PD fatigue and Provigil

[Rick McGirr <rickmcgirr@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rick McGirr, age 56, diagnosis 2001.

 

In battling my overwhelming fatigue, I have made many changes to my
medications, deleting drugs that increase sleepiness and tiredness, and
trying new ones to see if there is any improvement.  After Mirapex, Requip,
Selegiline, Zelapar, (I'm probably forgetting a few) I'm adding Provigil to
my list of ineffective medications.  Most recently, My neurologist
prescribed Provigil, a controlled substance, to see if I could have any more
energy than I had been having.  

 

First, I had to wean myself off of Zelepar due to potentially serious to
fatal interactions, which I discovered by reading the bottle and the info
sheet.  Then took a low dose of Provigil to no noticeable effect.  In
cooperation with my neurologist, I doubled the dose and took it for several
months, again, to no noticeable effect.  Provigil did not alter my moods,
energy level, or sleep patterns.  So I have recently concluded the backward
process of weaning back off of Provigil, and finally, with no noticeable
effect.  So now it's Sinemet and Stalevo, along with an antidepressant every
morning.  

 

Soon the list of tried and rejected meds will be as long as my arm.  After
revisiting the 1975 bestseller, "The Relaxation Response", by Herbert
Benson, MD, I'm going to do more reading on alternative approaches to
managing PD.

 

I really appreciate this listserv for its basic attitude of not jumping to
conclusions (which seems to go along quite nicely with living in Buffalo,
NY!), and also for its great info on all that goes on in the PD world.  I
haven't written much lately, but I know that you probably understand.
Thanks all!


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