Should you switch from Provigil to Nuvigil?
Ever wonder which drug 
makes more sense for you to purchase from online pharmacies? Well, the Wall Street Journal reports that the drug company Cephalon Inc. has launched a marketing campaign to encourage users of its its best-selling drug, Provigil, to switch to a new and improved version of the drug, called Nuvigil.
Provigil (modafinil) is prescribed for the treatment of narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder (SWSD), and daytime sleepiness associated with sleep apnea.
According to the Journal:
Nuvigil is chemically similar to Provigil, but Cephalon says its effects are longer-lasting than Provigil. The drugs weren’t tested head-to-head in clinical efficacy trials, but Cephalon says the drugs were compared in terms of concentrations in plasma.
To encourage people to switch to Nuvigil, Cephalon is selling it at an 11% discount to Provigil, or an average of $8.98 per pill, said Mike Derkacz, vice president of the central-nervous system therapeutic business at Cephalon.
In addition, Cephalon is offering a prescription savings program for Nuvigil. Under the program, Cephalon will pay for up to $50 in monthly out-of-pocket costs for Nuvigil, bringing the cost down to a floor of $10. For many patients, with an average co-pay of roughly $40, this will lower monthly copays to $10.
Those sound like pretty good reasons to try out Nuvigil. But is switching from Provigil to Nuvigil the best option for you — either financially or from a health standpoint?
It’s important to keep in mind the drug company’s self-interested motives for introducing these incentives.
Nuvigil has patent protection through 2023, while Provigil will face generic competition in the United States beginning in 2012. From a business standpoint, the “new and improved” drug is a means for Cephalon to extend monopoly pricing for another nine years.
Let’s look at the numbers. Nuvigil could well cost $8.98 or more per pill for the next decade. Generic versions of Provigil, on the other hand, will likely cost a tiny fraction of that when they become available in less than three years.
Dr. Ed Zimney, for one, doesn’t seem to think Nuvigil is worth the higher price. He explains:
When a drug company has a successful product, they get very concerned when it gets close to the time for patent expiration because it means that cheap generic equivalents will soon appear. There are any number of strategies that companies use to protect their interests in this situation, and one of the most common is to take a look at the drug’s chemistry to see if there’s anything there to exploit. One possibility is to reformulate the product into something that lasts longer than the original, so you’ll see things like extended-release or controlled-release formulations being developed. Another typical strategy is to look at the drug’s chemical forms, called isomers.
Without getting too deeply into it, many chemicals have two isomers and in many cases only one of them is actually active. So a common strategy is to see whether a new drug can be created that contains only the active isomer. You’ve probably heard of Nexium (”the purple pill”), which is the active isomer of what was previously sold as Prilosec. There are many other examples.
So the people at Cephalon were starting to worry about their patent on Provigil because there were a number of lawsuits pending from generic drug manufacturers eager to get the rights to sell it. And it turns out that Provigil does have two isomers. In this particular case, they are both active, but one is eliminated from the body much more quickly than the other, so essentially the activity really comes from one isomer. Hence the development of Nuvigil, the longer-acting isomer formulation of Provigil.
I should emphasize that the evidence that Nuvigil is “longer-acting” than Provigil is not cut and dry. As the Journal noted, the drugs were never tested against each other in clinical efficacy trials.
But the FDA doesn’t require Cephalon to show that Nuvigil is “new and improved” — only that it’s different and safe. In terms of safety, Nuvigil did well in clinical trials. The most common side effects included headache, anxiety and dizziness. Additionally, in some cases, Nuvigil caused serious rashes and/or allergic reactions.
So, that’s the story of Provigil and Nuvigil. We’ll leave it to you and your doctor to decide which drug (and which price) makes sense for you to purchase.
“Reduce Your Medication Costs By Half So You Can Pocket the Rest – Or Your Money Back!”
Start saving money with your first order! 
This patient assistance program provides brand name medications (Provigil and Nuvigil) at no or low cost – better than a coupon! Hope this helps guys…let me know how this works out  |
|
| Pharmaceutical Company | CephalonCares Foundation |
| Program Name | CephalonCares Foundation Patient Assistance Program |
| Program Address | 6900 College Blvd., Ste 1000 Overland park, KS 66211 |
| Phone Number | 877-237-4881 |
| Fax Number | 877-438-4404 |
| Medications on Program | Provigil 1 (modafinil) |
| Application Forms | Click here for the Provigil & Nuvigil patient assistance application form from the CephalonCares Foundation.
You can download the same application here as well: http://cephalon.com/cephaloncares-foundation/download-application/ |
| On-line Application |
No on-line application available at this time |
| Web Site | Click to go to program’s web site |
| Eligibility Guidelines and Notes | The patient can have no public or private prescription insurance and have an income at or below 300% of the Federal Poverty Level. Medical diagnosis necessary for this program is not specified. The patient must be a US citizen or legal resident. If patient is eligible for Medicare but did not enroll, then they are not eligible for this program. A 30 day supply voucher for Fentora is sent to the patient. |
| Application Process | Anyone can call to get an application faxed out. The application can be either faxed or mailed out upon request. The completed application can be faxed or mailed back. |
| Application Requirements | The doctor must fill out a section and sign the application. The patient must fill out a section, sign the application and attach proof of income. |
| Program Details | Up to a 90-day supply is sent to the patient’s home. |
| Last Updated | November 20, 2009 |
June 7th, 2009 at 8:12 pm
[...] Online Pharmacy Medicine Blog « Should you switch from Provigil to Nuvigil? [...]
June 30th, 2009 at 4:35 pm
THAT A LIE!!!!! WITH PROVIGIL I HAVE TO PAY OUT OF POCKET OVER 1,000.00 A MONTH IT’S NOT COVERED AND I WOULD HAVE TO CUT THEN UP AND TRY TO SAVE THEM,,, AND I JUST GOT A MED SLIP FOR THE NUVIGIL TO TRY IT OUT,, IT’S NOT 10.00 FOR ME ITS 100.00 OUT OF POCKET , ONE OF THE REASONS I LOST MY HOME TO A SHORT SELL IS I HAD TO PAY THE MEDS 1,000.00 SO I CAN WORK OR NO MEDS AND PAY THE MORG/ AT 1400.00 A MONTH AND GET FIRED FOR COMING IN LATE ALL THE TIME HUMMMMM U PICK …. SO I HAVE TO TAKE ADDREALL THAT WILL DAMAGE MY HEART IN THE LONG RUN, AS AN OFFICER I NEED TO RESPOND TO CALLS AND SHOW UP RUNNING AT TIMES BUT NOT HOLDING MY CHEST CAUSE OF THE ADDRALL ,,,HUMMM WHICH ONE WAIT I GOT IT!! CANT PAY FOR ANYTHING SO IT WOULD BE EASYER TO JUST LOSE EVERYTHING. THAT WAY I CAN SAVE WHAT MONEY I DO HAVE AS A WIDOW TO FEED MY KIDS ,,,, U GUYS MAKE ME SICK !!!!!!!
July 1st, 2009 at 6:51 pm
HOW CAN WE GET A DISCOUNT, THANKS PHONE NUMBER 925 689 6624,
July 10th, 2009 at 9:47 am
I have tried both and I would like to know if anyone else has had the same effect. Which is I take then and go right to sleep. I have not lied down after taking thinking that may help. I feel like I’m taking a sleeping pill.
July 10th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
I believe the expression should be “cut and dried.” A common mistake. Thanks for the great article.
July 14th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
I have taken both, the provigil and the nuvigil. I prefer the nuvigil. I am not taking it for narcolepsy, I am taking it due to diseases and illness, chronic fatique.
I can take 1-nuvil 250 mg. every other day. And that’s how it works best for me.
The company has a form you can fill out to get the nuvigil or provigil for free. I am thinking about filling out that form to see if I qualify. Call Cephalon cares foundation @ 1-877-237-4881 and they’ll tell you how to access the forms that your doctor needs to fill out. For example if there are 3 people in your home you can’t make more than $54,930.00 a year to qualify.
Provigil did make me feel tired. Nuvigil works best for me.
July 14th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
Pat, I also have tried both Provigil & “Nuvigil” (before it was named). Neither acts to make me sleepy. However, since my big issue is that I can’t awaken in the mornings to actually TAKE the medication (wish they made a time released version), I have occasionally taken them right before bed. This has helped me awaken in the mornings, but not disturbed my sleep significantly.
I don’t recall at the moment with certainty (check with your pharmacologist or physician), but I think the way these medications work, it is still possible to sleep, but just reduce the impact of a sleep deficit. I’ve never seen official documentation describing this, but it has been my personal experience (as well as something at least one other patient I’ve heard about from a doctor has tried).
I have more than one sleep issue, but Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome is one piece of the pie.
July 17th, 2009 at 6:32 am
I would like to see a Rep in My office. I am in Ringoes NJ, near Flemington. Do you have a contact number? Thank you
July 20th, 2009 at 4:44 pm
i was taking provigil 200 mg. 3x a day with good results. when Nuvigil was released, my Dr. and I thought we found something better. the Nuvigil has been a nightmare i feel sleepy all the time, i take 150 mg. 2x a day. i am going back to provigil regarless of price! i think this NU is a sham!
July 21st, 2009 at 12:39 pm
I have taken 200mg. of provigil 2 times per day for 6 years this medication gives me life. I was told that the maximum dose was 400 mg per day but I read that someone was taking 200mg 3 times per day. Is this possible? I would like to try to take the nuvigil but I would not give up my provigil untill I knew for sure it worked for me. What dose of nuvigil do you think I would need?
August 14th, 2009 at 7:51 am
I agree Lisa! Thanks for your post! I’ve been taking provigil, which doesn’t work great for me, so I started nuvigil. First day at 150mg, 2nd day I took 2(300mg) and went to sleep. I’ve been back on the provigil now. By 5pm I’m ready for bed…I need something else.
August 21st, 2009 at 11:24 am
This article doesn't mention another option that's available.
My doctor is switching his patients to Nuvigil so that we can take advantage of the prescription savings program. Then when a generic version of Modafanil comes on the market he'll start prescribing that instead.
August 31st, 2009 at 10:36 am
My doctor told me 250mg Nuvigil equals 200 mg Provigil. If correct, Lisa Incognito wasn’t taking an equivalent amount of Nuvigil to replace her Progivil. Perhaps the Nuvigil isomer stays in the body longer, but it sounds like it isn’t as effective if you need a larger dose.
September 6th, 2009 at 1:38 pm
Just so you know, Nuvigil doesn’t work right away (at least it didn’t for me), so if you feel like it’s not working after the first few days, wait a full week. It’s supposed to take effect after 7 days. I have been taking Provigil for 3.5 years and switched to Nuvigil just because of the price (I have to pay out of pocket). At first, I thought it wasn’t as good, but now, after 2 weeks of taking it, I feel even better than I did on Provigil. I can take a lower dose and don’t even feel like I need it every single day like I did with Provigil. If it hasn’t worked for you right away, I’d suggest trying a little longer. You may find, like I did, that it’s the better choice.
September 8th, 2009 at 10:48 am
It is my understanding that 250mg NuVigil is = to 600mg Provigil. Any Comments?
September 8th, 2009 at 11:05 am
I’ve taken Provigil 100mg twice daily for M.S. related fatigue for six months….and have been able to actually enjoy my life once again. The effects slowly started wearing off so my neuro. switched me to 250mg Nuvigil once daily – which is not working at all for me. I can sit here right now and fall asleep and I have no energy for anything. I am going to request to go back to the Provigil…a little energy and “get up and go” is better than absolutely none!
September 15th, 2009 at 6:38 am
I’ve been taking 200mg of provigil twice daily. It works OK but not as good as I had hoped. My MD gave me samples of nuvigil taking one 250mg in the morning made a world of differance,I even had comments from friends about my how much better I seemed. My MD gave me a script for it,but my insurance co. Medco rejected it I challanged them and they still rejected it.I think it all comes down to the long term cost when provigil’s patent is up.
September 22nd, 2009 at 12:33 pm
I strongly recommend that you do NOT go to Nuvigil. This is a stunt to wean Provigil users to another drug with longer patent protection. Note the lack of a study directly comparing the two drugs.
My curiosity was piqued when I found the discount offers. It would be cheaper than Provigil! I became disappointed and a bit angry when I read up on the details.
The Cephalon patent on Provigil was extended with orphan drug exclusivity until late 2005. So why are we waiting until 2012 for generics? Profits and the lawyers that wring out profits got involved.
Source:
http://www.prescriptionaccess.org/lawsuitssettlements/current_lawsuits?id=0024
“Despite the strength of their arguments, in late 2005 and early 2006, all four generic companies settled their cases with Cephalon. Under these settlement agreements, each generic company agreed to keep their generic versions of Provigil off the market until 2011 or 2012. The settlement agreements also provided the generic companies with cash payments, supposedly in exchange for certain licensing and supply/inventory agreements. The three payments to Teva, Ranbaxy and Barr alone totaled up to $136 million.”
I know that these companies serve their investors first and their customer second, but they have already served their investors with the EXTENDED exclusivity that went until 2005. This is pure greed and disregard for their customers.
Cephalon SUED the generics manufacturers and paid them millions of dollars in order to extend their manufacturing exclusivity. The plaintiff sued in court and then paid the defendant in an agreement.
In reality, Cephalon didn’t pay the generics manufacturers millions of dollars. We did. We’re also paying Cephalon’s investors a premium on top of that to keep it this way.
Our insurance premiums are higher. The poor souls that pay out of pocket are seeing no relief. I cannot get more than one 200mg pill per day because of insurance coverage limitations. I also have to jump through pre-authorization hoops and pay top tier prices. I’m lucky to have insurance yet I’m still left wanting.
The generics manufacturers are also taking part in this. They’re getting paid to NOT produce a heavily discounted generic version. Cephalon and their lawyers made it more profitable to take a payment instead of going to market.
Will these agreements affect the generics supply in 2012? Does this agreement continue from 2012 and limit how much generics can be manufactured so that the supply/demand imbalance continues? I sure hope not.
My obvious bias created my belief that it was an illegal conspiracy to keep low-cost generics off of the market. The linked lawsuit is with the FTC. They lawyers have been dragging this out for three years and counting.
Can I start a manufacturing company for generic Provigil and get paid off by Cephalon too? This is unethical. If you were able to get the medication you need so that you would be more awake, you’d be more pissed.
Go to Nuvigil and you’ll be paying a premium until 2023, only to risk having the generics manufacturers be paid off again. They got seven years with Provigil, so a good estimate will be 2030.
September 23rd, 2009 at 10:19 am
I just started taking 150mg nuvigil yesterday. I was never on provigil. The md prescribed it for fatigue. It made me alert right away but after a few hours of taking it I had the worst headache in the world. I went to bed and when I woke up the headache was still there. Do you know if the headache is just an inital side effect that will go away after my body adjusts to the drug? Or should I stop it. I can handle it for a little while if I know it will go away, but the pain is really bad.
October 1st, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Iv taken provigil 200mg twice a day for 4 years and switched to Nuvigil 250mg once a day to save money seeing as I pay out of pocket for then and its worked out ok . the Nuvigil wears off towards the end of the day but thats good it doesent mess up my sleep as much . but I seem to have really bad dry mouth even more so than normal and my toungh turns all white and nasty I gotta hope it will go away or Ill be paying more for the provigil…
October 5th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
I HAVE BEEN ON PROVIGIL FOR AWHILE, MY DOSE IS 200MGS. 5X
A DAY…I AM GUESSING FROM THE POSTS THAT I SHOULD JUST STAY ON THE PROVIGIL. IS THE NUVIGIL RELLY THAT BAD ?
IS IT WORTH TRYING ? CAN ANYONE LET ME KNOW.
THANK YOU.
October 8th, 2009 at 8:40 am
After reading all the comments it is clear that individual response to drugs vary tremendously, so I will try Nuvigil and see if it works as well as Provigil, which I have been taking for about 5 yrs. Provigil has been a life-changer for me and I’m very happy with it, but not with the cost.
I will use the free trial and discount card for Nuvigil, and when the generics come on the market, I’ll switch back. I’m hopin the Nuvigil will be as helpful for me as the Provigil has been.
I recommend that each person make their decision based on their own needs, not just on the responses of others. Your response may be entirely different!
October 15th, 2009 at 7:10 pm
I have been a new man since I tried Viagra!! I feel 18 again. I think my wife is hiding from me, but I’ll find her!!
October 22nd, 2009 at 8:37 am
GUDLAUG PETERSON,
To the left of the A key is a key labelled “caps lock”. Please press it once, then promptly remove it from your keyboard. Also, there is never a case in English where you would use more than one comma in a row. When you say you are a police officer, I really hope you are lying.
November 3rd, 2009 at 11:52 pm
I have been taking Provigil to treat my narcolepsy for years with good results. After finding out that my copay is going to double in 2010, I decided to try Nuvigil and take advantage of the discounts offerred. If you have the same idea, make sure you read the fine print. I don’t qualify for the discount because I have Medicare; the fact that my copay will be well over $150 dollars isn’t taken into consideration.
My doctor gave me samples of Nuvigil and although it works, I will be going back to Provigil. I am able to stay awake for a longer amount of time on Nuvigil, but I am more tired overall. I would rather have the higher level of alertness on Provigil even though it means I need a nap sooner.
November 12th, 2009 at 10:00 am
I’m currently on Alertec (a canadian version of provigil) for excessive daytime sleepiness.
To be honest, I don’t really feel it’s working at all. There are times when I would feel awake, but maybe it’s because of the coffee?
Other times I’m still yawning and manage to get in 1-2 naps during the day.
Does anyone know if Nuvigil is available in Canada?
November 15th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
I have been taking 2 200mg provigil a day for over four years. In order for me to drive, I have to take this. Recently my insurance changed and I cannot afford it. I know they have been saying that provigil is coming generic soon, but they first sayed this back in 11/2007, so I haven’t really heald my breath. Nuvigil is just a way for cephalon to continue over charging us. This is a horrible way to live, being tired all the time!
November 18th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
First of all, I don’t think that Nuvigil will appear to be very effective for those people who have become conditioned to using nerve jangling caffeine and its herbal cousins, especially where ever increasing doses have become involved. This drug just doesn’t act in the same way, so it may give an appearance of not being very effective. If you recondition your body by not taking caffeine I think you will, in time, find that your system is far better balanced and better able to benefit from the drug’s actions.
Secondly, with respect to the discount card, it affords no relief to those who would most benefit from it, the cash paying customer. The greed involved here is just amazing. How the previously honorable and well respected medical professionals including the drug companies (who once carried out a considerable amount of work for free on behalf of those who could not pay as a matter of conscience) could have sunk to such a pitiful low is just amazing. Enjoy your blood money because that is exactly what it is.
December 16th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
I think it is disgrace the way Cephalon has taken advantage of all of us who need this miracle drug to function properly. I have been taking 200mg of Provigil twice a day for almost a year, and the impact on my life has been tremendous. I can drive without falling asleep, I can concentrate at work and finish projects without losing focus and fighting constant fatigue, I’m less irritable and depressed – I could go on and on, and my husband is joyous at the difference this has made for me. Unfortunately, my insurance doesn’t cover this, and at a cost of over $400 a month, I couldn’t continue to afford to purchase it. I have tried generic modafinil from the internet, but the effect is far from satisfatory and leaves me still sleepy and fatigued, even if I double the dosage. I am considering switching to Nuvigil until Provigil goes generic (if that ever happens). I think there ought to be a way for the consumers, who have suffered from the sneaky, underhanded tactics that Cephalon has taken to keep us from obtaining generic versions of this, to initiate a class action lawsuit against the company for forcing us to continue to pay outrageously overinflated prices for this life changing drug. Most insurance companies refused to cover it, and most of us are left to pay out of pocket for something we need just to live a normal life. Cephalon is no better than blood-sucking leeches living off the lives of desperately ill patients. They should be sued for all the profits they have made off our backs!
January 7th, 2010 at 10:28 pm
My doctor just prescribed Nuvigil today. Provigil didn’t do much for me, but they say this is new and improved and lasts a while. I look forward to the benefits. Thank you all for your posts.
January 8th, 2010 at 11:18 am
So glad I found this. I am on my second week of samples of Nuvigil. I have severe sleepiness (unknown) so I was given samples of the medication. It has barely helped at all. I have even had chest pain and tachycardia.
Anyway, feel so much better after reading others experiences.
I find it funny package insert states it is a class 4 drug as it can be abused and it can cause feelings of euphoria. I feel nothing on this medication.
January 13th, 2010 at 4:33 am
I take 50 mg of Provigil a day for symtoms to Adult ADD. It works really great for me. Yesterday my Dr. gave me a FREE 30 day coupon for Nuvigil. For me this is a 120 day supply.
My insurance doesn’t pay for either Provigil or Nuvigil so this is a big savings for me right now.
Ask your Dr to get you a 30 day FREE script coupon.
In the mean time I will contact the FDA and FTC and support their case that the manufacture is controlling the extension of the patent using “Mob tactics” to bribe generic makers from producing reasonalbly priced Provigil.
Drug companies are slime!
Mike
March 13th, 2010 at 10:04 am
I have been on Provigil ( 100 mg before 10 am ) for 2 years. It has helped my MS related fatigue enormously. I am currently covered under COBRA, but that will end soon.
I can see why the switch to nuvigil would be tempting, at least for the cost savings, just plan on going back. The dosages will be different because Provigil is a combination of 2 Isomers, one that lasts much longer, where as the Nuvigil is just the one that lasts longer ( think of it has half-caf coffee vs regular coffee- choose which based on your success AND your cost benefit).
Advice for those without insurance, or coverage for these drugs ( I work as a patient advocate–these rules will apply to most prescription non-generics).
1) Tell the pharmacist that you don’t have any insurance coverage ( for this medication at least)— you probably wont get much play at a local mom & pop Drug store, but try it with the walmart, K mart, Targets with pharmacies. It really can make a difference. Many times they will charge you what they would have accepted as an insurance payment. I had a client got from a $450 brand name drug to a $250 generic–yeah, that helped a little. When I told them we had no insurace, the price dropped to $38. Really–$38.
2) in the case of Pro/Nuvigil, go to the Cephalon website, but in general, go to PParx.org for help with prescription drugs from their manufacturer. This will work on Branded drugs, but not generic. There is usually an income limitation involved.
3) Make sure you tell your doctor about your insurance situation. Is the New- Brand Name drug the only thing that will work for you? Is it the first thing that pops into his mind because he just had extensive product detailing on this ( Or because he just had a visit from his/her pharma Barbie/Ken) Are you pushing a name brand because you just saw an “ask your Doctor about…” ad? without realizing the cost differences for what may be marginal ( to you) benefit?
4) Ask your Pharmacist what folks took before they started taking this wonder drug—they cant tell you if it is apporpriate in your situation, but you can go back to your doctor with more information and see if a change is suitable ( If it is a matter of something 90% or ever 60% effective that I can afford, or something that will be 100% effective but that I cant take because I dont have the money—Tell them this!! It may be embarrassing, but it is VERY important information
5) Ask for samples. I know that Larger hospitals don’t keep many provigil sample packs around because the residents steal them ( if there is anyone I would not want to see suffer from sleep or shift disorders, it is the person deciding how to reattach my arm–so I’m not judging)
6) If you have no insurance, and think you cant afford it through a regular carrier, check out your state’s medical assistance program and High risk pool
March 13th, 2010 at 10:09 am
Please forgive any spelling errors ( and I know there were some)–this just gets me really worked up.
The High risk pool is most appropriate for folks who have a pre-existing condition ( like MS, in my case, but diabetes would probably be a more common example). The state may offer it to folks coming off cobra who can’t get affordable individual coverage.
March 16th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
I have been on two 200mg Provigil/daily for the last 12 years for Narcolepsy. I have done very well with it and it has improved my life beyond words. Just this month, I went to refil my prescription when I was informed that there was a problem with my insurance company wanting to fill the prescription. The pharmacy sent word to my doctor, whom I have seen every 6 months as required, for the last 12 years, and I followed up with them to see what they could find out from the insurance company. The insurance company came back with the direction that they would only pay for “Nuvigil” now and not the provigil, and that I would have to take the “Nuvigil” for 120 days to be able to report any negative side effects, and request to be switched back to Provigil. I had already heard about this payoff back in 2008 and was appauled that it had even taken place, but when they denied my ability to get Provigil because they are giving “Kick Backs” to the insurance companies by having them change their formularies to the “Nuvigil”, that really pissed me off. I have taken the “Nuvigil” now for 4 days and let me tell you…. my blood preasure is much higher on this medication, my ability to stay awake and feel alert has significantly been reduced, and the headaches and dizzyness (Which are noted side affects), are truly unacceptable. The fact that I have to feel like this for 120 days to satisfy the B.S. bureaucratic policies of money scheming drug and insurance companies is sad and should be punishable. I agree with the one post I read that we should be able to bring a class action law suit against Cephelon and how they have denied quality of life to so many people all because of their actions.
Any lawyers out there, I know that you can find a way to bring this together and should do something soon, before anyone else has to suffer any more.
March 18th, 2010 at 11:06 am
I have taken Provigil for a few years with fabuluous results, I can think clearly, stay awake most of the day and get things done around my house. 2 months ago Medco said they will no longer cover it (they even argued that I never took it???????) My Dr gave me Nuvigil and am back to sleeping a lot of the day and not getting anything done around my house. It doesn’t seem to be doing anything for me. Reading everyones comments are validating my experiences. Thanks.
March 26th, 2010 at 10:13 pm
However, before getting depressed and sad the first thing you or anyone for that matter should do if they experience any of the symptoms described in this article is to seek medical confirmation of their condition. This is especially true with so many of the signs and symptoms of herpes being similar to other ailments.
March 27th, 2010 at 6:34 pm
I was diagnosed with narcolepsy several years ago. My doctor prescribed Provigil for me. Until recently, I was taking 200mg in the morning and again at lunch time with another 100mg before driving home from work every day. When I visited my doctor for my regular six month appointment, I mentioned to him my disappointment in the length of time each pill seemed to take effect. I didn’t like having to take so many pills in a day. He told me about Nuvigil and gave me a prescription to try. I have been on 250mg of Nuvigil each day for several months and have mixed feelings about it. I like the idea of one pill that gives a constant,consistent wakefullness feeling but find that it doesn’t get me through the day. I take the pill around 7:00 a.m. and find I am tired by mid afternoon. I have noticed decreased energy levels on Nuvigil and have to wonder if a stronger dosage would help. I don’t quite understand how 500-600mg of Provigil daily is the same as 250mg of Nuvigil. My doctor discouraged taking more than one Nuvigil each day. I asked if I could take 200mg of Provigil in the afternoon but he said I could not mix the two drugs. I am going back to Provigil. It is more flexible and dependable.
March 28th, 2010 at 6:05 pm
WOW! I am so concerned yet feel slightly comforted. I have been FORCED by my insurance company to switch to Nuvigil (ugh)… I have taken Provigil for over 3 years and began a big fight over a month ago when I need a refill of Provigil and the insurance said they require a pre-authorization. So I had my doctor request it…after a series of faxes between my pharmacist, my doctor, and my insurance company (and me being stressed out and NEEDING Provigil (my daughter was in UCLA hospital–we live in Vegas–I was having extreme difficulty helping and being there for her…it was rough). I had to go through many appointments….first my neurologist (I have MS and take it for MS related fatigue), who didn’t want to prescribe it since I had always gotten it from my general doctor, then my general doctor prescribed it, but when the insurance denied it, the general doctor said she WON’T prescribe it anymore (it’s too difficult to fight the fight) and wanted me to go to my neurologist. Since I see an neurologist that my insurance doesn’t normally cover, I had to go back to my general doctor to get a referral back to the neurologist. That all kept taking too long to process, so I finally just went to my neurologist as CASH PAY (ugh) becaue I NEEDED something! In order to not keep fighting with the insurance, we decided together to try the Nuvigil.
I have been taking it a few days and the headaches are UNBEARABLE! The tiredness is even more than ever before!!! My husband continues to urge me to take the meds, but I right now would rather just kill myself. This is not right. All of this drug company stuff is just not right. I was at least somewhat functional on Provigil…now I am not ok.
Ugh. Yes, let’s get together on a class-action lawsuit—that seems to be the way that people make money now days…the drug comapny obviously has millions to blow…let’s get some of it!!! Where is everyone…should we hook up a lawyer? I’m in Vegas.
Good luck to everyone and if Nuvigil is working for you, congrats, for the rest of us…let’s get this drug company out of bed with our doctors/insurance companies/etc! I am so upset with them I could scream!
As of right now I am SOO ANXIOUS to get ahold of the new generic Provigil…just as long as I don’t buy it from the proven evil “Cephalon” or the companies that accepted pay offs: “Teva, Ranbaxy and Barr .”
April 9th, 2010 at 8:18 pm
I took the Provigil for a short while, but was prescribed the Nuvigil recently. It works great for me. I take it for shift/work sleep disorder. For those that are having difficulty getting this medication prescribed…or Provigil for that matter, you need to seek the assistance of a good psychiatrist. They are familiar with the inner workings of getting these medications approved by insurance companies, and are not as hesitant to prescribe medications their patients need. Mine set me up with over a month’s supply of samples, then a coupon for a free 30 day supply while he was getting all of the paperwork done for my insurance company. Good luck to you all
April 26th, 2010 at 9:46 am
I have used provigil for several years now (200mg/day), often finding it stopped working. My doctor got me a 30 day trial of nuvigil and it worked much better for me, lasting all the way into the evening. When my doc prescribed it for me my insurance would not pay for it. After spending 6months of sleep studies I have a specialist writing an exemption to the insurance co to switch to nuvigil. I am looking forward to it
April 28th, 2010 at 9:54 am
The CephalonCares Foundation is another part of Cephalons misdirection and lies to keep their huge profits. First of all, no where on their website does it say that if your on Medicare or Medicaid, that you cant apply. It doesnt say on the application either.
Now even though my doctor told me that no one ever gets medication assistance from CephalonCare Foundation, I tried it anyway. The doctor again was right. After sending this company with a long history of apparently underhanded and strong arm activities to keep their monopoly over their expired patten, they denied me for being on disability medicare. doesnt matter that none of the drug assistance programs with medicare in my area cover Provigil. Doesnt matter that I cant afford the prescription D policy anyway. All they wanted was all my personal information, including my SSI # and SSI paperwork. This possibly not honest company has all my personal info, when they knew right up front they would deny me. When I called the foundation about why dont they say I wont get help if Im on medicare I was told they say it on their website. I looked several times, they dont say a word about medicare and being denied.
People need to know not to trust this company. And they can sue me if they want. I dont have anything to lose, so I dont care. I know they dont.
May 3rd, 2010 at 5:02 pm
Im in the same boat as GUDLAUG. I have been taking provigil for 4 years and it had worked great. Then one day my insurance decided for me that I didn’t need it anymore. Thanks Dr. Insurance! So now I have had to forclose on my home and weekly sell my belongings on ebay so that I can stay awake to make a pay check and keep a roof over my families heads. Al the stimulant ADD drugs work, but at the price of being addictive and having a depression induced crash. Im not sure who belongs further down in Hell, Cephelon, or the insurance companies. With the way things are going sounds like im better off just not paying for anything and letting everyone else pay for my problems with Obama’s plan. One last thing to all the people with the headach issue, I have had it too with provigil, it goes away after 4 days usually.
May 27th, 2010 at 7:25 pm
On March 29, the US District Court, Eastern District of PA denied Cephalon’s motion to dismiss the anti-trust suit brought by the FTC.
From what I briefly read in the FTC complaint, the only relief (if any) to the individual patients is what the court decides. I don’t know what the courts have done in previous cases but since the the suit was brought, Cephalon has been piling up $$$ and this is how far the courts have come, a denial of a motion to dismiss.
FYI, if you didn’t know, Cepahlon apparently paid 4 competitors $200 million not to produce the generic version of Provigil. The CEO of Cephalon stated that action brought an unexpected $4 billion in sales.
You previously could pay less than 1/9 the price of Provigil by purchasing Modafinil from overseas. Cephalon expected $4 billion in sales at nine times the generic price. Since the generics are making profits, how much do you think Cephalon is actually making? Holy fat cat, greasy monkey! We must be sending the executives children to Stanford in Maserrati’s and Ferraris.
Kudos to the judicial branch for proceeding with the suit and a lump of coal for no action half way to the generic release date.
Kudos to the executive branch for bringing suit and a lump of coal and a sour apple for cutting off access to the overseas generic version (presumably part of the handshake deal with those highly ethical pharmaceutical cos. in the healthcare deal). Ironic that they attempt to kill the monopoly and enforce it at the same time. Cephalon should send flowers.
A lump of coal, a sour apple, and a dunce cap to the legislative branch. Simply soaking in pharmacy $$$ while granting more monopolies, fighting reform, and stealing patient’s rights.
I wrote to my congressman but got a nonsensical reply. He wanted me to give him a release of my medical records for some unknown reason.
I have too much on my plate nut maybe somebody out there could organize a campaign for “equitable relief” to the patients. Otherwise anything extracted from Cephalon will probably go back to the public coffers and returned to the pharmaceutical companies as R&D credits. As you can see they don’t really need any more R&D incentive. Other than inflated marketing costs (parties), how else are they going to bury such huge profits anyway?
Good luck to all.
June 2nd, 2010 at 5:55 pm
Why would you guys pay so much money out of pocket without looking for other ways to get it first? You do realize you can buy generic provigil(modafinil) online from pharmacies overseas for pretty cheap? In bulk (200tabs) I can get it for $0.81 per 200mg tab, thats with shipping. Even if your taking 4/day thats less than $100, $50 if you need 2/day. Yeah your not suppose to but the worst thing that can happen is customs confiscates it and in that case the companies will ship you another one. They don’t go after people who buy meds overseas mostly because its usually old people and the uninsured so they turn a blind eye because it would be horrible publicity. DON’T LET THE DRUG COMPANIES GOUGE YOU FOR MONEY YOU NEED AND THEY DON’T.
June 10th, 2010 at 9:34 am
i was on provigil 200mg twice a day for 7 years.. i could not afford it any more so i did not take anything.
So i go to dr. get new script because i can’t handle ms related fatique any more, it has been 6 to 8 months since last refill… it now costs $650 for just 30 pills almost double from last year… 28.50 a fkn pill absolutly rediculous……im trying nuvigil…feel sleepy and shitty
July 14th, 2010 at 9:21 am
I’m on my second day of taking Nuvigil and I feel like I have my life back.Over the years I have taken Provigil,which actually worked the best of anything,but not as well as the Nuvigil.I had to stop taking it because of the medicare gap and my cost went over 600.00 a month.I have been on Adderall,Dexadrine,long and short acting.I have had such severe fatigue,all I could do is get up in the morning take my medicine and go sit in the chair and go back to sleep for 4 hours.Now I take Nuvigil 150 mg and dexadrine 5 mg tablet in the morning and even though it has only been 2 days I feel better then I have in over a year.
July 22nd, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Today I learned that United Healthcare will no longer cover my Provigil. So I’m forced to switch to Nuvigil. I’ll still have to pay the $60 copay so it’s not saving ME any money. I get my new Rx on Saturday, I have mixed feelings about it after reading the comments above. But I”m going to cross my fingers… I only took 100mg of provigil as needed on some mornings to get my out of my sleep funk due to depression. Provigil gave me my life back, I so hope I won’t loose it again.
August 6th, 2010 at 9:22 am
I have samples the doc gave me to try, but I’m afraid to use it. I read the brochure that came with it and the side effects made me leary. Maybe I’m overly cautious, but I do tend to have side effects from some drugs.
I also hate the idea of taking what I see as ‘uppers’; just hate taking drugs. I do take several due to MS and other diseases, but feel enough is enough!
Has anyone had any side effects beside headache?
Wondering.
Diane
August 7th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
I too have had to switch from Provigil 200 mg 1 1/2 times daily to Provigil 200 mg. because Medco won’t pay for the Provigil anymore. (Ironically, my doctor 1st prescribed Nuvigil, but Medco wouldn’t pay for that. Then upon my 90 day refill, they suddenly wouldn’t pay for the Provigil, only the Nuvigil.) I have only taken it for about a week, but I get extremely sleepy about 3 hours after I take it and feel super-drugged. One comment above said to try it for 2 weeks and hopefully it will then work. I certainly hope so because it is too darn expensive to pay for without insurance but the need is very great. I have narcolepsy and cannot stay awake to read or work at the computer at work during the day. Provigil taken once early in the morning and then 1/2 at lunch was working very well for me.
August 16th, 2010 at 1:12 am
I work 12 hour shifts 6pm to 6am, 60hrs per pay period @ age 71 and work because I enjoy my job, have taken Provigil 250mg for over 6 years never had a problem, always wide awake and active each 12hr shift and insurance aways paid for 45 with a $30.00 co-pay.
I have also used the 225mg of Nuvigil with the SAME GOOD results and the SAME CO-PAY, so I disagree with all or any of the negative statements above as well as the cost, maybe the complainer about cost should find a better insurance company. Both are the best prescriptions I have ever used on a daily basis with having sleep apnea
August 18th, 2010 at 2:35 pm
I have taken Provigil for many years and my insurance just recently dropped it from its formulary “forcing” me to switch the Nuvigil. It would have cost me $1300 out of pocket to continue my dose of Provigil.
I actually participated in the clinical study for Nuvigil prior to its release, so I had taken it before. I did find that I could get through the day on a lower dose of the Nuvigil vs. the Provigil and I did not have to take a second dose mid-day as I typically did with the Provigil so their claims of being more “long-acting” may have some credibility.
Side effects are essentially the same for both (relatively few except for a little headache occasionally). It is not that I have anything against the Nuvigil, as it works fine – I just did not like being FORCED to switch medications by my insurance company.
I still have to get “prior authorization” to even get the Nuvigil. My insurance company would rather pay for amphetamines versus a medication that has a lot fewer side effects and less risk of abuse/addiction …. (I do have narcolepsy and because of a mild arrhythmia I have never been able to take the medications like Ritalin and Concerta.)
I KNOW that a lot of the ploys have to do with patents and for drug companies to make more money.