This drug has shown benefit in treating narcolepsy, sleep apnea and sleep abnormalities related to shift work. A small trial in FM patients points to its potential benefit, building on anecdotal reports from CFIDS and FM patients who have found it to be helpful.

Modafinil, marketed in the U.S. by Cephalon under the trade name Provigil, has shown benefit in treating narcolepsy, sleep apnea and sleep abnormalities related to shift work. There have also been reports of successful treatment with modafinil for the fatigue in multiple sclerosis. It was recently approved in the U.K. for use in alleviating daytime sleepiness resulting from other neurological conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and myotonic dystrophy. Small studies of CFIDS and fibromyalgia (FM) patients indicate that it’s potentially useful for improving energy and alertness in these conditions as well.

One such report comes from two doctors in the Philadelphia area, James L. Schaller, MD and David Behar, MD. They used modafinil to treat four patients with fatigue related to FM over an 18-month period, using 150 mg to 300 mg per day. Over the course of the open-label trial, the patients reported significant improvement in alertness and function improved from 55 to 70 on one scale, expressed by the patients as feeling that they could now “work” or “care for their children.” The doctors also noted that patients’ family members made unsolicited comments about the patient’s improved function.

A more detailed report on this pilot study, published in the Journal of Clinical Neuroscience, can be found at http://www.immunesupport.com/library/showarticle.cfm/id/5770/searchtext/modafinil/