Nuvigil is one trade name of Armodafinil drug, and it belongs to the class of CNS stimulants drugs [1]. It is also sold under different brand names all over the world: Aconite, Armoda, Armod, Artvigil Neoresotyl, R-Modawake, and Waklert.[2]
Nuvigil is specifically designed to treat sleepiness from night shift work, narcolepsy, as well as sleep apnea. In addition, it also treats ADHD, Bipolar disorder or manic depression, Hypersomnia, Hypopnea syndrome, chronic fatigue syndrome, and jet lag as an off-label drug.[3]
It is available in tablets of 50 mg, 150 mg, 200 mg, 250 mg dosages [4] and the biological half-life of the medication will be 12 to 15 hours [5].
Purchasing information
Although Armodafinil is available without a prescription in certain online pharmacies, it is advisable to take Armodafinil with a doctor’s prescription since the drug is a controlled substance [6]. Most of the online drugstores are genuine and legal however you should be a little bit careful while purchasing this sleepiness medication from the online pharmacy because there are some unscrupulous and illegal pharmacies providing cheap medications, but they sell fake Nuvigil which is not safe for your health. With that in mind, customers have to ensure the accreditation and license of the pharmacy before purchasing Nuvigil.
Administration of Nuvigil
Nuvigil should be taken with healthcare professional prescription because they only know and determine which dosage strength will be enough to treat your disorder and get to know that the drug is safe for you or not. Moreover, the doctor considers certain factors such as the health status of the patient, allergies, medical histories, weight, height, and other factors in order to determine the appropriate dosage strength. The patient should consult their health care specialist and disclose if they have any other medical condition as well as medical history before the prior to taking Nuvigil.[7]
This medication is not meant for children so do not allow your children to take this pill under any circumstances. In general, the doctor initially prescribed 50 mg for healthy adults, and future they can increase up to 250mg based on the patient’s condition. Geriatric or senior people and people who have lung, liver, and kidney disorders should take only lower dosage strength to avoid an overdose.
It is not an obligation to take Nuvigil every night. When you want to get sleep for more than seven hours, swallow the tablets with some water before going to bed. It is important to note that prolonged use of it is strictly prohibited due to the drug nature hence you should not consume or take Nuvigil over three weeks.
In case, taking Nuvigil for more than prescription or prolonged period can increase the tolerance towards the pill. As a result, they may get addicted [8]. Therefore, to avoid such addiction and dependency, patients must consult or take a regular checkup with their doctor.
If you experience withdrawal symptoms [9] due to the abrupt stop of taking Nuvigil, then continue taking Nuvigil. Withdrawal from Nuvigil is absolutely easy and gradual so the doctor will help you to withdraw the medication without any withdrawal symptoms.
Nuvigil side effects
Like other drugs, Nuvigil will make you experience some negative effects; however, all users do not encounter side effects. There are some common side effects of Nuvigil that can affect you and that includes agitation, dizziness, hallucinations, confusion, and excitement.[10]
The list of most often and common side effects of Nuvigil
- Dry mouth
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- Nausea
- Insomnia
- Fatigue
- Palpitations
- Behavioral changes include feelings and self-damage
- Nervousness
- Fall or increase in blood pressure
In some rare cases, you can experience bruising, muscle weakness, severe pain in the chest, and suicidal thoughts. In fact, senior people can experience more side effects when compared to adult people so if you found that this medication is not comfortable, keep in touch with healthcare professionals to avoid unwanted effects.
Before taking Nuvigil
- Before taking Nuvigil, individuals have to make sure that they are not allergic to Nuvigil active as well as inactive ingredients moreover patients who are allergic to stimulants should not take this drug.
- Patients who have the following disorders: lung, breathing problems, mental disorder or illness, liver disorder, and personality changes should inform their doctors.
- Since the medication is not safe and efficacy for children below 18, they are not advised to take Nuvigil.
- It increases the number of chemical neurotransmitters in the brain in order to produce sleepiness [11]. So the patient’s especially senior people have to be careful while taking this medication.
Nuvigil overdose
A Nuvigil overdose will make you face severe consequences [12] so that patients have to get medical assistance when they have taken extra Nuvigil dose or overdose by mistake.
Missed Dose
When patients have forgotten to take the dose or missed a Nuvigil dose can skip and jump to the next dose as per schedule but at any instance do not take two or a number of doses.
Nuvigil FAQ
1. How Nuvigil react in your body?
It is an oral medication that works in your central nervous system by increasing the level of chemical neurotransmitter nerves or dopamine and by lessening the dopamine reuptake into nerves. As a result, it produces wakefulness in the brain.
2. What precautions to consider while using Nuvigil?
Patients should take Nuvigil during the daytime or when required. For example, if you have a night shift, you can consume the tablet. Because taking this medication during night time can cause wakefulness throughout the night.
Never take this pill for a longer period of time because it is only intended for short-term use moreover taking Nuvigil for a longer time and sudden stop of the drug will cause withdrawal symptoms.
3. How does Nuvigil cause drug interaction with other drugs?
It can increase drowsiness while taking this medication along with alcohol [13]. And there are few more medications that can worsen your sleep disorder when you take Nuvigil with those medicines such as other stimulants, sleeping drugs, muscle relievers, medicines for anxiety or depression, medication for seizure and panic disorders.
In addition, do not take over-the-counter drugs, herbal products with Nuvigil, and to know more consult your healthcare professional and be aware of it.
4. Will Nuvigil affect pregnant and lactating ladies?
Pregnant and lactating ladies should inform their healthcare professional prior to taking Nuvigil then the doctor will decide and recommend the dosage for the emergency cases or else they will not recommend it. Lactating ladies should not feed their babies because Nuvigil can affect the baby’s bypass through breast milk.[14]
5. How to store Nuvigil tablets?
The tablets must be stored at room temperature away from kids, pets, as well as moisture. The expired Nuvigil tablets have to dump down the drain.
References:
1.Nuvigil belongs to CNS stimulant drug class. Retrieved Mar 22, 2018
2.Nuvigil(Armodafinil) Brand names. Retrieved Mar 22, 2018
3.Nuvigil medical uses. Retrieved Mar 22, 2018
4.Nuvigil dosage strengths. Retrieved from https://www.rxlist.com/nuvigil-drug.htm#dosage
5.Darwish, M.; Hellriegel, E. T. “Armodafinil and Modafinil Have Substantially Different Pharmacokinetic Profiles Despite Having the Same Terminal Half-Lives”. Clinical Drug Investigation. 29 (9): 613–623. doi:10.2165/11315280-000000000-00000. PMID 19663523. S2CID 6607186.
6.Nuvigil is classified under controlled substance. Retrieved Mar 22, 2018
7.Nuvigil warnings. Drugs.com. Retrieved Mar 22, 2018
8.Armodafinil(Nuvigil) addiction. Retrieved from https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/armodafinil-addiction/
9.Nuvigil withdrawal symptoms. Retrieved Mar 22, 2018
10.Nuvigil side effects. Retrieved from https://www.rxwiki.com/nuvigil#side-effects
11.Nuvigil ingredients act with brain chemicals. Retrieved Mar 22, 2018
12.Overdose of Nuvigil. Retrieved Mar 22, 2018
13.Nuvigil makes dizziness while taking along with alcohol. Retrieved Mar 22, 2018
14.Nuvigil and pregnancy.Retrieved Mar 22, 2018