Why is narcolepsy so commonly mistaken for epilepsy?
Saturday, February 7th, 2009 at
7:36 am
Kelly k asked:
I’m writing a paper and I’d appreciate so help getting some definite answers. For example, like what are some of the symptoms that overlap? Why do they assume epilepsy and not narcolepsy?
I’m writing a paper and I’d appreciate so help getting some definite answers. For example, like what are some of the symptoms that overlap? Why do they assume epilepsy and not narcolepsy?
Tagged with: Definite Answers • Epilepsy • Narcolepsy
Filed under: Narcolepsy
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I don’t think I’ve ever heard epilepsy confused with narcolepsy. The nearest form of epilepsy that might remotely fit that bill is a petit mal seizure disorder where the victim seems to “zone” or just stare off into space, what was often referred to as a “fugue state.” The other possibly similar symptom is when an epileptic (usually a grand mal sufferer) enters a post-ictal state and appears to be asleep, sometimes even having snoring respirations. This almost always occurs after a grand mal seizure, which could never be confused with narcolepsy. Narcoleptics actually fall asleep, sometimes literally instantly, and show all the signs of sleeping
well i have epilepsy and its probably cause they have a similar ending when you say them that people get confused with the 2 but ican assure they are in no way the same, i have severe convulsions, i’ve lost part of my memory, i am usually very fatigued or highly stressed when i do have a seizure, or i’m just not eating right.
It’s a long-winded answer that i will try and keep very simple.
Both conditions have similar catalysts of neurological disorders so , in diagnosis the subjective/objective evidence may overlap indicating a similar finding.
neurology is very complex and im only a paramedic not a specialist sorry i couldn’t be of more help.
i suppose cuz of the epsy part in each, but tell me if im right
Narcolepsy-passing out “falling asleep” dues to a certain trigger.
epilepsy- have a ceizure do to a certain trigger.
It is not really narcolepsy itself that is mistaken for epilepsy, but a symptom called cataplexy that is mistaken. Cataplexy is a disorder that is triggered by strong emotions causes someone to muscle weakness or collapsing. Basically REM sleep invades when your awake causing you to some degree be paralysis ed. When epileptic has seizures it is basically described the same way except epileptic to have a seizure it is completely unprovoked. Then both patient will desribe to a doctor whats going on and it will sound like a seizures. So one needs to tell whether they are sleeping and exacly what happen before the “sleep attack” or seizure.
I have suspected narcolepsy, but I cannot explain away the seizures I have for 5 and a half hours at a time. They thought I had non-epileptic attack disorder and now narcoloepsy with cataplexy. Cataplexy cannot trigger such long seizures so how come I have these symptoms? There must be a neurological familarity between the two