Here we are, 3:17PM and it's Modafinil crash time

[Back2Good]

So yes, I can confirm that Modafinil does in fact have a 12-hour half-life...If I were to take it at, say, 9AM, I'd no doubt have even more trouble getting to sleep at night than I do now - But my work day starts early, so on the days I use it, I'm taking it on an empty stomach at around 4:30AM.  This being a Friday at the end of a long week, I took my normal dose to make sure I was able to stay awake and alert for a couple of meetings, and it's worked just fine until just now...I can feel the crash beginning to start.

It isn't a dirty crash akin to a Ritalin crash, just a slow evaporation of the mild feeling of well-being that Modafinil provides, combined with all the fatigue it was hiding starting to poke it's head out and growl.

I do have a remedy to complete the day and make me bearable this evening - A couple of cups of coffee and one 15mg capsule of prescription Temazepam (Restoril) stolen from my sleeping pill prescription seem to perk me up a bit and take the irritable edge off so that I don't arrive home as a grumpy, tired old man.  Which is what I am, actually - It's just that better living through chemistry allows me to hide it.  Amazing, the off-label uses one finds for some meds...Especially extremely weak benzos like Temazepam.  While I prefer them to Zolpidem as a sleep aid, this is one of the other ways I've found to use them (I take 30mg, 2 15mg capsules as prescribed for sleep, but only 15mg as a mild antidote to a Modafinil crash).

Happy Friday All, and to my fellow chronic insomniacs, my best wishes for a decent night's sleep tonight.

- b2g

[IceWizard]

My... This is a very informative post B2G...

You have explained thingz in a very easy format to understand indeed....

Thank you sir for this in-depth look ..

Ice

[Back2Good]

You're too kind, IceWizard...It's hardly very informative (or in-depth, no science to validate it), just one anecdote among the hundreds I'm sure are already posted here regarding similar "crash syndromes" - The modern equivalent of an old-fashioned hangover cure, really.  But I do appreciate and thank you for your kind response!

- b2g

[1real5]

I've never really experienced any sort of "crash" from this, I've always just felt "back to normal" again. Even when I stack it with an energy drink.

[Stripers]

I agree with the sleeping problems. I also start around 4:30 some days and it's just miserable. Found modafinil to help somewhat but still made it tough to fall asleep after taking it at 4:30.
It does help fight fatigue, but not enough for me to outweigh the sleeping difficulty it gives me when taken on a regular basis. I find it useful for more occasional use as it doesn't affect my sleep as much when used on occasion.