Has anyone been on either of these meds? Did they help your fatigue? Did you have any side effects?
My rheumy is talking about putting me on one of these to see whether it will help my extreme fatigue. First I need to get a sleep study in order to get it covered by insurance.
My problem is not that I feel sleepy. I just feel worn out all the time, the Sjogren's terrible fatigue.
I am already on plenty of meds, which you can see in the signature, but my pain and inflammation seem to be getting better with the addition of Humira for my psoriatic arthritis, and we are decreasing the Plaquenil and will go off it b/c it doesn't seem to have helped much. The fatigue is definitely my worst symptom right now.
I'm wondering if something like Nuvigil or Provigil will hype me up so much that I'll have difficulty sleeping. I'm somewhat hyperthyroid right now (that is being worked on; I have Grave's disease).
Any input or comments on either of these drugs would be appreciated.
Becky
Hi bjnc,
I've been on Provigil off and on for a couple of three years or so, and the first couple it did help the exhaustion a lot. This last several months I'm finding that its not helping as much as it once did, and just won't' bother asking for another script (have paid out of pocket as the insurance company would not pay for it, and its not a cheap med). Its not the first med that I find not helping much anymore, sad to say. :(
Patze
I have been on Provigil for 15 years to treat MS related fatigue. It has worked wonders for me. The doctor just switched me to Nuvigil and it does not seem to work as well.
I am not sure if it is because of the diagnosis of another autoimmune disease or the drug is not as powerful. I am much more fatigued.
Buddybelle
I've been on provigil as needed for years. At first it was my lifesaver....and helped tremendously with the fatigue...now I still use it when really needed and it does still help me but not as much as when I first started the medication.
My fatigue was and still is very debilitating....and since I have to drive over 30 miles each way for work....it was essential that I try something as I was so tired while driving home...and for this it helped enough to make me feel comfortable to drive again.
I used to use Provigil. The first time it worked wonders then after about 7 months it stopped helping so I went off. Then started it again about a year later. I had such bad dry mouth I had to quit. Not sure if it mixed wrong with all the meds I'm on now but I was drinking a 24 pack of bottles water a day, got sores in my mouth and my throat.
However, If I were you I'd try it. It was a wonderful thing for me the first time.