Overview
Narcolepsy is a sleep condition that causes excessive drowsiness during the day. Narcolepsy makes it difficult for people to stay awake for extend periods of time. They suddenly fall asleep. This can pose major issues in their daily lives.
Cataplexy (KAT-uh-plek-see) is an abrupt loss of muscular tone cause by narcolepsy. Strong emotions, especially laughing, can set this off. There are two forms of narcolepsy. Cataplexy is common in patients with type 1 narcolepsy. The majority of patients who do not experience cataplexy have type 2 narcolepsy.
Narcolepsy is a chronic illness with no known cure. Medicines and lifestyle adjustments, on the other hand, can help manage the symptoms. Others’ support, such as family, friends, employers, and teachers, can assist people manage with the disorder.
Symptoms
Narcolepsy symptoms may worsen throughout the first few years of the condition. They then continue indefinitely. They are as follows:
Excessive daytime drowsiness.
Narcolepsy causes people to fall asleep unexpectedly. It can happen at any moment and in any place. It may occur when you are bored or when performing a task. For instance, you could be working or talking with friends when you suddenly fall asleep. It is extremely risky if you fall asleep while driving. You could sleep for a few minutes or up to a half-hour. You’ll often feel invigorated after waking up, but you’ll soon fall back asleep.
You may also notice a drop in your level of alertness and focus during the day. Daytime sleepiness is frequently the first symptom to manifest. It is difficult to focus and function when you are drowsy.
Acute loss of muscular tone.
Cataplexy is the medical term for this condition. It might induce slurred speech or total muscular paralysis. Symptoms can linger for many minutes.
Cataplexy is uncontrollable. It is prompt by strong emotions. Cataplexy is frequently cause by good feelings. Symptoms may be trigger by laughter or enthusiasm. However, muscle tone can be lost due to fear, surprise, or rage. When you laugh, for example, your head may slump without your control. Alternatively, your knees could abruptly lose strength, causing you to tumble.
Paralysis during sleep.
Sleep paralysis is a common symptom of narcolepsy. You can’t move or speak when falling asleep or waking up if you have sleep paralysis. It is typically transient, lasting only a few seconds or minutes. However, it can be frightening. You may be aware of what is happening and recollect it later.
Narcolepsy does not affect everyone who has sleep paralysis.
Hallucinations.
During sleep paralysis, people may see things that aren’t there. Hallucinations can occur in the absence of sleep paralysis. If they occur while you fall asleep, they are refer to as hypnagogic hallucinations. If they occur upon awakening, they are known as hypnopompic hallucinations. For example, you may have the impression that there is a stranger in your bedroom. Because you may not be entirely asleep when you begin dreaming, these hallucinations may be vivid and terrifying.
Alterations in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
The majority of dreams occur during REM sleep. REM sleep usually begins 60 to 90 minutes after falling asleep. However, patients with narcolepsy frequently transition to REM sleep more quickly. Within 15 minutes of falling asleep, they usually enter REM sleep. REM sleep can also occur at any time of day.
Additional attributes
Narcolepsy patients may also have other sleep issues. They may have obstructive sleep apnea, a condition in which breathing begins and stops during the night.
When should you see a doctor?
Consult your doctor if you have excessive daytime sleepiness that interferes with your personal or professional life.
Diagnosis
Your doctor may suspect narcolepsy base on your symptoms of extreme daytime sleepiness and cataplexy, or sudden loss of muscular tone. Your doctor will almost certainly send you to a sleep specialist.
A sleep specialist will most likely diagnose narcolepsy and determine its severity base on the following criteria:
• Your sleeping habits. A thorough sleep history might aid in diagnosis. You’ll most likely complete the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. The scale employs brief questions to assess your level of tiredness. You’ll indicate how likely you are to fall asleep at specific moments, such as sitting down after lunch.
• Your sleep logs. You may be aske to record your sleeping habits for a week or two. This allows your provider to compare how your sleep pattern may connect to your level of alertness.
Your doctor may also request that you wear an actigraph. This device is worn on the wrist like a watch. It tracks activity and rest periods. It gives an indirect indication of how and when you sleep.
• A polysomnography (sleep study). This test detects signals while you sleep by placing flat metal discs called electrodes on your scalp. You must spend the night in a hospital facility for this exam. The test detects brain waves, heart rate, and breathing patterns. It also tracks your eye and leg movements.
• Sleep latency test on multiple occasions. This test determines the amount of time it takes you to fall asleep during the day. At a sleep facility, you will be require to take four or five naps. Each nap should be two hours apart. Sleep patterns will be monitored by specialists. Narcolepsy patients fall asleep quickly and undergo rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.
• Genetic tests and a spinal tap, often known as a lumbar puncture. A genetic test may be perform on occasion to determine your risk of type 1 narcolepsy. If this is the case, your sleep specialist may advise you to have a lumbar puncture to evaluate the level of hypocretin in your spinal fluid. This test is only perform in specialize facilities.
These tests can also assist you rule out other potential reasons of your symptoms. Sleep deprivation, the use of sedating medications, and sleep apnea can all contribute to excessive daytime sleepiness.
Treatment
Narcolepsy has no cure, although medications and lifestyle modifications can help you manage the symptoms
Medications
Modawake (Armodafinil) is use to treat daytime sleepiness cause by narcolepsy or shift work sleep disorder (difficulty falling or staying asleep during scheduled sleeping hours in those who work at night or on rotating shifts). Armodafinil is also use in conjunction with other treatments or breathing devices to prevent excessive sleepiness cause by obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS; a sleep disorder in which the patient briefly stops breathing or breathes shallowly frequently during sleep, resulting in insufficient restful sleep). Armodafinil is a medication in a class known as wakefulness-promoting agents.
Modawake 200mg works by modifying the levels of specific natural substances in the part of the brain that controls sleep and wakefulness. Armodafinil is available as an oral tablet. It is usually taken once a day. If you’re taking armodafinil for narcolepsy or OSAHS, you’ll probably take it first thing in the morning.
If you are taking armodafinil to treat a sleep problem cause by shift work, you will most likely take it 1 hour before your shift begins. Take armodafinil at the same time every day. Without previously consulting your doctor, change the time of day you take armodafinil. Consult your doctor if your work shift does not begin at the same time every day.
Follow your prescription label’s directions completely, and ask our doctor or pharmacist to explain anything you don’t understand.
Armodafinil must be taken exactly as directed. Armodafinil has a high potential for addiction. Do not take a greater dose, take it more frequently, or take it for a longer period of time than prescribed by your doctor.
Armodafinil will make you feel less drowsy, but it will not solve your sleep problem. Continue taking armodafinil even if you feel reste. Do not stop taking armodafinil without visiting your doctor first. Armodafinil should not be use instead of getting enough sleep. Follow your doctor’s advice on good sleeping practices. Continue to use any breathing devices or other treatments prescribe by your doctor to treat your sickness, especially if you have OSAHS. Your pharmacist or doctor can provide you with a copy of the manufacturer’s information for the patient.
