Is It Wise to Use Provigil for Depression

Using Provigil for depression or anxiety treatment is best left for your doctor to determine and you shouldn't rush to assume that it will work for you. Only your doctor truly knows the side effects of the drug and can advise you of the potential results of using it to treat your own condition.

Is It Wise to Use Provigil for Depression?

The way Provigil works is not truly known. It doesn't work like other stimulants that contain amphetamines and won't cause common side effects that come with other stimulant use, like irritability, restlessness or anxiety. Provigil won't cause users to "crash" as the pill works its way through the body and some feel that their memory capacity increases while taking Provigil. This makes it a popular drug to help people stay awake for long periods of time without feeling horrible.

Prescribing Provigil for depression is a fairly recent trend. Providial, the commercial trade name for Modafinil, is used mainly to treat narcolepsy (a disorder known for its often uncontrollable bouts of sleepiness during the day) as a way to increase alertness and energy.

So Should I Really Think about Provigil for Depression Treatment?

Like all drugs used to treat multiple ailments, it's wise to use caution when using it for other conditions outside the recommended FDA use. The Food and Drug Administration has not approved using Provigil for depression or memory enhancements. However, many studies conducted by medical professionals have shown promising results for the use of Provigil for depression treatment.

The best idea is to talk to your doctor about treatment options. Your doctor will make the determination that yes, using Provigil for depression is right for you. He may also determine that something else will be more effective.

Antidepressant medicine use reached an all-time high in 2006 with doctors prescribing the differing forms of antidepressants more than any other type of medicine. That's right, doctors are prescribing these drugs more than heart or cancer medication.

Treating depression and anxiety is an often confusing and trying process. However, with trial and error, you will find the best combination of treatments to help control what ails you.

What is Provigil?

Because of this, some patients are looking for medicine to treat depression and anxiety, but don't want to take a common antidepressant for whatever reason. What alternatives do they have? Recent studies have touted the benefits of Provigil for depression treatment.

On one hand, that's great news. People are realizing that they don't have to suffer from depression in silence. On the other hand, it means that more and more people are using these drugs even though their long term side effects can vary greatly from person-to-person.

Your doctor should also be involved in using Provigil for depression because its long term effects on the treatment are not known. It has the potential to work wonders for your depression, or it could cause you to feel more depressed, depending on your body's chemistry. Of course, this is the case with all mood-altering drugs

Provigil

_ Blurred vision.

_ Low or high blood pressure.

_ "Pins and Needles" feeling.

Contact your doctor immediately or seek emergency medical attention if you experience any of the following uncommon but serious side effects:

_ Dizziness.

_ High/increased blood pressure.

_ Sleep disturbances/insomnia.

_ Chest pain.

_ Increased heart rate.

_ Seizure medications.

_ Back pain.

_ Rash or itching.

_ Dry mouth.

_ An allergic reaction (difficulty breathing; closing of the throat; swelling of the lips, tongue, or face; or hives).

_ History of heart attack.

_ Other stimulant medications.

_ Tricyclic antidepressants.

_ Drug dependence.

Provigil's manufacturer, Cephalon Inc., has requested FDA approval for Attenace, a reformulation using Provigil's active ingredient, modafinil. By achieving FDA approval for Attenace Cephalon will be allowed to market modafinil for ADHD. Attenace is expected to hit pharmacy shelves in early 2006.

_ Liver disease.

_ Loss of appetite/weight loss.

_ Chest pain.

Symptoms of an Provigil overdose might include excitation, agitation, insomnia, sleep disturbances, anxiety, irritability, aggressiveness, confusion, nervousness, tremor, palpitations, nausea, and diarrhea.

Provigil (modafinil) Side Effects:

_ Nizoral.

_ Depression.

_ MAO inhibitors.

But how effective is Provigil for ADHD? That depends entirely on which study you review since Provigil has shown mixed results in studies related to ADHD treatment. The results of one study published in July 2000 were so disappointing that the manufacturer of the medication, Cephalon Inc., decided to pursue other indications for the drug. Then, in February 2001, the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry published the results of a study that indicated potential benefit of Provigil (monafinil) as a once-daily ADHD treatment. The most recent research, performed by the manufacturer in an effort to gain FDA approval, showed "significant improvement" when compared to a placebo.

_ Stuffy nose.

_ Shortness of breath.

_ theophylline.

_ Irregular heartbeats.

_ History of mental illness.

_ High blood pressure.

_ Kidney disease

_ Left ventricular hypertrophy.

_ Confusion.

_ propranolol.

Currently about 20,000 people use Provigil off-label to treat the symptoms of ADHD. Doctors often prescribe drugs "off label,"meaning they prescribe the drug for a condition other than what was approved by the FDA. Though it is legal for doctors to prescribe drugs off-label, it is illegal for the drugmakers to market their drugs for off-label uses.

_ Widening of blood vessels.

Before taking Provigil, tell your doctor if you have;

_ Anxiety and agitation.

_ Constipation or diarrhea.

_ Decreased sex drive.

Provigil may be habit forming and has the potential for abuse and dependence. You should discuss the abuse and dependence potential of Provigil with your doctor. This drug should not be taken by anyone who has been or currently is dependent on alcohol or drugs.

_ Allergic reaction.

Provigil is an interesting drug. It keeps narcoleptics from falling asleep and it also appears to help people with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) stay focused.

_ Unstable moods.

_ Nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain.

_ Rifadin, Rimactane.

Before taking Provigil, tell your doctor if you are taking any of the following drugs:

_ Valium.

_ Irregular heartbeats.

_ Unstable angina.

_ Neoral, Sandimmune.

_ Sporanox.

Your body will be the best judge of Provigil's worth as an ADD and ADHD treatment. But before you run to your doctor's office asking for a prescription, there are side effects and warnings you need to be aware of.

_ warfarin.

Provigil may decrease the effects of birth control pills as well as implantable formulations such as Norplant and Depo-Provera. Women should use a second, nonhormonal form of birth control while taking Provigil, and for one month after stopping Provigil, to prevent pregnancy.

_ Alteration in results of liver function tests.

_ Weakness or loss of strength.

_ Nervousness, aggression, hostility.

_ Headache.