All individuals with narcolepsy should avoid cough medications, anti histamines or decongestants because they may worsen the drowsiness.
Because medications are not a cure for narcolepsy life style changes are a must to ensure a decent quality of life. All individuals should stick a regular schedule of sleep and wake pattern. Short naps during the day may help prevent excessive fatigue and decrease spontaneous sleep attacks.
Both tobacco and alcohol should be avoided since these substances may worsen sedation and increase fatigue. Exercise is a must for all individuals with narcolepsy because they can help induce night time sleep.
Narcolepsy is challenging disorder and one should discuss the issue with friends, colleagues and employers so as not to induce disruption at work and in interpersonal relationships. All individuals with narcolepsy should be aware of the American with Disabilities Act that prohibits discrimination against employee who have a confirmed diagnosis of narcolepsy.
Individuals who have numerous attacks of narcolepsy should not drive. If you do intend to drive, take a nap before the journey. Never drive if you feel the urge for sleep is present.
Overall, only 50-60 percent of individuals do benefit from treatment but a significant number can no longer work productively or drive a car. Those with severe narcolepsy remain home bound.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Narcolepsy Part 4
Public misunderstanding
The tragic thing about narcolepsy is that most people are not aware of the disorder and often distinguish these individuals as lazy, hypochondriacs, malingerers, stupid or aloof. Most individuals with narcolepsy have poor performance both at school and at work. The disorder can also affect personal relationships, lead to loss of libido, impotence- many individuals fall asleep during sex. The sexual relationships are often complicated by emotions like anger, joy, excitement which may further aggravate the disorder.
Individuals with narcolepsy are at a high risk of physical injuries. The attacks can come on while driving a car, at work or when making food.
There is no cure for this agonizing disorder but medications and lifestyle changes may help
Drugs which stimulate the brain have widely been used to treat narcolepsy. Modafinil, Ritalin or various analogues of amphetamines have been used to treat patients with narcolepsy. Although these medications are effective, they have potent side effects, are addictive and can lead to withdrawal symptoms when abruptly stopped.
Antidepressants are also prescribed because they suppress REM sleep and diminish symptoms of cataplexy, reduce hypnagogic hallucinations and sleep paralysis.
Another medication used to control cataplexy is xyrem. It helps improve night time sleep. However, the drug has been associated with serious side effects and its use is strictly regulated. It can induce difficulty breathing during sleep; causes sleep walking, bed wetting and excessive daytime sleepiness.
The tragic thing about narcolepsy is that most people are not aware of the disorder and often distinguish these individuals as lazy, hypochondriacs, malingerers, stupid or aloof. Most individuals with narcolepsy have poor performance both at school and at work. The disorder can also affect personal relationships, lead to loss of libido, impotence- many individuals fall asleep during sex. The sexual relationships are often complicated by emotions like anger, joy, excitement which may further aggravate the disorder.
Individuals with narcolepsy are at a high risk of physical injuries. The attacks can come on while driving a car, at work or when making food.
There is no cure for this agonizing disorder but medications and lifestyle changes may help
Drugs which stimulate the brain have widely been used to treat narcolepsy. Modafinil, Ritalin or various analogues of amphetamines have been used to treat patients with narcolepsy. Although these medications are effective, they have potent side effects, are addictive and can lead to withdrawal symptoms when abruptly stopped.
Antidepressants are also prescribed because they suppress REM sleep and diminish symptoms of cataplexy, reduce hypnagogic hallucinations and sleep paralysis.
Another medication used to control cataplexy is xyrem. It helps improve night time sleep. However, the drug has been associated with serious side effects and its use is strictly regulated. It can induce difficulty breathing during sleep; causes sleep walking, bed wetting and excessive daytime sleepiness.
Narcolepsy part 3
Other features of narcolepsy include restless night sleep and automatic behavior. During the episodes of automatic behavior one may continue to function or talk but upon awakening there is usually no memory of such events. People with narcolepsy may also act out their dreams and during sleep one may notice gross body movements like crying, flailing arms, screaming, or kicking.
The above features of narcolepsy are most prominent in adulthood and do lessen with time but never go away.
No one knows why narcolepsy develops and it has been attributed to bad genes, infection(s) or some type of brain of damage
Brain chemicals
The chemical which allows one to stay awake, hypocretin, appears to be missing or decreased in individuals with narcolepsy. Hypocretin is vital for stable sleep and maintenance of normal muscle tone. Why or how the cells that make hypocretin are damaged in narcolepsy is not known but experts speculate that an infection may be responsible. Narcolepsy also tends to run in families. While some physicians do measure hypocretin levels to make a diagnosis of narcolepsy, there is no absolute correlation between the disorder and the levels. Narcolepsy is more common in males and tends to occur in all races and cultures.
The diagnosis of narcolepsy is obtained from the history and evaluations done at a sleep center.
The above features of narcolepsy are most prominent in adulthood and do lessen with time but never go away.
No one knows why narcolepsy develops and it has been attributed to bad genes, infection(s) or some type of brain of damage
Brain chemicals
The chemical which allows one to stay awake, hypocretin, appears to be missing or decreased in individuals with narcolepsy. Hypocretin is vital for stable sleep and maintenance of normal muscle tone. Why or how the cells that make hypocretin are damaged in narcolepsy is not known but experts speculate that an infection may be responsible. Narcolepsy also tends to run in families. While some physicians do measure hypocretin levels to make a diagnosis of narcolepsy, there is no absolute correlation between the disorder and the levels. Narcolepsy is more common in males and tends to occur in all races and cultures.
The diagnosis of narcolepsy is obtained from the history and evaluations done at a sleep center.
Narcolepsy Part 2
One of the typical features of narcolepsy is sudden loss of muscle tone. The individual loses all muscle control including speech that may last a few seconds to a few minutes. The body appears floppy and the individual just collapses. This condition known as cataplexy may be triggered by intense emotional conflicts like anger, fear, surprise, excitement, or stress. The rate of cataplexy is variable.
However, most individuals (80%) with narcolepsy experience cataplexy. This may range from 1-2 episodes a year to several a day.
During sleep, some individuals with narcolepsy may also become paralyzed (sleep paralysis). These individuals may not be able to speak or move. These sleep paralysis episodes do last a few minutes but can be very frightening to the observer. The individual may have no idea what has happened.
Sleep paralysis does not occur in all patients with narcolepsy and is most common in early adulthood.
Another feature of narcolepsy is hypnagogic hallucinations. Because of the distortion in the sleep wake cycle, some individuals dream while being semi awake.
However, most individuals (80%) with narcolepsy experience cataplexy. This may range from 1-2 episodes a year to several a day.
During sleep, some individuals with narcolepsy may also become paralyzed (sleep paralysis). These individuals may not be able to speak or move. These sleep paralysis episodes do last a few minutes but can be very frightening to the observer. The individual may have no idea what has happened.
Sleep paralysis does not occur in all patients with narcolepsy and is most common in early adulthood.
Another feature of narcolepsy is hypnagogic hallucinations. Because of the distortion in the sleep wake cycle, some individuals dream while being semi awake.
What is narcolepsy? part 1
Narcolepsy is a very rare sleeping disorder which presents with an inability to keep awake during daytime. The disorder is also characterized by sudden attacks of sleep over which the individual has no control. Individuals who have narcolepsy have great difficulty staying awake for long periods of time. Narcolepsy is a serious disorder which can profoundly affects one's ability to function. Narcolepsy varies in severity and is often mistaken for other medical disorders like seizures, depression, fainting spells, excess fatigue or other sleep related disorders.
Unfortunately narcolepsy has no cure but the disorder does stabilize in the later years of life. By altering lifestyle and using potent brain stimulating medications, narcolepsy can be partially managed. In the USA it is estimated that about 1 in 2000 people may have narcolepsy.
Excessive daytime sleepiness is the universal complaint. Most individuals complain that the desire to sleep is sudden and uncontrollable. The individual may fall asleep without any warning and at any time. Some individuals fall asleep for a few minutes or a few hours and then suddenly wake up refreshed and the same pattern repeats itself over and over again.
Besides excess sleep, one may also experience decreased alertness and an inability to concentrate.
Unfortunately narcolepsy has no cure but the disorder does stabilize in the later years of life. By altering lifestyle and using potent brain stimulating medications, narcolepsy can be partially managed. In the USA it is estimated that about 1 in 2000 people may have narcolepsy.
Excessive daytime sleepiness is the universal complaint. Most individuals complain that the desire to sleep is sudden and uncontrollable. The individual may fall asleep without any warning and at any time. Some individuals fall asleep for a few minutes or a few hours and then suddenly wake up refreshed and the same pattern repeats itself over and over again.
Besides excess sleep, one may also experience decreased alertness and an inability to concentrate.
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