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Re: what would you do?

Posted by Austin on August 14, 2003 at 14:08:36:

In Reply to: what would you do? posted by naptime on August 13, 2003 at 14:15:56:

Hi, Naptime--
What would I do / should you do? TALK TO A QUALIFIED DOCTOR!!! The only way you can get help is to be frank with a clinician (probably a sleep disorders specialist or neurologist, rather than your family doc) who can make a competent diagnosis and, if appropriate, begin treatment. Choose the MD carefully!

Re: driving--
Most states do not require physicians to report such conditions; they depend on self-reporting by the driver. (major exceptions: Cal, Ore, Penn, Wisc) Find out what your state and your doctor do. The point is not to take away your license based just on the diagnosis, but on whether WITH TREATMENT you are qualified to drive. That's another reason to go to a QUALIFIED doc who really understands N -- he/she probably would be much less likely to see you as unqualified to drive. (In Texas, my doc is not going to report me; my treatment works pretty well; and I have learned when NOT to drive. TxDOT does not know, and I don't plan on informing them unless something changes dramatically.)

re: work --
Again, with treatment, most of us are as functional as the next person, altho we may need to be creative about doing our jobs. If it turns out you do have N, then if you need to, you can ask for accomodation for your disability. But if you don't have a diagnosis, the boss is only left with your performance by which to judge, and that may not measure up with uncontrolled N.

These are just nutshell answers to complex questions, but begin by GETTING MEDICAL HELP! FWIW, I'm 57 y/o, onset age 12, dx'd age 18; didn't get to be the surgeon I'd planned to be, but work in medical education, significantly with disabilities.

A personal rant about treatment: Provigil is very problematic for many patients and is very expensive; generic Dexedrine may work just fine for you (it does for me), and the retail price is less than my co-pay would be for Provigil. Don't let your MD overlook it as a tx possibility.

Onward!
Austin

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