Medications for Narcolepsy

Published June 8, 2019

If you are the kind of person that experience uncontrollable sleepiness, especially during the daytime, then you might be among those suffering from narcolepsy. The condition affects the brain making it difficult to control the wake-sleep cycle. You can, therefore, find yourself falling asleep at inappropriate hours.

Medication can help you manage the condition. The list of available drugs is quite long, which can make it challenging to decide on the most suitable one. However, this article will focus on modafinil as one of the medications used to manage narcolepsy.

Why Modafinil is usually the preferred Medication for Narcolepsy 

In most cases, physicians prescribe modafinil to persons suffering from narcolepsy since it promotes wakefulness. The initial treatment often focuses on stimulating the nervous system and therefore requires a drug such as modafinil which has the capability despite it not being a stimulant.

Compared to other medications such as amphetamine-like stimulants and antidepressants, modafinil is less addictive and has fewer side effects. This makes it one of the safest drugs for persons who struggle to stay awake. It means that anyone who uses the medications is not likely to develop an addiction or health complications, which might make the drug more harmful than beneficial.

What you need to know Before Purchasing Modafinil

There are two popular versions of modafinil that are modalert and modvigil. They contain the same ingredient, which means that they have the same effect on the body. Thus, any of the two can be used to promote wakefulness in patients suffering from uncontrollable sleepiness.

One of the notable differences between modalert and modvigil is the price. Modvigil is the cheapest of the two where it cost almost half the price of modalert. The difference is a good thing as people of different socioeconomic status can afford the medication. Therefore, you do not need to worry about the price the next you will be looking for modafinil for sale. You only need to choose the brand that suits your pocket.

The dosage for both modalert and modvigil vary with dosage pattern. It is recommended that first time users should start with 100 mg dose while frequent users should take 200 mg in a day. The difference in dosage is based on the fact the more experienced users may have developed tolerance towards the drug. They, therefore, require a higher dosage than first-timers to be able to stay alert for the required hours.

Modafinil has side effects though they are not as many as those associated with other medications for narcolepsy. Users can experience headaches, nausea, nervousness, anxiety, and even insomnia. In some instances, it can cause skin rashes that may require immediate treatment and can make certain birth control pills less effective.

That is why it is advisable to consult your doctor so that he or she can examine your body and establish whether modafinil is the right medication for you.

The Takeaway   

Modafinil is one of the medications for narcolepsy. It is less addictive and has fewer side effects compared to other prescriptions. When looking for modafinil for sale, you will realize that there are two popular brands, modalert and modvigil. Both serve the same purpose but vary in price.