Rest of the Sleep Disorders Forum Posting

Posted by Christina on July 27, 2002 at 03:13:46:

I found this site looking for more information regarding my night sweats...

I have been suffering from night sweats, it's been going on for at least a year (every night) but happened before...

I do however have other sleep problems...so here is a summary of my problems...

I am a 26 year old female...I am reasonably healthy...weighing between 110-125lbs...eating healthy (except for my addiction to ice cream)...I don’t smoke, I don’t drink (well I do on a very rare occasion have alcohol, but so rare, that I don’t feel its lying to say that I don’t drink), I don’t use drugs (I never have), I go to counseling, I get enough sleep, I go to a massage therapist and chiropractor...the main health care problem I have is that I don’t exercise (except for occasional yoga/ stretching)...

At age 21 after having complained to doctors since the age of 14 about excessive exhaustion, going to college and having problems staying awake in class, not getting the grades I needed (I was premed), becoming depressed, being told that my sleep problems were all due to my depression, and that I needed to give the Prozac more time...I went to a therapist who told me that I was trying to create an excuse for myself because I was afraid of failure...

Finally, at age 21 I underwent a sleep study (overnight and nap study) and I was diagnosed with narcolepsy and sleep apnea...my life changed...I was able to stay awake in class, able to read books again (although I still have difficulty reading text books), and no longer depressed...

I had my tonsils removed to help my sleep apnea...my case was apparently mild...I only awoke (according to the EEG) 125 times during my night in the sleep lab.

To my knowledge, I do not suffer from cataplexy or temporary paralysis, nor do I have the antibody often found in individuals who experience narcolepsy, thus the diagnoses was not 100% conclusive, but both the specialist I saw in Boston and my new neurologist have said that regardless of whether I am truly narcoleptic or suffer from some other sort of excessive day time hypersomnia, the treatment is the same...stimulants...I was on Ritalin for awhile, then Dexedrine...now I am finding that the Dexedrine is loosing its effectiveness

My undiagnosed sleep problems
1) Shatter my Ivy League plans since I fell asleep during both my ACT's and SAT's,
2) Rob me of my 1st three years of college...about $75,000 worth of education...a sizable chunk being loans :(
3)result in my not getting the grades needed for medical school, thus putting a major roadblock on my med school dreams
4)cause me to become depressed...even suicidal
5)allow the Peace Corps to defer me...as I had only been on medication for one year when I applied

Although things have gotten better since I started medication, I still have some problems
1) trouble waking, making me late to work
2) often falling asleep in the living room and being too tired to walk into my bedroom
3) difficulty reading text books, making studying difficult
4) inability to do shift work
5) the GRE board didn’t give me the accommodations I feel I need
the list goes on and on, but this isn't a site for complaints, so I'll move on

I also have incredible difficulty waking...so much so that it caused problems with my last employer! For awhile I had to have my mother call from another state (which is 4 hours time zones away) to wake me...since a simple alarm wouldn't work...I needed someone to talk to me for 15 minutes or so I would actually wake up...otherwise I would be in this irrational state, and think things, like, "oh I can sleep some more, I can get ready in 15 minutes today"

Regarding my problems with my last employer, I know I am protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act, because of my narcolepsy, but my supervisor was subtly making the environment so uncomfortable (with unreasonable expectations regarding output...(and it was a case management social work job working with individuals with disabilities!) that I resigned...I am now going to school full time to get my masters in counseling...I tried to get tuition or education related help from the Department of Vocational Rehabilitation, but was denied because I had been successfully employed for 3 & 1/2 years...

one more sleep related thing...I have had conversations with people when half awake that I have no recollection of later ...I haven't exactly been known to sleep walk, but when I was younger, I would sometimes fall asleep in the living room and my mom would guide me into my room...

oh I also experienced night terrors as a young child

My reason for posting this message is in part a search for information about my night sweats, they have been increasing in frequency, and I wake up soaked from day time naps as well...I have been meaning to do some sort of nutrition/ food allergy testing...what's best? SAGE?

Follow Ups:

• Re: Night Sweats/ Narcolepsy/ trouble waking koshare 01:09 7/30/02 (0)

Copyright ©1995-2005 Sleepnet.com., All rights reserved