I'm sorry to hear that about your son :( So many drugs, including the MS-specific drugs, have potential horrible side effects that we all hope will not put us in the statistics of the adverse reaction.
I was also surprised when my 1st doctor suggested Ritalin. It made a difference but not enough. Adderall has been a game changer more than I could have imagined. Modafinil knocked me out for some reason. Amantadine made me more tired. There are so many drugs with off-label uses for so many various conditions. Trying to explain to people exactly how and why something like Adderall works is like trying to explain why our body is attacking itself. I don't have a good or solid answer, but it is.

@A MyMSTeam Member I hate to tell you this, but MS fatigue is a totally different beast than regular fatigue. Here’s a link to an article that explains what the difference is:

https://multiplesclerosisnewstoday.com/2017/08/...

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A MyMSTea...

I tried modafinil, and it made me extremely irritable and reactive. Horrible. I also tried Nuvigil. Not for me. Then, I was on Ritalin, but that barely affected my brain. Finally, the miracle drug, Adderall, was prescribed. I would not be able to keep my job without it. My fatigue is not just physical, it is also cognitive. My thinking slows down, and my concentration disappears. I have a terrible memory now. Everything must be written down or I forget to do things. It is strange not to remember details of a conversation I had five hours ago.However, my point is that Adderall has rescued my brain. It's still not what it used to be, but the drug focuses my thinking. I can think on it until it fades, then I'm back to a semi-stupor. I am so grateful for this medication.

I know that aderall and ritalin are for adhd..however, narcolepsy and the ms fatigue is a problem with brain or spinal lesion..when adhd patients take, it actually slows down thinking and brain. When narcolepsy and ms fatigue patients take, it actually keeps an alertness or awake. Ritalin is very short term vs adderal and is quite helpful for when needed in my case. Grocery store, functions etc.. I understand the confusion with types of patients. I hope this helps? I'm sorry that your son developed heart problems. That would be difficult to even comprehend.

Basically fatigue is fatigue.no mater the cause
Come on now.