What is Narcolepsy
The main characteristic of narcolepsy is overwhelming excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), even after adequate nighttime sleep. A person with narcolepsy is likely to become drowsy o...
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PLEASE HELP Is this Narcolepsy/Cataplexy?
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I went to a neurologist several months ago. He said he is 90% sure I have narcolepsy because of constant night hallucinations and excessive sleepiness. I never had the sleep study done because I felt ok enough to go without it and couldnt find anyone to watch my kids while getting it done. But now I am suffering big time. I am a full time nursing student, started in August. I am struggling so hard to stay awake during lecture. The recent scary thing that has been happening is this: I will feel very sleepy and feel myself start to fall asleep and I stop myself. Then I feel this tingling sensation run through my arms and legs and sometimes a shaking sensation too. Then after that I feel so disoriented and totally confused. I find it so difficult to think and I feel like I am going crazy and losing my mind. I feel like I am drunk or on some sort of drugs. Then the anxiety starts because now I feel like I am going crazy or I am going to pass out. This is happening almost every single day at school and I am ready to quit. I am so sad because I don't want to quit. Today at school I felt dizzy, drunk, unable to think. For days I have had tingling in my arms and legs. The other day I had shaking in my legs and arms and they still hurt. They are very sore and weak. Thank God I scheduled my sleep study for tomorrow. I just wanted to ask everyone if this sounds like narcolepsy? I am worried there is something else wrong with me. I feel so helpless, depressed, anxious. I feel like I need help. Please someone please reply. Also off and on I get these weird zapping sensations in my head, like head is exploding or electricity is running through my head/brain. I appreciate someones help asap. Thanks you guys.
Posted on 11/04/09, 07:11 pm |
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Some of it sounds very much like the like mild cats,or sleep attacks, I get but sleep deprivation for any reason can really reek havoc with your whole body. I am so glad you got scheduled. You understand that the first part of the study is to rule out sleep apnea and restless leg...when they are ruled out or treated then they can diagnosis narcolepsy. Good luck. No matter what the results diagnosis means help is on the way! 
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we have just chatted, sometimes my anxiety may actually be the cat and vice vera.
i am learning how to recognise this,oh by the way check the side effects on your beta blocker!!!!oh and another wierd thing i get is when in bed i get pain in my knees then they go numb, then i get out of bed the numbness goes then they tingle for a hour. i get used to it all now, and just think i am lucky really. vonny xxx
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Welcome! You've come to the right place. Good for you for scheduling your study. Hopefully you are also set up for a daytime study (MSLT).
Your symptoms sound very much like some of my first symptoms. A combination of mild cataplexy-like episodes, microsleep, and semi-automatic behavior. The more research you do and people you talk to, you will realize you are not alone and these things will be a little less scary. Please, let us know how it goes, and try not to worry too much. Especially about school. Do your best - no decisions have to be made immediately.
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I found out I had "N" in nursing school, I's a bitter pill to swallow, the cataplexy is hard to deal with especially when you get upset and your body responds with total weakness. I'm not trying to be funny when I advise others to stay away from beans. I only got embarassed once, I bent over to look for files and , well I had chilli for lunch, I could have crawled in a hole. It was not funny, not to me, and did not make a comfortable close in work area for others.Have a good cry,find a good sleep specialist, try the meds and keep a sleep diary. not being able to sleep is hell, and can be lonely. I have restless leg syndrome, when I heard the news a few years ago, my reply was where was I going. I've found I internalize everything, comes back to me in dreams,I am very careful what I am exposed to during the day. At night my I go straight to REM sleep and dream about the days activity. I
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Your symptoms sound very similar to mine! I hope your study and subsequent talks with docs lead to a diagnosis and a treatment plan that works for you!
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