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One of the most promising smart drugs to hit the market in years, the Nuvigil 150 mg tablet could hold the key to dramatic improvements in cognitive abilities.
Nuvigil is a brand name of the compound Armodafinil and is similar to the famous drug Provigil or Modafinil.
Recently, Nuvigil 150 mg pills are riding a new wave of hype that began with several high profile news reports about the similar drug Provigil.
Provigil, portrayed as NZT 48 in the Hollywood film “Limitless” starring Bradley Cooper, is widely known as the “smart pill.”
Provigil users say the drug boosts the perception of mental clarity and makes focusing on detail oriented tasks like math, science, or reading effortless for hours on end, with minimal side effects.
Nuvigil, produced by the same pharmaceutical company, Cephalon, is essentially a stronger version of Provigil. So obviously, there is great public interest in the drug, as a possible successor to Provigil.
Nuvigil is stronger and perhaps more effective than its predecessors, but does this new formulation come with new risks of side effects?
Read on to find out what doctors and the public are saying about the safety and efficacy of 250mg and 150mg Nuvigil pills, prescription uses, off-label uses, side effects, and how to purchase them legally.
Energy
Cognition
Motivation- Wakefulness-boosting stimulant
- Enhances motivation and focus
- Shown to boost mental performance
History of Nuvigil
Related Topics
- What is Armodafinil?
- What is Nuvigil?
- Armodafinil vs. Modafinil
- User Review
- Typical Nuvigil Experiences
- How it Works
- Nuvigil for ADHD
- Effects on Depression & Anxiety
- Dosage Recommendations
- How to Take
- Reported Side Effects
- Withdrawal & Tolerance
- Prescription Information
- Buying Nuvigil
- Generic Nuvigil Brands
- Is Armodafinil Legal?
- Is Nuvigil Safe?
- Comparison to Adderall
Armodafinil is related to two other compounds that were developed in the 1970s, Adrafinil and Modafinil. Adrafinil was first developed by scientists at the French pharmaceutical company Lafon Laboratories in 1974.
During testing to try and determine what Adrafinil’s mechanism of action is, Modafinil was discovered. It was found that Adrafinil is broken down in the liver into its component parts, the inactive modafinilic acid, and the active Modafinil. Modafinil was found to be the primary active component of Adrafinil, and is the source of the effects of the drug.
Adrafinil and Modafinil were tested and later approved as drugs for human use. Adrafinil was first approved as a treatment for narcolepsy in France in 1986. Modafinil was approved as a treatment for narcolepsy in France in 1994, and in the United States in 1998. Later Modafinil was also approved as a treatment for shift-work sleep disorder and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome.
Lafon Laboratories who originally developed Adrafinil and Modafinil was bought in 2001 by Cephalon Inc. In turn, Cephalon was acquired by Teva Pharmaceutical Industries in 2011. Cephalon, as a subsidiary of Teva, still produces the original name brand version of Modafinil, known as Provigil.
A few years before the patents were set to expire on Provigil, Cephalon began work on a new compound to help them maintain their market share. This new compound was Armodafinil Nuvigil, which is in fact a simplified version of Provigil. Nuvigil differs from Provigil only slightly at the molecular level, in that it is only one of the stereoisomers that make up Modafinil
Modafinil is made up of two enantiomers – R-Modafinil and S-Modafinil – which are mirror image stereoisomers of the same molecular structure (similar to a right and left hand). Modafinil is a racemic compound, which means that is is comprised of equal proportions of both enantiomers.
The R-enantiomer has been determined to be the more active and longer-lasting of the two isomers of Modafinil. Consequently, this enantiomer alone is what makes up Armodafinil – and also give it its name, Armodafinil from R-Modafinil.
Known as an “enantiopure” form of Provigil, Nuvigil produces the exact same user effects, except at smaller dosages of between 150mg to 250 mg as opposed to 200-300mg for Modafinil. It is not only stronger, but is thought to have a lower incidence of side effects.
Prescription Uses of Nuvigil 150 mg Pills
Just like its predecessor Provigil before it, Nuvigil has been classified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States as a Schedule IV prescription drug and is approved to treat narcolepsy and shift-work sleep disorder, and as an adjunct treatment for obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome.
In multiple double-blind placebo-controlled research studies, Nuvigil has been seen to reduce excessive sleepiness and improve wakefulness in people with these serious sleep disorders.
In one study using Nuvigil for narcolepsy, patients were given either a placebo or Nuvigil 150 mg or 250 mg and then efficacy was tested using the Maintenance of Wakefulness test (MWT), the Clinical Global Impression of Change scale, and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale.
It was seen that compared to the placebo patients, the patients given Nuvigil has significantly increased sleep latency times on the MWT. Scores from the patient administered Epworth Sleepiness Scale saw improved scores from the Nuvigil patients compared to the placebo patients.
When Nuvigil 150 mgs was used as a treatment for shift-work sleep disorder in one randomized control study, it was seen the compared to placebo, Nuvigil improved mean sleep latency time as measured by the Multiple Sleep Latency test.
Additionally, from patient sleep diaries, it was found that Nuvigil significantly decreased sleepiness during work shifts, during time in the lab, and while commuting.
Some people with obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome still experience residual excessive daytime sleepiness even when their condition is being treated with a nCPAP (nasal continuous positive airway pressure) machine worn at night.
In one study with patients like this, it has been observed that mean sleep latency on the MWT increased with Nuvigil, while it actually decreased on a placebo. Nuvigil was also seen to significantly improve episodic secondary memory, patient-estimated wakefulness, and reduce fatigue compared with placebo.
Nuvigil’s Effect On The Mind
Even though Nuvigil was approved for human use in 2007 by the FDA, we still don’t have an exact picture of how it works in the body.
It is clear that Nuvigil is a eugeroic compound. Literally translated as an “arousal” drugs, eugeroics turn on wakeful, alert feelings without the hardcore chemical stimulation found in amphetamines.
The mechanism of action may have to do with the release of CNS histamines, whose inflammatory immune response may be rechanneled to enhance the action of neurotransmitters, specifically ones relating to the brain’s sleep centers.
The result is a powerful feeling of mental acuity. The brain’s perception of feeling tired is lessened. The resulting lucidity can fuel hours of intense study or work. Distracting thoughts don’t interfere, as all anxious energy dissipates.
It’s hard to believe that a single Nuvigil 150 mg pill can initiate such a dramatic change in focus so quickly – but countless user reports about Nuvigil and other eugeroics like Modafinil and Adrafinil concur.
There has not been much research done directly on the cognitive effects of Nuvigil, but these effects have been studied in trials done for other purposes.
In one study on narcolepsy, patients were given either Nuvigil 150 mg or 250 mg, or a placebo. When given evaluations of cognitive performance, the Cognitive Drug Research battery of tests, it was seen that the Nuvigil groups showed statistically significant improvements in memory and attention over the placebo patients.
In another study done on patients with shift-work sleep disorder, patients were given either a placebo or Nuvigil 150 mg pills. When the Nuvigil patients were given the Cognitive Drug Research battery of tests, improved performance was seen on standardized memory and attention tests compared to placebo patients.
- Increases energy, wakefulness and motivation
- Boosts mental performance and focus
- Supports memory and cognition
Proper Dosing
Nuvigil dosages vary according to intended use.
For serious sleep disorders, most doctors recommend one Nuvigil 150 mg tablet or sometimes a 250 mg tablet once per day. This can be taken in the morning, or just before a long work shift.
For mind-enhancing nootropic use, suggested doses are lower. As little as 50 mg per day can provide powerful and noticeable improvements to attention span.
The median dose for nootropic effects is one Nuvigil 100 mg or 150 mg pill per day, taken as early as possible.
A user comment that frequently comes up is regarding the subtlety of Nuvigil’s effects as they first begin to manifest. Many people note that they simply became more productive, more focused, and enjoyed daily tasks more, without attributing it to the Nuvigil until after the fact.
At any dose, the drug does not produce a “high” feeling – it simply amplifies natural abilities to perform cognitive tasks and concentrate. Taking more than 250 mg per day is unnecessary and will not increase effects.
Nuvigil 250 mg Pills Side Effects by Dosage
Nuvigil 250 mg pills are famously the strongest members of the eugeroic class. For this reason, they have slightly different side effects risks than similar drugs like Provigil.
Some of the most commonly reported side effects of Nuvigil from user reviews and from pooled double-blind placebo-controlled research studies on narcolepsy, SWSD, and OSAHS include:
- headaches
- nausea
- dizziness
- anxiety
- insomnia
- diarrhea
- dry mouth
- depression
- dyspepsia (indigestion)
- fatigue
- heart palpitations
- upper abdominal pain
While most people can tolerate doses up to 250 mg per day, that amount is usually not necessary. Above 150 mg per day, there is greater risk of small side effects like headaches and nausea.
While no additional effects are to be gained from higher doses, certain negative physical effects can become amplified, including bruising, inflammation, and high blood pressure.
Also, larger doses can cause over-stimulation of the mind, resulting in sleeplessness, restless, and anxious thoughts. As most people take Nuvigil in order to feel calm focus, sticking to lower doses is generally recommended. At 100 mg per day, you’ll still feel all of Nuvigil’s cognitive effects, without jitters or trouble sleeping.
Insomnia is a side effect that is not a true adverse reaction but rather can be related to dosage and the timing of dosages. The half-life of Nuvigil is rather long, at about 13 hours on average. This means that the effects of the drug can be felt many hours after it was ingested.
It taken too late in the day, Nuvigil can cause insomnia, because the stimulating, wakefulness promoting effects of the drug will still be active. It is recommended that you take your dosage as early in the morning as you can to help avoid sleep disturbances like insomnia.
There are a few very rare, but serious mucous membrane and skin reactions to be aware of when taking Nuvigil. These conditions include Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS), toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS).
Research has shown that there is strong evidence that some people have a genetic predisposition to develop these conditions when they take certain medications including but not limited to antibiotics, anesthetics, cold and flu medications, and Nuvigil or Provigil. A variation in these people’s human leukocyte antigens makes them more susceptible to these severe skin reactions.
If you begin to have a fever, flu-like symptoms like body aches and sore throat, and a red/purple spreading, blistering rash while taking Nuvigil then you may be having one of these reactions. Stop taking the drug immediately and contact your doctor or go to an emergency room.
There are a number of contraindications with Nuvigil. Nuvigil pills should never be mixed with blood pressure medication, liver supplements, or beta blockers. It has been seen to decrease the effectiveness of steroidal/hormonal contraceptives.
More negative interactions exist with other prescription and over-the-counter medications. Your doctor should discuss any known interactions with drugs you are taking when your are prescribed Nuvigil. Speak with your doctor if you are considering using any new medications to help determine if there could interactions.
Nuvigil 150 mg Tablets Cost
Provigil and Nuvigil are very expensive medications. For some people with good health insurance who are using Nuvigil for an on-label purpose, this is not an issue, and they typically will be able to fill their prescriptions easily.
However, for people who have a prescription for Nuvigil for a sleep disorder, but do not have health insurance or do not have a good drug coverage policy then this treatment can be out of reach for them normally.
For people who want Nuvigil for an off-label purpose, getting a prescription can be very difficult. It is legal for doctors to write off-label prescriptions, but they often will not for Provigil and Nuvigil due to a fear of repercussions from medical boards. Sometimes prescriptions are written for conditions like attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but almost never for nootropic purposes.
If you are able to get a prescription for an off-label use, you still may have issues actually filling your prescription. Due to the fact that most insurance companies will not cover the cost of Nuvigil 250 pills for off-label nootropic uses, the consumer usually ends up having to pay retail prices. At as much as $300 per 30 250 mg pills, a daily Nuvigil regimen is out of the question for most people.
For this reason, many people look for coupons and deals on the internet. There are some coupons available online from websites like GoodRX.com that can offer significant savings to people when filling their prescriptions at a pharmacy. Generic Armodafinil is also an option which can help save significant money for users and should be discussed with your doctor.
However, many people who want to use Nuvigil for nootropic purposes are unable to get the prescription they want. In these cases, some people will turn to the internet gray market to try and buy Nuvigil without a prescription.
Many international pharmacy vendors will sell Nuvigil without a prescription as it is legal to do so in countries where Nuvigil is considered an over-the-counter drug (e.g. India and Mexico). However, the issue with this is that upon importation to a country where Nuvigil is a prescription medication (like the USA), then the shipment is under the laws of that country.
There is a strong possibility that any product you order from an online pharmacy will never reach you, as it could be examined and seized by customs agents when it is imported. If you do not have proof of a prescription then your shipment can be confiscated and you may be placed on a DEA watchlist.
If the product you order does in fact reach you, then another issue with buying from one of these online pharmacies that do not require a prescription is that it is impossible to determine the quality and purity of the products. With no government oversight, pills could be compromised or completely fraudulent.
Most of the manufacturers do not follow good manufacturing practices and are not GMP certified. Additionally, there is typically no third party testing done on the finished products. Most of these pharmacies do not have any Certificate of Analysis available for their products, and very rarely would they have one for each batch.
Therefore, without getting each batch of the product that you receive tested at a laboratory, it is impossible to know that the product you receive is genuine and free from contaminants
Legal, Prescription-Free Nuvigil Alternatives
It is possible to experience the cognitive-boosting power packed into every Nuvigil 150 mg pill, legally and safely in the USA. Many nootropic users will instead use Adrafinil, the direct pre-cursor to Modafinil. Using Adrafinil as a Nuvigil substitute is a good way for most people who are curious about the effects of this exciting class of eugeroics to be able to legally and safely experience them.
Once processed by natural enzymes in the liver, Adrafinil becomes Modafinil, which as discussed above, is the close relative of Nuvigil. Categorized as a unscheduled, unregulated compound, it is fully legal to buy Adrafinil without a prescription from U.S. nootropic vendors.
Because of how it is metabolized in the liver,
Another option that some people will use as a Nuvigil alternative is one of the Racetam class of compounds. This family of compounds are all based off of the parent compound Piracetam.
Piracetam was first developed in the 1960s at the Belgian pharmaceutical company UCB. This compound is considered the first nootropic, and caused its creator to actually coin the term “nootropic” (from Greek, meaning “to turn the mind”).
Piracetam has been observed in research to have effects on the levels and activity of the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine. Effects of elevated Acetylcholine include improved general cognition and increased memory formation, retention, and recall.
Since the development of Piracetam in the ’60s, more research and development has continued, and more potent derivatives have been developed, including Aniracetam, Oxiracetam, Pramiracetam, and Phenylpiracetam. All of these derivatives are more powerful then their parent compound, and have been noted to have unique effects as well.
For example, Pramiracetam is considered to be about 40 times as potent as Piracetam. It has been observed to have strong mental energy and alertness boosting effects that can last for about 8 hours, which makes it an ideal substitute for the nootropic effects of Nuvigil.
Like Adrafinil, the Racetams are unscheduled, unregulated compounds in the United States. They are fully legal to buy and use, although FDA laws make the sale of them limited in the US. They are available from a variety of online nootropic stores.
For anyone who is interested in the off-label nootropic uses of Nuvigil 150 mg pills but cannot get a prescription for this drug, then Adrafinil and the Racetams are a legal, non-prescription alternative to buying Nuvigil without a prescription from the Internet gray market.
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- Roscoe JA, Garland SN, Heckler CE, Perlis ML, Peoples AR, Shayne M, Savard J, Daniels NP, Morrow GR. Randomized placebo-controlled trial of cognitive behavioral therapy and armodafinil for insomnia after cancer treatment. J Clin Oncol. 2015
- Greve DN, Duntley SP, Larson-Prior L, Krystal AD, Diaz MT, Drummond SP, Thein SG, Kushida CA, Yang R, Thomas RJ. Effect of armodafinil on cortical activity and working memory in patients with residual excessive sleepiness associated with CPAP-Treated OSA: a multicenter fMRI study. J Clin Sleep Med. 2014
- Darwish M, Kirby M, D'Andrea DM, Yang R, Hellriegel ET, Robertson P Jr. Pharmacokinetics of armodafinil and modafinil after single and multiple doses in patients with excessive sleepiness associated with treated obstructive sleep apnea: a randomized, open-label, crossover study. Clin Ther. 2010
- Darwish M, Kirby M, Hellriegel ET, Robertson P Jr. Armodafinil and modafinil have substantially different pharmacokinetic profiles despite having the same terminal half-lives: analysis of data from three randomized, single-dose, pharmacokinetic studies. Clin Drug Investig. 2009
- Drake C, Gumenyuk V, Roth T, Howard R. Effects of armodafinil on simulated driving and alertness in shift work disorder. Sleep. 2014
- Roth T, Freeman J, Zammit G, Donnelly P, Gao J, Ferreira-Cornwell MC, Gasior M. A generalized estimating equation approach to analysis of maintenance of wakefulness testing in a study of lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, armodafinil, and placebo in sleep-deprived adults. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2014
- Fiocchi EM, Lin YG, Aimone L, Gruner JA, Flood DG. Armodafinil promotes wakefulness and activates Fos in rat brain. Pharmacol Biochem Behav. 2009
- Goss AJ, Kaser M, Costafreda SG, Sahakian BJ, Fu CH. Modafinil augmentation therapy in unipolar and bipolar depression: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. J Clin Psychiatry. 2013
Article last updated on: April 16th, 2018 by Nootriment
4 Comments
I started taking another armodafinil. It has the same effect but I have only ever seen it in 150mg tabs.
Your description of the efficacy is spot on although I would say that the initial dose has the most impact, simply because you aren’t expecting the effect to kick in so quickly and noticeably. Like wearing glasses for the first time and being able to focus. Subsequent doses still work but you know what to expect and aren’t quite so startled each time.
I agree with taking the earlier the better to avoid any low level headache.
The next phase for me is to introduce a nootropic gradually and see if the two magnify each other.
I have been taking Nuvigil for almost a year now. I have sleep apnea so bad I dont get enough sleep and before I started taking Nuvigil I had a car accident. When my doctor found this out I was put on Nuvigil immediately. The bad part is the company who makes this drug could care less about how much this drug could help many people. All they are interested in is the amount of money they can make off it. People like me who it is almost a life or death situation to take the drug cant afford it. It cost goes up and down. A 30 day supply has cost me monthly for only 30 pills from 500.00 to 600 hundred a month. I have been doing all kinds of research to find a drug similiar to this. I can not pay this redicilious price for a drug I despertially need and so many people are in the same position as I. I think it is a sin for this company not to be no more regulated than they are on price. It does not cost that much to make that drug. Just a bunch of money hungry wolves, that money one day wont even matter. HOW SELFISH I WOULD BE ASHAMED to do people that way. One day their time will come.
As to cost- there are “coupon” websites that are linked to discount cards and show prices by pharmacy. GoodRx.com website. The lowest came out to $13/pill. I am talking about participating store pharmacies like Kroger, Cvs, Walmart, etc. Still a lot of green for a month supply. My brother is prescribed them for MS related issues 3x250mg daily. He recently (since BCBS) insurance won’t cover it, tried switching around medicaid providers/services and has ended walking out with 90x250mg provigil/armodafinil for $0.00 dollars! That’s right $0.00. Somehow it got covered 100%. Since ins. denied it, medicaid had to have picked it up.
I have taken armodafinil sporadically in the past and recently decided that I should try to take it on a regimen as indicated. When I began to take it on the regimen, after the second day I really began to notice a great deal of clarity and an increased ability to concentrate for extended periods. (otherwise not my forte’). I notice things such as my poor typing ability due to shaky hands and neurological damage has suddenly ceased to be a problem. Nerve patterns firing. I don’t miss key strokes and am picking up speed every day. What was difficult now seems easy. My vision has returned to 20/10 and 20/20 as it was years ago. I feel I want to seek out people to converse with, socialize. Again, I typically keep quiet and to myself. Anxiety nullified. Another change. Even some of my sciatic foot and leg pain are reduced. This frees my mind as severe chronic pain can consume your mind and cause total distraction and an almost inability to think about anything else. I even forgot to take my pain meds. Provigil, after it builds up to a steady level in my system, seems to produce all manner of positive effects. Aside from the physical, I could go on about how I tested this by taking IQ tests and merriam-webster challenges suddenly being able to respond with answers so much quicker that I frequently rank #1-#4 on the leader board. I never before was able to exceed 10th-25th, now #1 on the first two days taking provigil? Amazing! I am currently exploring to find other ways to detect any improvements or differences so that I might put this to people in a more succinct and coherent manner. Keeping a log of everything I notice. Understand, I am not saying that the pill has made me any more intelligent/smart. It has simply taken away many of the hindrances to my realizing my full abilities which have deteriorated over the years. Tomorrow, if I ever want to go to sleep tonight, I will try a comparison of memory function tests-now vs. past results. Again, the pill can’t make you smarter, but it seems to open up your door to reaching full potential. Makes my dexterity more precise, my thinking,response time and decision making faster. Didn’t really start to kick in until my second or third dose except for reducing my anxiety quickly. Positive effects, increasing…keep you posed if you are interested. 250mg upon waking, 2nd dose early afternoon, 3rd after dinner, but only if I want to stay up half/all night! or need to since I trade Forex 24hrs a day. Maybe I will see some improvement in my trades…let you know.
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