Hi Everybody,
Hope you don't get tired of me always posting here and asking questions. It's just the best site for information I know of. My neurologist prescribed Amantadine for MS related fatigue, but I've been afraid to take it because of the possibility of insomnia which I can't tolerate because of restless legs. But the fatigue is just getting so bad. Do any of you take it for fatigue? Does it cause insomnia? To top it off I also read that it's helpful for RLS. Too much for me to take in!
Hello, this med works sometimes for me and other times it don’t seem to effect me at all. My neurologist informed me that this medication is pretty safe if used correctly. It’s a pretty weak medication compared to others. Good luck.
Thanks for your repsonse Royjr
Well, being safe is good. I can believe it because my neuro is like the most conservative thing ever. Thank you.
Wow, had to do some research myself to even find where that is used to treat MS fatigue. You may want to do some reading here: webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-750-...
I had never heard of it before. I also have a lot of fatigue and take Modafinil tablets 3 times a day. 7:00AM, 12:00PM and 3:00PM. It does give me much more energy and focus. Sometimes, especially in the morning with coffee caffeine, I get a little buzzed feeling. I hope someone here will respond with their experiences. Never worry about asking questions here. Our group is growing everyday and there are many of us that will help you get some answers.
that's encouraging. Does it keep you awake at night?
Not me, but not much keep me up at night (lol). They do direct you not to take close to your bedtime for that very reason
No, that's why I quit taking it by 3 pm. I was just taking the first 2 doses, but by dinner time, I had the MS Fatigue so much I could hardly prepare a meal. My fatigue allows me to be distracted very easily. Thank goodness I didn't burn the house down! I have had problems sleeping for 30 plus years so I do have a prescription for Lorazepam and I take it and sometimes add a Melatonin 5mg. If you do take it, perhaps start with a low dosage see how that works, just don't take it later in the day. If possible take a little nap to refresh your energy.
Hi Ikeeptrying I also take modnifil. Thank Goodness for Royjr for telling me about it a year ago!😄 He's going to be the one to ask about the amantadine.😊 I take the modnifinl 2xs a day. Along with caffeine in the morning.😳😀
And you can never ask to many questions like CalfeeChick said!💕
Jes 🌠🎄
@hi Ikeeptrying . Amantadine was the first fatigue med my neuro prescribed. It really didn’t do much for me so he added modafinil . The modafinil is my saving grace as it gets me up and thru my day. As a long time sufferer of insomnia I can’t give much of an opinion on the effects of amantadine. Ask anything you need to cause more than likely so of us have been thru it.
Donnie
I have been taking Ammantadine for fatigue for a few years and it does seem to help. My doctor prescribed it for twice daily but i only take it once daily in the morning. This probably helps alleviate insomnia. The one dose daily is sufficient to get me through most of my work day. I will admit, I am still fatigued in the evening. Try it out and see how you respond, if it does result in sleep disturbance talk with you doctor about other options to fight the fatigue.
Good luck to you and Merry Christmas!
I think I'll try the once a day. I always felt that if it's giving you energy it's getting it from somewhere and you'll pay the price later. But, I'll give it a try. Thanks for the reply.
Ikeeptrying I've taken both Provigil and Amantadine. I could get to sleep OK on either, but both caused me to be wide awake in the middle of the night. I just use coffee now.
Thank you Iona60. If there's a chance it could effect my sleep I'll pass. No easy answers for sure.
Always good to start slow, decide later if you need to increase more,
Amantadine did nothing for me. Neither did Ritalin. The only thing that helped the fatigue a little was some version of modafinil: Provigil or Nuvigil. I haven't taken anything for fatigue in a few years because it was making my insomnia worse. I've never had RLS so can't comment on that.
I've used it for a few years now. I started on one a day and now on two a day. Pther than diptropan (helps with the whole jiggy bladder thing) it's the one drug I would not want to be without. I find it much easier to manage with it than without. I don't know about the insomnia, I had difficulties with insomnia before I started taking it, I continued to have the same level of insomnia after taking it. The increased energy levels are much appreciated.
I’ve been on it for years. Twice a day. Not sure how effective it is. Some days I’m great and other days totally exhausted. I do have some insomnia. But I’m on a bunch of meds so any could cause it and my bladder wakes me up. Also I wake up to cool down. Lots of issues working together.
My daughter was prescribed it due to a traumatic brain injury she sustained in a horrible car accident. It did cause her insomnia which was pretty bad to be honest. She absolutely hated it.
Hi, I am currently taking Amantadine and have been for over a year. I can honestly say it gives me a boost through the day but Im still tired by 5pm. I take Amatadine twice a day too. My sister in law has MS also and takes Amantadine, she only takes 1 pill and it keeps her moving all day long. I think the drug works on everyone different. Good luck on journey.
Not sure I've tried Amantadine, heard of it.?..?..probably, not sure anymore, too many. I thought I've tried everything possible at some point for the pain, fatigue, and all the other things we live with, so get used to them (the MS "gifts"). Best anti-fatigue drugs (actually anti-narcolepsy drugs) for me were Provigil and Nuvigil, the drugs issued to our air force pilots I was told, and then wondered if we had all these half asleep pilots flying the not so friendly skies over Chicagoland, with me below, just another city marathon driver, trying to run my estimates,...,stuck in stop and go rush hour traffic on the Kennedy Expressway, barely able to squint my eyes open ever so little, just enough to see out of, sort of, every few seconds to make sure I was still okay in the day after day after day stop & go I had to do every morning, along with a gazillion other drivers, and that I wasn't resting on the bumper of the guy in front of me! Yeah, none of them (the drugs) worked for me either. But I made a huge dent in it (the MS fatigue), when I was finally able to get my sleep under control (by actually getting to sleep?). Yes, I have RLS too, did all the drugs for that too, including my best option, having to alternate drugs each nite because one or the other of them that at least worked a little any more, was wearing out permanently on me as I guess it does on many people long term..., Anyway, for a while I forgot I even had it? No, it didn't go away, it just slowly transitioned into nite pain, which was H E double toothpicks on earth! And who even thought about RLS with your feet on fire, the visualizing the flesh dripping off my feet like the way from a candle? Years, we tried all the drugs for pain too (I must have a mouse in my pocket?..no my neurologists and I). Nothing. Anyway, my point? I just wanted to say regarding the RLS, which I have again since my nite pain went away miraculously with medical cannabis, take magnesium AT DINNER. If nothing else! That along with a heavily sedating indica strain. I found a very high CBD indica works best. Besides, who needs to get high? We have enough going on with this thing we have. (MS) No burning feet!!! Sleep!!! And then with the Med C it's possible to then actually mind over restless leg stop it when the feeling first starts!!! Really! You know you've tried it so many times, and always failed.
Or..., you can get bombed on cough syrup awful alcohol. Stick with the high octane grapes (brandy...). And yeah that's what? 2 - 3 shots is all it took me, (yeah I couldn't make it thru a happy hour if I tried), and at peak fatigue when you've been trying all nite to get to sleep even though you were near comatose mentally well before 8, but the pain won't let you. Oh but wait, it's only a few mere hours before you have to get up! Your choice. Hope you can get to your solution quick. It took me many years of script after script after script! When I look back at how many I was prescribed over all the years......., I'm glad I made it! I'm alive!!! And actually doing quite well! YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE MS, TILL THEY FIND A CURE. TILL THEN....Be Healthy in every way you still can be! Manage it Healthy!
I take one a day in morning I think it works great I've conquered the fatigue, it's everything else that is troubling 
I took it for a few months and found I was very allergic to it. I swell up (legs)incredibly. They had a hard time tracing what was causing the swelling and first they said it was the interaction with an antidepressant I was taking. Went off all meds including DMT to determine what was causing the swelling.
Years later a different neuro put me on it again, when I was off antidepressants Swelling started almost immediately. First time they really thought it was congestive heart failure not good and we traced it. Second time I knew immediately what was going on with my body and went off it within a week. Maybe the allergy was just my unique reaction but thought I would share. It was a urologist that identified the problem and said that they do have repeated interactions with older populations with amantadine and antidepressants. I didn't think I was that old as I was in my late 50's early 60's. Now coming up on 70, it would make a little more sense.
Anymore I have written BOLDLY that I am allergic to amantadine. I suggest a daily nap to address fatigue. I too have restless legs that keep me awake. At night I take 5 mg of generic Ambien, works like a dream take it about 30 minutes before bedtime. In the morning, I take my medication with tonic water(4-8oz.) diluted 50-50 with carbonated water (takes the bitterness away). That works on leg spasticity during the day. Tonic water has quinine in it and was suggested by my MS specialist exactly for spasticity and restless leg.
i love amantadine it helps me thru my weak spells, as long as i don't take my 2nd dose after 2;00 pm i sleep fine
Well I finally broke down and took the Amantadine. It was good for about an hour then I felt zombized. Woke up about 3 and could not get back to sleep. Took a Trazadone and fell asleep for 2 hours. Not worth it for me. Good for all you guys that it works for. And thank you all for responding.
Just saw your note...first time I'm writing here. I take amantadine. The rx is suppose to be100mg daily, but it seems to accumulate and then I get terrible insomnia. I started taking it every other day with less problem I told my dr and he said that's ok.
I am here to learn how others cope with the everyday living of MS.
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