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You should go to a neurologist who specializes in sleep. You will first be sent for a blood test to rule out other conditions, as well as a specific test to determine if you are predisposed to narcolepsy (this is a relatively new test). Then you will go in for an over night sleep study, and daytime sleep test. They will connect wires to your head, face, neck and legs while you sleep at night. When you wake up in the morning, they will disconnect some of the wires, however, the wires on the head and neck will remain. They will then instruct you to take a nap every two hours, and they will measure how quickly, or if you enter REM sleep during a daytime nap. You will take around 5 naps before you are released that evening.
If you enter REM sleep quickly during daytime naps, that is an indication of narcolepsy. Most people take 45 minutes to enter REM sleep, however narcoleptics can complete a REM cycle in as few as 15 minutes.
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Is Narcolepsy a disease?
In about 8-12% of cases, people diagnosed with narcolepsy know of other family members with similar symptoms. Most people with the condition have no family members with narcolepsy.
When does narcolepsy present?
Narcolepsy typically presents in adolescence or early adulthood, although it can occur at any age. Symptoms may develop gradually over time or suddenly. Common signs include excessive daytime sleepiness, sudden loss of muscle tone (cataplexy), sleep paralysis, and hallucinations.
Approximately how many Americans suffer from narcolepsy?
Approximately one hundred twenty-five thousand to two hundred thousand Americans suffer from narcolepsy. Unfortunately, less than fifty thousand were improperly diagnosed.
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Is narcolepsy a hereditary disease?
One of the causes of narcolepsy is a genetic mutation. (Neurological Disorder)For the source and more detailed information concerning your request, click on the related links section (Answers.com) indicated at the bottom of this answer box.
Can you develop narcolepsy or are you born with it?
You typically develop it during teenage years, however, most patients are not diagnosed until many years later.
Who was the first person the have Narcolepsy?
A 36-year-old male patient was diagnosed as having narcolepsy by Dr. Westphal (Karl Friedrich Otto Westphal) in Germany during 1870-1877 but the name of this particular patient is unknown. (This patient's mother is believed to have had the disorder also.)
What are the major symptoms of narcolepsy?
The major symptoms of narcolepsy include Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS), Cataplexy (a loss of muscle tone as an effect of emotion), and sometimes disturbed nighttime sleep. Persons with Narcolepsy may also experience dreaming while awake (sleep hallucinations), sleep paralysis (a temporary inability to move after waking up), and falling asleep at inappropriate times and in inappropriate situations. Narcolepsy is diagnosed by a Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT).
How is cataplexy diagnosed?
There is no test for it. You'll just have to have witnesses and/or a video recording of yourself that you can show a neurologist. Many people with proven Narcolepsy, will also show signs of Cataplexy. However, Cataplexy without Narcolepsy has been reported. Though it is very rare. I have Cataplexy without Narcolepsy. The neurologist came in and slammed the door behind him to see if he could provoke an attack. It worked for me, but it may not work with others.
When do symptoms of narcolepsy usually begin to appear?
usually appear during the teens or 20s, the disease may not be diagnosed for many years. Most often, the first symptom is an overwhelming feeling of fatigue
Involuntary episodes of falling asleep during the daytime while engaged in activity?
Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS) or Narcolepsy
Does narcolepsy generally take most of your energy?
Narcolepsy robs you of your energy. A study released at the annual conference for narcolepsy stated that a person without narcolepsy would have to stay awake for 32 hours straight to experience the same sensation of that of a person with narcolepsy who was awake for just 1 hour.
