Are Wakix and Provigil the Same Thing?
Wakix (pitolisant) and Provigil (modafinil) are used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in adult patients with narcolepsy.
Provigil is also used to increase wakefulness in patients with excessive sleepiness related to shiftwork sleep disorder and obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome.
Wakix and Provigil belong to different drug classes. Wakix is a histamine-3 (H3) receptor antagonist/inverse agonist and Provigil is a stimulant.
Side effects of Wakix and Provigil that are similar include insomnia, nausea, and anxiety.
Side effects of Provigil that are different from Wakix include headache, dizziness, upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea, nervousness, agitation, and dry mouth.
Both Wakix and Provigil may interact with cyclosporine, hormonal contraceptives, seizure medications, and rifampin.
Wakix may also interact with antidepressants, antihistamines, antiarrhythmics, some antibiotics, and midazolam.
Provigil may also interact with alcohol, theophylline, warfarin, diazepam, propranolol, imipramine, desipramine, ketoconazole, and itraconazole.
What Are Possible Side Effects of Wakix?
Common side effects of Wakix include:
- insomnia,
- nausea, and
- anxiety
What Are Possible Side Effects of Provigil?
- 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).
What Is Wakix?
Wakix (pitolisant) is a histamine-3 (H3) receptor antagonist/inverse agonist indicated for the treatment of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in adult patients with narcolepsy.
What Is Provigil?
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.
QUESTION
Why do we sleep? See AnswerWhat Drugs Interact With Wakix?
Wakix may interact with certain antidepressants, seizure medications, rifampin, antihistamines, antiarrhythmics, hormonal contraceptives, midazolam, and cyclosporine. Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.
What Drugs Interact With Provigil?
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.
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Harmony Biosciences. Wakix Product Information.
https://wakix.com/
FDA. Provigil Product Information.
https://www.fda.gov/downloads/drugs/drugsafety/ucm231722.pdf