Provigil vs. Sunosi

Provigil (modafinil) and Sunosi (solriamfetol) are used to increase wakefulness in patients with excessive sleepiness related to narcolepsy, shiftwork sleep disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome.

Provigil is also used to increase wakefulness in patients with excessive sleepiness related to shiftwork sleep disorder.

Provigil and Sunosi belong to different drug classes. Provigil is a stimulant and Sunosi is a dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (DNRI).

Side effects of Provigil and Sunosi that are similar include headache, nausea, anxiety, and trouble sleeping (insomnia).

Side effects of Provigil that are different from Sunosi include dizziness, upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea, nervousness, agitation, and dry mouth.

Side effects of Sunosi that are different from Provigil include decreased appetite.

Provigil may interact with cyclosporine, theophylline, hormonal contraceptives, warfarin, diazepam, propranolol, imipramine, desipramine, phenytoin, carbamazepine, rifampin, ketoconazole, and itraconazole.

Sunosi may interact with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), other drugs that increase blood pressure and/or heart rate, and dopaminergic drugs.

Common side effects of Provigil include:

• headache,
• dizziness,
• upper respiratory tract infection,
• nausea,
• diarrhea,
• nervousness,
• anxiety,
• agitation,
• dry mouth, and
• trouble sleeping (insomnia).

Tell your doctor if you experience serious side effects of Provigil including:

• fever,
• easy bruising or bleeding,
• hallucinations,
• depression,
• chest pain,
• fast/pounding/irregular heartbeat, or
• mental/mood changes (such as confusion, depression, hallucinations, rare thoughts of suicide).

Common side effects of Sunosi include:

• headache,
• nausea,
• decreased appetite,
• insomnia, and
• anxiety

Provigil (modafinil) is a stimulant prescribed to increase wakefulness in patients with excessive sleepiness related to narcolepsy, shiftwork sleep disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome.

Sunosi (solriamfetol) is a dopamine and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (DNRI) indicated to improve wakefulness in adult patients with excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy or obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Provigil drug interactions include cyclosporine (Sandimmune), theophylline (Theo-24), hormonal contraceptives (for example, Micronor), warfarin (Coumadin), diazepam (Valium), propranolol (Inderal), imipramine (Tofranil), desipramine (Norpramin), phenytoin (Dilantin), carbamazepine (Tegretol), rifampin (Rifadin), Ketoconazole (Nizoral) and itraconazole (Sporanox). Provigil has not been adequately studied in pregnant women and it is unknown if it is excreted in breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Sunosi may interact with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs), other drugs that increase blood pressure and/or heart rate, and dopaminergic drugs. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant before using Sunosi; it is unknown how it would affect a fetus. There is a pregnancy exposure registry that monitors pregnancy outcomes in women exposed to Sunosi during pregnancy. It is unknown if Sunosi passes into breast milk. Consult your doctor before breastfeeding.

Provigil dosage is 200 or 400 mg daily.

Sunosi is administered once daily upon awakening. The starting dose of Sunosi for patients with narcolepsy is 75 mg once daily. The starting dose of Sunosi for patients with OSA is 37.5 mg once daily.