MY INSURANCE, MEDICO, HAS SUDDENLY STOPPED PAYING FOR MY PROVIGIL AFTER 7-8 YEARS. THEY SAY THEY DON'T HAVE PROOF THAT IT HELPS FATIGUE CAUSED BY MS. I CAN HARDLY FUNCTION WITHOUT IT. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO OR AN ALTERNATIVE DRUG. MY NEURO. DR. WROTE TO THEM BUT IT DIDN'T HELP. ANY SUGGESTIONS?
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Q: WHAT IS AN ALTERNATIVE TO PROVIGIL FOR FATIGUE
Answers (5)
3/22/10 9:34am
Hi, I use to take Provigi, my insurance paid for it, but I realized after takingit for 4 years, it no longer was working for me. I stopped taking it on my own. I now take
COQ10 in the mornings and about mid day I take B12 then I take another B12 arouond 4 in the afternoon. No it does not work like Provigil, but it helps it gives me natural enegry. I use the liquid B12 I take a dropper full when I take it. I hope this helps or you can check with your local Health Food Store, I am sure they can recommend something more.
sherry/smomdukes
3/25/10 8:44am
Have had MS for 20 years. Used to take Cylert. Now take Dextroamphetamine. Provigil did nothing but give me a headache.
3/25/10 10:29am
Ask for Ampyra. I was able to take this for a long time before side effects caused me problems. It has recently been approved for MS for walking specifically but many MSers, including me, found that it helped my increase my endurance and decreased both physical and cognitive fatigue immensely. I thought it was a whole lot better than Provigil.
3/27/10 8:39am
THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR RESPONSE. I THINK MY INSURANCE CO. HAS RECONSIDERED. I'LL KNOW SOON. GOD BLESS. MARY
4/27/10 8:08pm
I take Adderol (generic: Amphetiine Salts) for Fatigue. I believe it reacts differently for children with ADHD but for me it energizes me and also helps
me to focus.
I am waiting on the Ampyra... insurance you know!
Good Luck!
3/25/10 2:37pm
Hi Mary, I feel your frustration. I'm in the exact same boat. My insurance quit paying after 7 years of provigil. I'm looking for a solution too. I have seizures if I take any of the amphetamine-based drugs that are approved for MS fatigue by my insurance - so they are out. My Neuro went to the insurance co in person, explaining to them the drastic negative effects this would have on so, so, many of his patients. He agreed that there are many MSers still able to work - as long as they have Provigil - that will be forced onto disability without it.
One thing that has helped me is a drink mix I found. It's made by Lipton and is those little zero-calorie flavor packets like you put in water to flavor it. There are several flavors, but the only one that has worked for the fatigue (although nothing like Provigil of course), is called Lipton "Energize - Iced Tea Mix To Go." It's Blueberry-Pomegranate flavor. It has Green Tea with B vitamins, Ginseng and Guarana. It wakes me up some - doesn't make me jittery or affect my blood pressure. I make a big glass of it - about 20 oz of water, and put in 2 packets with my breakfast.
It helps - but I'm not giving up on the Provigil/Nuvigil battle. He also told me that Provigil will be going generic in 2-3 years - which is why, he believes, they came out with Nuvigil - to get us using it and forget about the generic provigil when it arrives. What really needs to happen is for the drug manufacturer to get FDA approval of it as an "on-label" use for MS Fatigue. Then the insurance companies would have to start paying for it again. That's what I've been told, anyway.
Take care. I'll keep you in prayer. I know how hard the fatigue is to deal with.
God Bless,
happyJQ :-)
8/26/11 1:36pm
try reishi
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By MARY STINEBRICKNER— Last Modified: 08/26/11, First Published: 03/20/10
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thanks so much. I appreciate your comments. God Bless....mary s.