The Entrepreneur Forum | Financial Freedom | Starting a Business | Motivation | Money | Success

Welcome to the only entrepreneur forum dedicated to building life-changing wealth.

Build a Fastlane business. Earn real financial freedom. Join free.

Join over 80,000 entrepreneurs who have rejected the paradigm of mediocrity and said "NO!" to underpaid jobs, ascetic frugality, and suffocating savings rituals— learn how to build a Fastlane business that pays both freedom and lifestyle affluence.

Free registration at the forum removes this block.

What are peoples thought on Modafinil?

Status
Not open for further replies.

elijahfry

New Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
59%
Jul 26, 2019
17
10
Troy, Michigan
Was just wondering if anyone has had experience with Modafinil. Have seen some people on the forum and have read some blogs of people praising it. Is it really that effective to promote focus and drive?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I have experimented with it and documented my results day to day and compared it with coffee and the small stimulus of caffeine in regular amounts of very dark chocolate. I also compared it to moderate intake of alcohol, but this might be more subjective since genes determine how you react to alcohol to a high degree. I react very positively to alcohol, I get energized and focused, so for me it was a fair comparison. Here are my takeaways. Note, I tried armodafinil, which as far as I can tell is an exaggeration of modafinil.

1. Armodafinil is by far the best stimulus. Hands down, no holds barred. The closest is having too many cups of coffee, but without the jitters. Seriously, its magical how you aren't jittery on it. That said, don't take caffeine with it. They don't play nicely. Thats a good way to become very unproductive, most likely through an unstoppable desire to work out.

2. If your problem is mood, getting used to eating large amounts of very dark (70% or higher) chocolate is by far the best way to go. Aside from elevating metabolism with caffeine, dark chocolate has elements that will make you happy, almost magically. And stay happy.

3. You don't crash with armodafinil, and its not addictive, but it is good to take breaks from using it.

4. Your first day will be Hell, you will not be able to sleep, even if you take it first thing in the morning. This gets better. Give it some time.

5. Most importantly the stimulus it does provide is the kind you want. You feel calm and able to tackle everything. Things that seemed hard become easier to break down into components you can easily tackle. You will find yourself doing everything you want to do, but it may be tricky to keep yourself on task on the things you MOST need to do. On Armodafinil, you seek out small problems and want to do them quickly and efficiently. Depending on the work you are seeking to do, this may be very good for you or it may be counter-productive. I found that some tasks such as writing were harder but other assignments such as coding problems or general productivity around the house and online was greatly improved.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

ChrisV

Legendary Contributor
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
225%
May 10, 2015
3,141
7,055
Islands of Calleja
We have no idea what the long term effects of modafinil are because we don't even fully know how it works. For now it seems like a Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitor than also acts on various wakefulness systems (orexin and histamine)

I've used Modafinil and I don't think it's a good long term solution at all. For me it just stopped working. and other users report similar problems. I'll quote a post I made in another thread about this:


One of the people who sent me questions, I want to answer here because I think it will be of benefit to other people:

Just read it, really good...

Is there a specific genetic test I should go for?

I can't seem to focus on the day to day, and need extreme circumstances to fire me into action.

I took Modafinil for almost a year straight and it worked amazingly for about a quarter of that, pretty well for another quarter. By the third quarter I just felt normal on it, and by the last it seemed to have almost no effect at all.

I stopped taking it in December, but I do miss it and am thinking of restocking. I mean don't get me wrong, I do shit, but am always feeling like I could be doing more.


Okay before I explain Modafinil, I just have to reiterate with everything in this post, nothing is medical advice. This is all stuff to speak with your doctor or specialist about. Do your homework, check citations, etc. I just want people to be educated consumers so they're not at the whim of Big Pharma. That being said... there are typically a handful of common things that go wrong with DA transmission, which have different corresponding genes.


View attachment 26479

1 - MTHFR rs1801133 and rs1801131, and to a lesser extent rs4846049 - Problems with the MTHFR gene, cause problems with Dopamine (and Serotonin) production. DA and 5-HT (Sero) need Folic Acid in order to be synthesized. If you don't have enough Folate, you generally don't have enough Dopamine. MTHFR inhibits Folate metabolism. If you don't have enough, it can't be released. Also note that a deficiency in dietary tyrosine can also contribute to this problem. (see this thread for more info)
2 - Various - many of the other genes and environmental circumstances 'conspire' together so there's just a general lack of DA in the vesicles (vesicles are kinda like Amazon Prime boxes delivering packages to the synapse... just sometimes the box is empty or underpacked)
3 - DAT (SLC6A3) - Some people have a genetic variant that makes the DAT pump run faster than normal, which sucks Dopamine back into the presynaptic neuron, leaving less for the next neuron.
4 - MAOB - rs1799836 - this enzyme breaks down Dopamine and Serotonin. Some genetic variants cause it to work overtime and break down Dopamine and Serotonin much faster.
5 - COMT - rs4680 - this enzyme breaks down Dopamine, and is more active in the Prefrontal Cortex (thinking planning part). Some genetic variants cause it to work overtime and break down Dopamine much faster.
6 - DRD2 - rs2283265, rs1076560 - certain variants of these genes cause underexpression of Dopamine Neurons, so whatever Dopamine is there has less receptors to 'bump into'

Misc:
HTR2A - rs6311
HTR2C - rs6318
POMC - rs1042571

Think of it like Netflix DVD Deliveries. Many things can go wrong. Okay let's say there's this DVD on Netflix, that's not available for streaming. There are a number if things that can go wrong causing that customer to have a bad experience.

First, what I'd there aren't enough raw materials to make the discs in the first place (MTHFR, Tyrosine intake). Second what if there's a problem on the website where people can't put their order in (Various genes and environmental circumstances). Third what if Netflix was forcing certain people to send their DVDs back too quickly before they got a chance to watch them as many times as they wanted to (DAT.) Fourth and Fifth, there's a system for checking if discs are damaged, but there's a problem with the system and it throws out too many discs (MAOB / COMT.) Sixth, that if many of the customers aren't home to sign for the delivery (DRD2.) Then there's some other stuff like Opiate receptors I won't get into right now.

We have to solve the specific problem or everything is going to go to shit.

So which genes you have can guide you to which interventions will work best. That said, using an intervention for a different genotype will work. But it will be temporary or with side effects. That's what you saw with Modafinil. Modafinil was overloading the wrong system. Or it was multiple genotypes that Modafinil ignored.

When I took Modafinil years ago I had a similar experience. Worked well for a few months, then the effects slowly died off.

We're not really 100% sure how Modafinil works, but for now it appears to be a mild Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitor but also acts on other systems (histamine, orexin.. both having to do with wakefulness.)

So back to the right tool for the job, if (for example) you actually have the MTHFR and MAOB genotype, then you plug up the DAT with Modafinil you're overloading one system to compensate for another. It will work temporarily, but something bad is likely going to happen. Your body is always trying to maintain homeostasis (balance) and when it sees one system overloaded it will take action to ramp up other systems to compensate for that. It's how drug tolerance works. So you probably saw a gradual decline in the effectiveness of Modafinil because it was the wrong solution for your genotype.

Re: which genetic test? I like 23andme and it's only 99 bucks.

Modafinil generally puts too much pressure on one dopamine system causing the others to eventually crash. It's generally thought as as safe, but as times goes by, I think that perception will change. Modafinil is a schedule IV controlled substance, and I don't think we know enough about it to be giving safety ratings,
 

Champion

Silver Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
103%
Apr 12, 2019
682
701
Hamburg, Germany
My advice: Stay away.

If you look at it long-term, nothing will be as effective as pure self-discipline and cold showers!
 

luniac

Platinum Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
158%
Dec 7, 2012
1,781
2,811
33
brooklyn

MaxKhalus

Silver Contributor
Read Rat-Race Escape!
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
119%
Jun 7, 2018
492
587
23
Spain
Was just wondering if anyone has had experience with Modafinil. Have seen some people on the forum and have read some blogs of people praising it. Is it really that effective to promote focus and drive?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Like most nootropics, it's worthless until you max out everything else. Diet, sleep, focus, workouts, work ethics, ...
 

Brewmacker

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
164%
Jun 17, 2019
214
352
40
The Netherlands
Only use it for emergency use when caged in my sidewalk 9-5 engineering job and extremely tired. Promotes wakefulness and focus. Usually I end up focusing on some random new technology, or in fact anything. Modafinal gives you focus but not discipline. Get distracted by something you can easily loose a few hours not doing what you initially intended to do.

For now a good balance and regime in terms of sleep, fitness, mindfulness, healthy eating, stress and drinking only one day a week keeps my focus going for the whole day.

On the other hand if I was unscripted and tired, I would simply take a nap :)
 

ravenspear

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
207%
Jul 25, 2016
181
375
My advice: Stay away.

If you look at it long-term, nothing will be as effective as pure self-discipline and cold showers!
Also physical exercise! After a good workout I feel incredibly focused and determined to accomplish things.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

ecommercewolf

Bronze Contributor
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
95%
Jan 8, 2019
258
246
Dallas, TX
I'm actually skeptical at first because of my lack of knowledge about the medicine. But when I learned that some of the people I know are using it, I did my personal research and I learned that it really do its job really well according to data. And when I tried it myself, I proved that the result of my research is really what the medicine does.

I usually get my supply from here PillsKing dot Com, they have really good customer service and after sales service. Well this is only me, I still believe that we are unique in our own way and medicine works differently per individual. But it's worth the try, modafinil is worth trying.

lol nice shill
 

paulmp

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Read Unscripted!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
407%
Jul 1, 2017
58
236
42
Western Australia
I've used Modafinil on and off over the years, for me I've found there is a specific way I have to use it in order to maximise its effects and the productiveness.

It is best used if you are already:
Exercising regularly and somewhat fit
Disciplined
Have a list of things to achieve

So for me, my process is:
- I clean my office the night before. My office is always tidy, but if one thing is out of place, I notice it and then I'm down the rabbit hole of cleaning everything. The first time I took it, my wife was out for the day, she came home and I'd cleaned the entire house, rewashed all the clean dishes, organised every bookshelf... basically I went full OCD. It freaked her out a bit.
- I then work out a list of what I want to accomplish the following day (I do this routinely anyway, but it is usually a much longer list for modafinil days)
- I turn my phone off and put it in a drawer so I don't get distracted by it
- I make sure I get a really good nights sleep before hand, then I'll wake up an hour earlier than usual (4am instead of 5am), take it as soon as I wake up, eat breakfast.
- Get working

I usually will have about 4-5 litres of water (just over a gallon) in my office and my wife will bring in a meal for lunch. I make sure I don't leave my office, because that is where distractions are. I skip my workout if I'm taking modafinil.

I only do this maybe once every month or two. I have sat and churned through 14-16 hours of work without leaving my office at all. It is a great way to catch up or get ahead. I wrote an entire book in 2 sessions of modafinil.

I don't use it more than once a month for several reasons: I don't want to build any sort of tolerance, I don't want to overdo it and fry my brain / body completely, I don't know what the effects are of using it more often than that, so I want to give myself recovery time. So far I've seen no real adverse effects, although I've not used it for about 6 months now.

It works best if: you're already disciplined, have a plan and eliminate distractions.
 

Bobby_italy

Bronze Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
192%
Jan 19, 2016
209
402
I really think people are over exaggerating A LOT, I took 3 differt brands and it helps during exam sessions but I've never found myself really abusing it (or even using it at all), most notable moments where it really made a difference:
-Medium difficulty exam with a lot of logic involved, usually people prepare it in 2-3 weeks, I did it in 2-3 days while sleeping like 4 hours per night, I felt drugged but fine, passed the exam with the minimum;
-Matlab exam(programming) I forgot I had the exam so I studied for 36 hours straight, it felt like my mind detached from my body, I went to the exam I looked f*cked up(like on coke or something), I took a lot like 1.2 g over those hours, nearly passed the exam but it took me 3 days to recover from this retarded stunt(I was probably just very sleep deprived).

Taken in moderation I can't really feel anything so I just take it for extreme cases like those 2, the rest was just "meh no difference I can just sleep less and feel good", I do get some OCD that I usually don't have.

Also you should do just one thing, I don't get distracted easily BUT once I get distracted I literally feel the time flying and BOOM I'll realize I wasted an hour.

Conclusion: you need to work for 2 days straight and don't collapse? this is your drug.
You need to focus more/do stuff better? Honestly not worth it.

Take it first thing in the morning, I don't advise taking more than 200 mg per day, it's dumb and it feels very weird when you take more.
I hope I graduate this summer, exams start in 30 days and I'm so much behind in studying that I may try using my leftovers sporadically, y'know if I wanna study 20 hours in a day if I don't have stuff to do for the business.
 
Dislike ads? Remove them and support the forum: Subscribe to Fastlane Insiders.

Knugs

Silver Contributor
Read Fastlane!
Speedway Pass
User Power
Value/Post Ratio
181%
Jan 10, 2016
345
624
33
I'm scared people will read these posts and will start believe what has been said on here.

A drug is anything that changes your body in any way. A lot of drugs can make you physiologically or psychologically dependent. Otherwise known as addicted. They will most likely harm your body in one way or another.

You should never under any circumstances take a medicine of which you dont understand its effects, you should be consulted and adviced sufficiently beforehand - There is a reason they need to prescribed.

Isnt this obvious?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Post New Topic

Please SEARCH before posting.
Please select the BEST category.

Post new topic

Guest post submissions offered HERE.

Latest Posts

New Topics

Fastlane Insiders

View the forum AD FREE.
Private, unindexed content
Detailed process/execution threads
Ideas needing execution, more!

Join Fastlane Insiders.

Top