Drug Adderall versus Provigil/Nuvigil for fatigue

Minnesota

Member
Just looking for anyone's experiences with these drugs for symptom relief from fatigue. I am currently on 30 mg of adderall, splitting the dosage morning and afternoon. Without this I would not be able to work PT or have even some social life. Feel weird on it, but better than the alternative. I know provigil and nuvigil have been used, but getting a script can be tough, and of course expensive. Just curious if those would be an alternative to Adderall at some point. My ordeal started after taking a course of antibiotics 7 months ago. Have never felt the same upstairs, or energy wise. Frustrates me to no end (like others here) when a doctor says it is the anxiety causing the weakness/fatigue. Right.
 

Abrin

Well-Known Member
Just curious if those would be an alternative to Adderall at some point.

I've heard it said that the main difference between Adderall and Provigil is that Adderall gives your body more energy and Provigil gives your brain more focus.

So basically your choice is between having more energy to move your body around while your brain feels like a frazzled mess or having your brain feel wide away while your body feels like it is a physical dead weight.

The reason I say that I've 'heard' is because my experience with Adderall is that it left me with the feeling that I was constantly at the edge of needing to fall asleep. Which is obviously not your experience with the drug.

I've had a really good experience with Provigil but strangely I just stopped taking it at one point and of course forgot to restart again. I really should put that on my to-do list. (*laughs*)

In summary, it is hard to predict how the drug will affect you since drugs seem to affect people so differently from one person with ME/CFS to another. I can tell you I found it helpful, but I don't know how much my opinion is worth since I reacted so badly to Adderall.
 

Carl#1

Active Member
Read the selfhacked website about cytokine reduction strategies which should help increase energy levels. cordyceps can be very good at reducing inflammation and cytokine levels. Inflammation tends to affect mitochondrial function which reduces energy levels. The more inflammation the less energy a person has.

There are many natural foods and supplements which can be helpful along with Cordyceps mushroom.

https://www.realmushrooms.com/polysaccharides-mushrooms-poor-quality-measurement/
 

Minnesota

Member
I've heard it said that the main difference between Adderall and Provigil is that Adderall gives your body more energy and Provigil gives your brain more focus.

So basically your choice is between having more energy to move your body around while your brain feels like a frazzled mess or having your brain feel wide away while your body feels like it is a physical dead weight.

The reason I say that I've 'heard' is because my experience with Adderall is that it left me with the feeling that I was constantly at the edge of needing to fall asleep. Which is obviously not your experience with the drug.

I've had a really good experience with Provigil but strangely I just stopped taking it at one point and of course forgot to restart again. I really should put that on my to-do list. (*laughs*)

In summary, it is hard to predict how the drug will affect you since drugs seem to affect people so differently from one person with ME/CFS to another. I can tell you I found it helpful, but I don't know how much my opinion is worth since I reacted so badly to Adderall.
Thanks for the reply here. I currently take 30 mg of adderall, split between morning and afternoon. I can say that this is the only reason I am able to keep my job, otherwise there would be no way I could muster the drive to do this. My doc says that in order to get provigil, one has to have a dx of sleep apnea or narcolepsy? Wondering how you were able to get a script for this when you have another minute. I guess I would like to try this as an alternative just to compare.
 

Abrin

Well-Known Member
My doc says that in order to get provigil, one has to have a dx of sleep apnea or narcolepsy? Wondering how you were able to get a script for this when you have another minute.

I do have a diagnosed sleep disorder so that is how I originally got my prescription. (Although I don't have neither sleep apnea or narcolepsy.)

That being said, I do know of one person who was able to get their doctor to prescribe it for off-label for ME/CFS here in Canada.
 
Just looking for anyone's experiences with these drugs for symptom relief from fatigue. I am currently on 30 mg of adderall, splitting the dosage morning and afternoon. Without this I would not be able to work PT or have even some social life. Feel weird on it, but better than the alternative. I know provigil and nuvigil have been used, but getting a script can be tough, and of course expensive. Just curious if those would be an alternative to Adderall at some point. My ordeal started after taking a course of antibiotics 7 months ago. Have never felt the same upstairs, or energy wise. Frustrates me to no end (like others here) when a doctor says it is the anxiety causing the weakness/fatigue. Right.
 
Happy to talk about my personal experience with both, and will actually throw in a third - Dexedrine (Dextroamphetamine) - which is what I’ve been taking now for several years. I will agree with the assessment of Addedall improving my sense of energy versus Provigil supporting focus/attention and helping a bit with brain fog (although only about). Nuvigil actually gave me a tongue tic, I had this constant urge to move my tongue, which was super weird. For me, Adderall just made me feel too jittery though. I then tried Vyvanse which is a longer acting form of dextroamphetamine but it interfered with my sleep. So I settled on relatively low dose Dexedrine (5mg a day), which has allowed me to sustain part-time work for over seven years. It kicks up my energy enough to function without making me super jittery. I took a four month break once but my work performance suffered and I was at risk of losing my job. I’d love to be able to get off it, and I do take breaks (weekends and days off work), which I think is really important. It definitely leaves me depleted so I could imagine getting into an ineffective spiral if you didn’t take breaks, but the benefits I get being able to work and have some small social interactions outweighs that for me at this point. All that said, I think it’s crucial to remember we don’t have good long term research on the effects of stimulant use, but I don’t imagine it’s very good for you. We each need to weigh personal pros/cons of any serious med use, particularly over the long haul.

Happy to answer other questions if you have them.
 

Minnesota

Member
Happy to talk about my personal experience with both, and will actually throw in a third - Dexedrine (Dextroamphetamine) - which is what I’ve been taking now for several years. I will agree with the assessment of Addedall improving my sense of energy versus Provigil supporting focus/attention and helping a bit with brain fog (although only about). Nuvigil actually gave me a tongue tic, I had this constant urge to move my tongue, which was super weird. For me, Adderall just made me feel too jittery though. I then tried Vyvanse which is a longer acting form of dextroamphetamine but it interfered with my sleep. So I settled on relatively low dose Dexedrine (5mg a day), which has allowed me to sustain part-time work for over seven years. It kicks up my energy enough to function without making me super jittery. I took a four month break once but my work performance suffered and I was at risk of losing my job. I’d love to be able to get off it, and I do take breaks (weekends and days off work), which I think is really important. It definitely leaves me depleted so I could imagine getting into an ineffective spiral if you didn’t take breaks, but the benefits I get being able to work and have some small social interactions outweighs that for me at this point. All that said, I think it’s crucial to remember we don’t have good long term research on the effects of stimulant use, but I don’t imagine it’s very good for you. We each need to weigh personal pros/cons of any serious med use, particularly over the long haul.

Happy to answer other questions if you have them.
Thank you for giving me your perspective. Obviously the economics gained by taking adderall (allowing me to hold a job down) are key, as without having a job then a host of other problems arise. I try to not take my full dose everyday so I can not get too used to the 30mg day in day out. The mental part is there as well to consider...just getting a break from the sluggishness all the time even if this is "fake" energy and not authentic. I just want to compare adderall to either provigil/nuvigil to see if there is any benefit or not with some other drug. I did take Vyvanse as well, just didn't work as well as adderall for me though. Taking vit B12 shots as well which help a bit too. Hard not to long for those days in the past when non of this was needed to feel good though.
 

Katherine Autry

Active Member
I too thought the Adderall would help with being able to think more than it actually does. But it does get me up and moving more than I otherwise would. One other thing that helps me physically is D-Ribose. What I really need is quality sleep and then I might get by without the Adderall. But that has been a huge problem. g I'm averaging 5, maybe 6 hours per night, waking up every 2 or 3 hours. It's just not enough. I don't think I'm getting enough deep sleep or enough REM. I worry that the Adderall is contributing to that even though I only take it early in the day, and like you, I take breaks. Suggestions for sleep appreciated...although I don't mean to hijack the stimulant discussion. Thanks.
 

Minnesota

Member
Always a balance to strike. I try to not take 30 mg of adderall each day of course, but the issue is that the more fatigued I am, the more I depress mentally. Being so lethargic is a bummer, at least with adderall I have some motivation to do things which in turn makes me feel like I can accomplish things. And socially.....if I know I have something in the evening I take half of my pill later so I can try to enjoy the event. But then it does impact my sleep. I take magnesium and melatonin together for sleep, and the occasional klonopin (1-2 times a week) if things are too stressful at bedtime with the thoughts. But I still am curious how provigil or nuvigil would compare to adderall, as I think those would be safer in the long run from what I understand. So with the D Ribose....I heard of this for CFS. Curious what effect you felt when you started on this versus not being on it.
 

Likaloha

Active Member
Just looking for anyone's experiences with these drugs for symptom relief from fatigue. I am currently on 30 mg of adderall, splitting the dosage morning and afternoon. Without this I would not be able to work PT or have even some social life. Feel weird on it, but better than the alternative. I know provigil and nuvigil have been used, but getting a script can be tough, and of course expensive. Just curious if those would be an alternative to Adderall at some point. My ordeal started after taking a course of antibiotics 7 months ago. Have never felt the same upstairs, or energy wise. Frustrates me to no end (like others here) when a doctor says it is the anxiety causing the weakness/fatigue. Right.
I don't know about provigil or nuvigil, but have been taking adderall for years to help jump start me and help me get up in the morning. Am afraid to take more as it really raises my pulse, and have been having low blood pressure issues since going through withdrawal from pain meds when my rheumatologist/pain doctor got caught up in a sweep of others in his area.
 

Minnesota

Member
I don't know about provigil or nuvigil, but have been taking adderall for years to help jump start me and help me get up in the morning. Am afraid to take more as it really raises my pulse, and have been having low blood pressure issues since going through withdrawal from pain meds when my rheumatologist/pain doctor got caught up in a sweep of others in his area.
What dosage are you currently on?
 

WendiD

New Member
I live in the UK and the dr wont prescribe these meds for CFS.The fatigue is so depressing and debilitating and its frustrating cant get these meds. any suggestions
 

GrammaLinda

Active Member
Just looking for anyone's experiences with these drugs for symptom relief from fatigue. I am currently on 30 mg of adderall, splitting the dosage morning and afternoon. Without this I would not be able to work PT or have even some social life. Feel weird on it, but better than the alternative. I know provigil and nuvigil have been used, but getting a script can be tough, and of course expensive. Just curious if those would be an alternative to Adderall at some point. My ordeal started after taking a course of antibiotics 7 months ago. Have never felt the same upstairs, or energy wise. Frustrates me to no end (like others here) when a doctor says it is the anxiety causThat druging the weakness/fatigue. Right.
[/QU
First off what was the reason for the antibiotics?
Early on I just didn't feel well and was so fatigued I had to quit my job. I didn't have the strength to drive 90 miles a day round trip let alone work and I was falling asleep at work and driving. I had anxiety. The then docs told me I was fatigued and anxious because I was depressed. My response was always the same - of course I am depressed but it is because I feel like total hell. I was pretty much forced to see a psyche for almost a year. And I was at one time dx with MS. I have always been so dizzy and light headed. I had months of double vision - probable two or three strokes that affected the small blood vessels in my eyes. I have lesions on the brain also probably causing the dizziness. I formerly had horrible debilitating migraines for many years. I still battle superior oblique myokymia. Some days I say I can't use my eyes.
Adderal is over prescribed and is basically a type of meth. One doc Rx for me and I took one pill only when I was having trouble staying awake for a few months. It made me extremely hyper and uncomfortable. I threw it away. Never again. I have been through episodes of sleeping for months, then not sleeping for months. We do not simply have fatigue from not getting enough sleep. It doesn't matter. Our type of fatigue results from - any exertion and can be referred to a crash, hitting the wall, and it can be there for no reason. I wake up in the morning after a nights sleep barely able to use the bathroom or brush my teeth. Does not matter if I slept well or not. It at one time or another affects every system of our body. Every sense. I usually have a short window of opportunity in the morning for any activity such as bathing, maybe washing dishes. I cannot shower. When I prep dinner I start early - it has to be staged. I can actually ride in the car to rest and relax and have enough energy to look out the window, go to the lab for blood work, or visit a restroom. Better days I can shop and I use a cart to hang on to and will also use the scooters in the store. I revive somewhat when spring and summer arrive with warmer weather. I can sit outside, walk around the yard with the dog, etc. Even drive my car. The cold is my enemy and I feel it is because my muscles are overworked trying to gain warmth. I also have pain that comes and goes.
I have a few physical issues including formerly hyperactive thyroid requiring ablative treatment. Now it is underactive but a lot easier to treat. I have heart rhythm issues, also. Sometimes I feel my CFS affects my heart.
If I were you I would see another doctor. You need to find out so that you do not receive improper medications or unnecessary treatment. There are so many doctors in several fields who know nothing about this disorder, they have zero training in med school, and many do not believe it exists. I would try to find a CFS, FM or MS patient in your area. Ask them who they see.
 

Get Our Free ME/CFS and FM Blog!



Forum Tips

Support Our Work

DO IT MONTHLY

HEALTH RISING IS NOT A 501 (c) 3 NON-PROFIT

Shopping on Amazon.com For HR

Latest Resources

Top