Had appointment with neurologist a few days ago. He recommended modafinil to help alleviate fatigue. He advised 100mg early morning and another 100mg at noon, if required. However, his letter to my GP clearly states 200mg early morning and a further 200mg at noon, if required. So, 200mg tablets is what was delivered from the chemist. Everything I’ve read on this forum seems to indicate that the lower dose is more usually prescribed. What dosage do any other ms’rs take? Also, how soon does it start to take effect? John
1 Like
It takes effect straiight away, I suppose within an hour, from my experience. I definately would not start off taking one at lunchtime in case it stops you sleeping at night. I would advise you start on 100mg - can you break or cut a couple of the tablets? Or get someone else to do it for you? The other thing you can do is write to your neuro, explaining what he said to you and that it didn’t match with what he wrote to your GP, and that you would prefer to see how you go on the lower dose, so could he write again. Like all of us, neuros make mistakes (they’re not always so keen to have them pointed out so I would go for the cutting tablet strategy, if I was you).
200mg in the morning does for me. Alison
Sewingchick I’ll take your advice and start with a half tablet about 8 am. Interesting that allison100 takes 200mg all at once. I suppose it’s trial and error. Does modafinil help tired legs ?
1 Like
Hi John I have just been prescribed Modanfinil 100 mg x daily morning and at noon I hope this helps Amanda
Super tramp We’re both starting at the same time . Why don’t we post our experience after a week or two?
Generations of students have depended on nothing more potent than gallons of black coffee to enable them to burn the midnight oil when studying. But now a far more sinister stimulant is sweeping campuses. With unemployment among graduates at record levels, more and more students are turning to ‘cognitive enhancing drugs’ in the hope of boosting their grades and therefore their job prospects. The most popular of these drugs is Modafinil, a prescription-only stimulant used by doctors to treat patients suffering from the sleeping disorder narcolepsy.
Hi I started Modafanil about three months ago and was told to start with 100mg in the morning building it up week by week until I was on 200mg in the morning and 200mg at noon. But I have not got beyond 100mg in the morning because I’ve found that this dosage gives me the desired effect. I have on a couple of occasions taken one at noon when I’ve felt exceptionally tired or when I’ve had an evening out planned. It has certainly made a difference for me and I was even up and out of bed by 7.45 today. The earliest I’ve been up in nearly two years and I really do think that’s thanks to the Modafanil. The results are most definitely quick. I would say it starts to work within half an hour. Ann Marie
Anne Marie Did you suffer from the insomnia side effect when you started this drug, and, if so, did it disappear through time ? John
Bump
Hi I had an issue getting to sleep on the very first night. I had taken 100mg at about 7am and in all honesty did not feel any different from usual throughout the day and headed off to bed maybe slightly later than usual. However I was still there hours later tossing and turning, trying to get to sleep. I think I probably nodded off about 2am which is a far cry from what was my usual time of about 9pm. I was absolutely exhausted the next day and it was a real struggle to get through it, especially since I had decided to start taking the Modafanil on a Sunday. Mondays are bad enough without suffering badly from lack of sleep!!! Fortunately this only happened on the first night and since then I have decided to stick to 100mg around 7am every morning and this seems to work best for me. I take my tablet around 7am, get out of bed around 40 mins to an hour later and now manage to stay up most evenings til around 10.30 til 11pm. On discussing things with my gp he agreed that this seemed to be the best course of action and has agreed to continue prescribing the Modafanil on that basis. On the whole it has been a positive experience for me and has certainly made a difference to my daily life. It would be great to hear how you’re getting on with it. Ann Marie
Anne Marie My neuro prescribed 200 mg, which I started last Tuesday but halved the tablet and took 100 mg till Saturday. Like you, poor sleep for a couple of days. Managing to fight fatigue and sleepiness till evening rather thanwashed out by lunchtime . However, stepped up to the prescribed 200mg on Sunday . Resulted in almost no sleep and generally feeling awful. So, back to 100 mg again. See how it goes now. John
Hi Anne Marie I was on 100mg morning and lunch time. Still fatigued. Read with interest here people taking 200mg twice a day. Therefore I have upped my dosage to 200mg twice a day. Result is I feel amazing - very buzzy. Hope I sleep tonight!!! Also hope my GP is OK with me upping my dosage. But hey I have a bucket load of it so will continue if it works for me. Off to do some cooking and ironing now which I wouldn’t normally have the energy for. Best wishes and hugs Min xx
Hi Min That is so good to hear. I have wondered a few times wether I should up my dosage but have been concerned about sleepless nights especially when I have work the next day. I’m on holiday now so maybe this is the time to experiment. Let us know how you’re getting on. I hope you slept last night. Hi john I wonder if it takes a few days for your body to adjust and settle into a reasonable sleeping pattern. It’s hard to decide what to do when sometimes the drugs seem to be making you feel worse than you did without them. Did you take 200mg in the morning and at lunchtime? I’m considering just upping to 200mg in the morning alone in the hope that it’s worn off enough by evening that I can manage to sleep at a reasonable time. Look forward to hearibg how you’re getting on. Ann Marie
Hi Anne Marie Definitely experiment now you are on holiday. Sleep last night - had to take temazepan - not sure because of upped M as I often have to take temazepan pre increased M. Time will tell. Good luck Min xx
Oh how I read with envy about the (mostly) lovely boosts people have got from 1 or 200mg of modafinil. As a PhD student diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder (in hindsight, almost certainly initial MS symptoms), fatigue was one of my most debilitating symptoms and in desperation I turned to internet pharmacies for a solution (don’t try this at home kiddies). I discovered modafinil and it was, quite literally, a life-saver, 100mg a day was enough to get me reasonably merrily through. I hadn’t taken any for 4 or 5 years before my MS diagnosis. After my first major relapse, fatigue was a crippling daily companion once more so I was delighted that the GP/neuro were happy to prescribe it. I’d tried amantadine to no noticeable effect. Tried 100mg, then twice daily, then 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 800mg twice a day. With no improvement. It seems that the part of the brain that modafinil acts on - and it’s a very precise, wakefulness promoting drug - is, sadly, in my case, now gubbed/broken/damaged and not responding. Very thankfully, my fatigue improved massively after 5 or 6 months on Copaxone - a clinically proven benefit of this DMD. Also I take Berocca, maca and magnesium each day, which may or may not help, but hey, what’s the worst that could happen… 
Hi all I’m on 200 morning and at noon. Think it takes the edge off the fatigue/exhaustion but not sure if it really does help anymore, I guess the only way to find out is stop taking it for a while. Hope you get on with it and it helps. Kate x x