description
CONTENT: Vilafinil, 200mg (10 pills)
Why is this drug prescribed?
Modafinil is used to treat excessive sleepiness caused by narcolepsy (a condition that causes excessive daytime sleepiness) or shiftwork sleep disorder (sleepiness during scheduled waking hours and difficulty falling or falling asleep during scheduled sleeping hours in people who work at night or rotate shifts). Modafinil is also used with breathing apparatus or other treatments to prevent excessive drowsiness caused by obstructive sleep apnea / hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS; a sleep disorder in which the patient stops breathing briefly or becomes breathless many times during sleep breathing and therefore not getting enough is restful sleep). Modafinil is in a class of drugs called wakefulness promotional agents. It works by changing the amounts of certain natural substances in the area of the brain that controls sleep and alertness.
How should this medicine be used?
Modafinil comes as a tablet to be taken by mouth. It is usually taken once a day with or without food. If you are taking modafinil to treat narcolepsy or OSAHS, you will likely take it in the morning. If you are taking Modafinil to treat shift work sleep disorder, you will likely take it 1 hour before you start your work shift. Take modafinil at the same time each day. Don't change the time of day that you take modafinil without talking to your doctor. Talk to your doctor if your work shift doesn't start at the same time. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Modafinil exactly as directed.
Modafinil can make habit. Do not take a larger dose, take it more often, or take it for a longer period than prescribed by your doctor.
Modafinil can reduce your sleepiness, but it won't cure your sleep disorder. Keep taking modafinil even when you feel well rested. Don't stop taking modafinil without talking to your doctor.
Modafinil shouldn't be used in lieu of getting enough sleep. Follow your doctor's advice about good sleep habits. Continue to use breathing apparatus or other treatments your doctor has prescribed to manage your condition, especially if you have OSAHS.
Other uses for this medicine
This drug can be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
What special precautions should I take?
Before taking Modafinil,
- Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to modafinil, armodafinil (Nuvigil), or any other medication.
- Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription drugs, vitamins, supplements, and herbal products you are taking. Be sure to name one of the following: anticoagulants ("blood thinners") such as warfarin (Coumadin); Certain antidepressants such as amitriptyline, amoxapine, clomipramine (Anafranil), desipramine (Norpramin), doxepin (Sinequan), imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Aventyl, Pamelor), protriptyline (Vivactil), and trimipramine (Surmontil); Certain antifungal agents such as itraconazole (Sporanox) and ketoconazole (Nizoral); Cyclosporine (Neoral, Sandimmune); Diazepam (Valium); Certain medications for seizures such as carbamazepine (Tegretol), phenobarbital, and phenytoin (Dilantin); Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors, including isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam, Zelapar), and tranylcypromine (Parnate); Propranolol (Inderal); Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) such as citalopram (Celexa), escitalopram (Lexapro), fluoxetine (Prozac, Sarafem), fluvoxamine (Luvox), paroxetine (Paxil), and sertraline (Zoloft); Rifampin (rifadin, rimactane); And triazolam (Halcion). Many other drugs can interact with Modafinil as well, so be sure to tell your doctor about any medications you take, even those that don't appear on this list. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medication or monitor you carefully for side effects. And sertraline (Zoloft); Rifampin (rifadin, rimactane); And triazolam (Halcion). Many other drugs can interact with Modafinil as well, so be sure to tell your doctor about any medications you take, even those that don't appear on this list. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medication or monitor you carefully for side effects. And sertraline (Zoloft); Rifampin (rifadin, rimactane); And triazolam (Halcion). Many other drugs can interact with Modafinil as well, so be sure to tell your doctor about any medications you take, even those that don't appear on this list. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medication or monitor you carefully for side effects.
- Tell your doctor if you drink or have ever drank large amounts of alcohol, use or ever used street drugs, or have excessive prescription drugs, especially stimulants. Also tell your doctor if you have ever had chest pain, irregular heartbeat, or other heart problems after taking a stimulant, and if you have or have ever had high blood pressure; a heart attack; Chest pain; A mental illness such as depression, mania (racing, unusually excited mood), or psychosis (difficulty thinking clearly, communicating, understanding reality, and acting appropriately); Or heart, liver, or kidney disease.
- You should know that Modafinil 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 Modafinil 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 Modafinil treatment.
- Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while taking modafinil, call your doctor.
- If you have surgery, including dental surgery, tell the doctor or dentist that you are taking Modafinil.
- You should know that Modafinil can affect your judgment or thinking and may not completely relieve the drowsiness caused by your disorder. Don't drive a car or operate machines until you understand how these drugs affect you. If you have avoided driving and other dangerous activities because of your insomnia, do not start these activities again without talking to your doctor, even if you feel alert.
- Make sure that you should avoid drinking alcohol while you are taking Modafinil.
What special diet instructions should I follow?
Talk to your doctor about eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while you are taking these medications.
What should i do if i miss a dose?
You should skip the missed dose. Wait until the next time you should take modafinil and then take your normal dose. If you take modafinil late in your waking day, you can make it harder to go to sleep. Do not take a double dose to make up a missed one.
