Narcolepsy Support Group

A sleep disorder (somnipathy) is a disorder in the sleep patterns of a person or animal. Some sleep disorders can interfere with mental and emotional function. If you are having trouble falling asleep or having some other kind of sleep disturbance, this group is for you.

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Sleep Disorders
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Diagnosed Sleep Apnea - Now Narcolepsy

deleted_user
deleted_user
I have been getting up at 2 or 3 AM all my life. I,m 56 and went to the sleep clinic a few years back to be diagnosed with slleep apnea. The doctor wanted to put me on a breathing machine at night but I said I wasn't ready for that yet.

The doc said I would be back in a year begging for the machine and he was right. He said it would never get better just worse. I went back a year later and had to go through the sleep study again.

This time they said I did not have sleep apnea but I have narcolepsy. I guess it was a bad diagnosis the first time. They gave me drugs to sleep at night and drugs to stay awake during the day. I had an allergic reaction so I stopped the drugs and learned to live with it.

I can fall asleep in a moment if I sit down. My problem is, after 3 or 4 hours sleep I wake up ready to conquer the world. It seems as long as I am real busy I am fine but by about noon I start to having a real hard time to stay awake, even at work. I have a desk job that requires me to be on a computer most of the day.

In the evening, I fall asleep the moment I sit down no matter how hard I try to stay awake.

Anyone else ever diagnosed with sleep apnea that turned out to be narcolepsy. Is there any thing that can help you stay awake?
deleted_user
deleted_user
I forgot to ask. Does anyone else have lots of energy when they first get up? from everything I have read most people are still tired when they get up. Do you think I could have been misdiagnosed again? Really confused by all this.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I am usually raring to go in the morning, even though i wake up every night as well. I do not have the apnea. I can fall asleep at the drop of a hat. I have a desk job, sitting in front of a computer all day as well. When i get home, i do as much as i can, but as soon as i get anywhere near the couch or chair, it's goodnite irene, because i'm usually out for a couple of hours before bedtime. I don't mind that i fall asleep after being up working all day long. I do not feel rested in the morning, after my maybe 5 to 6 hours of sleep. I am taking the provigil, it actually works to keep me alert during the day, i try not to take it to late in the day though. But I still dont have a problem falling back to sleep if i wake up. I usually have several dreams a night. Jumping into rem sleep daily, even during my evening naps. It's possible you have the narcolepsy as well. How well do you dream? I could just fall asleep right now, but I'm at work and i don't think they would care for that to much. One of my theories though is; Napping is okay,, because with narcolepsy, we don't get the proper sleep, ever, we may be able to fall asleep, but do we really sleep, with the mind even racing in you're sleep??? Naps are Good!!!
deleted_user
deleted_user
I dream crazy dreams or nightmares all the time. Some times when I do wake up I have sleep paralysis for a few moments. I have been diagnosed with narcolepsy but I haven't tried any drugs in a long time. I will ask my doctor about provigil. It seems like the older I get the harder is is to stay awake all day. And your right about the couch or chair, I can kiss anything goodbye within 5 minutes no matter how much I want to watch a movie or something on tv.

I,m glad to hear that some other people also have the instant energy i he morning. I thought I was the only one because everyone else complains about still being tired when they wake up.
Thanks
Nancy
deleted_user
deleted_user
well the dr still decieding, first he said i had mild narcolpsy after my test result of my daytime test and the rem stage, and then he ask question and cpap and then said well maybe you might have sleep apea, and havent been back yet. he said most narcoply get numb or paryles i cant spell and stuff while sleeping. but i do have alot of dreams during naps and daytime sleep. it seems like i never get enough sleep and i have time i have wake moments but then there time, i crah at the computer in wake up dont ever remeber what i did last.
i fall asleep at the wheel at times on long distance, but i dont want to loose my drive prive that why i stay close to home, and only for grocery, and kids stuff and drs. well good luck i still trying to find out. ang
deleted_user
deleted_user
Man o man. I'm going through the same shit. Check out my post entitled 'Newby - story(long). I would say the only major difference is that I don't ever really have any energy as you reported having first thing. I'm usually back to being tired within an hour of waking up even if I do happen to miraculously sleep for more than 7 hours.
noseycow
noseycow
I find that the trick to keeping energy / staying awake is to take SHORT naps.

I take 10 minute naps during my 3 breaks at work and am OK, it's harder at home because I sit down and fall asleep and usually sleep for 1-2 hours - this then affects the quality of my nighttime sleep.

I now either set my alarm on my phone when napping at home on my own, or more usually get tea ready and ask hubby to dish it up while I have a quick 10 minutes - that way he has to wake me to eat.

He's so understanding but doesn't like to wake me normally.

It does take some discipline to set an alarm when you're tired but I do find it helps a great deal...
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