The exact cause of narcolepsy is unknown. Narcolepsy can also be associated with other sleep conditions, such as: Automatic behaviorsĪfter falling asleep during an activity like eating or driving, a person with narcolepsy may continue doing that activity for a few seconds or minutes without consciously realizing they’re doing it. Fragmented sleepĪlthough people with narcolepsy are excessively sleepy during the daytime, they may have difficulty falling asleep and/or staying asleep at night. People with narcolepsy may frequently have vivid dreams that may occur when falling asleep or waking up. It doesn’t affect eye movements or the ability to breathe, though. Sleep paralysis mimics the paralysis seen during REM sleep. Episodes last only a few seconds or minutes. Sleep paralysis is an inability to move or speak while falling asleep, sleeping, or waking. REM sleep can happen at any time of day for people with narcolepsy, often within about 15 minutes after falling asleep. It usually starts about 90 minutes after you fall asleep. REM sleep is the sleep stage when you have vivid dreams with loss of muscle tone. Poorly regulated rapid eye movement (REM) sleep Sometimes cataplexy may occur later in the disease course, or may go undetected due to medications that suppress it, such as certain antidepressants. It can happen several times a day to once a year. How often it occurs varies from person to person. Laughing and intense emotions, such as excitement and fear, can trigger cataplexy. It can range from drooping eyelids (referred to as partial cataplexy) to total body collapse. CataplexyĬataplexy is a sudden, temporary loss of muscle tone. EDS makes it difficult to function properly during the day. Significant daytime sleepinessĪlmost everyone with narcolepsy has excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), in which you suddenly experience an overwhelming urge to sleep. How often and how intensely narcolepsy symptoms occur can vary. Treatments are available to help manage the condition. Narcolepsy isn’t a deadly disease by itself, but episodes can lead to accidents, injuries, or life-threatening situations.Īdditionally, people with narcolepsy may have difficulty maintaining jobs, doing well in school, and have problems maintaining relationships due to episodes of excessive daytime sleepiness. When cataplexy is absent, it’s called narcolepsy type 2. This can be mistaken for seizure activity, especially in children. In many cases, it also causes unexpected and temporary loss of muscle control, known as cataplexy. Narcolepsy causes significant daytime drowsiness and “ sleep attacks,” or overwhelming urges to fall asleep, and poor fragmented sleep at night. It typically starts in the mid-teenage years. The symptoms of narcolepsy usually begin between the ages of 7 and 25, although the condition is often not recognized right away and often misdiagnosed. Experts estimate it affects about 1 in 2,000 people. It causes abnormal sleep that can affect a person’s quality of life. If you’d like to know more, contact us now.Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological condition that affects the nervous system. We have experience in those medications used for Narcolepsy and Narcolepsy-like conditions. There are other medications available overseas including Pitolisant and Solriamfetol, these are not available in Australia at present.Īt Adelaide Sleep, we routinely counsel, diagnose, and treat all aspects of Narcolepsy and Idiopathic Hypersomnia. We provide regular clinical monitoring in conjunction with patients’ General Practitioners, to ensure optimal titration of treatment modalities based on the patient’s clinical status. Careful consideration needs to be made for selecting those who should be on Xyrem, and the potential side effects from Xyrem. Accessing Xyrem involves several steps including involving state and federal bodies overseeing the prescribing of this. ![]() Sodium oxybate (Xyrem, sodium salt of gamma-hydroxybutyrate) has been used in the USA since 2002, and has been used by our clinic since Australian access was granted in 2015. These still however require longterm vigilance. Modafinil and Armodafinil (Modavigil, Nuvigil) are generally better-tolerated than amphetamine-based medications, and with less side effects. Many medications can be used to treat Narcolepsy, each with their own pros and cons.ĬNS stimulants such as Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta) and dextroamphetamine (dexamphetamine, dexamfetamine) work well but have long term implications. Adequate sleep at night is important, daytime timed-naps can be useful. Good sleep hygiene is crucial in managing Narcolepsy symptoms in the long term.
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