Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) mostly affects individuals between the ages of 20 & 40. Nonetheless, it can also strike teens & children younger than 12 years old. With this condition, you are often not capable to do your usual activities — probably too weary & tired to get inspired for essential tasks or chores. At times, CFS may confine you to bed.
Certainly, CFS has overwhelming fatigue that isn’t improved by rest. But does a deficiency of energy imply you are on your course to developing CF? Not at all, connoisseurs voice. Normal fatigue is significantly different from CF.
If diagnosed with CFS & want a viable solution, read this guide to understand the basics of modafinil (a “smart tab”) & CFS + how to use the “smart tab” for chronic fatigue therapy. Can there be possible risks of utilizing the “smart tab” for CF? Can you get insurance authorization for modafinil? Continue reading to acquaint yourself with necessary tips & a verdict on whether the “smart tab” does treat CFS.
But first things first!
Features of Modafinil
Modafinil is an active ingredient used to make Provigil (brand-name med) and several other generics. It’s a pharmaceutical med certified to remedy sleep disorders linked with narcolepsy, OSA, as well as shift work sleep disorder (SWSD). It’s also regularly prescribed off-label for depression, jet lag, multiple sclerosis, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, chronic fatigue syndrome, fibromyalgia, weight loss, and Parkinson’s & Alzheimer’s diseases, among other health conditions.
It’s also constantly administered by healthy individuals from all walks of life to ameliorate mental abilities & ultimately heighten productivity. As a cognitive augmenter, it offers several benefits, including alertness, positive mood, boosted mental acuity, focus, memory, planning, ameliorated motivation to work, swifter mental processing speed, etc.
What Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Chronic fatigue is indeed a complicated disorder denoted by extreme fatigue that lasts for at least 6 months & that can’t be thoroughly justified by an underlying medical illness.
Besides, the condition worsens with mental or physical activity and certainly doesn’t enhance with rest. Undoubtedly, CF transpires when indications of weariness or scarcity of energy last 6+ months. It’s also a sign of myriad chronic health conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or fibromyalgia.
Although the meticulous cause of CF is unidentified, certain facets can play a role, such as hormone level modifications, stress, and infection.
CF symptoms frequently result from sleep disturbances, usually insomnia, in the mix with depression & chronic pain. Similarly, other characteristics that may donate to the signs of CFS include a bad diet, physical inactivity, and deficiency of exercise, & the ingestion of certain meds.
Further, CF is oftentimes linked with lessened levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. Certainly, serotonin is closely correlated to fatigue because of its well-known impacts on sleep, lethargy, & tiredness, plus a deficiency of motivation [1].
Also, regardless of the basis, CF influences day-to-day functioning & quality of life in individuals with arthritis.
Although there’s no antidote for CF, there are some potent over-the-counter (OTC) & prescription treatments that could conceivably be utilized to lessen its signs. The most outstanding med is modafinil. Undoubtedly, modafinil for chronic fatigue is the safest therapy that has been well-studied.
It’s remarkably designed to aid control fatigue & issues with memory + concentration. Furthermore, it indeed permits a boost in the levels of serotonin, among other neurotransmitters, while lowing the concentrations, which can lead to CF. Regard that meds that function for one patient might not effectively function as required for another.
Aside from modafinil, physicians oftentimes prescribe antidepressants that heighten adrenaline (epinephrine) to assist with fatigue. Certain stimulants, such as Ritalin & Adderall, are infrequently used to treat CFS.
Remarkably, some patients with CF respond extremely well when treated with non-stimulant wakefulness-stimulating agents such as Provigil & Nuvigil (modafinil & armodafinil, respectively). Regardless, these meds are only meant to treat narcolepsy, SWSD, and OSA.
But why is modafinil used to manage CF? Are you already taking it? Continue reading to know the tips about the recovery from chronic fatigue syndrome with modafinil & a verdict in the next section.
Can You Recover from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome with Modafinil?
As communicated earlier, there’s no distinctive cure for CFS. Why? Each patient with CF has a different manifestation & may consequently necessitate distinct types of therapy to address the disorder & relieve its signs.
Since individuals diagnosed with CF are extremely sensitive to any meds that impact the brain, some of them encounter irritation & agitation when they’re being administered with stimulants in conventional doses. That implies that such medications should be prescribed in low quantities by qualified physicians who continually prescribe them & apprehend how to manage the antagonistic effects.
The initial dose for CFS is 200 mg tab taken in the morning. Nonetheless, the dosage can be divided into 2 & taken in the morning & at noon. Consider that the modafinil dosage is based on a prescription. Some people may profit by administering a higher dose (up to 400 mg), while other patients may discover lower doses of 50 mg or so incredibly efficacious.
Although modafinil hasn’t been approved for the treatment of CF, there is a subject of a patient diagnosed with severe CF who made a satisfactory recovery with modafinil. In this case, there is no info on whether patients suffering from CFS require taking modafinil long-term. Nonetheless, this med could be administered as a short-term intervention [2].
What Are the Side Effects of Taking Modafinil for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Although modafinil is possible to be used when recovering from CFS, it can be linked with some risks. It may induce some individuals to feel drowsy, have trouble controlling movements, have problems with thinking, being dizzy, or seeing clearly. When using it for CFS, make sure you fully comprehend how you respond to it before you operate machines, drive, or even decide to do other tasks that necessitate you to be well-cooperative, super alert, & capable to think/seeing well.
Since modafinil is a pharmaceutical med, it may induce side effects such as headache, nausea, dry mouth, insomnia, & nervousness. It may also trigger dyskinesias in elderly patients [3].
Talking with a physician first about the potential risks of using modafinil & making certain a health analysis is carried out to decide if this med is satisfactory for you is indeed prudent. Don’t mix with other meds since it may induce drug-drug interaction. Besides, certain health conditions may cause drug-disease interaction.
How to Get Insurance Approval for Modafinil for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome?
Want to know how to get insurance approval for modafinil to treat CFS? Certainly, modafinil isn’t authorized to therapy CFS but is undoubtedly used off-label for this purpose. Therefore, insurance such as Aetna won’t cover modafinil for CF since there’s no indication of treating it with the med. The insurance company only offers it for FDA-approved health condition treatments.
A company like Cigna covers modafinil insurance as medically necessary FDA indications or other uses with evidence. Nonetheless, based on the insurance company you may be linked with, it may necessitate verification of your CFS diagnosis to authorize your claim.
Undoubtedly, your insurance company will require you to provide objective proof of symptoms &/or a diagnosis for any long-term disability. Unquestionably, your diagnosis is fundamental. The foremost action in filing a CF long-term disability assertion is to guarantee a legit diagnosis with your treating medic. Certainly, the insurance company may weigh its verdict very heavily on your physician’s opinion, so your physician’s support is key [4]. Similarly, the coverage of modafinil may be furnished for any non-FDA labeled indication if it’s indeed resolved that its use is a medically acknowledged indication backed by nationally identified pharmacy peer-reviewed medical literature or compendia for therapy of the diagnosis for which it’s prescribed. Consider that the patient insurance application is generally assessed on a case-by-case basis to confine medical essentials [5].
Conclusion
CF stays a complex health condition with no definite available cause & cure. Besides, the recovery rate from CF is extremely low, & that’s the point managing the disorder can be problematic. You’ll conceivably require making lifestyle modifications to adapt to your CF or just apply stress surveillance, therapy, or certain meds. As a result, you may undergo social isolation, depression, or even anxiety if diagnosed with CF.
Undoubtedly, CF progresses differently in everyone. In this regard, it’s paramount to work with your physician to devise an efficacious & safe treatment plan that meets your essentials. You may opt to administer supplements for energy such as D-ribose, carnitine, lessened nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD), magnesium malate, creatine, & vitamin B12. However, many patients living with CF significantly profit from administering modafinil rigorously as prescribed.
Now you know what to expect if using modafinil for chronic fatigue. Although this med isn’t authorized to handle the condition, it has remarkably confirmed very useful & well-tolerated for treating CFS with few to no harmful effects.
Medical Disclaimer: All the content available on the website is just for informational purposes. It’s not a substitute for any Professional advice. Don’t take it personally. As a medical student, I’m just trying to use my information through my content, and please keep in mind it’s not written by a professional doctor. Use the data just for educational purposes.
References
- Physical and Emotional Symptoms of Low Serotonin. By Adrienne Dellwo. Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD. Updated: May 19, 2022. Verywellhealth.com.
- Recovery from chronic fatigue syndrome with modafinil. By Douglas Turkington, Daniel Hedwat, Iain Rider, and Allan H. Young. Retrieved: June 1, 2022. Citeseerx.ist.psu.edu.
- Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (pdf). Published: November 1, 2003. Investinme.org.
- Is Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis A Disability? Retrieved: June 1, 2022. Riemerhess.com.
- DE Medicaid PA Criteria for Provigil(modafinil) and Nuvigil(armodafinil) (pdf). Retrieved: June 1, 2022. Fm.formularynavigator.com.
I have a Bachelor’s degree in medicine and am presently working at a renowned hospital in California. I used my leisure time to share my expertise with others through my blog. In addition to my work in healthcare, I like reading fiction and enjoy writing posts a lot. I want to use my writing to help the health sector on my blog site. You’ll get exclusive informational content about health & Fitness.
