Originally posted by: Bad_Dude
I think you sleep deprived. Narcolepsy is sudden and not just when you are relaxed. It can happen when you are playing sports. The most dangerous is when you are driving. I think if you have this condition, you should not ever drive at all. Medication is limited and can only help a little. Medication does not control the condition fully.
Au Contraire, Mo Fo! Umm, I mean, Mon Frère!
What you are describing as a "sudden" attack of narcolepsy while playing sports is not an attack of compelling sleep, but rather an attack of
cataplexy (not to be confused with cata
lepsy).
It is a common misconception that people with narcolepsy can fall asleep at any moment with the result being some dramatic physical collapse. One might see this typically depicted in movies by a narcoleptic character appearing alert and awake one moment, and the next moment is seen cartwheeling out of their chair with a half-twist and crashing to the floor fast asleep. In reality, this type of sudden collapse is always the result of an attack of
cataplexy, not sleepiness.
If you watch the video clip of "Rusty the Narcoleptic Dog", Rusty does not collapse because he 'fell asleep'. In fact, Rusty is fully awake. Rusty collapsed because he suddenly became
paralyzed.
Cataplexy is a definitive symptom of narcolepsy, but it need not be present in order for one to have narcolepsy. Approx. half of all persons diagnosed with clear narcolepsy do not have cataplexy (findings range from 35% ~ 65% depending on the study, so we'll just call it 50%). However, unlike the primary symptom of excessive sleepiness, which has a number of causes other than narcolepsy, cataplexy is never found in the absence of narcolepsy.
Cataplexy is characterized by a sudden, temporary loss of skeletal muscle tone and deep tendon reflexes, resulting in acute muscle weakness, paralysis, or postural collapse, without loss of consciousness. An 'attack' or 'episode' of cataplexy is triggered by emotional response such as laughter, elation, or surprise, but may also be triggered by anger (e.g. playing sports), excitement (e.g. playing sports), or physical exercise (e.g. playing sports).
In the 'Rusty' clip, you may notice that just before collapsing, little Rusty is happily enjoying a few treats he finds in the grass. There is no more exciting and elating event in a dog's life than treats or dinner. This excitement or elation triggers an attack of cataplexy resulting in collapse. The 'food test' is the standard diagnostic tool for narcolepsy in dogs.
In the human model of narcolepsy, duration and severity of cataplexy varies greatly from one person to another.
Mild attacks of cataplexy typically consist of one or more of the following:
- generalized muscle weakness
- buckling at the knees or weakness in the legs
- drop of the head or jaw
- slackening of the facial muscles
- postural slumping or bucking
- slurred speech
- impaired (blurred/double) vision
Severe attacks of cataplexy may cause sudden paralysis of nearly all voluntary muscles in the body resulting in total collapse. Although it may appear the person has lost consciousness,
in fact the person remains conscious and aware of their surroundings, but is unable to move or speak. Respiratory function, hearing, and voluntary eye movements are not affected.
The duration of the attack may last from several seconds to 20 minutes. Extreme cases have been documented lasting nearly 40 minutes. Following cessation of the attack, the person may feel no untoward affects and resume activity, or may need to sleep for up to 30 minutes before feeling refreshed.
Only a small percentage of persons who experience cataplexy have the severe 'paralyzing' form of it (fewer than 10%). The vast majority have the 'mild' presentation of cataplexy which often does not result in sudden collapse and severe impairment.
In contrast, episodes of overwhelming sleepiness associated with narcolepsy, often referred to as 'sleep attacks', are not 'sudden' at all, but develop gradually over a period of time, typically several minutes. A sleep attack is not an episode of compelling sleep, but rather a powerful feeling of sleepiness.
It is true that treatment rarely results in full control of narcolepsy, but that hardly equates to every person with narcolepsy being a walking time-bomb. I will reserve that characterization for the millions of persons who suffer from a serious sleep disorder such as OSA or narcolepsy
but do not know it.
No expert or specialist in sleep disorders shares your misinformed opinion that persons diagnosed with narcolepsy should never drive or have their license to drive permanently revoked.
For you dude, sleep at least 8 hours per day and the same time every day if posible. Irregular sleep can cause the problems you are having. As for your father and grandfather, the doctor must have seen something more than just sitting back and fall asleep. I don't understand what you mean by mild narcolepsy. Either you have it or you don't, there's no mild. I would ask for a second opinion on this matter.
Au Contraire: Part Deux!
As with every other disorder, disease, and illness known to man, with the lone exception of death, narcolepsy and cataplexy afflict people to varying degrees of severity and/or extent.
Your information is rather faulty, nothing worse than bad information.
I recommend you get a second opinion on this matter.
😉
