Narcolepsy Forum Posting

Posted by WantToSleep on December 06, 2004 at 10:40:08:

I think I messed up trying to post the first time!

Hi,

This is my first post so I will try to be as brief as possible. :) In October, I went to a psychiatrist b/c of problems with depression not responding so well to treatment by my regular doctor. During the first meeting with the psychiatrist, she indicated that she thought that I may have narcolepsy (and boy did I think she was nuts). She recommended that I start checking with insurance about a sleep study. Two weeks later, I returned to see her, and she started me on Provigil because being so sleepy was interferring with almost everything, including the quality of my work at my job and definitely my relationship with my boyfriend.

So, met with a neurologist who said the sleep study needed to be done and he did not tell me to stop taking Provigil (or Wellbutrin which I also take). When I scheduled the study, the guy there said no Provigil the day of the test, so I also skipped it the day before. Stayed the night there and in the morning, they decided that I needed to do the MSLT and would tell me absolutely nothing. Typically, if I am sleepy, I can fall asleep anywhere, in any position. They only had me do the four naps and I did not fall asleep during any of them despite feeling the need to. Although several times during each nap, I felt like I was starting to drift to sleep, it never happened or the voice would come over the intercom that it was time to get out of bed. I don't know if the Provigil could have affected it or just having difficulty with sleeping on command with an audience. Of course, they couldn't say anything to me about anything, and I don't see the doctor about the results until the 20th (and of course I am not a patient person). Once I was able to leave the sleep center, I felt like I had so much more energy and felt like my old self. It didn't last into the next day though.

I am worried that the sleep study is going to be a waste, and a huge expense for nothing. Family and some friends already think it is a case of laziness and just needing to "get up and go", so that is weighing on my mind. Course, it doesn't help that I am a therapist and trying to diagnose myself so I just remind myself to let the doctors do their jobs... at times, I think my family is right, but then other times, it just doesn't seem right that I should be so tired and not be able to get up and go (I am only 29).

As far as the Provigil- I felt like it was starting to work, and leveled off at 400mg per the neurologist. Over the last week or so, it seems like I have just become even more tired, have even more headaches than usual, and cannot seem to fall asleep for a nap or for long at night, no matter how tired I am. Yesterday, I decreased the dose back to 200mg and so far, no headache. I see the psychiatrist later this week, and I'm thinking that I want off of this med. I've been reading some other posts, and it looks like maybe others have had some similar issues with Provigil.

I'm not even sure what my questions are anymore... as far as the MSLT, can anyone tell me what makes them decide to keep some people for it and not others? The only thing they would tell me was that they knew by 2am that I would be staying and that the reason depends on criteria they can't share with me. Then, does not being able to fall asleep during the naps mean it is really just in my head? Do the side effects with Provigil get better or go away? So far, the only benefit that I have seen is losing 6 pounds in 4 or 5 weeks! :)

Sorry for the book length posting. And thanks for listening and answering questions!

H.

Follow Ups:

• Re: Questions sweetdreams808 20:55 12/08/04 (0)
• Re: Questions Sleepy in LV, NV 14:51 12/08/04 (1)
  • Re: Questions WantToSleep 15:12 12/09/04 (0)
• Re: Questions sleepyhead 11:52 12/08/04 (0)
• Re: Questions ZzzzMonster 09:09 12/08/04 (1)
  • Re: Questions Sleepy in LV, NV 14:47 12/08/04 (0)

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