Adrafinil, Modafinil

[douglasbrooker]

I was taking Dexedrine for about a year and had good results but as an inattentive ADDer with dysthymic depression, the euphoric aspect of the stimulation would sometimes be distracting. I believe all chronically depressed with overlapping ADD or Bipolar problems have a very frustrating row to hoe in getting help. Most of the antidepressants are virtually worthless, and the stimulants tend to feel “too good” and present another problem altogether.

I stopped the Dex and have been on something new the last two months. The drug is adrafinil (available in Europe as “Olmifon”) and modafinil (available in the USA as Provigil).

This is a stimulant that has been used to treat narcolepsy. It increases alertness in the brain without stimulating the body the way Ritalin or amphetamine does. My understanding is that the FDA is about to give this drug a green light as treatment for ADD and moderate depression. There is a lot of information available on the internet about both. Just use Google and look for yourself.

I have been taking 1200 mg of adrafinil a day for two month, along with 50 mg of Deprenyl (a dopamine agonist used to treat Parkinson’s disease), and I have never felt better in my life. All my inattentive mental sluggishness has vanished. I am astonished frankly, and keep waiting for it to stop working, the way all other meds have either stopped working, worked for a while then became problematic in some other way, or simply didn’t work at all.

Adrafinil is relatively cheap and available online. A 300 mg pill is a dollar. It is equivalent to 100 mg of modafinil, or Provigil. Although I have to have adrafinil shipped from Europe, it is still one third the cost of the equivalent dose of Provigil, which I find a typical irony in this country.

I will add to this thread and continue to share my overwhelmingly positive experience with this drug. For the inattentive type in particular, combined with the chronic but mild condition of depression that defines dysthymia, which is me to a T, this seems to be the magic bullet. It also prevented the usual “crash” I would go through when I discontinued Dexedrine or Ritalin, when I started taking it right after stopping the Dex. It could even have potential as a treatment for addiction to stimulants, when that occurs. It would seem to me to possibly be one of most underprescribed medicines on the market.

To be continued…..

[lilhurt38]

I've been a part of the study for the Modafinil, it really did not help out with my attention span. Yes, it made me feel more aware, but it did not help me concentrate on what I needed to get done. Also, after about 12 I would begin to feel exhausted and sleepy. In fact, I was not getting anything done during the time that i was using it.

[tadfish]

has anybody combined dexies with modafinil?

[John_M]

50mg of Deprenyl sounds way over the odds...

[Jackinbox]

Did you get any blood test to monitor the possible problems Adrafinil (not Modafinil) can cause to the liver?

[douglasbrooker]

no i havent had any bloodwork. i probably should, but my understanding is that if you take modafinil it isn't really much of a threat. Adrafinal works the liver harder because the liver has to turn adrafinil into modafinil. It also takes an extra half hour or so to feel adrafinil take some kind of hold. but it sure is cheap, and over the counter, so i'm happy.


i intend to go back to amphetamine. but not full time. amphetamine fits certain professional activities better than modafinil. modafinil works well as a no big deal general purpose yeah i'm more alert not struggling yes i can live with this everyday whatever feel to it....

amphetamine takes you to something a little more rarefied....i feel as if i am in a part of my brain i didn't know was there....and there is always a mild current of exhilaration floating me forward.....

you would have to be a 54 year old person like me with 40 odd adult years worth of non-memories. memories of where i spent Xmas alone some given year, of who didn't want to hire me because I seemed "weird," of who didn't want to go out with me because i couldn't do small talk .... yes, if you went through that, you might wax a little romantic about an orange pill too....

[theta]

I guess you might be dead since you have not posted in awhile.
If you were in fact taking 50 mg deprenyl (I guess you ment to say
5 mg) and did not follow a stricked MAO diet you would be in
trouble. If you added amphetamine as you said then you are in
fact likely dead. In that dose range 30 mg+ deprenyl becomes
a non-selective non-reversible MAO inhibitor and a potent anti-depressant.
But a lethal hypertensive problem could occur if you added a drug
like amphetamine.