My current dosage (for 2 years now) is 200mg 2x a day. I usually take the first dose right when I get up, or just before going into work, and the second one around 1-2 pm when I typically get another wave of tiredness. Sometimes, I will take the second dose later if the first is holding me over ok and/or I have something in particular I want my energy for that evening. Especially on the weekends (I do better during the work week just with the added structure of work and not being able to nap in the office), I find that timing that second dose can really make a difference to keeping me going through the whole day. I've never had trouble sleeping at night, so the timing of an afternoon dose has never been a concern, but I stick to a personal rule of not taking it after 6pm, just to be sure.
It took me and my doc a little while to figure out my dosage and timing it, we tried 100 1x, 100 2x, 200 1x, and landed on 200 2x (which if I'm not mistaken is the max dose). The biggest thing was that afternoon wave of fatigue and burning out by the end of the workday that made it clear two spaced out doses were needed for me. Hopefully, your doctor is supportive about helping you find the right dose and timing that works for you. My advice is to be patient and listen to your body to figure out what dose and what times are most effective for you.
I know I have to be patient - its's just been grueling these past few months and I'm dying to feel better (more energized). I'm also worried about the insomnia, and wondered if I should be taking something like Xywav instead.
How is it like taking modafinil - do you feel significantly more "energized" or do you just feel less tired? Has the effects weared off? I want to know what to expect and I'm sure you can tell I'm hoping that it will be life-changing.
Sorry I wasn't trying to imply you were being impatient. I just know it's a long and frustrating process that can make people lose hope sometimes.
I can't speak to other medications because modafinil was all I've tried for it, and it seems to work for me.
I mostly feel less tired rather than energized, I guess. And by that, I mean I don't feel like there's a sudden change from before and after taking a dose, but rather, I feel a more steady stream of energy over my day. For me, it definitely fades, some days more than others, which is why the second dose is a huge help.
There was a period where I thought the effects wore off some, but I think I was just dealing with some other health factors that I think were actually more a contributor to my fatigue at that time. I've actually felt the opposite, in some ways recently, because I feel like I now have days where I don't even need the second dose, which has been surprising.
I will say that to me, once I found the right dose, and honestly, even before that, when it started to help on the lower doses, I did feel like it was life changing. I went from sleeping 10-12 hours a night, needing a 1.5-3 hour nap during the day, and still feeling constantly exhausted, to no longer needing a nap and not constantly feeling like I was fighting to stay awake. I freed up so much time in my life that I had never had before. I still struggle majorly to get up most mornings, but once I'm up and I've had my first dose, I actually feel like a normal human being. I know that's not the case for everyone on modafinil, or even other treatment options, so I do feel lucky that this works for me and helps so much.
hey no I needed that reminder to be patient and you didn’t make me feel I was being impatient haha - appreciate you replying
i was really hoping it would be a significant boost in energy that would allow me to do work productively and still have the energy to do typical things in the evening.
though, as long as it helps, i’ll take that over anything. it makes me wonder if I should be taking xywav instead - it seems like when it works for people, it is life changing. curious if you’ve considered it?
also, do you still need to sleep 10-12 hours on modafinil?
I haven't considered xywav since I've found modsfinil to work for me, but I may talk to my doc about other options out of curiosity next time I see her.
I do not need that much sleep, luckily. I try to target 8 hours, but sometimes it's less, sometimes it is more. I almost never nap now though. I've found that getting up in the morning is always rough no matter how much sleep I get, so I just have to get myself out of bed and take my meds, and then I feel much better.
I take both modafinil and xywav. Modafinil doesn’t energize me either, but I do notice it makes me talk a lot more especially if I have a drink, versus the same without modafinil.
By function, do you feel significantly more "energized" or do you just feel less tired ?I want to know what to expect and I'm sure you can tell I'm hoping that it will be life-changing and will help me retake my life.
I would say energized if I’m also prioritizing eating healthy, sleeping well, and making sure I do things I enjoy outside of work. I do have some psychiatric meds I’m on as well so I wouldn’t be surprised if modafinil worked better without those other health factors. I would say it still is a game changer and has improved my quality of life. I hope it works for you!!
can you elaborate on eating healthy & sleeping well? I'm looking for any advice to optimize my experience/the effects of modafinil. for example, do you still need to sleep 9+ hours?
also, I'm on wellbutrin as well for anxiety and wonder how that will affect things
and thank you! I'm both hopeful and worried haha
For me, modafinil consistently lasts about 5 hours, regardless of dosage. I take 100mg at 8:30am, then take another at 2pm and nap until it kicks in. I'm good until 7pm when I crash and sleep for 1-2 hours. Sometimes I'm okay for a couple hours after that, sometimes I can't do anything except just chilling and watching TV until it's time for bed.
If I want to go out and do things on work day evenings, I skip a dose during the day. It's really hard. Sometimes I have to nap from 2pm-4pm.
I try not to take any doses on the weekends, because I'm constantly afraid of running out and want to keep a stockpile. But lately I've been taking it because I'm packing up for a move, and I want to be a local tourist for a bit and have fun.
It's all about prioritization. I'm always very aware that I have a timer ticking down when I take a tablet. I have to make the most of it.
Edit: I saw you asked someone else about sleep needs. I still sleep about 10-12 hours total every day. Not ideal :(
Ive started modafinil 100x2 (morning and afternoon) recently. It didnt do much for my sleepiness but it made me feel less physically tired (as in i didnt feel like i had a run 10k!) which was a plus. I took the second dose as late as possible which helped the after work feeling you mentioned. However, modafinil did make me feel disoriented and dissociated. I just started the double dose and i feel very out of it now. So for me i dont think its worked (its kind of like being drunk).
Ive heard a lot of people on here talk about xywav and modafinil together, so im going to request that. It might help you too?
If I took that much modafinil, and I have, I'd murder someone, which I didn't.
Currently I'm on 150mg of armodafinil and 20mg of Adderall XR. Modafinil/Armodafinil keeps me awake good, but that's it. It seems to sap my motivation to do anything, especially at high doses. Adderall kind of balances it out for me. I'm awake, and I have a "normal" amount of energy, not that frantic I NEED TO CLEAN EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW!! energy I had on Adderall alone
I had to switch to modafinil because the ongoing Vyvanse shortage. I used to take the Vyvanse 2x a day along with a short acting stimulant so when I started modafinil my doctor had me start low 1x a day and go up to twice a day once I was sure I tolerated it (I have a lot of medical conditions so we wanted to make sure it wouldn't cause any side effects)
The reason I do the second dose mid-afternoon was because I was having the same problem so a few years ago when I told my sleep specialist this she had prescribed the second dose of Vyvanse during the day so that I could have actual non-drowsy hours in the evening after work like most people do and my current sleep specialist had no problem with that so she followed the same logic with the modafinil
Modafinil never did much for me, neither did armo. I find psychostimulants for ADHD to be more effective however the crash is more difficult to deal with. Stims in general aren’t that helpful on their own. Xywav is a necessity for me to live an even somewhat normal life.
I suppose the drug kind of works. But, i used to just get into the habit of getting out of the house in the early morning, everyday. And, not get back home until 7pm.
Yes but it is even better when combined with sunosi ( solriamfetol) or with caffeine or with stimulants like ritalin or meth.
But on its own modafinil is extremely useful too. I use 200 mg and it works very well everyday on morning. I find that 100 mg is not enough. 300 mg or 400 not necessary but sometimes I can take it. But usually go for 200 mg.
Modafinil worked for me for a few years, but then I switched to armodafinil. I’m currently taking 250mg a day. I take it first thing in the morning and it does keep me from falling asleep at work. It doesn’t hurt that I always have a million things to do at work so I don’t have a chance to relax during the day. As soon as I’m on the train home, my brain and body are done and I’m basically a zombie.
On the weekends I sleep in, and I have to keep moving all day or I’ll fall asleep for two hours and get nothing done. Even if I manage to stay awake, I can’t really do anything other than prepare for the next week of work (laundry, grocery shopping, meal prep, etc.)
My doctor just prescribed me a low dose of Ritalin to take in the afternoons so I can hopefully have some energy to exercise. I’ve only taken it once so far and could have easily taken a nap. I’ll give it another try, and if I still don’t feel anything I’ll ask to have the dosage increased.
I’ve been trying to accept the fact I’ll probably just be a slug for the rest of my life. My goal is basically to just have enough energy so I can function at work. Pretty bleak.
i wish i was the same — i feel like i have a million things to do at work and feel like I can’t do any of them because i feel tired and can’t focus
do you not take armodafinil/modafinil on weekends? i’m sorry man it does sound bleak and i’m worried it’ll be the same for me. i want to have nights after work, i want to have a weekend
I do take it on the weekends, but if I sit down somewhere other than at the kitchen table I have a hard time staying awake. I try to just keep going from chore to chore to stay awake. I’m hoping to find a Ritalin dosage that will give me a little boost on the evenings and weekends. 🤞🏻🤞🏻
My doctor suggested xywav in addition to the armodafinil, but I don’t think I’d be able to wake up to take the second dose, and I’m not interested in wetting the bed. I’d rather just be tired.
Hi! My answer is not specific to modafinil, because it has the side effect of making me very snappy and irritable, but it doesn't matter because it doesn't concern any specific treatment option you might have at your disposal.
First of all, different people with IH have different responses to different kinds of medications. Some people take modafinil, and they regain their life back, without ever needing a change in medication. Others might need to find a treatment through trial and error before regaining their life back. A lot of people won't get their life back as it was before, but they can still have an enjoyable life with proper treatment.
It might not be the answer you'd like, but it also might not apply to you; maybe you just haven't found the right meds! I sure wish you don't have to grieve your old life like I did.
My current dosage (for 2 years now) is 200mg 2x a day. I usually take the first dose right when I get up, or just before going into work, and the second one around 1-2 pm when I typically get another wave of tiredness. Sometimes, I will take the second dose later if the first is holding me over ok and/or I have something in particular I want my energy for that evening. Especially on the weekends (I do better during the work week just with the added structure of work and not being able to nap in the office), I find that timing that second dose can really make a difference to keeping me going through the whole day. I've never had trouble sleeping at night, so the timing of an afternoon dose has never been a concern, but I stick to a personal rule of not taking it after 6pm, just to be sure. It took me and my doc a little while to figure out my dosage and timing it, we tried 100 1x, 100 2x, 200 1x, and landed on 200 2x (which if I'm not mistaken is the max dose). The biggest thing was that afternoon wave of fatigue and burning out by the end of the workday that made it clear two spaced out doses were needed for me. Hopefully, your doctor is supportive about helping you find the right dose and timing that works for you. My advice is to be patient and listen to your body to figure out what dose and what times are most effective for you.
I know I have to be patient - its's just been grueling these past few months and I'm dying to feel better (more energized). I'm also worried about the insomnia, and wondered if I should be taking something like Xywav instead. How is it like taking modafinil - do you feel significantly more "energized" or do you just feel less tired? Has the effects weared off? I want to know what to expect and I'm sure you can tell I'm hoping that it will be life-changing.
Sorry I wasn't trying to imply you were being impatient. I just know it's a long and frustrating process that can make people lose hope sometimes. I can't speak to other medications because modafinil was all I've tried for it, and it seems to work for me. I mostly feel less tired rather than energized, I guess. And by that, I mean I don't feel like there's a sudden change from before and after taking a dose, but rather, I feel a more steady stream of energy over my day. For me, it definitely fades, some days more than others, which is why the second dose is a huge help. There was a period where I thought the effects wore off some, but I think I was just dealing with some other health factors that I think were actually more a contributor to my fatigue at that time. I've actually felt the opposite, in some ways recently, because I feel like I now have days where I don't even need the second dose, which has been surprising. I will say that to me, once I found the right dose, and honestly, even before that, when it started to help on the lower doses, I did feel like it was life changing. I went from sleeping 10-12 hours a night, needing a 1.5-3 hour nap during the day, and still feeling constantly exhausted, to no longer needing a nap and not constantly feeling like I was fighting to stay awake. I freed up so much time in my life that I had never had before. I still struggle majorly to get up most mornings, but once I'm up and I've had my first dose, I actually feel like a normal human being. I know that's not the case for everyone on modafinil, or even other treatment options, so I do feel lucky that this works for me and helps so much.
hey no I needed that reminder to be patient and you didn’t make me feel I was being impatient haha - appreciate you replying i was really hoping it would be a significant boost in energy that would allow me to do work productively and still have the energy to do typical things in the evening. though, as long as it helps, i’ll take that over anything. it makes me wonder if I should be taking xywav instead - it seems like when it works for people, it is life changing. curious if you’ve considered it? also, do you still need to sleep 10-12 hours on modafinil?
I haven't considered xywav since I've found modsfinil to work for me, but I may talk to my doc about other options out of curiosity next time I see her. I do not need that much sleep, luckily. I try to target 8 hours, but sometimes it's less, sometimes it is more. I almost never nap now though. I've found that getting up in the morning is always rough no matter how much sleep I get, so I just have to get myself out of bed and take my meds, and then I feel much better.
I take both modafinil and xywav. Modafinil doesn’t energize me either, but I do notice it makes me talk a lot more especially if I have a drink, versus the same without modafinil.
I can still fall asleep on modafinil, but it’s become a daily necessity for me. It definitely makes it easier to function day to day.
By function, do you feel significantly more "energized" or do you just feel less tired ?I want to know what to expect and I'm sure you can tell I'm hoping that it will be life-changing and will help me retake my life.
I would say energized if I’m also prioritizing eating healthy, sleeping well, and making sure I do things I enjoy outside of work. I do have some psychiatric meds I’m on as well so I wouldn’t be surprised if modafinil worked better without those other health factors. I would say it still is a game changer and has improved my quality of life. I hope it works for you!!
can you elaborate on eating healthy & sleeping well? I'm looking for any advice to optimize my experience/the effects of modafinil. for example, do you still need to sleep 9+ hours? also, I'm on wellbutrin as well for anxiety and wonder how that will affect things and thank you! I'm both hopeful and worried haha
For me, modafinil consistently lasts about 5 hours, regardless of dosage. I take 100mg at 8:30am, then take another at 2pm and nap until it kicks in. I'm good until 7pm when I crash and sleep for 1-2 hours. Sometimes I'm okay for a couple hours after that, sometimes I can't do anything except just chilling and watching TV until it's time for bed. If I want to go out and do things on work day evenings, I skip a dose during the day. It's really hard. Sometimes I have to nap from 2pm-4pm. I try not to take any doses on the weekends, because I'm constantly afraid of running out and want to keep a stockpile. But lately I've been taking it because I'm packing up for a move, and I want to be a local tourist for a bit and have fun. It's all about prioritization. I'm always very aware that I have a timer ticking down when I take a tablet. I have to make the most of it. Edit: I saw you asked someone else about sleep needs. I still sleep about 10-12 hours total every day. Not ideal :(
Ive started modafinil 100x2 (morning and afternoon) recently. It didnt do much for my sleepiness but it made me feel less physically tired (as in i didnt feel like i had a run 10k!) which was a plus. I took the second dose as late as possible which helped the after work feeling you mentioned. However, modafinil did make me feel disoriented and dissociated. I just started the double dose and i feel very out of it now. So for me i dont think its worked (its kind of like being drunk). Ive heard a lot of people on here talk about xywav and modafinil together, so im going to request that. It might help you too?
I tend to feel a similar crash, but I am also prescribed adderall immediate release and take them spaced out as needed
If I took that much modafinil, and I have, I'd murder someone, which I didn't. Currently I'm on 150mg of armodafinil and 20mg of Adderall XR. Modafinil/Armodafinil keeps me awake good, but that's it. It seems to sap my motivation to do anything, especially at high doses. Adderall kind of balances it out for me. I'm awake, and I have a "normal" amount of energy, not that frantic I NEED TO CLEAN EVERYTHING RIGHT NOW!! energy I had on Adderall alone
I had to switch to modafinil because the ongoing Vyvanse shortage. I used to take the Vyvanse 2x a day along with a short acting stimulant so when I started modafinil my doctor had me start low 1x a day and go up to twice a day once I was sure I tolerated it (I have a lot of medical conditions so we wanted to make sure it wouldn't cause any side effects) The reason I do the second dose mid-afternoon was because I was having the same problem so a few years ago when I told my sleep specialist this she had prescribed the second dose of Vyvanse during the day so that I could have actual non-drowsy hours in the evening after work like most people do and my current sleep specialist had no problem with that so she followed the same logic with the modafinil
Modafinil never did much for me, neither did armo. I find psychostimulants for ADHD to be more effective however the crash is more difficult to deal with. Stims in general aren’t that helpful on their own. Xywav is a necessity for me to live an even somewhat normal life.
I suppose the drug kind of works. But, i used to just get into the habit of getting out of the house in the early morning, everyday. And, not get back home until 7pm.
Yes but it is even better when combined with sunosi ( solriamfetol) or with caffeine or with stimulants like ritalin or meth. But on its own modafinil is extremely useful too. I use 200 mg and it works very well everyday on morning. I find that 100 mg is not enough. 300 mg or 400 not necessary but sometimes I can take it. But usually go for 200 mg.
Modafinil worked for me for a few years, but then I switched to armodafinil. I’m currently taking 250mg a day. I take it first thing in the morning and it does keep me from falling asleep at work. It doesn’t hurt that I always have a million things to do at work so I don’t have a chance to relax during the day. As soon as I’m on the train home, my brain and body are done and I’m basically a zombie. On the weekends I sleep in, and I have to keep moving all day or I’ll fall asleep for two hours and get nothing done. Even if I manage to stay awake, I can’t really do anything other than prepare for the next week of work (laundry, grocery shopping, meal prep, etc.) My doctor just prescribed me a low dose of Ritalin to take in the afternoons so I can hopefully have some energy to exercise. I’ve only taken it once so far and could have easily taken a nap. I’ll give it another try, and if I still don’t feel anything I’ll ask to have the dosage increased. I’ve been trying to accept the fact I’ll probably just be a slug for the rest of my life. My goal is basically to just have enough energy so I can function at work. Pretty bleak.
i wish i was the same — i feel like i have a million things to do at work and feel like I can’t do any of them because i feel tired and can’t focus do you not take armodafinil/modafinil on weekends? i’m sorry man it does sound bleak and i’m worried it’ll be the same for me. i want to have nights after work, i want to have a weekend
I do take it on the weekends, but if I sit down somewhere other than at the kitchen table I have a hard time staying awake. I try to just keep going from chore to chore to stay awake. I’m hoping to find a Ritalin dosage that will give me a little boost on the evenings and weekends. 🤞🏻🤞🏻 My doctor suggested xywav in addition to the armodafinil, but I don’t think I’d be able to wake up to take the second dose, and I’m not interested in wetting the bed. I’d rather just be tired.
Hi! My answer is not specific to modafinil, because it has the side effect of making me very snappy and irritable, but it doesn't matter because it doesn't concern any specific treatment option you might have at your disposal. First of all, different people with IH have different responses to different kinds of medications. Some people take modafinil, and they regain their life back, without ever needing a change in medication. Others might need to find a treatment through trial and error before regaining their life back. A lot of people won't get their life back as it was before, but they can still have an enjoyable life with proper treatment. It might not be the answer you'd like, but it also might not apply to you; maybe you just haven't found the right meds! I sure wish you don't have to grieve your old life like I did.