Modafinil?

eww · 11-14-2008, 04:32 PM

Anyone have experience with how Modafinil affects PCOS? I just started it yesterday and there doesn't seem to be a lot of information on PCOS and sleep disorders other than sleep apnea. Any info would be great. Like... do the headaches go away??

eww · 11-16-2008, 12:44 PM

No one??

mutantfrog · 11-25-2008, 05:44 PM

OMG the provigil basically neutralizes any BCP you're on. I have a sleep disorder and they started me on that...I've been able to regulate my PCOS well for the last 2 years using metformin+ propecia+ yasmin, and a few days after adding the modafinil to that mix it was like i wasnt' even taking the pill. my endocrinologist found out about the psyc. adding in the modafinil for sleep and flipped out. It's a no-no if you are using bcp to control pcos symptoms. if you are using bcp for actual birth control...don't bother with the pill just use an alternative form. Why waste money to take a pill that is neutralized by the modafinil?

On the plus side, the modafinil did do a great job with the sleep disorder. However i couldn't deal with the pcos being out of control like that--switched me to low dose ritalin instead. Much better

eww · 11-25-2008, 09:51 PM

Yeah, I'm not on any BCP luckily. However I've been charting (to get an idea of what my body hs been up to) and I'm curious about the modafinil (provigil)'s effect on my regular hormones. I figure since it messes up BCP so badly it could possibly do quite a number on my natural (kinda wacky) hormones.

At the moment I'm trying to deal with the Modafinil as it seems to be keeping me wake enough to function, but that the rebound effect of not dealing with the problems in my sleep architecture keeps me sleep deprived. Did you have nasty headaches while on it? And has ritalin been better?

My sleep doc hasn't been very forthcoming in terms of options or even an actual diagnosis. Grr. Doctors make me itchy. But unfortunately I'm having a hard time even doing my usual web searches for information and what numbers mean.

mutantfrog · 11-26-2008, 12:02 AM

You might actually be ok with the Modafinil, then. The reason it screws up BCP's is because it alters how quickly the liver processes things.

So the Modafinil makes the liver process the BCP faster--your body gets less of the hormone--the effect is that you feel like you're not even taking your BCP.

If you aren't adding any hormones...then it doesn't matter that the Modafinil is speeding things up. You lucky duck, you!

I did have headaches with the Modafinil. I have Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome, and we were trying to use the Modafinil to get me functional earlier in the day, and then hopefully I'd be tired enough to sleep at an appropriate time. The only thing that happened was that the Modafinil allowed me to be functional at 7 or 8am, I'd get tired late in the afternoon, and then get my "second wind" as usual and be awake till 3am. This went on for 2 weeks. Unfortunately I also have night terrors and sleep walk--stress and sleep deprivation bring them on. So going for that long with out sleeping...I ended up waking up one morning in the stairwell with a 1.5" splinter in my hand (from the banister).

Ritalin side effects were...well...good! When I take it I feel VERY awake, and an increadible need to be productive. Unfortunately again it did not alter my sleep/wake cycle. The DR felt more comfortable letting me go back to Ambien (so that I am at least getting 8 hours of sleep to prevent the sleep walking). I have an appointment with a sleep/wake specialist in mid Dec and a sleep test as well.

We shall see ::steeples fingers::
Here's a great board to find out more about sleep issues: ok I can't seem to post the url (I don't have 15 posts), but it's talkaboutsleep dot com
boards as well as general information.

Good luck!

eww · 11-26-2008, 12:16 AM

OH, so it quickens the absorbtion of medication... like metformin? Because I am on metformin.

For me, I'm already falling asleep in places that may cause injury! LOL (The bus, in the mall, doing dishes etc) I'm sleeping on average 13 hours a day (a day when I'm productive, it can be up to 18 hours if I'm not). At the moment from what I can figure, I'm not getting anywhere near enough Delta (stage3/4) sleep. And am entering REM early. So I never actually get the restorative sleep that allows me to feel rested. So I'm tired all the time. I'm trying to get settled on a schedule with meds/naps though.

And I hear you about stress and sleep deprivation worsening everything! Everything started spiraling out of control after a car accident which happened right before midterms and then there were essays due and now exams are coming up... LOL.

And I've been lurking around the "lets talk about sleep" boards. They do have lots and lots of information.

mutantfrog · 12-03-2008, 11:37 PM

Yes, it could effect other medications like metformin. I don't know by how much though ("decreases amount of metformin you get by 10% etc).

I definitely have sympathy for you in the sleep department. If the Modafinil helps with that, then I say stick with it. Do you have narcelepsy?

Yes the talk about sleep boards are REALLY helpful--at least in my opinion. If you do a search you should find a few other posters talking about modafinil.

I get to go see a sleep specialist (finally) in mid december, so we'll see what her take on all this is.

Good luck with your pursuit