Armodafinil for Bipolar Disorder User Reviews

• wis...
• August 14, 2010

Armodafinil "My Bipolar II Disorder is horribly debilitating when my medications are not working or are in the middle of being adjusted. However, when the depression and sleep problems (racing thoughts as soon as I lie down, interrupted sleep, not sleeping at all, etc.) are added to the mix, my life becomes completely unbearable. As soon as my doctor gave me Nuvigil, it was like I became myself again! The difference was phenomenal. I felt 'normal.' It is a total miracle that I can get up and do the dishes, fold laundry, shop... all the simple things that so many people take for granted. Nuvigil gives me the energy that Bipolar Disorder steals from me."

• Anonymous
• January 21, 2013

Armodafinil "It's been a rough 29 years discovering, living with and losing things because of bipolar, ADHD, and OCD! Tried literally every medicine under the sun, (ours and probably a couple other solar systems too.) So many my doc looked me in my eye and told me that I might 'just have to learn how to live' with my head, mind, thoughts, and lack of actions, or intestinal fortitude as your father calls it. He's Air Force retired after 22 years. Suicidal thoughts all the time. Given all my possessions away. Stood on the bridge, the roof, and had the gun in my hand, but I always held on, cause I knew there was something like NUVIGIL out there somewhere, I just had to hang on long enough. If not for NUVIGIL I wouldn't have been able to focus long enough to write this!"

• dia...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 11, 2019

"I've had treatment-resistant depression for 25 years. Nothing worked. A theory was bipolar without mania - only depression. In the bipolar spectrum, I would rate 5 - family history with no mania, only depression. Long story short - Nuvigil saved my life. I could feel peace of mind, contentment, pleasure, increased social interaction, and libido. I've been taking Nuvigil for almost 3 years and have had to increase numerous times to the point where I take bigger doses. I've never had any side effects. Now my doctor won't increase my dose. Over the past year, I've watched myself gradually go downhill to the point where I've become socially isolated, can't feel pleasure, etc. The docs worry about side effects at a higher dose. Why can't anyone understand that no side effect is worse than having major depression?"

• bip...
• January 17, 2013

Armodafinil "I'm a Bipolar II with Panic Disorder. There is a possibility that I'm mildly narcoleptic also. The following cocktail has me functioning at 100% for many years: 10 mg of Abilify once a week - increased concentration and did away with panic disorder, 1 mg of Xanax every night along with a botanical extract called lemon balm - for sleep, 250 mg of Nuvigil - makes me alert and awake and full of energy. I believe that the Nuvigil works for me as an antidepressant. If you are full of energy, how can you be depressed? I believe the Abilify keeps the anxiety and panic disorder and mania in check."

• ilo...
• February 15, 2013

Armodafinil "I have been on Nuvigil for about a year. It is a miracle. My insurer won't pay for the dosage I need, so I get off of it on the weekends sometimes. I can feel a huge difference off of it and hope that the final stages of the trials produce positive results so I can get the dosage I need. I would not be alive without this medication, I am more productive, social, and have no suicidal thoughts while on it."

• Anonymous
• December 23, 2011

Armodafinil "Nuvigil is a great medication. I have bipolar disorder mixed state. I was often drowsy before taking Nuvigil. The first few days of taking 250 mg of Nuvigil, I felt better than ever. I was working out at the gym for an hour. Before taking the medication, I couldn't even run. Depression sucked the life out of me. One of the bad side effects of Nuvigil is it induces mania/hypomania. I became hypomanic until my mood would drop down to depression, and I had to take a mood stabilizer in order to normalize my mood."

• Anonymous
• March 28, 2012

Armodafinil "I have bipolar disorder, and I've tried many medications before we found what worked without nasty side effects. I was put on risperidone and Celexa to treat it, which I still take. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea and narcolepsy, which my doctor put me on Nuvigil. I did not know Nuvigil could be a treatment for treating bipolar until I read about it on this site. I feel very upbeat with the Nuvigil and not tired all the time, and I feel happy again. Even though I take other medicines for bipolar, I feel since I started the Nuvigil, I feel even better."

• Anonymous
• February 4, 2011

Armodafinil "Third day on this medicine, it's crazy how things are going. I used to wake up, and an hour later, be exhausted. Barely make it through 2 hours of college and go home and sleep 5 hours until work and sleep right after work. The past couple of days, I've been able to stay awake through a movie, stay up for my favorite TV show, do homework and laundry after school, be more attentive at my job, and I don't feel like I'm on speed."

• Ano...
• February 16, 2013

Armodafinil "I just recently started being treated for bipolar. And also just started taking Nuvigil, it has helped me so much. I don't just want to sleep, it has made me feel better (normal). I am kind of grateful that my doctor started treating me!"

• Anonymous
• July 17, 2011

Armodafinil "I took Nuvigil for the first time, and I found myself less tired and more active than ever. I have severe depression and stay tired a lot. For years, I haven't been myself, as for being active, I was an athlete for half my life, and I knew what being in shape felt like, but with aging, I fell into depression and bipolar. Still too early to say, but Nuvigil made a positive difference for at least one day of my life."

• Bip...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• April 3, 2016

"I've been on this drug since the US release date, previous to that, having to cross the border into Mexico to buy Provigil. Luckily, I have no insurance hiccups with Nuvigil besides yearly prior authorizations. I have sleep apnea, to which I've had 5 surgeries to correct, and I'm Bipolar 1. I take 2 x 250 mg tablets daily, spaced by 5 hours-it really helps with the extreme lethargy you get from atypicals and mood stabilizers. I don't think I'd be able to hold a job without it. This is not some miracle Limitless drug for those who seriously need it, it's a way to change your life to keep up when all your other meds just slow you down. I was on 1 dose a day, and it wore off within 5-6 hours, thus the second dose. $5 copay with a coupon on their site."

• ast...
• January 3, 2016

"I started using Nuvigil two months ago to help ease the symptoms of depression associated with my bipolar II. Overall, this medication has by no means cured me, but it has allowed me to become much more functional when I am depressed. It helps me think a lot clearer, makes me more positive, and most importantly, just gives me the motivation to get stuff done when I would otherwise have absolutely zero motivation to do anything. I only take this when I am depressed, as I have found it makes me kind of irritable when I am hypomanic, and it just makes it really hard to sleep. The only downside is that I have to live on samples because insurance doesn't cover a penny of it.:("

• CCa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 21, 2020

"I've been on Nuvigil 150 mg for several weeks, and it has brought me out of the fog I was feeling. Its side effect has been that it has increased the number and severity of my premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). I will have to monitor that, but I am hopeful that I can get back to having a somewhat normal life. I was diagnosed with bipolar II about 10 years ago and have been fighting to live. I'm on a lot of other meds that zap my energy, and I already don't have any, so I've been isolated for a while. Just hoping this med will make my cocktail of meds finally work well."

• Jay...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 7, 2024

"I have bipolar 2. Treatment resistant severe depression after 3-4 hours of hypomanic productivity, mainly cleaning the whole house and garage. Had been on Armodafinil 150-200mg for a year and a half. Psych gave me the go-ahead to take 250mg. I kid you not, within 48 hours my bipolar depression is completely gone! Now when I get hypomanic and do lots of cleaning, there’s no more severe depression after 3-4 hours of straight cleaning. Armodafinil is a lifesaver. Note: I primarily take this for sleep apnea, but it has helped with severe bipolar depression off-label. Also, I’m an Afghanistan veteran who’s totally disabled, so fortunately the VA covers all of my prescriptions."

• Bru...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 15, 2015

"I have bipolar 1. Nuvigil to start the day and Seroquel to end it is the best combo I've ever experienced. (I also take Lamictal and Luvox)"