Nuvigil and Anxiety: What Users Say

• Ros...
• October 30, 2014

For ADHD "I GOT A 30-DAY SUPPLY OF 150 MG FOR FREE! It would have been $500 as I have no insurance. But my doc gave me a Nuvigil Savings Card! Plus I get refills for $5! Can't believe my luck! So, please ask your doc for a card or coupon. It's good for both insured and uninsured. This promotion expires at the end of the year though. Not sure if they'll offer it in 2015. I've only been on it for two days but the results have been fantastic. I switched to this from Adderall, which gave me energy and made me more social but made me jittery and did not help with my concentration or organization. Nuvigil helps me stay focused, motivated, and clear-headed throughout the day."

• Lin...
• August 16, 2015

For Narcolepsy "I found myself sleeping all day against my will, and it was depressing to be so unproductive. After I was accepted to vet school, I knew I needed to figure out why I was so tired all the time. I was diagnosed with narcolepsy without cataplexy. I immediately started Nuvigil in an attempt to get regulated before I started school. About a week in, I experienced anxiety and a racing heart on a few different days. My symptoms soon subsided, and I found my quality of life drastically improved. I take it in the morning before class, and I was able to stay awake all day with very little problem. I still have good days and bad, but my worst day is still better than my life before it. I am so thankful for my doctor and Nuvigil."

• Bam...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• September 4, 2018

For Narcolepsy "This medication takes time to get into and out of my system. The transitions are terrible for me. Lots of anxiety and scatterbrains. I am very emotional on this medication. When I am tired of the lump in my throat, I quit taking it. When I can't stay awake and my job is at risk, I try again. The end results are always the same. I don't want to do anything, go anywhere, and can't quit crying. The first time I took it, 2 months. The second time I took it, 5 months. And now I have been on it for 5 days and am calling it quits. It does not keep me awake. I get huge headaches. There is no reason to live for me while using this medication."

• Djm...
• October 14, 2011

For ADHD "Very effective. Eliminates the anxiety associated with ADHD. Able to process and function. None of the jittery side effects that I had with Adderall, Strattera, or Concerta. It was the smoothest thing I ever took. The only two knocks are that the medicine is off-label and will not be covered by my insurance. Out of pocket can be $300-$400 a month? I can't cover that, so my joy will be short-lived."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 14, 2012

For Shift Work Sleep Disorder "I work nights in the Emergency Department as an RN at a large, very busy trauma center and have been for the past three years. This medication has been a lifesaver in terms of maintaining alertness throughout my shift without the shakes and nervous feeling like being overdosed on caffeine pills or energy drinks. I take the 250 mg pill 1-2 hours before my shift at 7 pm, and it carries me throughout the night. I used to take Provigil 100 mg for two years before Nuvigil came out and found that I was taking up to 200 mg doses a night. Nuvigil is great because it is cheaper, even with insurance, and seems to last longer. I only take it four times a week when I work, and that three-day off time provides enough time for my body to not get used to it."

• not...
• January 7, 2012

For Depression "Be careful of medically induced hypomania. I took this for years. Helped with depression, and I decided to put up with increased anxiety and racing thoughts. Without my realizing it, I became extremely manic and caused irrational and destructive behavior. Thank God I switched doctors and medicines (to Lamictal). I wish I had known this can induce manic behavior! Please be careful because mania lies to you and makes you think all is well."

• Kam...
• June 8, 2013

For Narcolepsy "I diagnosed myself after reading a pamphlet in the doctor's office the other day. It was like reading the story of my life for the last couple of years. She put me on Nuvigil, and I'm currently on my second day of it. I've noticed a lot more awakeness and anxiety. Slight heart issues, I think, like racing from time to time, and one severely sharp pain yesterday, but otherwise, I really feel much better. Too bad it's too late to save my marriage, but at least I will be able to build a new life where before there would have been no way to cope. Wish me luck, guys. I've had no headaches or jaw issues either."

• poo...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 27, 2024

"Can make you jittery, especially after the first dose. It has a long half-life, so remembering to take it at least 14 hours before bed, if I hope to sleep, is a must. If you do end up missing a good night of sleep, your morning dose will make you forget you didn't sleep. However, you won't have that extra pep this medicine provides after a full night's sleep. One thing I found most helpful with preventing anxiety/jitters is taking 10-20 grams of the powder form of the amino acid L-Tyrosine. (Helpful hint: no capsule supplement on the market has enough L-Tyrosine, so buy powder, it's cheap! 10-20 grams is the dose that was successful in U.S. military studies.) I'm not trying to sell anything, I just wish someone had told me about this supplement and medicine stack earlier in life because it eliminated any anxiety and increased the effectiveness of my medicine. (Only my experience, though studies correlate to my experience.)"

• poo...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 27, 2024

"Can make you jittery, especially after the first dose. It has a long half-life, so remembering to take it at least 14 hours before bed, if I hope to sleep, is a must. If you do end up missing a good night of sleep, your morning dose will make you forget you didn't sleep. However, you won't have that extra pep this medicine provides after a full night's sleep. One thing I found most helpful with preventing anxiety/jitters is taking 10-20 grams of the powder form of the amino acid L-Tyrosine. (Helpful hint: no capsule supplement on the market has enough L-Tyrosine, so buy powder, it's cheap! 10-20 grams is the dose that was successful in U.S. military studies.) I'm not trying to sell anything, I just wish someone had told me about this supplement and medicine stack earlier in life because it eliminated any anxiety and increased the effectiveness of my medicine. (Only my experience, though studies correlate to my experience.)"

• lau...
• September 10, 2010

For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome "I have chronic fatigue with my MS. I tried Provigil several months ago, but it gave me a severe headache, and I felt spaced out. Tried Nuvigil just today and felt jittery in the early part of the day and a bit light-headed, but I think I'll stick with it and see if I get the benefits others describe. I didn't take a nap as usual today, and I hope to feel more focused and energetic with my job soon."

• CFS...
• February 17, 2011

For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome "My nervous system is extremely sensitive to this medicine. However, I take a fourth of a 150 mg tablet every 5 hrs or so. This keeps my nervous system in check and my POTS symptoms subside. Sometimes it gives me cold hands and feet and anxiety, however, it is worth that compared to the brain fog with POTS."

• Sco...
• October 2, 2010

For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome "Wow, since taking Nuvigil, I am able to task busily all day without an afternoon nap and general fatigue. It also has increased my adult cardio activity beautifully (if you know what I mean). I was a little jittery the first day and waited a week for a second try. Now, 4 days into it and awesome. Hope it stays working like this."

• Les...
• November 20, 2011

For Chronic Fatigue Syndrome "Have been taking Provigil for several years, after a head injury, to help with fatigue and focus. Lost my job, and no health insurance, so decided to try a 14-day free sample of Nuvigil while waiting for prescription assistance. Was taking 100 mg Provigil 1-2 times a day, and it helped a lot when I needed it (I went through phases of taking and then not taking it as needed). On Nuvigil, I was severely manic yesterday (2nd day at 150 mg) to the point where my friends were concerned about me. Felt jittery, and my friends said it looked like I was high. Felt a little like the couple of days when my doctor tried me on Adderall. I think I will wait until I get the Provigil approved."

• gig...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 10, 2012

For Fibromyalgia "I took this to help with the endless, debilitating fatigue I have from fibromyalgia. It didn't relieve my physical or mental fatigue at all, but it did keep me awake until three in the morning (I took it about 11 a.m.). I felt jittery and feverish (no actual fever, though). It kept me going all day, but I still had the heavy, uncomfortable feelings of physical and mental fatigue."

• Jmi...
• September 23, 2009

For Drowsiness "I was prescribed Provigil about 3 years ago to counteract excessive daytime sleepiness resulting from chronic insomnia. The dosage was set at 400 mg/day; 200 mg in the morning and 200 mg after lunch. Over the course of a normal workday, I would experience a significant rush and crash cycle with each pill and had the odd feeling of being anxious and tired at the same time. The effectiveness of the last pill would fade away well before the end of the work shift. I was recently prescribed Nuvigil and have taken it for about a week. So far, I haven't experienced the rush/crash cycle associated with Provigil, and it seems to last much longer. I take a single dose of 250 mg in the morning and usually feel the effect within an hour. Okay so far."

• DoJ...
• September 14, 2016

For Narcolepsy "Works very well at keeping me awake. No euphoria like amphetamines, very few side effects in fact aside from a very mild headache, which aspirin can fix. It seems like all it does is remove my chronic fatigue without giving extra energy. Perfect in my opinion. Anxiety can be a problem, especially at the 250 mg dose. If it is a problem, I would recommend breaking the 250 mg in half and taking them several hours apart, which also helps with the late afternoon crash. If you have high blood pressure or heart problems, probably not a good idea to take it. Also, there is a generic, not sure of the price difference."

• Col...
• April 25, 2012

For Obstructive Sleep Apnea/Hypopnea Syndrome "I am a 22-year-old female college student. I take Pristiq, an antidepressant, daily. I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea (runs in my family), and I sleep with a CPAP machine, which helps, but I was still tired and felt cloudy and unable to focus during the day. I started taking Nuvigil, and it has really helped. I am prescribed 250 mg, but I take the half dose. When I first started taking Nuvigil, I had awful headaches, and sometimes I felt jittery. Nuvigil kept me up at night for the first few weeks, but my body adjusted. I take it around 8 a.m. I feel alert and am able to focus better in school. I only get a headache if I skipped a few days, and they are not as bad."

• Cam...
• October 13, 2021

For Narcolepsy "I took a sleep study a couple of months ago and, of course, failed because of my extreme anxiety. I was prescribed Nuvigil, and each time I have taken it, I have still been extremely tired, but my mind will not let me nap. I can’t even sleep at night, even if I take the drug in the morning. I woke up today bawling my eyes out from an anxiety attack, and this is the second time it has happened. I’m done with this medication. I was so excited to get my life back."

• tsa...
• July 5, 2010

For Narcolepsy "I started Nuvigil 250 mg in the morning, two weeks ago after being diagnosed with narcolepsy. I went from sleeping all night and basically most of the day with extreme napping before the Nuvigil to no naps at all. I don't even feel sleepy. That is a plus. The first three days were a miracle! I was alert. Colors seemed brighter. I felt focused for the first time in years. Slowly, I started having afternoon side effects of a dull headache. I feel 'car sick' and jittery, and my skull feels actually numb to touch. I hope this subsides soon, or I may try halving my dose of 250 mg."

• LS5...
• February 21, 2012

For Narcolepsy "I have EDS and found Nuvigil (250 mg) very effective for remaining awake for the first couple of weeks, then my alertness diminished. I did find that while taking Nuvigil, if I took a 20-minute nap in the afternoon, I awoke feeling refreshed, not groggy and needing more sleep. The major side effect I experience is nearly severe jaw clenching/teeth grinding during the day when I was awake. My jaw is sore by 2 or 3 PM every day. Also, I found it difficult to sleep at night if I took it too late in the morning. I tried getting up at 5 AM and taking my dose, then sleeping for another hour. This helped me get to bed earlier at night. I noticed that I felt more anxious also."

• Kar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• October 9, 2012

For Drowsiness "Diagnosed with hypersomnia. Prescribed 150 mg Nuvigil 1 x day. This medication made me extremely talkative for the first few days to the point of annoyance to others and even myself. Though it curbed my extreme need for napping and did make me feel somewhat more 'alive' during the day, the side effects, for me, far outweighed the benefits. Chills, daily headaches, feeling feverish with no temperature throughout the two months I took Nuvigil. Daily stomach pain and irritability and changes in my behavior to include sadness and crying episodes, feeling overwhelmed, feelings as if I were 'losing it'. I stopped taking Nuvigil two weeks ago and no more side effects!!!!"

• hip...
• March 21, 2011

For Narcolepsy "Nuvigil works really well. The effectiveness does slightly wear off after several consecutive days with the dose, but taking a day or two off the medication has restored effectiveness for me. The only side effect I've experienced in the last month and a half is headaches (infrequently, at that). Be wary of mixing caffeine with Nuvigil. In my case, caffeine increases palpitation-like symptoms, increases jitteriness, and has even provoked hallucinations more than once."

• Fem...
• August 24, 2011

For Narcolepsy "I was diagnosed with narcolepsy a little over a year ago. As I was just about to start my senior year of college, I knew I needed to start a medication in order to get through classes and homework, so I started on Nuvigil 150 mg. I immediately noticed a huge difference in my quality of life. I had forgotten what it was like to be focused and alert throughout the day and would suddenly realize it was 9 PM and I was totally exhausted. However, side effects started to take over the benefits for me, and I started to experience problems with jitters, a sort of lingering morning sickness feeling, and anxiety. I stopped taking it due to these side effects, but sometimes now I feel the exhaustion is worse than dealing with the side effects."

• che...
• December 23, 2014

For Shift Work Sleep Disorder "I tried Nuvigil and Provigil years ago for obstructive sleep apnea because the CPAP machine didn't work. The trials of both medications increased my anxiety and depression and made me have suicidal ideations. Guess it doesn't work for everybody."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 11, 2012

For Drowsiness "I have been taking Nuvigil for over a year. It has been a great thing for me. I was starting to be afraid to drive, even in the morning after a good night's sleep. My doctor helped me by prescribing the 250 mg, and I split them. I keep myself able to manage with the 125 mg by only taking it the days that I work, and skipping one day midweek that I schedule heavily with more physical stuff to keep me alert. I also notice anxiety building if I take it daily for several weeks, or don't get enough sleep while I am taking it."