Hi all,

I won a research fellowship to study Italian in Italy for the next two months but I cannot seem to find out whether European pharmacies can make one of the medicines I take. I cannot get an advanced supply from my insurance and shipping medications is a last resort. The medication is called Armodafinil (brand name:Nuvigil) and it is vital that I have this medication in order to function properly as I have pretty severe narcolepsy. I've called pharmacies in Italy but my Italian simply isn't good enough to get a definitive answer. I don't know who to talk to or if I will even be able to follow through with this trip (without medications) so any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Ask the manufacturer.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to assist your inquiry.

My Doctor calls the pharmacist who calls the insurance company to tell them how long I will be gone and fill it. I get three months supply mail order now so have been good for longer trips.

Googling armodafinil italia I came up with an Italian site whcih said it was prescription-only. I don't know if a US doctor's prescription would be accepted - does anyone have experience with that?

Where are you going to be based?

It may be easier to find it at a pharmacy in Switzerland. Many Italians travel to Chiasso or Lugano to obtain medicines which are not available on the Italian market.

A travel medicine service should be able to answer questions about equivalent foreign medications.

Odd from first time poster asking about a controlled Aderall-like drug. At least it will help stay up for the class work!

We've used several different insurance companies, but have always been able to get them to waive limits on when we could refill a prescription for travel.

Interesting enough, a very similar question about the same drug has turned up in the Germany forum on Tripadvisor this very morning.

well, that is odd if it is different countries being asked about.

ALl of the questions about prescriptions, etc., is not really what the OP asked, she just asked if they had such a drug in Italy.

I also am very skeptical about this question given the illegal usage of this drug.

But with a proper prescription to treat narcolepsy, it is legal in the UK and France (which is one of the main companies that makes it) and Germany. France isn't that far from Italy.

I find this post questionable, also, and don't really believe it. Because if this condition were so serious, I imagine the doctor at home would find a way to get a supply for 2 months, which isn't that long. I could understand if one couldn't get one for a year, but 2 months?

It is an odd post. As Macross says the doctor can arrange with the insurer for a large amount to be prescribed because of travel.

If it is a genuine post then I strongly recommend the OP to have a letter from their own doctor stating that this drug is needed to treat narcoplepsy.

The place they are studying can recommend a doctor no doubt to issue an Italian prescription after contact with the US doctor. Hopefully they will also have health insurance to cover their stay - though the narcolepsy probably wouldn't be covered by it as pre-existing condition.

It's a drug traded on the street.