Overview
Narcolepsy is a sleep condition that causes excessive drowsiness during the day. Narcolepsy makes it difficult for people to stay awake for extended 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 caused 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 prompted by strong emotions. Cataplexy is frequently caused by good feelings. Symptoms may be triggered 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.
Some narcoleptics only have one or two episodes of cataplexy per year. Others have multiple episodes per day. These symptoms do not occur in every case of narcolepsy.
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 referred 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. REM sleep behavior disorder occurs when people act out their dreams. Insomnia occurs when people have difficulty falling or staying asleep.
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 based 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 based 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 asked 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 required 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 performed 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 performed in specialized 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 contains Armodafinil is used to treat excessive sleepiness caused by narcolepsy (a condition that causes excessive daytime sleepiness) or shift work sleep disorder (difficulty falling or staying asleep during scheduled sleeping hours in people who work at night or on rotating shifts). Armodafinil is also used in conjunction with breathing devices or other treatments to prevent excessive sleepiness caused 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 belongs to a class of drugs known as wakefulness-promoting agents. It works by altering the levels of certain natural compounds in the brain area that regulates sleep and wakefulness.
Modawake 200mg (Armodafinil) is available as a tablet for oral use. It is typically taken once day. If you’re using armodafinil to treat narcolepsy or OSAHS, you’ll most likely take it first thing in the morning. If you are taking armodafinil to treat shift work sleep problem, you will most likely take it 1 hour before your shift begins. Every day, take armodafinil around the same time. Change the time of day you take armodafinil without first consulting your doctor. If your work shift does not start at the same time every day, consult your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label exactly, and ask our doctor or pharmacist to explain anything you don’t understand. Armodafinil should be taken exactly as prescribed.
Armodafinil has the potential to become addictive. Do not take a higher dose, take it more frequently, or take it for a longer amount of time than your doctor has advised.
Armodafinil may make you feel less sleepy, but it will not treat your sleep issue. Even if you feel rested, keep taking armodafinil. Do not discontinue taking armodafinil without first consulting your doctor.
You can visit Buynetmeds to take this medicine.
