Main Characteristics of Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy has four main characteristic symptoms: excessive daytime sleepiness, cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, and sleep paralysis.
Is A Narcoleptic Handicapped?
A handicapped individual is described as a person who (a) has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person?s major life activities, (b) has a record of such impairment, or (c) is regarded as having such an impairment. Because Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder involving excessive daily sleepiness, cataplexy, hallucinations, sleep paralysis and disrupted nighttime sleep - conditions that affect an employee?s ability to perform on the job - it should qualify as a physical handicap under the law. Without reasonable accommodations, a Narcoleptic may have great difficulty meeting job performance objectives.
Narcolepsy & Epilepsy
Narcolepsy is not a form of epilepsy and requires different treatment.
Social and Professional Complications
People with narcolepsy have to deal with many issues. Because the disorder is not yet widely recognized, many people go through long and difficult times before it is even diagnosed. Consequently, family, friends, educators, and employers, find it difficult to understand the whole problem. Even those with narcolepsy themselves have difficulty in understanding all the facets of the disorder - just what is happening to them. People with narcolepsy are often perceived as lazy, and they may come to believe it. The result is low self-esteem, alienation from families, and immense problems in social, school, and employment situations.
The Sleepiness of Narcolepsy
The individual suffering from narcolepsy has as much difficulty resisting sleepiness or falling asleep as do normal individuals deprived of the amount of sleep they need. Unfortunately, the person with narcolepsy still has this problem, regardless of the number of hours s/he sleeps.
Medications Used To Treat Narcolepsy
Excessive Daily Sleepiness (EDS) can be counteracted by medications known collectively as agrypnotics, analeptics, central nervous system stimulants, or physic energizers. Compounds most commonly used and most widely accepted in this class are: methylphenidate (Ritalin - the drug of choice to begin treatment), dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine), and pemoline (Cylert).
Who Gets Narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy can strike anyone at any age, although symptoms are usually first noticed during the early teen years.
Job Discrimination
Anyone believing they have been wrongly discriminated against at their workplace should seek competent legal advice immediately. Cases exist of people being dismissed from employment after disclosing their narcolepsy, even though they had performed the same job competently for many years. There are strict time limitations and different laws and legal interpretations may apply in separate areas and in individual cases. It is important to meet these conditions or you may never be able to get your old job back or receive monetary damages for lost income.
Diagnosing Narcolepsy
Narcolepsy can be confirmed or ruled out by a polysomnography test given under carefully controlled conditions. Brain waves, eye movements, muscle activity and other key physiological functions are monitored during sleep. In normal individuals there is an orderly transition from wakefulness to non-rapid eye movement (non-REM) sleep, followed by rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, the state in which dreaming occurs. Patients with narcolepsy, however, go directly from wakefulness to REM sleep. The paralytic and hallucinatory symptoms of narcolepsy are due to this rapid transition.
Dealing With Insurance Problems
Some people have been denied life and/or vehicle insurance because of Narcolepsy. When applying, narcoleptics should provide honest and full disclosures, adding positive statements like :
(a) My symptoms have been well controlled with medication since diagnosis in [insert year].
(b) I have not lost any time from work because of narcolepsy.
(c) I have not been hospitalized because of narcolepsy.
(d) I have had no accidents because of narcolepsy.
The severity of symptoms should be described and explained as thoroughly and accurately as possible. The name of the Doctor, along with his current address and telephone number, should be provided when requested
Tell Your Employer
Without reasonable accommodations, a narcoleptic may have great difficulty meeting job performance objectives. Since an employer cannot provide reasonable accommodation if narcolepsy is kept secret, it is important for narcoleptics to reveal their limitations and needs, if any. Disclosures and any specific requests should be in writing and directed to the appropriate personnel. With a reasonable employer, the reward should be an enjoyable and productive work environment.
How Many People Have Narcolepsy?
Narcolepsy is estimated to afflict 1 of every 1000 people, most of whom are undiagnosed.
Sleep Habits
For the Narcoleptic, good sleep habits are very important. They should retire early and sleep uninterrupted, whenever possible, until they awaken spontaneously. It is also important that medication not cut into nocturnal sleep time and dosages not be increased except in emergencies and through consultation with their physician.
Symptoms of Narcolepsy
The four (4) main symptoms of narcolepsy are:
1. Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS): uncontrollable sleepiness and/or sleep attacks
2. Cataplexy: a rapidly occurring loss of voluntary muscle tone, usually triggered by strong emotions
3. Hypnagogic hallucinations: intense, vivid, sometimes terrifying experiences which occur at the beginning or end of a sleep period
4. Sleep paralysis: an awareness of one?s inability to move despite the desire to do so, occurring as a person is falling asleep or waking up
Major Health Problem
Today narcolepsy is recognized as a major health problem, equal to or greater than muscular dystrophy, huntington?s or parkinson?s disease, and there are probably more cases of narcolepsy than chronic nephritis and multiple sclerosis.