Nuvigil, Alertec, or other shift work/night work medications.

Looking for what people can say about their experiences with either side of the coin on medications or other products/methods for poor souls like me working nights/evenings. Used to hear a lot of nuvigil commercials and was interested in trying it.

Background for me is just working hospital, I was doing a lot of overnights and a shitty period of a year where I was working 2 nights, a day, then 2 swings (12-8, 8-4, 4-12) and that really borked me. I was usually doing like 32-40 hours waking with 2 hours sleep followed by like a big crash sleep or normal sleep but repeated long up times.

When I was younger, I slept walked some during my military enlistment. Since that time and this shitty hospital schedule I had. I would have almost narcoleptic type issues. I'd be wide awake but fall asleep driving home. I'd be in an engaging college class I love and still be crashing but be wide awake after. Even now, if it's dark at all, or 1pm for some reason. Doesnt matter how much recent sleep I've had I'm falling asleep standing. For a while I theorized some kind of adrenaline addiction from too many years of all day gaming. (IE if im not mentally engaged/active then its like instant sleepy time) Caffeine doesnt seem to help much, I can pound 2 E drinks and feel a bit of the rush but still could sleep through that.


So whatever my problem is, anyone have some good experience with prescription meds. Mainly for alertness/staying awake as well as potentially promoting day time sleep? I no longer work at the hospital, but with my new job that is significantly more serious, I can't be having drowsy episodes at work at all. Initially I'm expecting to do a fair bit of evenings/overnights. : \

I wont be doing it anymore as that was a while back in old job. New one, you are basically float a while. They try to keep you mostly day or night. So far my schedule looks mostly evenings but theres a 6pm to 6am in there.

Even if I get all nights (looking to avoid it), I'll still need to find something that works. Doesn't help that it is going to be a much more monotonous stand and do nothing job.

The new job isn't in a hospital. Federal Security Contractor. OP was typo, was supposed to have said hospital "security". Type slower than I think :\. Very mixed hours as far as start times and duration of shifts. (a few 4's and 6's, on up to 12's) Ideally after a few months I can bid and get in on a fixed post and schedule and that will be it. Just gotta survive until then.

Got my first schedule, first of week 08-12, 0530-1130, 0530-1730, day off, 20-0600, 2300-0500......