Introduction

THIS IS NOT MEDICAL ADVICE

I started taking Modafinil after reading about it on Gwern's Blog a couple of months ago. Here are my experiences.

Buying Modafinil in Europe is moderately hard. Not because of customs (i live in Italy at the time of writing so there are no problems with that) but because most established websites are targeted at America. The first website I bought it from sent it to me and then closed after a week, scamming everyone. Buying a small batch at first is probably the wisest thing to do, but then you risk not having the website anymore to buy more!

This is not a medical trial, I'm in no way qualified to perform research, I didn't do a blind randomized study. I have a high resistance to most substances and I also have ADHD so your mileage may vary.

Findings

200mg:#

• Taking one pill at 08:00AM allows me to stay the whole day awake
• It seemed to improve my focus a little but I found it hard to gauge effects on that front
• Usually the effects are most noticeable after 2 hours and wane after 5
• Urine has the same smell as the pill
• Modafinil slightly acts as a laxative and diuretic
• I was able to sleep each time at around 24:00/01:00 without any problems

400mg:#

• After a month I decided to try a 400mg dose on the weekends
• 200mg at 08:00AM + 200mg at 12:00AM
• The additional dose greatly improves the focus aspect
• I was able to focus on a task for 6 hours straight and it was kinda incredible
• Some muscles seem contracted while under the effects
• With 400mg I started going to sleep at 05:00AM, but without any apparent sleepiness
• Even after waking up at 8/9AM the next day was bearable and the awakening not that terrible

600mg:#

• This is the maximum dose I am willing to try
• 08:00AM + 12:00AM + 16:00PM
• At 600mg it starts to feel similar to a drug
• The muscle contraction seems higher
• And so does the perceived focus. The perception of time seems to distort and more boring tasks seem faster
• The effects on sleep seemed similar to 400mg

General Observations

• The body definitely builds a resistance
• Even after 2 months without Modafinil the effects weren't as strong as the first time (while better than before the break)
• Modafinil helps me to concentrate on boring tasks, but it seems like it devaluates fun ones. I tend to play video games a lot but I rarely felt the desire to play when I was awake at night
• Sleep schedule seemed to be unaltered after taking 400mg on alternating days for two weeks.
• I never had headaches
• Sense of smell seems to be enhanced?
• At this current moment the 200mg doesn't seem noticeable (but I'm not sure if the first times it actually was or I'm misremembering)