GPs and specialists can treat symptoms of narcolepsy with medicines such as modalert, pitolisant or solriamfetol. These are called stimulants and help to keep you awake during the day.
Some medicines can make you sleepy, so it is important to tell your GP about any that you are taking. They may recommend non-drowsy alternatives.
Dosage
Medications are the core therapy for most people with narcolepsy. With optimal medications, many experience large improvements in their alertness. However, finding the right combination can take time. The ultimate goal is to identify medications that produce the greatest benefits with the fewest problems.
Modalert 200mg Tablet is one of several medicines that improves alertness by increasing brain levels of dopamine, a chemical that promotes wakefulness. It also increases brain levels of two other wake-promoting chemicals, norepinephrine and serotonin. It is available as a tablet (Provigil) or a liquid solution (Nuvigil).
This medicine may interact with certain other drugs. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about all the medicines you take, including prescription and non-prescription drugs, vitamins, and herbal supplements. You should not drink alcohol or smoke while taking this medication. This drug may cause dizziness. If you drive or work around machinery, be careful not to get too dizzy. Visit your doctor or health care professional for regular checks on your progress.
Side Effects
Most people with narcolepsy get large improvements in alertness with medications, especially after they’ve had the opportunity to optimize their doses, use behavioral strategies and bring other sleep disorders under control. Finding the right balance can take time, and side effects should be monitored carefully.
Modafinil (Provigil, Nuvigil) is a very effective medication that increases brain levels of dopamine and, to a lesser extent, two other wake-promoting chemicals. It doesn’t interact with monamine oxidase inhibitors and has been shown to improve both subjective alertness and performance on the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test in people with narcolepsy.
Other stimulant medicines, such as sodium oxybate (Xyrem) and the newer formulations of guanfacine and dextroamphetamine, can also help increase alertness and may decrease cataplexy in some patients. They are usually taken in the morning and can be associated with side effects such as dizziness, headache and nausea. They should be avoided by people taking a monoamine oxidase inhibitor or those with impaired kidney function.
Precautions
Medications to improve alertness are important for people with narcolepsy. They can help keep symptoms like sleepiness, drowsiness or cataplexy under control and allow people with narcolepsy to function normally at home, work or school.
These medications can cause side effects such as dizziness, nausea or heart palpitations. It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have any other medical conditions, especially if you are taking any other medicines. This includes non-prescription and herbal medicines, vitamins, and dietary supplements. Also, tell your doctor if you smoke or drink alcohol, as this may affect how well the medicine works.
Modafinil Tablet and armodafinil are a good choice for treating excessive sleepiness associated with narcolepsy. They are often prescribed in combination with antidepressants to treat the underlying depression or bipolar disorder and to improve alertness and concentration. Other medicines that can improve alertness and reduce the frequency of cataplexy include methylphenidates, amphetamines and oxybates. Other medications that treat narcolepsy and related sleep disorders include clonidine, guanfacine and melatonin.
Overdose
The goal of treating narcolepsy is to help people feel alert most of the time. Medications that increase alertness and antidepressants that control cataplexy are core therapy for most people with narcolepsy. Treatment can take some time to find the right medication combination that produces the greatest benefits and least problems, but it is worth the effort. The best outcome is when all medications are optimized, other sleep disorders are treated thoughtfully and work and social activities are brought under control.
Modalert has been shown to be an effective medication for narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia. It also has been useful for treating attention deficit disorder and residual sleepiness in night workers. It can be used with other medications to treat psychiatric conditions like depression and bipolar disorder.
