Nuvigil update

[Guest guest]

What is the Nuvagil for?

Ellen

> Lori wrote:

> Finished day one on Nuvigil.

[Guest guest]

lori wrote:

> Finished day one on Nuvigil.

Please let us know how you do with this Lori. My doctor and I discussed

Nuvigil awhile back, but I was so scared of all the side effects that I

wasn't prepared to try it.

Lyndi

[Guest guest]

My doctor said the life I was leading was worse than any side effects. Which

side effects concern you? Day 2 and I notice my bowels work, I'm awake and I

have no carb cravings. My reflux is acting up, but no more than usual.

I'm only taking half of a 250 mg. I didn't well sleep last night; though a sleep

study showed I never enter REM and awaken more than 400 times a night.

> Lyndi wrote:

> Please let us know how you do with this Lori. My doctor and I discussed

Nuvigil awhile back, but I was so scared of all the side effects that I wasn't

prepared to try it.

[Guest guest]

Cheryl wrote:

> I had good luck with Provigil, which is a similar drug. If I took too much,

it gave me a headache, but I found I could take half the dose and still have the

same effects without the headache. But sadly my insurance won't pay for it now.

Cheryl,

My insurance tried to do this but all I did was get a sleep study and the sleep

survey that is required for them to pay. Most patients DO have sleep disorders.

You might talk to the case manger at the insurance and they do this as when the

Doctors prescribe for pain patients is usually off label use.

I have to fill out a form and the two answers that get it paid is stating you

have a sleep distorder, narcolepsy, or the shift work disorder.

Check in to it, Cheryl, my justification lasts a year and the nurse just calls

it in that I still am using it for sleep disorder and it is paid. Provigil goes

generic in 2012 and below is an exert from the internet:

Switching from Provigil to Nuvigil article:

Those sound like pretty good reasons to try out Nuvigil. But is switching from

Provigil to Nuvigil the best option for you — either financially or from a

health standpoint?

It’s important to keep in mind the drug company’s self-interested motives for

introducing these incentives.

Nuvigil has patent protection through 2023, while Provigil will face generic

competition in the United States beginning in 2012. From a business standpoint,

the “new and improved” drug is a means for Cephalon to extend monopoly pricing

for another nine years.

Let’s look at the numbers. Nuvigil could well cost $8.98 or more per pill for

the next decade. Generic versions of Provigil, on the other hand, will likely

cost a tiny fraction of that when they become available in less than three

years.

This article explains it well and offers coupons and assistance info.

http://tinyurl.com/6brcl9b

Bennie

[Guest guest]

Lyndi wrote:

> The side effects that concerned me are: Tightness in the chest;

> blisters on the inside of the eyes, nose, or mouth; chest pain; fast or

> irregular heartbeat; mental or mood changes (eg, aggression, agitation,

> anxiety, depression, exaggerated sense of well-being, hallucinations,

> irritability, nervousness); red, swollen, blistered, or peeling skin;

> shortness of breath; suicidal thoughts or actions; swelling of the legs;

> unusual bruising or bleeding; vomiting; yellowing of the skin or eyes.

Lyndi:

I noticed that in the side effects alog with this:

•You should know that armodafinil may decrease the effectiveness of hormonal

contraceptives (birth control pills, patches, rings, implants, injections, and

intrauterine devices). Use another form of birth control while you are taking

armodafinil and for 1 month after you stop taking it. Talk to your doctor about

types of birth control that will work for you during and after your treatment

with armodafinil.

The blisters effects sound like " s Syndrome " which include these !

People should read about this syndrome because it is more common than thought.

My neice got it from Topomax and she got markings on her face from blisters and

it is permanent.

I have taken Provigil for over five years and it is safe for me, I have to watch

my blood pressure. I also did not like the blisters in the mouth and other side

effects. Just like they give you Cymbalta for pain and a side effect is cramps

in the legs or the snti biotics that cause tendon ruptures.

That is why I cannot emphasize to everyone that we read our medical inserts. It

might be life saving. I have caught several errors that I cannot take some

medication that have been prescribed to me because I take thyroid medication.

Also, I hestitiate to take new medications right off , I wait until it has been

around. Lyrica had more side effects such as swelling of feet and hands and

weight gain and the company went back and had to put black box warning on it.

Read the inserts. Bennie

[Guest guest]

Sleeping my life away scares the hell out of me! I also had reactions to the

drugs mentioned. I'm on day 3 of Nuvigil doing well.

Lori

[Guest guest]

---Bennie wrote:

>> My insurance tried to do this but all I did was get a sleep study and the

sleep survey that is required for them to pay. Most patients DO have sleep

disorders.

>

Thanks, Bennie, but I don't have a sleep disorder. My pain doc in my last city

gave it to me to combat the sedating effects of my other drugs in order to keep

me awake during the day in the hopes that staying awake all day would help me

sleep through the pain better at night. Honestly, he out-and-out lied for me

when he prescribed it by saying I did have a sleep disorder in order to get it.

The drug was on the insurance's formulary there, so it wasn't a matter of an

appeal, just fibbing about the diagnosis as to why it was needed.

That was in a different state, with a different doctor and a different

insurance. It's not on the formulary here at all, so it would require an entire

appeal, and I doubt any doctor would be willing to sign appeal paperwork with a

fibbed diagnosis. Besides which, I don't dare ask this new doctor to lie for

me, so I just won't be getting that drug here. I'm just lucky I've found a GP

in this tiny town who is willing to prescribe my pain meds. I can't risk that by

suggesting he do something unethical.

Cheryl in AZ

[Guest guest]

>

> Finished day one on Nuvigil.

>

> Stayed awake all day, which I rarely do (have chronic fatigue, fibro,

ddd, etc. auto-immune stuff).

>

> Lori

> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

I have an appointment with my sleep doctor tomorrow to be put on a

bipap. My insurance won't pay for either the Provigil nor the Nuvigil

right now and am hoping they will pay for it after I start the bipap. I

stay so tired all of the time and working 12 hour shifts is a killer.

When I am home I have to lie down around 2 pm and sometime I don't get

up till 6. Sleeping on my days off keeps me from doing the things I need

to do around here. I just pray that something is out there to help me.

Darlyene

>

[Guest guest]

> Lori wrote:

> Sleeping my life away scares the hell out of me! I also had reactions to the

drugs mentioned. I'm on day 3 of Nuvigil doing well.

Lori,

I am so glad and going to ask my Doctor to change me to Nuvigil to try. The

Nuvigil company states that Nuvigil effects last longer than Provigil and that

might be good for me. I understand what you said so much. Sleeping so much to

get pain relief causes depression and causes and awful cycle.

It seems the main key is that you have to have a sleep study and do the

evaluation for it to be paid for so I went to a sleep specialist and my

insurance has not bothered me since and paid it. Bennie

[Guest guest]

Hi,

I am sorry for jumping in on your " Nuvigil Topic " . I haven't read all the

postings yet, still going through them) but I have to ask: How did you, as

patients, get your insurance companies to pay for it?

I was on Provigil for two years, and insurance stopped paying for it after

January 1st, due to Obamacare, and the new changes made, cost of policy went up,

co-pays went up, and they stopped covering necessary & needed medications! So,

my physician changed my Provigil to Nuvigil, and I have been taking it for five

months, now all of a sudden, Now they Do Not cover it either?

The pharmacy can't explain, other than, The Insurance companies can do what they

want, my doctor wrote the " medication is necessary for my patients care and

well-being " letter, and we have faxed it numerous times, I am down to three days

left, then I have to take Adderall, if I can't get them to cover it again, after

filling it five times! Adderall makes me nauseous, and causes vomiting so I am

about to go into panic mode, without a stimulant, I will become " Mr. Bean "

again!

I suffer from Narcolepsy and am a chronic pain sufferer, too. That's why I need

this medication (Nuvigil). I did ask about the costs, without using the

insurance, pharmacists said it would be around $350.00 a month, the Provigil is

closer to $1,500 a month. I have the " Nuvigil savings card " too, but it only

covers " co-pays " after insurance approves it.

If anyone knows of a way to get around this prescription blocking from the

insurance company, please let me know. I have had the tests required by them

and I have the physician's letter, is there anything else that can be done?

Desperately in need of a solution, or any other suggestions of medications

besides ADHD stimulants? I can't think of any? Grateful for ideas!

PS. I cannot drink or take tablets of caffeine either. I have bladder disease,

a condition that excludes coffee and sodas, etc.

Thank you!

Janet

[Guest guest]

>

> Darylene: (Sorry I deleted your posts specifics but below is what I did )

>

> Bennie

That's OK. I picked up my C-PAP today so will see how I tolerate it tonight. Of

course I am going out of town tomorrow for overnight and have trouble sleeping

then anyway so that will be the real test. I have to stay in Dallas at least one

night a week so guess I had better just get use to it.

Darlyene

>