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How to Buy Provigil in Canada

Posted By: Nootriment |

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provigil legal in canada As a Canadian, are you legally allowed to buy Provigil?

This drug is one of the best regarded treatments for serious sleep disorders such as narcolepsy, shift-work sleep disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea/hypoponea syndrome. It is commonly used off-label for ADHD, daytime fatigue, certain types of cognitive decline, and as a general cognitive enhancing smart drug.

It is known for enhancing brain function related to attention, concentration, logical thinking, learning, as well as storing and retrieving memories. For these reasons, many Canadians are interested in taking Provigil to sharpen their mental faculties and boost their productivity or level of success at work or school.

Even though Provigil is widely used in the USA, it is difficult to find in Canada, primarily because the name brand version of Modafinil sold in Canada is Alertec.

What is the legal status of Provigil in Canada and are you allowed to buy it from other countries to import it?

Modafinil

Ergogenic Drug

Alertness

Mental Acuity

Focus

How It Works:

Stimulates wakefulness in the brain
Promotes mental acuity & processing
Enhances focus, motivation & energy

Dosage:

Between 100 - 200 mg per day

Safety:

Some Reported Side Effects

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Provigil

History of Modafinil

Modafinil was first developed in France in 1976 by Michel Jouvet, an experimental medicine professor working for Lafon Laboratories (Lafon was bought by Cephalon in 2001). The discovery of Modafinil came about because of testing done on a compound called Adrafinil.

Adrafinil and Modafinil have very similar molecular structures, with the only difference being that Modafinil does not have a hydroxyl group that Adrafinil has on its terminal amide. The reason for this high degree of similarity is because Adrafinil is in fact the prodrug of Modafinil.

After ingestion, Adrafinil travels through the bloodstream to the liver, where it is metabolized and fully broken down into its component parts, namely modafinilic acid and Modafinil. In testing to determine Adrafinil’s mechanism of action in the body, Modafinil was found to be the primary active compound that is the cause of Adrafinil’s effects.

Both compounds are considered eugeroics, or compounds that promote wakefulness. They have stimulant-like effects, however they are not chemically related to traditional amphetamine based stimulants, and they work differently in the body.

After the discovery of Modafinil, research on Adrafinil still continued for a while. Adrafinil was first tested for use in humans as a drug to treat narcolepsy sleep disorder. It was approved for this use in France in 1986.

Once Modafinil could be produced on its own without conversion from Adrafinil, and after it had gone through animal testing of its own, production of Adrafinil was slowed. Modafinil was more potent and faster acting then its predecessor, and therefore commanded more research and funding. Eventually Cephalon stopped production of Adrafinil and focused solely on Modafinil. Adrafinil is produced again today by other manufacturers however.

Provigil for Sleep Disorders

buy provigil canada Like its predecessor Adrafinil, Modafinil was first tested as a treatment for narcolepsy in humans. Narcolepsy is a neurologically based sleep disorder that causes excessive sleepiness during the day that is unrelated to quality and quantity of nighttime sleep. Narcoleptics also can fall asleep randomly multiple times per day, often without warning.

Modafinil has been tested in many different double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials, and it has been seen to significantly improve wakefulness and decrease excessive daytime sleepiness when compared against a placebo. In one study, compared to a placebo, Provigil was seen to improve the mean sleep latency time by up to 54%, as measured by the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test.

Modafinil is approved as a prescription treatment for narcolepsy in Canada. It has also been approved as a treatment for two other serious sleep disorders, shift-work sleep disorder and obstructive sleep apnea/hypoponea syndrome.

Shift-work sleep disorder is caused by disturbances to the normal circadian rhythm that our bodies follow. Humans are naturally diurnal, awake during the day, sleeping at night. Because of needing to work overnight or very late night work shifts, some people must be awake at night, and then sleep during the day.

This switching of the natural bodily schedule can cause excessive sleepiness while awake at night, and insomnia when trying to sleep during the day. In trials, Provigil has been seen to improve work performance and decrease lapses in attention as measured by the Psychomotor Vigilance test better than a placebo.

Obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome is a condition that affects breathing during sleep. Hypopnea refers to labored, shallow breathing that is caused by a partial blockage of the upper airway, while apnea refers to the temporary cessation of breathing due to complete airway blockage.

These episodes of interrupted breathing can occur multiple times per hour during sleep, leading to poor quality sleep, and subsequently excessive sleepiness during the day. The most common treatment for this condition is wearing a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine while sleeping to help keep the airway open and unobstructed.

Even with this treatment for the condition, some people still experience residual excessive daytime sleepiness. In these cases, Provigil has been seen to be an effective treatment for the excessive sleepiness, and improves scores on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale significantly compared to placebo.

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Modafinil for ADHD

As mentioned previously, Provigil is officially approved as a treatment for narcolepsy, shift-work sleep disorder and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome. Any other uses of Provigil are technically off-label uses.

Modafinil has been used off-label for a large number of uses, including for disease related fatigue associated with depression, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, and Parkinson’s disease; schizophrenia; weight loss; ADHD; and as a cognitive enhancer.

One of the most popular off-label uses of Provigil is as a treatment for the symptoms of attention-deficit disorder (ADD) and attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In multiple different studies, Provigil has been seen to significantly improve the symptoms of ADHD compared to placebo, as measured by a variety of tests including the ADHD Rating Scale-IV School and Home Versions, the Clinical Global Impressions-Improvement scale, the Conners Rating Scales, and the Teacher and Parent ADHD Rating Scale-IV.

Provigil has even been tested against a conventional ADHD medication to show its efficacy. In the study, Provigil was compared to dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) and a placebo. It was observed that both active medications improved scores on the DSM-IV ADHD Behavior Checklist for Adults significantly over placebo. Provigil was seen to perform similarly compared to the dextroamphetamine.

There are some doctors who will consider writing prescriptions for Provigil for their patients with ADHD. This most commonly happens in situations where previous use of conventional amphetamine or methylphenidate stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin have either not worked as well as wanted, or have caused serious side effects (amphetamine can have negative cardiovascular effects).

Use of Provigil for ADHD is not currently recommended for pediatric patients due to a single case of a negative reaction in a research trial. A doctor diagnosed the child with Stevens-Johnson syndrome, and even though the diagnosis was later recanted, use in children has not been approved since that time. This condition, while quite serious, is considered a very rare possibility, and is believed to only affect certain people (more information in the Side Effects section below).

Using Provigil as a Nootropic

The other most popular off-label use of Provigil is as a nootropic smart drug. A large variety of people from university students to business executives have reported using Modafinil as a way to give themselves a mental edge.

In addition to helping relieve fatigue and give a boost of energy throughout the day, Provigil has been said to improve learning ability, focus, concentration, motivation, and memory. Thoughts are said to flow more easily, and information is retained better. Users report being highly motivated and focused on their tasks, often working for many hours straight without distractions.

One literature review of studies done on Modafinil found that there was a trend across the research showing that the drug may help improve memory, specifically in the areas of working memory and episodic memory. Another literature observed that Modafinil may help improve executive function (time management, problem solving, planning) when completing difficult and complex tests and tasks.

One research study had participants take a series of cognitive tests and assessments before being given either a placebo or Provigil, and then also completing the same tests at 90 and 180 minutes after ingestion. Provigil was seen to significantly improve scores from baseline on reaction time, motivation, vigilance, and fatigue levels, compared to any improvements seen between baseline and placebo scores.

In one randomized double-blind, between-subjects study, participants were given either Provigil or a placebo and then asked to complete a battery of neuropsychological tests that assessed memory and attention. Compared to scores from placebo patients, scores from patients given Provigil were significantly improved on tests of digit span memory and visual pattern recognition memory, as well as a spatial planning task and a test of stop-signal reaction time.

There was also seen a small increase in response time on a few tests, including a decision-making task, a delayed matching to sample test, as well as the spatial planning task. The researchers believe that this delay allowed for the inhibition of prepotent responses (responses that are habitual or ingrained, but are counter to the task at hand), and therefore may show beneficial effects for people with ADHD, even though this study was conducted in neurotypical participants.

Therefore, Provigil is not thought to increase the speed of thoughts and reasoning, but instead may help to control impulsive responding, allowing for overall improvements to performance.

Provigil vs. Alertec

In Canada, Provigil is not a controlled substance which means that it is legal to possess this drug. It is, however, classified as a Schedule I prescription-only medication, and is listed on the Prescription Drug List (which replaced Schedule F of the Food and Drug Regulations).

Therefore you must have a doctor’s prescription to buy this medication in Canada legally.

There has been some confusion as to whether Alertec was the generic of Provigil, but it is not. It is simply a different brand name for the same product. Provigil and Alertec are simply different brand names given to the same drug (Modafinil). There is no difference between them.

If you are a Canadian resident and you wish to talk to your doctor about a prescription for Modafinil, your prescription will be written for “Alertec”.

In some cases the doctor can include the phrase Generic Substitution OK, making it possible for Modafinil under any other brand name to be used to fill your prescription.

People have reported importing Modafinil under many of the various brand names such as Provigil, Modalert, Modiodal and Modavigil successfully, both with and without a prescription.

In most cases, users will prefer to order the generic forms of Modafinil instead of buying the brand name Provigil drug to use in Canada. This is because the generics are much cheaper but still contain the same active ingredient.

That being said, ordering Provigil (or some Modafinil alternative) from an online pharmacy based in another country is not a straightforward proposition. There are a few factors to to be aware of before you consider doing this.

The first issue surrounds the legality of importing medications. While it is legal to import prescription medication in the United States with proof of a prescription, laws in Canada do not allow the importation of prescription drugs by individuals even when a doctor’s prescription is present.

Importing regulated drugs without a prescription can lead to seizure of your shipment at the border by customs. These regulations are known for being inconsistently enforced; just because someone you know was able to order Provigil to Canada from another country does not mean you will have the same luck.

Legal repercussions which could ensue, though at this time we have not heard of any with regards to shipments in small quantities usually reserved for personal use. Personal use quantities consist of a 30-60 day supply.

Can I Buy Provigil in Canada Without a Prescription?

provigil canada A quick search on Google will provide you with multiple online vendors of Provigil. Any legitimate pharmacies will be operating according to the regulations of both their own country, as well as the ones they ship to, and will require proof of a prescription.

However, in addition to these pharmacies, there are many online shops offering to sell Provigil or other Modafinil brands without a prescription. We have heard both good and bad reports about these types of sellers. There is always a risk when dealing with an individual or a company who is working outside the regulations of the law.

One of the risks in doing so involves your financial details if they require payment using your credit card. A second risk is that your shipment may never be sent. A third risk is that your shipment could be seized in customs, because as described earlier, importation of prescription drugs is not legal in Canada, even with a prescription.

Finally, if you do receive your order you will be unable to determine if you have received real Provigil or not. There are typically not good manufacturing procedures in place, or quality assurance standards set by the distributors. Some legitimate online pharmacies will be able to provide Certificates of Analysis for their products, but most grey market online pharmacies will not.

There are laboratories to which you can send a sample to test for purity, but this would be quite costly to do for every shipment you get. Additionally, if your results are not good and the product is not pure or actually Modafinil, you have no means of recourse.

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Legal Non-Prescription Provigil Alternatives

Buying prescription medications from online pharmacies can be tempting, as prices are cheap online. However if you try to buy Provigil or buy Modafinil online as a Canadian, it comes with many inherent risks. Many people are unwilling to take these risks, and therefore turn to non-prescription alternatives such as Adrafinil or one of the Racetams.

With Adrafinil, you will be able to experience the same effects of Modafinil, but without needing a prescription. As described previously, Adrafinil is the prodrug of Modafinil. It is broken down in the liver into the active Modafinil.

Adrafinil is not as potent as Modafinil, as not all of the compound is directly converted into Modafinil; therefore, you will need a higher dosage to get similar effects of a normal Modafinil dosage. As well, Adrafinil takes longer to take effect, as it must be metabolized in the liver. But after that initial delay, users say that the effects are quite comparable to Modafinil.

Another non-prescription nootropic option that some people use as a Provigil substitute is one of the Racetam group of compounds. This family of nootropics is based off of Piracetam, considered the first nootropic.

First developed in the 1960s, Piracetam has been seen in many different studies to have positive effects on the neurotransmitter Acetylcholine. Elevated levels of Acetylcholine is associated with improved memory formation, retention, and recall, as well as enhanced overall cognition.

Since the developement of Piracetam, more potent derivatives have been developed, that often have even more specialized effects. For example, Aniracetam and Oxiracetam are considered 3-6 times more powerful than their parent compound, while Phenylpiracetam is thought to be as much as 50-60 times as potent as Piracetam. Pramiracetam – 30 times as potent as Piracetam – is said to increase mental energy levels and alertness for up to 8 hours, making it an ideal alternative to Provigil.

Adrafinil and the Racetams are categorized as unscheduled, unregulated compounds in the Canada and many other countries, including the United States. The sale of compound like this is somewhat restricted, making it hard to find them sold domestically, however they are entirely legal to buy and are available from many online nootropic stores.

Provigil Side Effects

If you end up buying Provigil from an international online pharmacy and receive your product, it is possible you may have a product that is not entirely pure. Contaminants in the product could cause unwanted side effects, which is one of the key risks inherent in buying from these places.

If you do receive legitimate Modafinil, or if you are taking the drug legally with a prescription, then there are still some common side effects to be aware of. While generally well tolerated in adults, there have been reports from research studies and user reviews of the following common side effects: headaches, nausea, anxiety, nervousness, indigestion, heartburn, vomiting, diarrhea, back pain, dry mouth, dry skin, and insomnia.

Some people need a little while for their bodies to adjust to new medications. Side effects caused by this often subside within a couple weeks. If you are still experiencing side effects after that then speak with your doctor.

One common side effect, insomnia, is often caused by dosage timing. The half-life of Provigil is between 12-15 hours. If you take a dosage of this drug too late in the day, then you may still experience its stimulating effects late into the evening/night. It is recommended to take your dosage in the morning before noon if you have experienced sleep disturbances.

As previously mentioned, certain serious skin and mucous membrane reactions are possible when taking Provigil, including Stevens-Johnson syndrome, toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), and drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS). There has been strong evidence suggesting that some people may have a genetic predisposition to develop these conditions if you take certain medications, including Provigil.

Stevens-Johnson syndrome, while considered the least serious, but still potentially fatal, is the most likely reaction to occur (although no documented cases have been seen in research studies in adults, and the one pediatric case was retracted). Symptoms include fever, sore throat, stuffy nose, body aches/pains, and a red/purple rash near the mouth, nose, eyes, and genitals, that spreads and blisters.

If you have any of these symptoms, it is imperative that you stop taking Provigil immediately, and go to an emergency room or contact your doctor to determine a treatment plan.

Provigil in Canada Summary

Provigil is the brand name for Modafinil in several countries other than Canada. In Canada, Modafinil is sold under the brand name Alertec. It is an approved treatment for a number of serious sleep disorders. Any other uses of Provigil are considered off-label.

There are some doctors who will write off-label prescriptions for Provigil for uses such as ADHD, however it can be hard to find these doctors. Because of this, some Canadians will turn to the internet grey market to buy generic Provigil online, however this proposition has a number of risks involved.

If you are unable to get a prescription for Modafinil, another option is to look for Adrafinil which is not regulated in Canada and produces largely similar effects compared to Provigil.

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