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Modafinil- has anyone used it?

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I just wondered if many people knew much about Madafinil?

 

I watched a program on TV about sleep in which it featured the drug. If you don't know much about the drug then you'll get a lot of information by googling it but it's basically a drug that was formally used by narcolepsy sufferers to keep them awake but from what I saw on TV it's also being used by people who don't suffer with sleeping problems to keep them awake for longer. An example of this was a bloke who took the drug allowing him to stay awake for 5 or 6 days at a time providing he occasionally took a 20 minute nap. This meant he was able to work a full-time job, come home and spend time with his wife and children and then when they went to be he was able to go back to work and do overtime.

 

I don't know about you but I think this is a great idea - it has the potential of making us all more efficient with what we do.

 

Now from what I've subsequently read, the drug has no bad side effects and is also shown to have other helpful properties (weightloss, combatting ADHD, Parkinsons, etc.) and is already being used by the US army for pilots on long flights.

 

I also understand that the drug was created so that it wouldn't give any negative side effects so if that's the case do you think that this could shape the way other (currently) illegal drugs could change? Maybe in the future other drugs could be created for recreational use and no negative side effects.

 

What do you think? Would you take it?

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I think that the issue is with the possibility of very long term side effects with drugs such as this.

 

Statistical work has already shown that people who work shift patterns which involve being awake overnight are at a higher risk of developing a selection of long term illnesses later on in their life (such as coronary heart disease) and are likely to die much younger than someone with similar lives otherwise but who don't work shifts.

 

We have no long term data about the how the body copes and changes as a result of staying awake for such a long time, and there is a significant possibility that there are adverse and potentially health risking side effects purely from the lack of sleep, which can only be compounded by the potential long term side effects of the drug.

 

I recognise that there are many helpful benefits of this drug for a whole range of people struggling with health issues, from sleep problems to ADHD, but there's quite a large step from that to using the drug routinely to increase our ability to stay awake and fit more in.

 

I was watching the programme because I sleep so much of the time (side effects of sedative painkillers mostly) but came to the conclusion that adding to all of the sedatives with a drug to keep me awake could just make me rattle a little too much.

 

As far as I'm aware, this drug has not been approved for licence in this country yet and I wouldn't wish for anyone to be using this unlicensed because of the risks of potentially fatal side effects like anaphylactic shock like the presenter of the programme looked like he was suffering when he took the very wise decision not to take another dose.

 

EDIT- BTW, title amended to correct typo.

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I saw the rash etc. he got but from what I've read off american research, cases of a bad reaction to the drug are very rare. I wasn't sure if it had been licensed in the UK either, all I know is that it has been in the USA. I used to suffer from chronic insomnia from when I was about 16 till last year and I have to admit that although I feel better that I'm sleeping properly, I feel like it's still a bit of a waste of time!

 

If there were a chance of the drug causing illnesses at a later stage in life, I'd still be tempted to take it. If, for example, you were to take the drug and shave 10 or so years off your life but in return gained a lot more time from not sleeping (as it's said you spend a third of your life sleeping) then I think it would be a fair trade.

 

Thanks for editing the type ;)

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Firstly i would not recommend anyone taking unprescribed drugs.

 

But with the above proviso i can say. It does work but don't expect to be awake for days. It can extend your wakefulness but more importantly it allows you to concentrate better during that time. As a study aid it can be very useful.

 

To say it has no side effects is a little spurious. It can have a lot. It can give a dodgy gut so never took it for long periods. As will all drugs there is also the risk that you may be alergic to it. The other up side is that it also acts as a very mild mood enhancer so your awake, alert and in the mood to work.

 

4 or 5 days seems like asking for trouble but getting you through a day after a night of very little sleep can be very effective.

 

The fact that the armed forces use it, isn't really a recommendation. Before this they used Amphetamines and we all know the risks there.

 

The big benefit of Modafinil is that it has none of the edgyness of stimulants like caffine.

 

Is it a miracle drug? The bigger issue i think is what if for example i took it all through exams and got good grades.The guy next to me only managed a couple of hours a night concentrated study and didn't do so well. Was he disadvantaged? did i cheat or just use the resource available to me?

 

Universities will tell you its use is minimal. I'll tell you its not. So is the playing field level?

 

The other interesting thing is that since its introduction and use recreationally the incident of people claiming to be narcoleptic in the US has gone up something like 800%.

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I think its extremely worrying that people will use this, and started a thread on it already (although I didn't know the name of the drug). Poisoning yourself so you can concentrate for longer will never be a good idea.

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Yes it works. You don't feel any different, just notice that you are more alert. It's quite subtle.

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me mum is prescribed it for M.E. I think, but then she has to have sleeping tablets to go to bed that night.

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I have, I think its amazing! I'm currently a student and it really comes in handy when coursework deadlines approach. I buy Modafinil from ukmodafinil .co.uk (without the space) I've never experienced any problems with my orders. I thought an article in the telegraph called 44 hour working day was really interesting.

 

Dan.

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