Specifically, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved modafinil oral tablet for use in adults to treat excessive daytime sleepiness and improve wakefulness related to one of the following conditions:
This article describes possible side effects of modafinil oral tablet. You’ll also find information on cost savings and coupon options for modafinil. You can explore this overview article to learn more about modafinil, including the drug’s uses, side effects, ways to save on cost, and more.
Modafinil oral tablet is a generic version of the brand-name drug Provigil.
More common side effects of modafinil
Modafinil oral tablet may cause mild or serious side effects. Below are some of the more common side effects of this medication.
Commonly reported side effects of modafinil oral tablet include:
- headache
- nausea
- nervousness
- diarrhea
- stuffy or runny nose
Mild side effects of modafinil
Modafinil may cause certain mild side effects. Most often, mild side effects are temporary and can be easily managed. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have side effects that don’t go away or become bothersome.
Mild side effects of modafinil oral tablet that occurred in studies include:
- headache
- nausea
- nervousness
- diarrhea
- stuffy or runny nose
- back pain
- insomnia
- dizziness
- indigestion
- feeling anxious
- appetite loss
- dry mouth
- sore throat
- mild allergic reaction*†
* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of modafinil in detail” section below.
† An allergic reaction is possible with modafinil oral tablet. But it wasn’t reported in the drug’s studies.
Modafinil oral tablet may cause more mild side effects than those listed above. For details, see the drug’s prescribing information.
Serious side effects of modafinil
Modafinil may cause certain serious side effects. If you have any serious side effects from modafinil, call your doctor right away. But if you think you’re having a medical emergency or your side effects feel life threatening, take immediate action. Call 911 or a local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room.
After the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves a drug, it tracks and reviews side effects of the medication. Visit MedWatch’s website if you’d like to notify the FDA about a side effect you’ve had with modafinil.
Serious side effects are rare but possible with modafinil.
Serious side effects of modafinil oral tablet that occurred in studies include:
- mental health side effects*
- symptoms of a heart problem*
- severe allergic reaction, including life threatening allergic skin reactions*†
* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of modafinil in detail” section below.
† An allergic reaction is possible with modafinil oral tablet. But it wasn’t reported in the drug’s studies.
Common questions about side effects of modafinil
Here are answers to some common questions about side effects of modafinil oral tablet. If you have other questions, talk with your doctor or pharmacist.
How do side effects of modafinil compare with those of Adderall?
Modafinil and Adderall are both prescribed to adults with narcolepsy. These drugs have some similar side effects and some different ones as well.
Some side effects these two medications can both cause include:
- headache
- appetite loss
- insomnia
- mental health side effects, including anxiety and depression
- heart-related side effects, although they’re more likely to be serious with Adderall than modafinil
Both Adderall and modafinil have a risk of misuse and dependence, but this risk is higher with Adderall. Other serious side effects caused by Adderall but not expected with modafinil include reduced blood flow to your fingers and toes. These side effects may also include seizures and sexual side effects, including low libido (sex drive).
Talk with your doctor or pharmacist to learn more about how these medications compare.
Can modafinil cause teeth-related side effects?
No, it’s not expected to. Teeth-related side effects weren’t reported in studies of modafinil.
In studies, mouth ulcers (sores) were reported by people taking modafinil, but this side effect was uncommon. Dry mouth is another uncommon side effect reported by people taking modafinil in studies. It’s possible that severe dry mouth could affect your dental health, but this wasn’t reported with modafinil.
If you have concerns about whether any medication you take could cause teeth-related side effects, talk with your doctor or dentist.
Does modafinil cause long-term side effects?
Yes, in some cases, modafinil oral tablet may cause long-term side effects. These can occur if you take the drug for a long time.
Examples of long-term side effects reported with modafinil oral tablet include:
- allergic reaction, including life threatening allergic skin reactions, which have occurred in people months after they started taking modafinil*
* To learn more about this side effect, see the “Side effects of modafinil in detail” section below.
Talk with your doctor to learn more about these side effects and how to manage them. Ask your doctor for more information about how long these side effects of modafinil may last.
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Side effects of modafinil in detail
Below you’ll find details on some of the side effects of modafinil oral tablet.
Mental health side effects
In studies, mental health side effects were rare in people taking modafinil oral tablet. These side effects may be serious.
Mental health side effects reported with modafinil include:
- aggression
- depression
- hallucinations (seeing or hearing things that aren’t actually there)
- severe anxiety
- suicidal thoughts
Certain factors can increase your risk of mental health side effects with modafinil oral tablet. These include already having a mental health condition.
Ways to manage
If you have concerns about mental health side effects, tell your doctor. They can review your risk for these side effects. They can also tell you how they’ll check for these side effects during your treatment with modafinil.
Contact your doctor immediately if you have mental health side effects while taking modafinil. They’ll likely recommend that you stop taking modafinil.
Suicide prevention
If you or someone you know is in crisis and considering suicide or self-harm, please seek support:
- Call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
- Text HOME to the Crisis Textline at 741741.
- Not in the United States? Find a helpline in your country with Befrienders Worldwide.
- Call 911 or your local emergency services number if you feel safe to do so.
If you’re calling on behalf of someone else, stay with them until help arrives. You may remove weapons or substances that can cause harm if you can do so safely.
If you are not in the same household, stay on the phone with them until help arrives.
Symptoms of a heart problem
In studies, symptoms of a heart problem were rare in people taking modafinil oral tablet. These side effects are usually mild, but they may be a symptom of a serious condition.
With symptoms of a heart problem, you may experience:
- chest pain
- heart palpitations (feeling like your heart is racing or skipping beats)
- shortness of breath
- increased blood pressure
Certain things can increase the risk of this side effect with modafinil oral tablet. These include having an existing heart condition, particularly if you have left ventricular hypertrophy or mitral valve prolapse.
Ways to manage
If you experience symptoms of a heart problem, tell your doctor. They’ll likely recommend making an appointment to check on your heart health. This will help your doctor decide whether it’s safe for you to continue taking modafinil.
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For some people, modafinil oral tablet can cause an allergic reaction.
Symptoms can be mild or serious, and they may include:
- itchiness
- skin rash
- swelling under the skin, usually affecting eyelids, lips, hands, or feet
- swelling of the mouth, tongue, or throat, which can make it hard to breathe
- flushing (temporary warmth, redness, or deepening of skin color)
There are also rare reports of severe and life threatening allergic skin reactions in people taking modafinil. These reactions include Stevens-Johnson syndrome and toxic epidermal necrolysis. The main symptom of these reactions is a blistering skin rash that may peel and cause discoloration. Other symptoms include discomfort, fever, and sore throat. These reactions require immediate medical treatment.
Finally, multi-organ hypersensitivity reactions have also been reported with modafinil. With multi-organ hypersensitivity, multiple body parts are affected by an allergic reaction. Symptoms will be different depending on the body parts that are affected. But symptoms of this reaction typically include fever and skin rash.
Ways to manage
For mild allergic reaction symptoms, such as a mild rash, call your doctor right away. They may recommend treatments to help manage your symptoms. They’ll also let you know whether you should keep taking the medication.
For severe allergic reaction symptoms, such as blistering or peeling skin rash, swelling, trouble breathing, or multi-organ hypersensitivity reaction, call 911 or your local emergency number right away. These symptoms require immediate medical care because they can become life threatening. If you’ve had a serious allergic reaction to modafinil oral tablet, your doctor will likely recommend taking a different medication instead.
Warnings for modafinil
Below are some factors you may want to discuss with your doctor before taking modafinil oral tablet.
Warnings
It may not be safe for you to take modafinil oral tablet if you have specific health conditions. These are sometimes called drug-condition interactions. Other things may also affect whether modafinil oral tablet is a safe treatment option for you.
Before taking modafinil oral tablet, tell your doctor about your health and medications you take. Things to consider include:
- heart conditions, such as irregular heart rhythm or past heart attack
- liver conditions, such as liver cirrhosis
- mental health conditions, such as bipolar disorder or depression
- past allergic reaction to modafinil
Modafinil and pregnancy
It’s not known whether modafinil oral tablet should be taken during pregnancy. If you’re planning a pregnancy or can become pregnant, talk with your doctor before taking this medication.
Modafinil and breastfeeding
It’s not known whether modafinil oral tablet should be taken while breastfeeding. If you’re currently breastfeeding or planning to do so, talk with your doctor before taking this medication.
Modafinil and alcohol
Modafinil oral tablet is not known to interact with alcohol.
However, the safety of consuming alcohol while taking modafinil has not been studied. Because of this, the drug manufacturer recommends avoiding alcohol while taking modafinil.
If you drink alcohol, talk with your doctor about whether it’s safe to consume it during your treatment with modafinil oral tablet.
What to ask your doctor
This article describes common and serious side effects of modafinil oral tablet. If your doctor prescribes this medication, they can discuss possible side effects with you. Let your doctor know if you have concerns or questions about treatment with this medication.
Here’s a list of some possible questions you may want to ask your doctor:
- Does modafinil have similar side effects as other drugs for narcolepsy, such as Wakix?
- How will you monitor me for side effects while I’m taking modafinil?
- Do I have a higher risk of side effects than others?
- Does my risk for side effects with modafinil decrease as I continue treatment?
Disclaimer: Optum Perks has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date. However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or another healthcare professional before taking any medication. The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.