Stimulants

[araminta]

I know that for narcolepsy there are stimulant medications that can be prescribed to increase wakefulness.   I wonder if anything like that has been tried for Sjogrens, given that fatigue is such a major symptom for a lot of us.

I would love to give it a trial, as I'm tired of being tired.

[bluegardenia]

vit B works for me

[Maria3667]

Stimulants cause severe anxiety in me, I even have to be careful with caffeine.

Only in a much later stage did I discover my fatigue was caused by a sub-clinical functioning thyroid. For some reason it did not show up in earlier blood tests even though I had all the hallmark symptoms of hypothyroidism. Once I started thyroid meds the fatigue vanished into thin air.

[araminta]

Thank you for your replies. 

Blue, I already take multivitamins which include B vitamins, plus soya milk with added B12.  But glad to know you get help with that.

Maria, it's good that you discovered the reason for your tiredness.   My thyroid tests were OK, and I haven't put on weight, which I think is a symptom of hypothyroidism - in fact I lost a lot of weight in the first year I had these symptoms, and would like to put it back on!

[SjoDry]

Low dose Naltrexone helps my fatigue greatly. My Rheumy prescribes it for pain & fatigue.

SjoDry

[Sharon]

I have heard that some have success with Aderrall or Provigil.
Testosterone cream was the only thing that touched my fatigue but had side effects.
I personally stay away from soy milk since soy is considered inflammatory and increases my fatigue.

[irish]

Sharon is right, the adderal and provigil has been used in past for fatigue. These have other side effects also. But, Plaquenil that is the first drug of choice for Sjogrens also helps decrease the fatigue. It decreases inflammation which in turn helps with sleep and in general decreases fatigue. Irish

[araminta]

Many thanks for all replies, I will look into these things, and their side effects.

I am too afraid of the risk (however small it might be) of damaging my eyes to take Plaquenil.

[vrystaat]

I regained my life when a Psychiatrist prescribed me Phentermine 15 years ago. I seemed to wake up and begin my life again. Phentermine is used medically as an appetite suppressant, but it has similar anti-fatigue effects as Adderrall. It became increasingly difficult to obtain, so I was switched to Adderrall. But ask any MD for this drug, & their eyes widen in fright, because it is frequently used as a recreational drug. They fear the Federal Government. Most doctors refuse to prescribe it (drug addicts first, patients last in line!). Modafinil is as good is and very effective, but acts for longer (6-8 hours). It used to be very expensive, but is now under $30. I prefer Adderrall because it is easy to take and efficient. The only MD to give me refills is a Neurologist.
   Our Medical System is indeed in tatters.

I try not to take these drugs every day, and I have had no addiction problems. Provigil is either not addictive, or very slightly so.

[araminta]

Thank you for the info, vrystaat.

Do you find those medications addictive?

[susanep]

I have been taking Modafinil same as Provigal for years now. I always have my every 6 months eye exam to make sure everything with my eyes are ok. Never had any problem so far.

What it does for me is help me to be more alert and be able to do something or go  somewhere I need to go to that day. I have got to where a whole pill makes me too jittery, and he has where I could take two full ones per day, but I take a half of one then I am not jittery, but my husband says he can always tell when I have taken one, because I am sort of hyper and very talkative.

One more thing I found is if I am overly tired and my body has said time for more rest and sleep, it doesn't matter if I have taken one. My body will over ride it. I am glad it does so that I know.

I Hope this helps.
susanep

[araminta]

Susanep, many thanks, and I'm glad you've found something that works for you. 

[Sweetcheex76]

I've had ADHD my whole life and take Vyvanse. As my Sjogrens symptoms get worse,on the days I don't or can't take my Vyvanse, I can't function. It's a lifesaver.

[Sharon]

Thanks everyone, this has been very informative!
Does anyone know if a GP can prescribe one of these stimulants?

[irish]

The risk for the eyes is much less than people think. My DIL is an eye doctor and she has been making sure to keep up on her education regarding Sjogrens and other autoimmune diseases. She does all the latest testing on me every year and my eyes are fine. She also explained to me that a lot of eye doctors don't understand just what they are looking for when checking for Plaquenil side effects. There has been more technology lately that allows them to do testing in a special way for Plaquenil side effects.

Many doctors are telling patients that they have eye damage from the Plaquenil when it is, in fact, another form or damage from a similar disease unrelated to the Plaquenil. The only thing I can advise you to do is to find a good ophthalmologist who specializes in retinas and eye disease related to autoimmune issues. It is too bad that so many people are scared off from taking the Plaquenil because of the bad wrap the Plaquenil has been getting. We do have to make sure we get our eyes checked that is for sure. I have been on Plaquenil around 10 years I think. I do stop taking it when I am on some of the antibiotics as they don't mix well. You have to ask your doctor or your pharmacist about this. I figure I can get along without the Plaquenil for several weeks when on the antibiotics.

When we tame a lot of medications it pays to keep track of meds to save our liver and kidneys from damage. When I was in the hospital for sepsis and getting 2 and 3 intravenous antibiotics the doctor didn't give me my diabetes drug called Metformin or my Plaquenil. Too much of a load on my liver with the antibiotics. Good luck. Irish