Desperate Britney turns to drugs and self-help books

While the mother-of-two out in LA yesterday, she was snapped carrying a box of Provigil in her handbag.

The drug, which must be prescribed by a doctor, is used to treat daytime sleepiness as well as narcolepsy.

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She was on route to a Parenting Without Conflict session with Kevin Federline at the Beverly Hills Hotel and had clearly come prepared - she was also carrying a book titled Co-Parent Solutions.

But afterwards she was described as distraught and was seen "bawling like a baby" in the bathroom.

One onlooker said: "Britney was inconsolable. She was sobbing in the toilet cubicle and couldn't be calmed down."

Yesterday was only the third time Britney and Federline have been in the same room since they separated.

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The sessions are part of a court order in her ongoing custody battle with Federline over their two children Sean Preston, 2, and Jayden James, 1.

A judge also demanded that the singer undergo random drug test - but her prescription is unlikely to effect the outcome.

New York based neurologist Dr. Mark Milstein told Us Weekly: "This medication won't give you a 'high,' like a stimulant would."

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He explained: "Unlike a traditional stimulant with side effects such as hyperactivity and inattentiveness, the primary effect of this medication is only to help keep you from falling asleep."

"Somebody who is living a celebrity lifestyle, who frequently has to be up very early one day and then very late the next, could develop very disordered sleep patterns."

Britney, who had a supervised visit with her sons yesterday, is set to be back in court tomorrow where she is expected to ask for a 50/50 custody arrangement to be reinstated.

Sources say Federline will ask for 70/30, and may even push for full custody.