effects. I was diagnosed with Narcolepsy two days ago. My doctor upped my prescription to 250mg because I was actually still tired on the Nuvigil 150mg. It does the trick and still no side effects. I have to say, it's a blessing to have it. My doctor wanted to put me on Xyrem but I refused. Instead, I am taking Sertraline for my cataplexy and simple over the counter sleep aids. At first I thought my headaches were a symptom. However, I also have asthma and allergies to which I am often prone to headaches. So for the benefits it gives me, I'll tolerate a headache to be able to spend the day with my son and not fall asleep, continue to work and be myself. Every body and person is different. One may react to something while another could be perfectly fine with it. I wish you luck though on finding the medication that is right and works for you. I can say though, that my experience with Nuvigil in the past two months has been a blessing.

been on that and all kinds of meds. I like adderall the best. But i've beeen off that for a month i do for a sleep study.

Just started on Nuvigil 150 today and thought this was a good group of posts to resurrect. Maybe some of these posters have an update for us. took it at 10:30 aqnd was dsaapoinyed to feel needed a nap at 12:30 and at 4:30. I did feel pretty good all day but I feel my usual very sleepy self by now 5:30. But this is just the first day.