Living with Narcolepsy

Modafinil (Provigil) for Narcolepsy: www.studystimulants.com Patients talk about diagnosis and living with Narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder, or dyssomnia, characterized by excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) in which a person experiences extreme fatigue and possibly falls asleep at inappropriate times, such as while at work or at school. Narcoleptics usually experience disturbed nocturnal sleep and an abnormal daytime sleep pattern, which is often confused with insomnia. When a narcoleptic falls asleep they generally experience the REM stage of sleep within 10 minutes; whereas most people do not experience REM sleep until after 90 minutes. There is little evidence to suggest that narcoleptics tend to have a shorter life span. Modafinil (Provigil, Alertec, Modavigil, Modalert) is an analeptic drug manufactured by Cephalon, and is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of narcolepsy, shift work sleep disorder and excessive daytime sleepiness associated with obstructive sleep apnea.

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Courtesy of www.medstores.net – Patients talk about diagnosis and living with Restless legs syndrome. Restless legs syndrome (RLS), also known as Wittmaack-Ekbom’s syndrome, is best described as a condition that is characterized by an irresistible urge to move one’s body to stop uncomfortable or odd sensations. It most commonly affects the legs, but can also affect the arms or torso, and even phantom limbs. Moving the affected body part modulates the sensations, providing temporary relief. RLS causes a sensation in the legs or arms that can most closely be compared to a burning, itching, or tickling sensation in the muscles. Some controversy surrounds the marketing of drug treatments for RLS. It is a ‘spectrum’ disease with some people experiencing only a minor annoyance and others experiencing major issues.

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Living with Sleep Apnea – part 1

Courtesy of www.medstores.net – Patients talk about diagnosis and living with Sleep Apnea. Sleep apnea is best described as a sleep disorder characterised by having one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths during sleep. Each pause in breathing, called an apnea, can last from a few seconds to minutes, and may occur 5 to 30 times or more an hour. Sleep apnea is diagnosed with an overnight sleep test called a polysomnogram, or a “sleep study”. There are three distinct forms of sleep apnea central, obstructive, and complex (ie, a combination of central and obstructive) constituting 0.4%, 84% and 15% of cases respectively. Breathing is interrupted by the lack of respiratory effort in central sleep apnea; in obstructive sleep apnea, breathing is interrupted by a physical block to airflow despite respiratory effort. In complex (or “mixed”) sleep apnea, there is a transition from central to obstructive features during the events themselves. Regardless of type, the individual with sleep apnea is rarely aware of having difficulty breathing, even upon awakening. Sleep apnea is recognized as a problem by others witnessing the individual during episodes or is suspected because of its effects on the body (sequelae). Symptoms may be present for years (or even decades) without identification, during which time the sufferer may become conditioned to the daytime sleepiness and fatigue associated with significant levels of sleep disturbance.

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Our 18-month old male goldenlabradoodle was diagnosed with narcolepsy/cataplexy on October 7, 2010. He has periods where he collapses into a deep sleep – mostly while eating or while going for a walk. We are second-guessing the diagnosis, however, and wonder what other conditions might cause Duke to collapse into a cataplexic state other than narcolepsy.

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Univ. of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Analyzes techniques to identify, diagnose, and monitor sleep-induced upper airway obstruction; advances in oral appliance therapies, developments in functional brain imaging, breakthroughs in the establishment of genetic, environmental, and developmental factors, and more.

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Anyone ever have narcolepsy misdiagnosis?

I have been diagnosed with narcolepsy and wonder if anyone ever had this diagnosis and later found out that it was incorrect. If so..what was the issue?

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David Schulman, MD, director of the Emory Sleep Disorders Laboratory in Atlanta, suggests visiting your primary care physician first, if you suspect a problem. He or she can help you make the decision whether to see a sleep specialist, have a sleep study done, or try at-home techniques for better sleep.

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No matter How awake I am or how mych sleep I have ever time read More than two pages I pass out, This has been a problem for so long I can’t control it. Is there a diagnosis for this? Is this Normal? Does anyone else have thie problem? Is there a treatment for this cause coffee doesn’t work.

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How common is sleep paralysis without narcolepsy?

I have daytime sleepiness and sleep paralysis, but I don’t think I have narcolepsy. My neurologist sent me to get a blood test because he suspects it….is there anyone else who has had this blood test and what can it tell? Isn’t it possible to have these symptoms without having narcolepsy? I’m afraid this type of diagnosis will hurt me in my career.

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Diagnosing Restless Legs Syndrome (RLS #3)

Pacing restlessly while everyone else sleeps? You may have restless legs syndrome! Here’s how doctors diagnose RLS. Get more info: www.healthguru.com

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