I have had this, and been prescribed Provigil but can't get it anymore since it's been rated as "controlled substance." I never abused the stuff myself, I had one prescription and took it only as needed over a few years time. Have you found anything to help you?

I deal with this a lot and have for many years. Before I was diagnosed I would fall asleep just mowing the yard and when I went to college I would drive home on weekends to help my mom because she had broken her leg in a nasty accident. It was only an hours drive but I would have to fight to keep awake and one of the worst scares I had was when I nearly hit a semi head on going 50mph.
I no longer drive for more than 45min to an hour even with my meds. As a passenger in a car I'll fall asleep in 5-10min if no one is actively keeping me awake with conversation.
Aside from meds, I take Ritalin whenever I need to, I keep mints, gum, starbursts in the car so that if I start feeling sleepy I have something to munch on. It helps to a degree.
I would ask your doctor about maybe having a back up med similar to Ritalin that can be a small dose to brighten you up. I know that another med isn't what anyone really wants to take but it can help you get through a rough patch.
Try not to let guilt eat at you. Easier said then done I know. You do your absolute best and that's all anyone with or without narcolepsy can do. You're an inspiration to me, you're a single mom, working a job that is so helpful and giving, and maintain a home. Sounds like you have a wonderful son and he knows how much you love him.

Keep your head up.

I was diagnosed with Narcolepsy about 20 years ago. The only way I could be productive was by taking Provigil. Usually I would not take it on my days off, and just sleep as much as I felt like.

Lorrieonline - Provigil has always been a "triplicate drug", controlled substance. You need to have been diagnosed before your doctor can/will prescribe it. The prescription can only be for six months. It is VERY expensive. I had a union job and would get three months sent in the mail back then. In 2007, I voluntary quit my job, moved to Oregon hoping to retire and play grandma. I didn't have insurance, but with a prescription you can sign up with the manufacture into a program that sends it for free!

Amack0601 - I try to drive as little as possible. IF I drive in town, I try to schedule it immediately after a (short) nap. My doctor said a 20-30 minute nap should be about the same as taking a pill. Since I am currently unemployed, I (usually) don't take the pills. If I am planning to drive a medium distance, I have found that books on tape (CD now), which you can get at the library are more likely to keep me awake than even loud music. I think it has to be a story/book that I am interested in, then paying attention is what keeps me awake.
Melatonin and vitamin D are the only sleep aids I ever take.
There is a lot of new information under Stanford University studies. Mostly we are ALWAYS tired because we never reach deep sleep. If you have cataplexy as well (70% eventually do), there is another (triplicate) drug called Xyrem that puts you into deep sleep. Learn as much as you can, then talk to your doctor. Good luck - you're not alone.

i have bin doing the sleep driving trick for years. Both on and off meds. And i thank god that i have never hurt anyone while doing so.You must know your limits.short trips.Knowing exactly were you are going,helps.I also have cataplexy. That makes it even harder.Yet not recomended ever!!!!!

Get a sleep study asap.but sounds like it is narco.

Hey! Sounds like what I went through. I was diagnosed with N in college, but during high school I had massive problems falling asleep in cars as a passenger.

I was fine driving in the afternoon, but when I started driving myself to school in the morning, I had issues that I attributed to just getting 6 hours of sleep. One day I dozed off at the wheel and came to a few seconds before I drove off the road into a power line, then over corrected and veered in between lanes for a harrowing ten seconds. To this day, I'm shocked I didn't hurt myself or someone else.

I've never told my family about that incident because I was so ashamed of my own incompetence as a driver (I wasn't worried at all that they'd take the car, just really embarrassed). A few weeks later I got in an accident from not braking fast enough because I was drowsy (everyone was fine) and the car was wrecked, and I stopped driving mornings.

Now that I'm diagnosed and on meds, I don't have many problems driving at any hour. But I will say that in general I've found that no amount of caffeine or intentional discomfort will stave off the drowsiness, it's just too powerful and overwhelming - the only thing that works for me is steady medication and taking naps.

When I was pregnant in 2005 I had an episode and hit a car while driving. I went through a series of test but they found nothing. I thought it may have been from being sick all the time and dehydrated. Come to find out after all these years I was diagnosed with narcolepsy Jan 2016. It all makes sense now looking back. I fell asleep another time while driving and woke up going the wrong way on the interstate and another time I fell asleep and took out the power box in my neighborhood. Get help as this isn't a joking matter. I'm lucky to be alive and I'm so glad I did t injure anyone.

I had to adapt...I do not drive after 3 pm on most days. As a precaution since stoplights is where I nodded off I place car in Park. I nodded off in a stationary car wash.

For long drives I stop off every 90 mins or so for a quick nap....sometimes I can stretch longer .

I have been known to be in a store when a wave of sleepiness hits me. I have to drop everything and get to the car for a nap sometimes as my long as 30 mins.

I have recently been diagnosed with Narcolepsy.

4PM was my time of day that I started nodding off. I was driving from work & nodded off. Looked up & braked but still hit the car in front of me. Since then & after Sleep Studies so far Modofinil & Ritalin are not working right. Just hoping Justhoping the doc figures it out.

I started riding motorcycles or mini bikes fro 12 years old thru almost 16. When I started driving cars is when my sleeping at the wheel started. The very first time was headed home one afternoon and dozed off at the wheel I opened my eyes to see a school bus stopped in the middle of the highway with its flashers on. It happened so fast I can't believe I didn't hurt any one. In an instant I looked to the right side of bus and saw children loading I looked to the left and saw no children crossing the highway to get to the bus so I bested off to the left just barely missing the corner of the rear of the bus. Oversteering caused me to enter a ditch on the opposite side of the highway and kind of jumping a driveway that crossed that ditch. Thank god no one was hurt. But believe it or not I'm 58 now and have driven everyday off my life and also had big problems staying awake. I low prayers work because I have not hurt anyone. I finally gave up because in my old age it's getting severe. I now pay someone to take me to work and back because it is a daily problem now.