Provigil has an active ingredient called modafinil, which is responsible for promoting wakefulness in an individual. It is actually a psychological stimulator that acts on the central nervous system, influencing some of the hormones or neurotransmitters. This drug has been approved in the US. The FDA approves the use of this drug for the treatment of patients who are suffering from narcolepsy, sleep apnea, or disorders related to sleep due to working in shifts. In Europe, this drug is only approved for use for the treatment of narcolepsy.
In narcolepsy, a neurological disorder is diagnosed in patient, which affects the regions of the central nervous system responsible for controlling sleep or wakefulness. A narcoleptic patient would always have the consistent uncontrollable compulsion to sleep. In fact, the compulsion is so large that some of the patients are also reported to being dozing off while they were driving the car. This could lead to some fatal accidents in future. In sleep apnea or in disorders of sleep due to working in shifts, the influence is more because of some other reasons or sometimes behavioral.
Provigil is prescribed to narcoleptic patients, and they usually take this medicine immediately after they wake up from their sleep. Usually, physicians advise them to take the dose immediately after waking up because otherwise the effects of the drug might linger much longer, thus also preventing the person from falling asleep when it is night.
While taking the medicine, the patients are usually advised to take a well balanced breakfast. This is advised because few of the patients taking this drug is found to suffer from alleviated heartburn, which is one of the most common symptoms of the medicine.
Patients taking the drug are usually advised to take the medications properly. They sometimes have to change their lifestyle like sleeping and waking up in proper time and taking a well balanced meal at proper time of the day. Patients also have to monitor how the drug is influencing them in various ways. Since, Provigil is known to affect the thinking process of individual it influences the behavior of the person as well. One must not feel too awake or confused about managing various machineries. It is also important to monitor if their driving capabilities are same as that before.
If for any reason after taking the pill, the patient is still feeling sleepy, they must not take any more doses of the pill for any reason. It is important to wait for the next day before taking another dose. Taking two doses at the same day without doctor’s recommendation can prove to be very fatal.
In case the patient is suffering from any of the side affects of the drug, like dizziness, anxiety, heartburn and diarrhea, they should immediately get in touch with the doctor. It is also advisable not to take any over-the-counter drugs for decreasing any of the side effects experienced while taking Provigil. This is because rather than doing any good to the patient, the patient might in fact suffer from alleviated side effects.