Armodafanil worsening EDS
Hi,
I was diagnosed with narcolepsy a couple of months ago and have just been started on Armodafanil (Nuvigil) 150mg. I take it in the morning (about 8am) half an hour before food.
For the first few days I had some of the expected side effects (headache, nausea, dizziness) but they were all tolerable. But since starting the meds my EDS has been significantly worse. I went from functioning reasonably well throughout the day as long as I got a minimum of 12 hours sleep per night, to involuntarily falling asleep almost constantly throughout the day. I haven’t been able to work, drive, cook etc as I am simply way too tired. I have even fallen asleep while eating and in the middle of conversations which I have never done before.
I have contacted my specialist’s rooms to try to get an urgent review appointment, but the soonest he can see me is in two weeks.
Not sure whether to persist with the medication or just stop it.
I was desperate for medication to help relieve my symptoms but it seems to be making things worse. I can’t find anything online about anyone experience worsening EDS with this medication. I should add that I can’t take Ritalin or Adderal because of pre-existing mental health issues. So this is really my only medication option.
Hi, thanks for sharing about your experiences. I took Nuvigil for several months and experienced similar things. I felt like the first month I was on cloud 9 and ready to take on the world. But not long after that I felt like it wasn't working at all.
I have been taking Modafinil (Provigil) for a few years now and it has helped my EDS significantly. I never had side effects and I like how it is a short acting stimulant so I can take as much or as little as I need to get through the day. Maybe ask your doctor about it and see about giving it a try. There is also Wakix and Sunosi that aren't stimulants but help with EDS. I've been on Wakix for several months now and it has also been super helpful.
Best of luck to you!
Xoxo/Zzz, Gabrielle
Hi
, Welcome to the community we're so glad you found us! I'm sorry to hear Armodafanil is making your EDS worse and that your specialists are all unavailable, I'm sure that's incredibly frustrating. I'm hopeful that the community and some of the other moderators will chime in with heir experiences and knowledge. In the meantime, if you haven't already I suggest discussing this with your PCP before stopping Armodafanil. I'm going to link an article that discusses treatment for Narcolepsy, hopefully it will provide you some options to discuss with your specialists and/or PCP when you're able to see them.
https://narcolepsy.sleep-disorders.net/treatments
Wishing you the best! -Aron (Team Member
