Side Effects of Modafinil
Similar to all pharmacological drugs, Modafinil causes a variety of side effects, including:
- Skin rash (e.g., hives)
- Blisters or peeling skin
- Mouth sores
- Dysphagia (i.e., difficulty swallowing)
- Fever
- Dyspnea (i.e., shortness of breath)
- Swelling of different body parts
- Jaundice
- Anxiety and depression
- Suicidal thoughts
- Unusual behaviors
- Aggression
- Hyperactivity
- Chest pain
- Trouble breathing
- Uneven heartbeats
Besides these serious side effects, Modafinil may cause the following symptoms:
- Headache
- Dizziness
- Anxiety
- Back pain
- Nausea
- Diarrhea
- Upset stomach
- Sleep disorders (e.g., insomnia)
- Stuffy nose
Side Effects of Armodafinil
Patients who take Armodafinil may experience the following side effects:
- Dermatological presentation (e.g., blistering, burning, crusting, dryness)
- Dyspnea (i.e., shortness of breath)
- Irregular and rapid heartbeat
- Pollakiuria (i.e., frequent urination)
- Headache – severe and throbbing
- Polyuria (i.e., excessive volume of urine)
- Itching and scaling of the skin
- Severe erythema
- Swelling of the skin
Interaction with Other Drugs
Modafinil can accelerate the clearance of some medications, which may reduce their effectiveness. A few examples of affected drugs are:
- Axitinib
- Bosutinib
- Daridorexant
- Asunaprevir
- Ombitasvir
- Paritaprevir
- Ritonavir
- Caffeine
Make sure to speak with your doctor before taking Modafinil if you are already under any of the drugs listed above. Note that the list is not comprehensive, so other molecules could also be affected by the action of Modafinil.
As for Armodafinil, the potential serious interactions may occur when it’s taken with:
- Modafinil and steroidal contraceptives
- Weak cyp2c19 inhibitors (e.g., mavacamten)
- Cyp3a4 inducers (e.g., lumateperone)
- Clopidogrel
For the following medications, the risk of drug interactions is present. However, it is lower than the list above.
- Moderate and weak cyp3a4 inducers (e.g., tacrolimus)
- Selected moderate-weak cyp3a4 inducers (e.g., exemestane)
- Moderate and weak cyp3a4 inducers (e.g., ubrogepant)