True. Although I shake more while on stimulants I don't feel wired up and the longer I try and take them the worse I feel (extreme fatigue, grumpy)

That is also true. When my daughter was dx'd with ADD at age 8 and I learned about ADD and how best to help her I started wondering about myself. Her Psychiatrist was the first one to mention the possibility of myself having ADD. Since that time I have been told by 2 Psychiatrist and a Psychotherapist that, yes, I have ADD.

I was thinking about the discussion when I read you response

Pharmacologically speaking.... both stimulants can be useful when used carefully.

Their biggest drawback is that if used every day...
tolerance can occur necessitating higher doses. So medication "holidays" can help prevent that.

Secondly these do affect the heart and blood pressure so anyone with heart issues, or high blood pressure may have issues of safety, there.

Thirdly, long term use of these can result in depression. This has to due with depletion of neurotransmitters in the brain.
Typically the wearing off period during the day, can be a huge "crash" for some people. Here again using occasionally or having "holidays" may help prevent this side effect.

But used carefully with doctor monitoring (blood pressure and cardiac EKGs etc) many people find them helpful. Some Parkinson's patients use them.

It makes me beside myself when doctors prescribe a med for a patient and the insurance company won't pay for it. I could just spit.

Provigil did not speed me up and I have no
ADD. Here is the kicker: My insurance company would not pay for Provigil for MS. The lady at my insurance company had a brother with MS and told me that Provigil is only prescribed for FATIGUE. She told me to get my docs office to call so they could code the drug for MS FATIGUE. So try and see if your docs office can call your insurance company and prescribe Provigil for MS FATIGUE.
Originally my prescription went thru the insurance company as being prescribed for MS. Provigil is not approved for MS. You need to pursue the FATIGUE angle. With that I got my prescription! It took 3 days not to feel a bit jumpy and then I felt fantastic!!!!!

Provigil was my first experience with stimulants and it was prescribed for fatigue, this was before anyone had even mentioned ADD to me. Starting with the first dose and every time I would take it, I feel asleep 30 minutes later

daisy.girl, as mrsD mentioned, there are drawbacks to stimulants but as we all know, everyone reacts differently to medications. Good luck with which ever medication you choose to try

I am going on a big trip in less then 2 weeks and have an exacerbation of my MS. The fatigue is my biggest concern. I am retrying Modafinil but had little help from it in the past. my doc is suggesting Amantidine but it seems to similar. I am wanting something short term just to give me energy for the 2 weeks we are away. I thought a short trial of Ritalin or concerta might help. Any thoughts on what to try in the next week and then use it only while I am away?

It was suggested to me elsewhere to try oil of oregano. Two gelcaps of that in the morning replaced 200mgs of Provigil. For me it did. It's a cheap experiment and cheap to stay on if it works.

My problem wasn't so much constant debilitating fatigue as it was sleepiness. I don't get as tired as fast when active, and I rarely nap anymore.