5 replies to this topic

[cousineg]

See  Nuvigil in Treatment of Cancer-Related Fatigue in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia Patients

Other link: Fatigue in cancer 

[Trey]

Nuvigil (aka Armodafinil) is just the same as taking a caffeine pill.  Its goal is to keep a person wide awake, not to relieve the underlying fatigue.  This drug is used to treat narcolepsy (constantly falling asleep in mid-day).

http://en.wikipedia....iki/Armodafinil

[CallMeLucky]

To be fair, I think that over simplifies it.  While Nuvigil has amphetimine qualities to it, there appears to be something deeper at work in the way it regulates brain chemistry.  Particularly how it appears to elevate hypothalamic histamine levels.  From what I have read, Nuvigil is nothing more than repacakged Provigil with some minor tweaks to maintain a patent.  The information available for Profigil (aka Modafinil) is quite a bit more extensive and gives better insgiht into what this drug may do for people in our situation.  I for one am hopeful that it can a) reduce fatigue and not interfere with TKI.

http://www.everydayh...-with-new-name/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modafinil

[CallMeLucky]

Hi Billie,

It is interesting that your doctor stated that Nuvigil would decrease the effects of the drug, I would be interested to know why he thinks that.  If you get the chance and feel like asking him, please let us know.  My understanding is that there is a trial for Nuvigil with Gleevec and so far that trial is ongoing, I would think if it was noticeably reducing efficacy they would stop the trial, but who knows.  Would also like to know if he has information on a trial with Nuvigil and Sprycel.

Thanks,

[Trey]

Lowering the TKI drug dosage is the normal way to treat low blood counts.  Anemia and low blood counts are not necessarily the same thing, so ask your doc to define the problem for you -- is it anemia or low blood counts overall.  Anemia may require additional actions such as iron infusion, supplements like B12, etc.

Nuvigil (Armodafinil) is a moderate CYP450 3A4 inducer, so it could potentially decrease the effectiveness of TKI drugs.  So your doc is correct.