Narcolepsy, What it Is, Its Symptoms and Treatments?

I have a friend who has been to multiple doctors over a period of ten plus years trying to find a reason for his, diagnosed, insomnia all without success. A year ago he contracted the flu, almost died and spent ten days in ICU. Since that time he has had severe cataplexy, seizures, which is one of the symptoms of narcolepsy. Some of the following information is a repeat of information in a previous article about the flu.

Narcolepsy: Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder often characterized by extreme fatigue and/or excessive daytime sleepiness with extreme sleepiness every three or four hours during the day. The affected person can fall asleep at inappropriate times, such as while at work, at school or even when driving or operating equipment. Narcolepsy is often confused with insomnia. Sufferers usually experience disturbed nocturnal sleep and abnormal daytime sleep patterns. Slurred speech, lack of ability to concentrate, drowsiness during the day, nighttime sleep disorders, impaired vision and suddenly collapsing are all symptoms of narcolepsy. Narcolepsy is the third most diagnosed sleep disorder. In many cases, narcolepsy is undiagnosed or misdiagnosed and goes untreated.

When a narcoleptic falls asleep they generally experience the REM (rapid eye movement) stage of sleep in 10 minutes or less. Most people do not experience REM sleep until 90 minutes or longer. During REM sleep we can experience dreams and muscle paralysis.

Narcolepsy is a neurological sleep disorder. It's not caused by mental illness or psychological problems. It's generally believed to be caused by genetic abnormalities that affect the brain. When the abnormalities are combined with an environmental trigger such as a virus, drugs, alcohol, certain pollutants can also be triggers, narcolepsy can manifest. Most information states it's a disorder that evolves during the brain's development and suggests heavily that it's a childhood or young adult affliction. Flu vaccines are viruses that have (supposedly) been deactivated. The brain is in a constant state of development, no matter what the age, which discounts it as a childhood and young adults only problem.

Some narcoleptics experience cataplexy, a sudden muscular weakness that can be brought on by strong emotions or other stimuli. Only a small percentage of people experience emotionally triggered cataplexy. Cataplexy is muscular weaknesses ranging from facial muscle weakness, dropping of the jaw or head and weakness in the knees. In severe cases, the speech is slurred, vision is impaired, (double vision, or the inability to focus) and can also result in a total collapse, all with little or no loss of hearing and awareness, as in the case of my friend. Total collapse, and cases where the individual's body is paralyzed and muscles become stiff, are rare.

Many narcoleptics suffer from hallucinations. Usually the hallucinations are primarily visual, although the other senses can be involved, the hallucinations are vivid and frequently frightening. Hallucinations that accompany the onset of sleep are called hypnagogic. Hypnopompic hallucinations occur during awakening.

Narcoleptics can also experience what's called "sleep paralysis." Sleep paralysis involves the temporary inability to move or speak when falling asleep or waking up. The symptoms generally last from a few seconds to several minutes. After episodes cease, the affected individual will rapidly recover full capacity to move and speak.

In a recent conversation with my friend, he told me had been experiencing seizures since having H1N1 flu. He said he had walked up three steps, grabbed the door knob and collapsed. He was still aware and conscious but had lost all muscle and motor control. He fell down the steps, dislocating his shoulder and causing bruising from the hairline on his neck to his elbow. He was severely limited in the work he could do for about three weeks. My friend has had all the symptoms of narcolepsy with the exception of extreme sleepiness every three or four hours during the day.

When doing research on flu vaccinations a week or so after the conversation with my friend, I found some information about the increased incidence of narcolepsy in children which the Finnish government claims is caused by a flu vaccine. Upon reading the symptoms, I immediately thought about what my friend had told me.

Avoiding caffeine and other stimulants, limiting alcohol, eliminating nicotine and overeating, regulating sleep schedules, scheduling daytime naps of ten to fifteen minutes in duration have all been proven to be helpful. Naps of longer than ten to fifteen minutes can cause nighttime sleep problems plus lethargy and drowsiness after the nap. Establishing, and sticking to, an exercise regime and meal schedule can assist in reducing symptoms.