Narcolepsy with cataplexy this american life
Common Questions and Answers about Narcolepsy with cataplexy this american life
narcolepsy
I was reading up about it and this lead me to read about Narcolepsy as Cataplexy is a unique symptom to this condition. I read about the symptoms and I am now afraid that I may be suffering from it.
I have very vivid and sometimes lucid dreams and I wake up almost every hour of the night for short spans of time. Sometimes I cannot tell my dreams from reality and I often hear noises and see things during the night that aren't really there.
Everyone is different in how long they may have this or if it's affects go away.....there is a woman that has visual lasting effects and has spoken publicly....here is a link to some of her info I am sure with more research u can find more info regarding her and the condition. http://en.wikipedia.
These hallucinations have become a nightly thing and are very scary. Along with this I had suffered from what I always thought were panic attacks. When I was in the car one night my hands got really cold and starting shaking and all of a sudden I couldn't hold my head up. It felt like I lost control of my body and couldn't hold anything up. This feeling went away and within a few minutes came back. I got out of the car and could barely walk I just couldn't control my body.
I have narcolepsy with cataplexy. Cataplexy is rare in the absence of narcolepsy, but I believe it is possible. You may want to get a referral to a sleep neurologist to rule out narcolepsy w/ cataplexy, even if you're not sure you have symptoms of it, especially if these attacks are bothersome to you.
The other thing you could be experiencing is presyncope, which can be accompanied by a loss of muscle tone as well as the sensation of almost passing out.
I had it with just sleepiness during the day and what looked like insomnia at night for probably about 15-20 years before I ended up with more serious symptoms of narcolepsy that actually included cataplexy (random muscle weakness that can either be isolated, or widespread).
The cataplexy manifested first in my face, as what looked like episodes of Bells Palsy that came and went when I was tired, stressed, or even when I was happy and smiling.
memory problems, insomnia symptoms, chronic pain, taste hallucinations, smell hallucinations, and twitchy feelings in muscles are actually very characteristic of narcolepsy with cataplexy, and it can be exacerbated by the hormone shifts that happen with menstrual cycles. In fact, often times, people don't have "Bells Palsy," but cataplexy. Viruses and some vaccines (namely the H1N1) can actually precipitate this, but it can happen seemingly in random fashion, too.
feeling
I have also had enormous trouble with sleep-which has just been diagnosed as Narcolepsy with Cataplexy, which could explain some of the fainting spells.
I have had 5 lumbar punctures, which have indicated elevated incracranial pressure (ranging from 19-24 opening pressure), but the CSF fluid all came back clean-0 cell count in the fluid). The headache was temporarily relieved following the spinal taps, but only for about 24 hrs.
I have recently been diagnosed with narcolepsy. For years, I have suffered from EDS muscle weakness that has become worse as I have aged (mid-40's). In the beginning, I blamed it all on being single and burning the candle at both ends (20's); then being a new parent (30's) and then being a single mom to a child with narcolepsy and a preteen (now 40's). I was told I have mild cataplexy.
and at the same time it should not be happening. i do have narcolepsy and the reason i add this is because i know this in itself has a lot of symptoms ie cataplexy sleep paralysis.
memory problems, insomnia symptoms, chronic pain, and twitchy feelings in muscles are actually very characteristic of narcolepsy with cataplexy, and it can be exacerbated by the hormone shifts that happen with menstrual cycles. In fact, often times, people don't have "Bells Palsy," but cataplexy. Viruses and some vaccines (namely the H1N1) can actually precipitate this, but it can happen seemingly in random fashion, too.
Narcolepsy is a CNS disorder and is thought to also be caused by an autoimmune disorder.
Causes: current thinking is that a group of cells in the brain responsible for sleep-wake behavior is damaged or absent. (gosh do you think the MS lesions might also damage this area for people unlucky to have both!)
Tests: The spinal fluid of most patients with narcolepsy shows the neuroprotein lacking or deficient. The neuroprotein is "hypocretin".
See a sleep center. Recurrent "Bells Palsy," memory problems, insomnia symptoms, chronic pain, and twitchy feelings in muscles are actually very characteristic of narcolepsy with cataplexy. In fact, often times, it's not "Bells Palsy," but cataplexy. Viruses and some vaccines (especially the H1N1) can actually precipitate this, but it can happen seemingly in random fashion, too.
Common misdiagnoses are depression, epilepsy, and migraines.
I had it with just sleepiness during the day and what looked like insomnia at night for probably about 15-20 years before I ended up with more serious symptoms of narcolepsy that actually included cataplexy (random muscle weakness that can either be isolated, or widespread).
The cataplexy manifested first in my face, as what looked like episodes of Bells Palsy that came and went when I was tired, stressed, or even when I was happy and smiling.
See a sleep center. Recurrent "Bells Palsy" and twitchy feelings are actually very characteristic of narcolepsy with cataplexy. In fact, often times, it's not "Bells Palsy," but cataplexy. Viruses and some vaccines (namely the H1N1) can actually precipitate this, but it can happen seemingly in random fashion, too.
It doesn't look the way you think it looks. Common misdiagnoses are depression, epilepsy, and migraines.
I was misdiagnosed with ADD, and then about a decade and a half later, a few particularly bad sinus infections, I ended up with narcolepsy that actually included cataplexy (random muscle weakness that can either be isolated or widespread). It manifested first in my face, as a sort of Bells Palsy, but when I paid closer attention I realized it happened to my other muscles, though it was very hard to notice.
Oops that was the wrong post. Sorry guys. This is what I wanted to tell you:
See a sleep center. Recurrent "Bells Palsy" is actually very characteristic of narcolepsy with cataplexy. In fact, often times, it's not "Bells Palsy," but cataplexy. Viruses and some vaccines (namely the H1N1) can actually precipitate this, but it can happen seemingly in random fashion, too.
It doesn't look the way you think it looks.
memory problems, insomnia symptoms, chronic pain, taste hallucinations, smell hallucinations, visual hallucinations, and twitchy feelings and weakness and paralysis in muscles are actually very characteristic of narcolepsy with cataplexy. In fact, often times, people don't have "Bells Palsy," but cataplexy. Viruses and some vaccines (namely the H1N1) can actually precipitate this, but it can happen seemingly in random fashion, too.
I had it with just sleepiness during the day and what looked like insomnia at night for probably about 15-20 years before I ended up with more serious symptoms of narcolepsy that actually included cataplexy (random muscle weakness that can either be isolated, or widespread).
The cataplexy manifested first in my face, as what looked like episodes of Bells Palsy that came and went when I was tired, stressed, or even when I was happy and smiling.
I was recently told I have Narcolepsy with Cataplexy. I am a 74 year old Female and I am taking 20mg of Ritalin SR in the AM and 25mg of Imipram for the cataplexy in the PM. I get about 2 to 4 hrs sleep and the rest of the night I toss and turn. My Dr. told me she doesn't give meds for her patients to sleep.
I am concerned about not sleeping and then taking Ritalin to keep me awake during the day.I feel my health will be affected. Is this the normal way to treat my condition?
See a sleep center. Recurrent "Bells Palsy" and twitchy feelings are actually very characteristic of narcolepsy with cataplexy. In fact, often times, it's not "Bells Palsy," but cataplexy. Viruses and some vaccines (namely the H1N1) can actually precipitate this, but it can happen seemingly in random fashion, too.
It doesn't look the way you think it looks. Common misdiagnoses are depression, epilepsy, and migraines.
See a sleep center. Recurrent "Bells Palsy" and twitchy feelings are actually very characteristic of narcolepsy with cataplexy. In fact, often times, it's not "Bells Palsy," but cataplexy. Viruses and some vaccines (namely the H1N1) can actually precipitate this, but it can happen seemingly in random fashion, too.
It doesn't look the way you think it looks. Common misdiagnoses are depression, epilepsy, and migraines.
-cataplexy (feeling weak/loss of muscle tone after strong emotion especially laughter)
-sleep attacks (uncontrollable urge to sleep during the day)
-hypnagogic hallucinations (intense dream like state on falling asleep or waking)
-sleep paralysis (inability to move upon falling asleep or waking)
-microsleeps (falling asleep for a split second, usually continue with whatever action you are doing without interruption)
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