Provigil
 

Good morning to all. I am curious if any of you have tried Provigil, and if so, how did you like it? My neurologist said it may help me mentally to be more alert, and in doing so, I may be able to deal with my physical weakness better. She said the medication does not really help physical weakness. She usually prescribes it for narcoleptic patients.

I have taken Provigil for about a year - works great...I no longer feel like taking a nap at 10am! I can usually work full days, come home and do a few things like make dinner, etc... It keeps you alert but it doesn't really make you feel different. I sure notice if I forget to take it though. The doctor prescribed 200mg every morning but I cut it back to 100mg after a few months - it made me so wide awake that I was having trouble going to sleep at night. Good luck!
Gabe

I've never taken Provigil, but I appreciate you posting the question about it, and Gabe's answer. It's something to keep in mind should I need something like that in the future, since I'm "between" neuros, and my GP appreciates any info I can find to help her treat my MG better!
Hugs,

Thanks Gabe for your response. I am glad it is working so well for you. I took 1 100 mg pill yesterday. Yes, I felt more alert. This is what I posted on the original BT:
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Hi GodDreamer2007,

Thanks for your response. I tried 1 100mg Provigil yesterday and I did feel a "subtle" type of difference. I still did my napping like usual, but I felt that if I needed to be involved in a conversation or whatever, this pill would urge me forward a tad without me feeling like I would be pushing myself so much. Does that make any sense?

And as you said, "being awake doesn't strengthen the muscles," is so true. Myasthenia Gravis, to me, affects mostly my physical strength and this pill affects my mental state. Maybe the pill uplifts my mental state so I can perhaps feel a little stronger physically--mind over matter.

Anyway, I think I will save the pills for social types of gathering---talking, smiling, eating, etc. I think the pills will make things more pleasant

Thanks again for your input.
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Cindy
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So Gabe, with the holidays coming up and all I will probably use the Provigil. I am retired now so don't have to do this and that. I can rest all I want to and boy do I:) Thank you again for your input.

Yes Lois it is something to keep in mind. You ought to ask your GP for some Provigil. You might be like me and need a little pick me up around the holidays!

Cindy,
I am glad you were able to try it. I ususally take it through the week and skip on weekends - I am still working full-time and found myself falling asleep at my desk by 10 am. On weekends I just doze between things!
Gabe

Again Gabe, glad that Provigil works for you and thanks for your input.

Hi Cindy, I was wondering if you could explain the type of energy you get when you take provigil. Is it like a caffene? Do you feel shakey or hyper?

I sometimes feel that taking the mestinon gives me the stanima, then I think that I can do more and well end up doing to much. Its such a learning curve, always having to pace yourself. :D Thanks, Patricia

Patricia I have only taken 1 Provigil, so maybe I am not really qualified to say how I felt. Anyway, I did feel that it gave me the mental (not physical) edge to move forward somewhat, unlike when I have not taken one. For example, when I take Mestinon it is usually good for about 2 to 3 hours and then I need to rest and I don't feel mentally or physically strong to keep going. If I try and push I only feel worse and sometimes out of breath and achy in the area right below my breasts (diaphragm?) where I have been trying to sit upright and really need to just lay down. Back, neck and eye muscles can ache too...... Sometimes I use a heatpad on my diaphragm or back area when I am laying down and resting.

When I took the 1 Provigil I did not feel shaky, maybe a little hyper, but not a nervous or bad type of feeling.

Yes, I have found that "pacing" myself is the key. I have by my bed a paper that I write down the time I take my Mestinon. (It helps me to keep on schedule and not overdose like I did one time--yuck.) I usually take 1 1/2 pills at least every 3 hours. I usually lay down about every 2-3 hours for about 30 minutes to 60 minutes. Yes, I REST ALOT! I have recently retired and have found out I feel better now that I am home and can lay down often. I try and schedule any type of activity right after a nap and at the beginning of a new dose of Mestinon. Then I am good (most the time) for at least 2 hours before I need to rest again.

My life has become very simple that I am now home. I try and be more appreciative of the little things of life. I try not worrying about how dirty my house is, etc. My husband helps alot. He does all the shopping, cooking, cleaning, etc. I help when I feel I am able. Retirement is one of the best things that has happened to me most recently, along with a grand-daughter.

Did not mean to ramble, but you caught me off guard:) I hope I answered your question.

Thanks Cindy
 

I think I'll stay away from that for now. I really am a hyper-type person and the mestinon sometimes gets me into trouble. I totally get the need to rest. Thats been the hardest part for me. I use to be very active, hiking and out door physical stuff. I so wish to be able to do those things again. This has been the most frustrating part, because the drs seem to think that it no big deal.

Its great that you finally got to retire. And I understand the simple life. My husband and I moved to the bush for a year. Totally isolated, it was stress free. Just a little hard when one of us needed to see a dr, or get grocerys. I really loved it, and wish that we still lived there sometimes.

Maybe someday they will come up with a medicine that will help more. The mestinon is a love, hate thing, least for me it is. :D

Take care, Patricia :)