Description

What is Nuvigil? – Armodafinil

Nuvigil (Armodafinil) is a medication that helps treat excessive daytime sleepiness by promoting wakefulness and increasing alertness. It is commonly prescribed for conditions such as narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea, and shift work sleep disorder. As a wakefulness-promoting agent, it works by affecting certain chemicals in the brain to help regulate sleep patterns and enhance cognitive function. It is not a cure for sleep disorders but helps to manage the symptoms by keeping patients alert throughout the day. Armodafinil is typically taken once daily in the morning or an hour before a shift, depending on the condition being treated.

Nuvigil is an oral prescription medicine that may be used to improve wakefulness in adults who are very sleepy due to narcolepsy, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), or shift work disorder (SWD).It is taken in combination with other treatments for sleep disorders.

Use of this product does not replace using your CPAP machine or other treatments that your doctor has prescribed for OSA. Continue to use these treatments. This medication gained FDA approval on June 15, 2007. A Nuvigil generic is available under the name armodafinil.

This medication  is not a cure. It may help the sleepiness caused by these conditions, but it may not stop all your sleepiness and does not take the place of getting enough sleep. Follow your doctor’s advice about good sleep habits and using other treatments.

Mechanism of Action

Nuvigil’s mechanism of action is thought to involve dopamine transporter (DAT) inhibition, although the exact way it works for sleep disorders is not known. While similar to stimulants like amphetamine and methylphenidate, It has a different chemical structure. The medicine belongs to the drug class called CNS stimulants. Nuvigil is classified as a Schedule IV (4) controlled substance due to its potential for misuse and dependence. Misuse is illegal and harmful and you should always keep it in a safe place and never share it with others. Tell your doctor if you have a history of substance abuse.

Nuvigil side effects

The most common side effects of the medications are:

• {headache|migraine}
• dizziness
• nausea
• sleep problems (insomnia).

Serious side effects and warnings

Nuvigil may cause serious side effects including a serious rash or serious allergic reactions including anaphylaxis, angioedema, and multiorgan hypersensitivity. These may need to be treated in a hospital and may be life-threatening. Stop taking Nuvigil and call your doctor right away or get emergency help if you have any of these symptoms:

• A severe skin reaction that spreads and causes blistering and peeling
• A skin rash, hives, or sores in your mouth
• Fever, sore throat, or burning in your eyes
• Swelling of your face, eyes, lips, tongue, throat, or lymph nodes
• Trouble swallowing, breathing, or hoarseness
• Shortness of breath, flu-like symptoms, swelling of the legs, yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes, or dark urine.

Stop taking the medicine and seek urgent medical attention at the first sign of rash, no matter how minor it is, unless the rash is not drug-related. These rashes usually occur within 1 to 5 weeks after the first dose.

Nuvigil may cause the following other serious side effects.

Mental (psychiatric) symptoms. Symptoms such as depression, anxiety, agitation, nervousness, and irritability, some of which resulted in people stopping the product, have been reported. May not be suitable for people with a history of psychosis, depression, or mania. Tell your healthcare provider immediately if you develop symptoms such as:

• depression or thoughts of suicide
• hearing, seeing, feeling, or sensing things that are not really there (hallucinations).
• feeling anxious.
• an extreme increase in activity and talking (mania).
• aggressive behavior.

Persistent sleepiness.

Nuvigil may not return a person’s levels of wakefulness to normal and persistent sleepiness may continue despite taking it. Tell your healthcare provider if you continue to be sleepy during the day and avoid driving or any other potentially dangerous activity.

Cardiovascular events have been reported with Nuvigil including chest pain, high blood pressure, palpitations or abnormal heartbeats, shortness of breath, and ECG changes. Some of these patients had preexisting heart disease. Seek urgent medical attention if you develop symptoms of a heart problem, including chest pain, abnormal heartbeats, or trouble breathing.

Nuvigil dosage.

Adult Dosage for OSA or Narcolepsy: Nuvigil 150 mg to 250 mg once a day in the morning.

Adult Dosage for Shift Work Disorder (SWD): Nuvigil 150 mg once a day, taken approximately one hour before starting your work shift.

Liver disease: Reduce the dose of the medication in patients with severe liver disease.

Geriatric patients: consider a lower dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

Symptoms of an overdose of Nuvigil may include:.

• Trouble sleeping.
• Feeling excited.
• Nausea and diarrhea.
• Chest pain.
• Feeling disoriented.
• Hearing, seeing, feeling, or sensing things that are not really there (hallucinations).
• A fast or slow heartbeat.
• Shortness of breath.

What to avoid.

Do not drive a car or do other dangerous activities until you know how Nuvigil affects you. People with sleep disorders should always be careful about doing things that could be dangerous. Do not change your daily habits until your doctor tells you it is okay.

Avoid drinking alcohol. It is not known how drinking alcohol will affect you when taking this product .

What other drugs will affect Nuvigil?

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. This medicine and many other medicines can interact with each other, sometimes causing side effects. Nuvigil may affect the way other medicines work, and other medicines may affect how it works. Your dose of the drug or certain other medicines may need to be changed.

Especially, tell your doctor if you use or take hormonal birth control, such as birth control pills, shots, implants, patches, vaginal rings, and intrauterine devices (IUDs).

Hormonal birth control methods may not work while you take this product .

Women who use one of these methods of birth control may have a higher chance of getting pregnant while taking Nuvigil and for 1 month after stopping.

Use effective birth control while taking this product and for 1 month after your final dose.

Talk to your doctor about birth control choices that are right for you while taking the medication.

Maximum dose of nuvigil

Adult Dosage for OSA or Narcolepsy: Nuvigi 150 mg to 250 mg once a day in the morning

Adult Dosage for Shift Work Disorder (SWD): Nuvigi 150 mg once a day, taken approximately one hour before starting your work shift.