What is Modafinil?

Modafinil is a drug used to promote wakefulness for people with sleeping disorders such as narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder, sleep apnea, and excessive daytime sleepiness. It works by altering the neurotransmitters, the chemicals in the brain that sends signals to transmit a message. It is marketed in a brand name called Provigil.

 

Can I Buy Modafinil in the UK?

Yes. As long as you have a prescription and reside within the UK territory, you can buy this narcolepsy medication called modafinil. If you haven’t secured a prescription yet, our online doctor's service at Undoctored can assist you if you meet the requirements.   Modafinil is a medicine used to treat narcolepsy, a sleeping disorder that causes a person to randomly fall asleep. Aside from other sleeping disorders, it can also be prescribed for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).  

Although this drug helps people to stay awake and be alert, Modafinil may not be rendered as a nootropic (mental stimulants) in the UK. It may only be prescribed as a treatment for sleeping disorders such as narcolepsy.   Modalert, Modvigil, Modafinil MD, and Provigil are examples of Modafinil brand names in the UK. Regardless of the brand they represent, they all contain the same active ingredient and indication.  

What is armodafinil? 

A common and newer variant of modafinil is called armodafinil. Both compounds are similar in nature. But what sets them apart from each other is that armodafinil is stronger and possesses a longer half-life, the property of a drug characterized by the rate it takes to leave the body. Waklert, Nuvigil and Artvigil are common brand names for armodafinil. Both drugs can treat narcolepsy so it is your doctor’s call which one of the two will be prescribed.  

How Does it Work?

In a nutshell, Modafinil stimulates neurotransmitters present in the part of the brain that regulates the sleep and awake patterns.    Modafinil works by blocking dopamine transporters and preventing dopamine from reaching brain synapses. This in return increases dopamine in the brain. In this case, it serves as the "reward" mechanism for the brain. Pharmacologically, it can treat sleep disorders, including shift work sleep disorder and narcolepsy. Our doctors available at Undoctored can help you evaluate if you have one of the aforementioned conditions.  

Narcolepsy Medication Therapy

In order to promote wakefulness and treat narcolepsy, medication therapy must be employed. Some consumers call Modafinil "nootropics" and "smart drugs". However, the appropriate name for this agent is a narcolepsy medicine. Consumers are advised not to use this medicine as a nootropic. The UK upholds a policy to sell Modafinil only for narcolepsy and not as nootropics.   Undoctored is an online pharmacy that offers Provigil, Modafinil (generic), and Modalert for the best price in the UK. Our online pharmacists can dispense it for you once your requirements are good to go. If you order now at Undoctored, you can enjoy a next day delivery on most days of the week. So if you are ready, click the order button now and order modafinil online.   

How to take it?

Modafinil is an oral pill that should be taken once a day, usually in the morning. You can take it with or without food, depending on your reference.    For shift work disorder, take Modafinil one hour before your shift. It is best to take it at the same time. If you are not getting the best outcome, consult your doctor right away for dose adjustments or alternatives.   Modafinil is designed to reduce sleepiness. However, it will not cure your condition. Therefore, it will require you to take Modafinil even if you are not tired.  

Mode of Action

Years ago, Modafinil’s mode of action was thought to be established. In fact, it exhibits similar pharmacological effects to other drugs within the same class. However, recent findings prove that it only acts as a weaker, selective atypical dopamine reuptake inhibitor. There is still research that is yet to be established about this drug’s mechanism but for now, some evidence supports this claim.  

As previously mentioned, Modafinil is an excellent treatment option for sleeping-related problems such as narcolepsy. There is a high risk to develop neuropsychiatric disorders and hypersensitivity reactions associated with this drug. That’s why the European Medicines Agency limits the prescription of Modafinil to narcoleptic patients only.  

Contraindications of Modafinil

The primary contraindications for its use are allergy or hypersensitivity, just like to other drugs. Cephalon, a pharmaceutical company, published a literature encouraging consumers to consult a doctor before taking the drug. This is because different individuals may react differently with the drug’s inactive ingredients. Moreover, people with cirrhosis can aggravate their condition as they metabolize Modafinil. Lastly, cardiovascular patients are susceptible to many drug interactions, including drugs that act on the nervous system.  

Adverse Effects

As with any drug, every individual may experience different adverse drug reactions that may worsen their condition. Since the effects may vary per person, researchers run extensive clinical trials and post-marketing surveillance. Teva Pharmaceuticals shared documentation about the Modafinil’s adverse effects. With response to their clinical trials, 11% of the cohorts suffered from nausea while 1/3 of them had experienced headaches upon taking the drug.

Other notable side-effects that participants had were nervousness, diarrhoea, insomnia, gastrointestinal problems and dizziness. These problems were experienced by less than 10% of the participants.   There were few reported cases of severe adverse drug reactions, such as skin rashes and other allergies in severe form. From the date the drug was manufactured, December 1988, up to January 2007, the US FDA received six cases of severe cutaneous adverse drug reactions. Presented in adult and pediatric patients, these include: SJS (Stevens-Johnson Syndrome), TEN (Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis), Erythema Multiforme (EM), and DRESS (Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms).

Post-marketing surveillance report has noted a few cases of angioedema and multi-organ hypersensitivity. Due to this, the FDA issued an alert with regards to the medication and prompted Cephalon to change the leaflet such that the serious adverse effects are highlighted in bold.   When it comes to long-term safety and efficacy, its effects are not guaranteed. Modafinil was thought to cause adverse interactions with hormonal contraceptives which may last for a month or so after taking the last dose. After all, no medication is completely safe so make sure to take it under a doctor's advice.  

Drug Addiction and Dependence 

When it comes to Modafinil’s potential to become an addictive substance, there is an incredibly small chance for this drug. However, it shares similarities in biochemical mechanisms with other stimulant drugs that are potentially habit-forming. According to studies, Modafinil shows weak mood-elevating properties. In a psychological context, monkeys will most likely self-administer cocaine if they were trained to do so.

The drug doesn't exhibit a reinforcing effect when given on mice with therapeutic human doses. But in higher doses, it shows a little effect. Although it is uncommon, there are still some cases reporting Modafinil abuse. This is somehow the reason why it is categorized into schedule IV of the controlled substances in the United States. Drugs in Schedule IV are reserved for those with valid clinical indications but still potentially addictive.   Modafinil is associated with very weak psychological dependence. There are only little to no cases reported about long-term overdosing. Nonetheless, consumers must watch out for withdrawal symptoms such as lethargy, insomnia, anhedonia or loss of interest in activities, and anxiety.

In the world of sports, the use of Modafinil became controversial as high-profile athletes can attract a lot of issues and press coverage. Prominent american athletes have tested positive for the drug, but in their defense, Modafinil is not currently listed as a prohibited or banned drug. Nonetheless, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) disregarded such protests since it is still associated with banned substances. Ten days before the 2004 Summer Olympics, the WADA decided to include Modafinil in the prohibited substances list effective August 3, 2004.   

Drug Tolerance

Extensive clinical research proves Modafinil to have no records of developing tolerance when taken at therapeutic doses, even on long-term use of 40 weeks to 36 months.  

Overdosing with Modafinil

As per clinical studies, the median lethal dose went above 1250 mg/kg on mice. While the median dose for oral administration on rats was set at 1000-3400 mg/kg. On the other hand, when tested for dogs, the IV median dosage was at 300 mg/kg. Finally, clinical trials for humans used 1200 mg/day in a duration of 1 to three weeks.

One time there was a reported case of overdose when 4500 mg was given to a patient but did not cause any fatal effect at all. There were no signs of insomnia, aggressiveness, agitation, irritability, confusion, nervousness, tremors, palpitations, nausea, diarrhea, and sleep disruptions. The FDA stands firm about its statement that there is no life-threatening overdose caused by Modafinil.  

Drug Interactions

Modafinil tablets, when taken concomitantly with opioids, may lead to a drop in Modafinil's presence in the plasma concentration. Examples of opioid drugs are hydrocodone, oxycodone, and fentanyl. This happens because Modafinil is metabolized entirely by an enzyme called CYP3A4. With the presence of an opioid drug, Modafinil will not be metabolized and rendered active. This in turn may cause a decrease in efficiency and withdrawal symptoms.

Modafinil's effectiveness is highly dependent on the amount of catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) in the body. COMT is an enzyme that breaks down chemicals in the body responsible for a variety of bodily functions such as following instructions. This, in turn, improves energy and vigor as well as reverses sleep deprivation. Notable studies suggest that individuals possessing a Val/Val genotype will experience profound cognitive improvement when Modafinil is taken. On the other hand, those who have the Met/Met genotypes can expect little to no improvement.  

History of Modafinil

This drug was developed by Michel Jouvet, a neurophysiologist and emeritus professor in experimental medicine at Lafon Laboratories in France. Developed in the 1970s, this drug was marketed at the same time when benzhydryl sulfinyl compounds were discovered. These compounds include adrafinil, an experimental medicine for narcolepsy in 1986. The primary metabolite of the adrafinil is modafinil. What happens is that it lacks the alcohol group on the last amide in the chemical structure of the metabolite, giving a similar effect but with better use. Since then, it has been used since 1994 and marketed as Modiodal in France.

In the United States, Provigil has been around in the market since 1998. It was approved for the treatment of narcolepsy by the US FDA. In 2003, shift work sleep disorder and obstructive sleep apnea were added to Provigil’s indication. This was despite the related studies stating that both caffeine and amphetamines are proven to be more effective in treating narcolepsy. Such studies used the Stanford Sleepiness Test Score to carry out the evaluation. Cephalon Inc. marketed Provigil in the US as they leased the rights from a French manufacturer called Lafon before buying the company in 2001.   Generic counterparts of the drug were made possible upon litigation of protracted patent in 2012. But it was until 2017 when Cephalon started marketing armodafinil, the R-enantiomer form of Modafinil.   

Buying Modafinil in the UK

Since the drug was approved in the UK back in December 2002, purchasing Modafinil from online pharmacies is completely legal. Here at Undoctored, you can buy Modafinil 200 mg pills. You can check our price list for your guide.