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What is Provigil
 The
exact way that Provigil works is not known.
Provigil
is used to improve wakefulness in patients with excessive
daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy.
Provigil
may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this
medication guide.
General medical information about Provigil
Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or
performing other hazardous activities. Provigil may affect
your judgment, thinking, or motor skills. If you experience
any of these effects, avoid hazardous activities.
It is best to avoid alcohol while taking Provigil. Alcohol
may have altered or increased effects while taking Provigil.
Provigil may decrease the effects of hormonal methods
of birth control including birth control pills and depot
and implantable formulations (e.g., Norplant, Depo-Provera).
Use a second, nonhormonal form of birth control while taking
Provigil, and for one month after stopping Provigil, if
prevention of pregnancy is desired.
Provigil may
be habit forming. You should discuss the abuse and dependence
potential of Provigil with your doctor. Do not stop taking
Provigil without first talking to your doctor. Your doctor
may want to gradually lower the dose of the medication before
stopping treatment.
What you should find out before taking
Provigil
Before taking Provigil, tell your doctor if you have:
- left ventricular hypertrophy (enlarged left heart
ventricle);
- chest pain, irregular heartbeats, or
other symptoms of mitral valve prolapse due to central nervous
system stimulant use;
- a recent history of a heart
attack;
- high blood pressure;
- unstable
angina;
- a history of mental illness;
- kidney
disease; or
- liver disease.
You may not be
able to take Provigil, or you may require a dosage adjustment
or special monitoring during treatment if you have any of
the conditions listed above.
Provigil is in the FDA
pregnancy category C. This means that it is not known whether
it will be harmful to an unborn baby. Do not take Provigil
without first talking to your doctor if you are pregnant
or could become pregnant during treatment.
It is
not known whether Provigil passes into breast milk. Do not
take Provigil without first talking to your doctor if you
are breast-feeding.
If you are older than 65 years
of age, you may be more likely to experience side effects
from Provigil. You may require a lower dose or special monitoring
during treatment.
How should take Provigil Take Provigil exactly as directed by your doctor.
If you do not understand these directions, ask your pharmacist,
nurse, or doctor to explain them to you.
Take each
dose with a full glass of water.
Provigil can be
taken with or without food.
Provigil is usually taken
in the morning. Follow your doctor's instructions.
Provigil may be habit forming. You should discuss the abuse
and dependence potential of Provigil with your doctor. Do
not stop taking Provigil without first talking to your doctor.
Your doctor may want to gradually lower the dose of the
medication before stopping treatment.
Store Provigil
at room temperature away from moisture and heat.
If you miss a dose: Take the missed dose as soon as you remember as directed
by your doctor. A missed dose taken late in the day may
cause insomnia. If you don't remember until it is almost
time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take only
the next regularly scheduled dose. Do not take a double
dose of this medication unless otherwise directed by your
doctor.
What happens if you overdose: Seek emergency medical attention.
Symptoms
of a Provigil overdose might include excitation, agitation,
insomnia, sleep disturbances, anxiety, irritability, aggressiveness,
confusion, nervousness, tremor, palpitations, nausea, and
diarrhea.
Avoid while taking Provigil Use caution when driving, operating machinery, or
performing other hazardous activities. Provigil may affect
your judgment, thinking, or motor skills. If you experience
any of these effects, avoid hazardous activities.
It is best to avoid alcohol while taking Provigil. Alcohol
may have altered or increased effects while taking Provigil.
Provigil may decrease the effects of hormonal methods
of birth control including birth control pills and depot
and implantable formulations (e.g., Norplant, Depo-Provera).
Use a second, nonhormonal form of birth control while taking
Provigil, and for one month after stopping Provigil, if
prevention of pregnancy is desired.
Possible side effects of Provigil If you experience any of the following uncommon but
serious side effects, stop taking Provigil and seek emergency
medical attention or contact your doctor immediately:
-
an allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the
throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives);
- irregular heartbeats;
- low or high blood
pressure; or
- shortness of breath.
Other,
less serious side effects may be more likely to occur. Continue
to take Provigil and talk to your doctor if you experience
- headache;
- infection;
- nausea,
decreased appetite, or diarrhea;
- chills;
-
dry mouth;
- runny nose;
- sore throat;
-
nervousness;
- anxiety;
- dizziness;
-
insomnia;
- depression; or
- numbness or tingling.
Provigil may be habit forming. You should discuss
the abuse and dependence potential of Provigil with your
doctor. Do not stop taking Provigil without first talking
to your doctor. Your doctor may want to gradually lower
the dose of the medication before stopping treatment.
Side effects other than those listed here may also occur.
Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual
or that is especially bothersome.
What other drugs will affect Provigil Provigil may decrease the effects of hormonal methods
of birth control including birth control pills and depot
and implantable formulations (e.g., Norplant, Depo-Provera).
Use a second, nonhormonal form of birth control while taking
Provigil, and for one month after stopping Provigil, if
prevention of pregnancy is desired.
Before taking
Provigil, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the
following drugs:
- a monoamine oxidase inhibitor
(MAO inhibitor) such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), tranylcypromine
(Parnate), or phenelzine (Nardil);
- a tricyclic
antidepressant such as clomipramine (Anafranil) or desipramine
(Norpramin);
- another CNS stimulant such as amphetamine-dextroamphetamine
(Adderall), methylphenidate (Ritalin, Methylin, Metadate
ER, Concerta), pemoline (Cylert), and others;
- phenytoin
(Dilantin);
- carbamazepine (Tegretol);
-
phenobarbital;
- rifampin (Rifadin, Rimactane);
-
ketoconazole (Nizoral);
- itraconazole (Sporanox);
- cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune);
- theophylline
(Theolair, Theochron, Theo-Bid, Theo-Dur, Elixophyllin,
Slo-Phyllin, and others);
- warfarin (Coumadin);
- diazepam (Valium); or
- propranolol (Inderal).
You may not be able to take Provigil, or you may
require a dosage adjustment or special monitoring during
your treatment if you are taking any of the medicines listed
above.
Drugs
other than those listed here may also interact with Provigil.
Talk to your doctor and pharmacist before taking or using
any other prescription or over-the-counter medicines including
herbal products. |
