Narcolepsy affects people of all ages, causing such extreme daytime sleepiness that you suddenly fall asleep (even at inappropriate or dangerous moments). Andrew R. Freedman, MD, and Gichel Watson, RPAC, at Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Group, LLC, offer integrative care for narcolepsy through convenient telemedicine appointments. Call the office in Monroe, New Jersey, or Evanston, Wyoming, today, or connect through online booking to request a telemedicine appointment and get help for narcolepsy.
Narcolepsy is a neurological sleep disorder occurring when your brain can’t control your sleep-wake cycles. If you have narcolepsy with a symptom called cataplexy, the condition is caused by low levels of a brain chemical called hypocretin. If you don’t have cataplexy, the cause remains unknown.
Everyone with narcolepsy struggles with daytime sleepiness. You may also have one or more of the other symptoms in this list.
You feel so tired that you suddenly fall asleep throughout the day, including when you shouldn’t. For example, you may fall asleep during a work meeting—or worse, while driving. Most people feel refreshed after a nap, but before long, excessive sleepiness returns.
Cataplexy refers to sudden, uncontrollable muscle weakness that happens when you’re awake. You may experience a mild change in muscle tone or such severe weakness that you collapse. Cataplexy is often triggered by strong emotions.
Many people with narcolepsy have a hard time sleeping during the night. They wake up frequently, often due to vivid dreams and restless leg syndrome or periodic limb movement disorder (RLS and PLMD).
This refers to a brief inability to talk or move while you wake up. Sleep paralysis typically lasts a few seconds to minutes.
You may have vivid hallucinations as you fall asleep when waking or while you lightly doze.
You may keep walking, talking, or even eating as you fall asleep. However, you won’t remember your activity.
Though there’s currently no cure for narcolepsy, the team at Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Group, LLC prescribes medications that control your symptoms. You may need stimulants to reduce daytime sleepiness or medications that control cataplexy.
All the medications used for narcolepsy require ongoing monitoring to determine if they help and to watch for potential side effects.
Your provider may also recommend lifestyle changes, such as:
Your provider also discusses safety precautions, such as when it’s safe to drive and if you need accommodations at work.
If you feel extremely tired or fall asleep during the day, call Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine Group, LLC today or use online booking to request a telemedicine appointment.