Finally Receiving Answers after 14 years. Getting told you have Narcolepsy and Cataplexy

Let me start at the beginning, 14 years ago I made the decision to come off medicine I took as a child Ritalin and Zoloft.  Almost 6months later while I was working two full time jobs I started noticing unexplained-able things happening.  My eyes would close, or i'd lose the ability to stand when I laughed.  I learned to deal with it because it only happened sometimes and wasn't and everyday occurrence this started winter of 2003.  As the years went on around 2008 it got to a point where i'd literally fall down when I laughed.  It got to a point in 2013-2016 that I felt it almost everyday.  There were even times I feared i'd lose the ability to function in a normal life.  I would go to Walmart and just walking from the car to the front door i'd have an episode luckily my sister or friends would lock there arm in mine and say breath, come on walk.  But they ended up pulling me because my legs locked and I couldn't move right there in the path of cars.  I couldn't play with the kids tossing a ball around because when it came my turn to catch i couldn't move my arms, or when we sat in the pool id fall face forward and the kids had to come to my aid rolling me onto my back because I was under water.  These are just some of the things.

I started seeking therapy thinking it had something to do with my medication I stopped taking so many years ago.  But everyone said it was all in my head.  I was referred to a Specialist a Neurologist and he ran many pointless test that wouldn't show an episode as I called them.  Even with showing him a video or an episode he said it was all in my head and to learn to avoid things that trigger it.  Nobody was listening to me.  All I knew was something wasn't right and it all started the year I stopped taking my meds I was given consent by my Therapist I had as a child.  So I went on living life wondering how far things would get before I could no longer work, drive, or enjoy anything in life.  I would have episodes from watching tv, playing, being physical active, or just joking around.  So I kept seeking therapy hoping that maybe i'd find just one person who listen and believed me.

I started going to college and I was encouraged to see the therapist on campus so I did and that was the first time anyone even listens and tried to help me get a MD DR to listen and be open to something going on.  It took me taking a friend to a free clinic than deciding i'd give it a shot to see if they could help.  I showed the DR the video I showed the Neurologist and told her some things and right away she knew what it was.  Gave me a name called everyone there into the room because she said it was very uncommon and told me to have a sleep test.  So I saw a sleep DR in June 2017 and a test was set up for mid July and I was given the results the following week.  Turns out all these years all these struggles is simply Narcolepsy and Catalepsy.  Yea I have a name and a cause now I can understand why things happen the way they do.  Turns out my old medicine was also use to treat the symptoms so there no way of knowing when it started or how long I had both.

Such a relief to know.  Yes, there medicines I can take to try and maintain symptoms but there expensive your talking 5pills alone cost $200.  But at least now I know what is happening and can explain it to others rather than just say something wrong but IDK what.

WHAT IS NARCOLEPSY?

It is often assumed that it means people just randomly fall asleep, but that is furthest from the truth yes, some people do just fall asleep.  But it really your body not recognizing that you were ever asleep so it tells your body it needs it and makes it fall asleep.

Definition : Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder characterized by overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden attacks of sleep. People with narcolepsy often find it difficult to stay awake for long periods of time, regardless of the circumstances. Narcolepsy can cause serious disruptions in your daily routine.

Sometimes, narcolepsy can be accompanied by a sudden loss of muscle tone (cataplexy) that leads to weakness and loss of muscle control. Cataplexy is often triggered by a strong emotion, most commonly laughter.

Narcolepsy is a chronic condition for which there's no cure. However, medications and lifestyle changes can help you manage the symptoms. Support from others — family, friends, employer, teachers — can help you cope with narcolepsy.

WHAT IS CATAPLEXY?

Sudden loss of muscle tone. This condition, called cataplexy (KAT-uh-plek-see), can cause a number of physical changes, from slurred speech to complete weakness of most muscles, and may last for a few seconds to a few minutes.

Cataplexy is uncontrollable and is triggered by intense emotions, usually positive ones such as laughter or excitement, but sometimes fear, surprise or anger. For example, your head may droop uncontrollably or your knees may suddenly buckle when you laugh.

Some people with narcolepsy experience only one or two episodes of cataplexy a year, while others have numerous episodes daily. Not everyone with narcolepsy experiences cataplexy.

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If you would like to read more about Narcolepsy and Catalepxy  here is a link that has alot of information of both, symptoms and other facts.

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/narcolepsy/basics/definition/con-20027429