narcolepsy while driving

For the past year or two, about a couple of times a month, my eyelids get so heavy while driving that fighting it takes all my energy and focus. This usually happens on drives longer than 30 minutes, but has happened with shorter drives. I don't *think* I'm exhausted, but this really only happens in the car, and can happen in the passenger seat as well, where I'm known to nap. Once I'm out of the car, I magically become aware and awake like I was before the drive.

See if he can get into a sleep specialist and get a sleep study done. This is important. If he is falling asleep at the wheel, a jerk awake while driving could cause a serious accident, and injure/kill somebody.

The excessive sleepiness is a problem due to the fact of driving. It gets so bad while driving that the fact of me going half cross eyed every 2 seconds is going to cause an accident one day. Sleep paralysis- This never occurs prior to falling asleep but occasionally I will wake up paralyzed and this will last upwards of 1-2 minutes. I really hate this feeling and it gets to the point where I'm scared to go back to sleep.

What kind of doctor do I need to see if I'm nodding off while sitting, driving, and sometimes standing? It doesn't happen all the time, but yesterday was the scariest drive home. My eyes kept slamming shut for a second, and I was veering into the other lanes, and I could barely stay awake. This has been going on for years, but seems to be getting worse. I also have had resless leg syndrome for 46 years.

For about a year I've found myself fighting to keep my eyes open while driving and several times have found myself drifting off to sleep. I am not a great sleeper and am sometimes tired with dry-feeling eyes but this is more of a muscular feeling - just literally not able to keep my eye lids open. I just had the car checked for exhaust fumes and nothing showed up. I drive with my husband and dogs to work and they seem fine...

i was wondering if i should be tested for narcolepsy, or if diagnosed with narcolepsy would they prescribe me to something similar to adderrall? if this were the case, being tested would not matter much if they would give me the same medications anyways. I just dont want to be misdiagnosed and on the wrong medication for the rest of my life.

This is the symptom of a sleep disorder called Narcolepsy. This sleep disorder is characterized by excessive day time sleepiness, sleep paralysis, cataplexy where the person has episodes of loss of muscle function while awake, hypnogogic hallucinations and automatic behavior. You will need to consult your primary care physician, who may schedule you for a polysomnogram (sleep test) to rule out sleep disorders and initiate appropriate therapy. Hope this helped and do keep us posted.

My daugher is seeing things as well at this point and I find it so incredibly frustrating! I feel asleep while driving on monday and went back into the sleep clinic today. They switched my meds from provigil to nuvigil - I am praying it helps. How did you go about doing the blood/genetic testing?

My husband was diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea and narcolepsy about 5 years ago and the narcolepsy is under control with 200 mg of Provigil. He had hypnogogic hallucinations, body jerks when falling sleep, imaginary conversations with no one, talked in his sleep, fell asleep driving, talking and even in activities you'd never imagine a male would fall asleep. He appears to always have had it since about puberty but it got worse as his sleep apnea did.

BE relax while sleeping Consume Warm Milk, or honey or potato, or banana half and hour before going to bed , for better sleep.

I have a brother that drops his head several times while driving. I thank he is actually falling asleep for a second. It's something that he can't control. he will do this once every minute. Is this a sleep disorder and is there any help for it.

d recommend that you go to your doctor and get him to run some tests. It sounds like Narcolepsy. I think you should also stop driving, if not for your safety - for the people around you.

I would become so tired in the drive home from school (30 min drive) that I’d have to pull over places along the way to take a short 5 minute nap or I knew I’d fall asleep while driving and kill myself or someone else. Sometimes I would even stop at the bottom of our long driveway and nap because I was so sure I’d sleep before I got to the garage. I go to college about 2 hours away from my hometown and come home some weekends to work, see family and friends, etc.

*have difficulty staying awake when sitting still, watching television or reading? *fall asleep or feel very tired while driving? *have difficulty concentrating? *often get told by others that you look tired? *react slowly? *have trouble controlling your emotions? *feel like you have to take a nap almost every day? *require caffeinated beverages to keep yourself going? If you answered “yes” to any of the previous questions, you may have a sleep disorder.

While driving down the road the other day, I literally had a blackout. It only lasted milliseconds. After everything returned, my heart was racing. I did not get a number for my heart rate because it was too fast to count. Has anyone had anything like this happen? Is this an MS related event? Some of you may remember that I went to the doc in Aug. with a problem of a racing heart after showering- heart rate reached 210+. He said that it was anxiety and put me on lexapro.

I fall asleep at the strangest times. While sitting in a class that I find interesting, if I'm not talking, I cannot stay awake. While driving, even when it's a beautifully sunny day and my favorite song is playing on the radio, I find it difficult to stay awake. In fact, any time of the day, if I'm not moving or talking, I am likely to fall asleep. I have no trouble falling asleep at night.

My husband can be wide awake and have had a full nights sleep but a few minutes into driving he can't keep his eyes open he's had so many close calls and is terrified to drive especially with the kids in the car. I've sat right next to him and watched and every couple minutes I had to make sure to stimulate him and he says he feels funny like he loses control of all body parts. Anyone have any ideas?

I was the same way several years ago. I honestly thought by the time they diagnosed me I would be close to death. Getting up was an effort, suffering so many symptoms you have described. Blood work was normal. Finally one doctor mentioned MS and referred me to another, who mentioned fibromyalgia and then referred me to a neurologist who ordered a sleep study.

Hello, everyone, I am fairly new to medhelp, and the sleep disorders community. I have narcolepsy, and was diagnosed about 4 years ago, or close to that. I was wondering if anybody else who has been diagnosed is still in denial after that long, questioning....maybe it's something else?! I can't believe I have narcolepsy.

i had a dream i was playing softball while working and i just had a dream while typing i was running around trying to solve a murder case. I do it while driving also very scary.

It sounds like you have narcolepsy. I myself have it and your story sounds very close to my experience with narcolepsy. It can get dangerous, for example, if you're driving (it's happened to me!). The vivid dreams is a symptom of narcolepsy. Do you ever feel like you're half awake but you can't open your eyes? What other symptoms are you having besides being unrested? I would definitely consult your physician or a sleep lab. Good luck.

I know personally how hard it can be to have a sleep disorder. I have narcolepsy. I feel that my family and friends have a little difficulty understanding exactly what's going on with me. So, I thought perhaps opening my own group where I can feel comfortable and discuss day to day life with others that have sleep disorders would not only help me out, but possibly others that are effected everyday like me. I am eager to hear from all of you soon!

Does he only do this at night while he is driving home?? Or does this happen during the day as well?? If it happens a couple times during the day then I would say he should be checked for Narcolepsy. Or it could be something like sleep apnea, which can be treated with a CPAP machine (which helps them breathe at night) therefore giving them more rest.

My problem is I have had issues with falling asleep throughout the day even though I get plenty of sleep at night. I recently fell asleep driving on the freeway and that was the final straw. I saw a specialist last week and had testing..he diagnosed me with EDS...and wants to put me on a narcolepsy medication. I am terrified that I will become addicted to these meds. This will compromise my sobriety, and feel like Im screwed. Is this cheating or what???

actigraphy, polysomnogram, and multiple sleep latency test. Yo can read more about this through this link: http://www.mayoclinic.org/narcolepsy/diagnosis.html Take care and keep us posted.

Narcolepsy while driving

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