Has anyone tried this? I have been taking it about two weeks now and I feel like a new person. I'm not tired at work everyday. I don't nap when I get home and stay up and spend time with the family. I am thinking more clearly and can articulate my thoughts better.
I am having a hard time getting my insurance to cover it and it's quite expensive out of pocket. The pharmacy keeps telling me they are waiting for my doctor to send a pre-authorization and my doctor says he has sent it and called them.
I can't seem to get a clear understanding from anyone on this process to figure out what everyone needs and get it to them. Has anyone been through this?
I am on this, too, and really, Really, REALLY can't stress how important it is for your doctor to pursue the situation for you.
Because it was denied, the doc tried me on a couple other "approved" drugs. They didn't have much affect, so that gave the doctor "ammunition" to write a letter stating how Provigil was essential in my treatment.
Now I get it with no problems. I think he had to re-submit his reasoning for the prescription every now and then, but it gets approved and I see no interruption.
Provigil is expensive and most insurance company's want a clear diagnosis why it's prescribed.
Call the prescribing physician and explain there has been a misunderstanding between the pharmacy and his office.Kindly ask if the imformation can be resent.
Provigil has helped me greatly,but my Drs. had to jump hoops to get the insurance company to pay for it.
I have been taking provigil for 5 years now and it is a wonder drug for fatigue and energy loss.
Insurance company's utilization and management department require a patient to meet their (the insurance company's) own criteria for medical necessity in order to pre-auth payment for provigil.
Contact your doctor's office and ask to speak with a nurse. Request the nurse contact your insurance company with the medical necessity for prescribing Provigil for your symptoms. I retired from a medical practice treating MS patients and while it can be an insurance hassel it is not an impossibility to get provigil approved.
hey i used that when i first got dignoised because i hated being tired almost everyday anyway it worked okay its just i never feel ashleep at night! lol anywoo i forgot about the pill and have not taken it since october and im great justg healthy diet and green tea keeps me going all day lol
good luck!
I also take Provigil 2 200mg in the morning and another 200mg at noon. I couldn't function without it. I had the same problem with my insurance...here is a copy of what my doctor sent to my insurance:
Authorization Request for Provigil 200mg
Nothing has changed since Dr. _______ authorization in 2007. If anything, progression of her MS has slightly worsened. Without the drug Provigil she would be bed-ridden.
Fatigue is the number 1 symptom in MS patients along with a multitude of many other debilitating symptoms. MS is a progressive disease and she will not be getting better.
Ms. ____ requires 200mg of Provigil 3 times a day. There is no other drug for her to take and get the same results. Authorization of this drug is a necessity as soon as possible. She is almost out of her prescription.
Thanks I'll send a copy of this to the nurse. The biggest obstacle right now seems to be my doctors office not being able to get a call back from the insurance office. I have one day left on my sample packs and I downloaded a coupon for 7 days free from the provigil website.
Good luck..hope it all works out for you. You may be better of to get the fax number to your insurance company and have the doctor fax the letter instead of waiting for them to call back. Insurance companies can be a real pain!
Have a great Christmas and wonderful New Year...
Sweetsie
I'm on a MUCH lower dose and it works wonders! Only 100 mg a day. Sometimes I take an extra dose if I'm going to be especially taxed that day... But it can feel like "speed" so I avoid that scenario when I can.
[Be aware that it affects people differently. I tried the full 200 mg dose for less than a week at the beginning (free sample) and had very severe reactions. Just the opposite of it's intent! It made me super sleepy! And incoherent -- I couldn't speak at times -- just slurry gibberish. After a few days I actually had very detached, dispassionate thoughts of suicide. SO I got off of it!! Quick.]
However, like I said before, my doc tried me on all sorts of other treatments for the fatigue and physical sluggishness to no avail, so with great trepidation we tried the Provigil again -- at a lower dose. And I am elated to say that it is working quite well and it has been about a year now. Like the poster said -- it makes me feel NORMAL. A feeling I had completely forgotten in the last 15 years...
I DO sometimes have trouble sleeping but I think it's because I was late taking my meds that day. And there's enough in my system (I think) that I'm ok when I skip a day. Not two in a row, though... Then I'm in for a nap... and general bleariness...
Last edited by Lisa_P; 12-27-2008 at 07:42 AM.
Reason: fix typo
I've been on Provigil for 5 years...taking 3 tab a day makes me feel just normal. I've taken so many meds it takes more than the normal dosage with any drug I take. Any way without the Provigil I'd be in bed. I take my last dose by 11am. I have always taken 50mg Trazdone to sleep (probably more than 7 years)...so I don't have a problem with the provigil at night. I really like the trazodone because if I need to wake up in the middle of the night I can without feeling dizzy or sleepy with no side effects in the morning. However I just had one of my meds changed to Effexor XR 225mg. I have not experienced any side effects from it except now I am having a problem sleeping. I've only been taking it for a month, so will probably adjust to it.
I enjoy hearing all your comments.
Have a great New Year,
Sweetsie
I also take trazadone at night, and It is not a problem if I have to get up early or in the middle of the night. I usually don't hear of other MS patients using this for sleep although this was originally prescribed by a rhumetologist (sp) when My doc thought I may have rheumetoid (sp) athritis. I have been taking it for about 5 years now.
Actually the Trazadone wasn’t prescribed by my neurologist either. I have probably been on it longer than 7years, because one of the doctors trying to find out what was wrong me prescribed it before I was diagnosed with MS. You’re right … no one I know that has MS takes it, in fact, my friends that don’t have MS and have problems sleeping haven’t even heard of it used for sleep either…they take Ambien (ms) or another sleeping pill. I don’t’ know what I would do without it or the Provigil
I've been on Provigil for 5 years...taking 3 tab a day makes me feel just normal. I've taken so many meds it takes more than the normal dosage with any drug I take. Any way without the Provigil I'd be in bed. I take my last dose by 11am. I have always taken 50mg Trazdone to sleep (probably more than 7 years)...so I don't have a problem with the provigil at night. I really like the trazodone because if I need to wake up in the middle of the night I can without feeling dizzy or sleepy with no side effects in the morning. However I just had one of my meds changed to Effexor XR 225mg. I have not experienced any side effects from it except now I am having a problem sleeping. I've only been taking it for a month, so will probably adjust to it.
I enjoy hearing all your comments.
Have a great New Year,
Sweetsie
I've been on Provigil for 5 years...taking 3 tab a day makes me feel just normal. I've taken so many meds it takes more than the normal dosage with any drug I take. Any way without the Provigil I'd be in bed. I take my last dose by 11am. I have always taken 50mg Trazdone to sleep (probably more than 7 years)...so I don't have a problem with the provigil at night. I really like the trazodone because if I need to wake up in the middle of the night I can without feeling dizzy or sleepy with no side effects in the morning. However I just had one of my meds changed to Effexor XR 225mg. I have not experienced any side effects from it except now I am having a problem sleeping. I've only been taking it for a month, so will probably adjust to it.
I enjoy hearing all your comments.
Have a great New Year,
Sweetsie
SWEETIE..5 years on Provigil? Did you get used to it to the point where you had to take more and more everyday? Has there been any side effects from the long term use? Thanks
I have a question for all that are taking provigil??
My doctor put me on this same drug and it worked GREAT,but it dries me out somthing terible I drank tons of water didnt seem to help much ( does this go away??)
Provigil worked for me the very first day I took it. I didn't know it was so potent, and took it about 3:30 in the afternoon. I was up all night!!
Provigil does not take weeks before you see the effects. If it is not working for you, I don't know that continuing to take it will help.
I'll have to say, that Provigil does not give me energy. It simply keeps me awake. This may be why you feel it is not working. My energy level is still extreemly low on Provigil, but at least I'm not laying in bed all day.
SWEETIE..5 years on Provigil? Did you get used to it to the point where you had to take more and more everyday? Has there been any side effects from the long term use? Thanks
Vince, sorry I'm just now getting back to you, but I haven't been checking my emails very often.
I started out on 2 tabs. I don't know if I just got used to it when I added the 3rd pill or if the relapse I had, had anything to do with it; but, it works good for me and I have no side effects.
I have a question for all that are taking provigil??
My doctor put me on this same drug and it worked GREAT,but it dries me out somthing terible I drank tons of water didnt seem to help much ( does this go away??)
I never have had that problem. I've been on it for approx. 5 yrs and it has never made me thirsty (even taking 3 of them)...not even in the beginning. If you are taking other meds as well, maybe it's the combination that's doing it. However, I take 14 different meds and have no side effects EXCEPT for SWEATING...it's awful. But just about every med I'm on list that as a side effect...better to be sweat, than not get out of bed
Sweetsie
Re: Provigil 
Re: Provigil 
