Modafinil
Modafinil is a wakefulness-promoting medicine for excessive sleepiness in narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder and sleep apnoea; the range here is Provigil in 100mg and 200mg tablets.
Where modafinil fits
Modafinil is a wakefulness-promoting medicine. It is licensed for excessive sleepiness in three situations.
Narcolepsy is the first. People with it get sleepiness that is hard to resist, even after a full night in bed. Shift work sleep disorder is the second. Picture a nurse on rotating nights who can barely stay alert on the ward and then cannot sleep at home when the schedule says she should. The third is obstructive sleep apnoea, where breathing stops or turns shallow many times a night. Someone who uses a breathing mask and is still drowsy by mid-afternoon is the case modafinil is added for.
It changes the levels of certain natural brain chemicals in the area that governs sleep and wakefulness. Sleepiness drops. The underlying disorder stays as it was, and a night of proper sleep is still needed.
The modafinil range
Here modafinil comes as Provigil, a generic tablet in 100mg and 200mg. The 200mg tablet holds twice as much as the 100mg one. Apart from that the two are the same, so you order by the amount per tablet.
Taking it day to day
You swallow one tablet a day, with or without food, and keep to about the same time. For narcolepsy or sleep apnoea that means the morning. The night-shift nurse takes hers roughly an hour before the shift starts. A tablet taken late in the afternoon can leave you lying awake that night. The mask or other sleep apnoea treatment carries on as before.
Keep the tablets in their container, at ordinary room temperature, away from heat and damp.
Side effects and interactions
Headache, dizziness, nausea, drowsiness, trouble sleeping, diarrhoea, heartburn, loss of appetite and dry mouth are reported. Rash, blisters, peeling skin, swelling of the face, throat or lips, chest pain, a fast or pounding heartbeat, hallucinations and depression with thoughts of self-harm are the serious ones that need urgent help.
Modafinil speeds up the way the body clears some hormones, which matters for anyone on the pill, a patch or an implant: protection drops, and stays lower for a month after the last tablet. Omeprazole and modafinil affect each other too. Skip grapefruit and go easy on alcohol. Heart trouble, high blood pressure, liver or kidney disease, and a history of mania or psychosis all call for extra care with it.
Sources
- Modafinil: MedlinePlus Drug Information — National Library of Medicine
- DailyMed - MODAFINIL tablet — DailyMed
Is Modafinil available to order in Hong Kong?
Modafinil can be ordered online with delivery to Hong Kong. The range here is generic Provigil in 100mg and 200mg tablets. An order that has not been dispatched can be cancelled within 24 hours, and support answers 24/7 in English and Cantonese.
How much does Modafinil cost?
The price depends on the strength and pack size you choose. The Provigil page shows current prices in HKD or the currency you select.
Can I buy generic Provigil in Hong Kong?
Yes, generic Provigil is listed as 100mg and 200mg tablets and contains Modafinil. The product page for this version shows both strengths and the tablet form, and you can order it for delivery to Hong Kong.
What are the other names for modafinil?
Modiodal and Provigil are brand names of modafinil, which is also sold as Modalert, Modvigil and Modaheal. Here, modafinil can be bought online as generic Provigil. These are generics, not the original brand.
What happens if I miss a dose of modafinil?
Skip it. Wait until the next scheduled time and take the normal dose then, never a double one. A dose taken too late in the waking day may make it harder to fall asleep that night.
Is modafinil habit-forming?
It may be. Keep to the recommended amount, frequency and length of use rather than taking more, taking it more often or for longer. Modafinil lowers sleepiness without curing the disorder, so it continues even when you feel rested.
Does modafinil interact with grapefruit or omeprazole?
Both matter with modafinil. Omeprazole may interact with it, and grapefruit and grapefruit juice also appear among its dietary cautions, so keep both in mind alongside any other medicines you take.
Is Provigil 100mg or 200mg stronger?
The 200mg tablet holds twice as much modafinil as the 100mg. Both are the same generic tablet in the Provigil listing, and the amount per tablet is the only difference between the two strengths.