I was just diagnosed with Narcolepsy. I have some questions.?

I was just diagnosed with Narcolepsy last week after many tests. I realized I must have had this for years because it reminds me when I was in school years ago and I'd be the only one tired all the time.
Anyway Question one. Anyone that has Narcolepsy can you please answer this question. Where you very depressed when you got word that you have narcolepsy? How did you handle it? How did it effect your work? Did you loose your job? Just tell me what you experinced when you found out. I don't know anyone that has this that I can just go up to and ask questions about it.
Is there any forums or really good websites that may help people with narcolepsy.

I'm 25 years old with a 6 year old son single father full time. I work and they are very nice about whats been going on and they are letting me just relax and take it easy. I've been very depressed since I found out just because I feel worthless. I'm taking 80mg of Strattera. Hopefully this works soon.
Thanks in advance for repliers.

I've been seeing my doctor for some time about this issue. I've been to a memory clinic and they told me that i should get a sleep study done. I told my doctor that and he hooked me up right away. waited 2 weeks results came in alright. couple days later at work i was so darn tired i called my doctor back up and said I can't live like this. there has to be something. everyone at work are so worried about me. I took a friend in with me and she explained everything to the doctor. I have horrible memory. He told me right there that I have narcolepsy. he printed out some info about it. told me to only sleep for 30 mins when taking a nap. which is like impossible for me to wake up. I'm going to see my doctor again this week. I slept all day today. I don't remember much. People calling me on the phone that i don't remember talking to. I called work but don't remember. i'm so miserable.
some of the links people posted don't work. but thank you anyway.

http://www.mdjunction.com/narcolepsy

what you're going thru is completely and utterly normal. you've had to deal with the effects that continuous sleepiness has put upon you for probably half your life. you finally figure out what the problem is, you're told, "here, take this pill and you'll notice a huge difference," and you find that taking the pill really hasn't changed a whole lot for you. you still feel tired, you still feel mentally & physically drained and you still feel like it's a never-ending battle just to get up each morning and face another day of it. don't worry - this is just the beginning of change; it won't always feel this bad. really, well and truly.

sleep affects everything in your life. hence, having a sleep disorder will also affect everything in your life. i don't know what symptoms you've developed (sleep attacks, cataplexies, hallucinations, sleep paralysis, etc. ) but i'd be willing to bet automatic behavior has been a big one for you if you're noticing memory problems. your body is having to concentrate so hard on staying awake, that it doesn't have much left over to notice things going on around you, and you may not even realize you're doing it. it's been your body's way of dealing with narcolepsy all along (we do have such resourceful anatomies, don't we?) and time really will help take care of that. the more your sleep and awake patterns evens out, the better your quality of sleep will be. this translates to a better quality of awake time and a greater ability to feel connected to life around you again.

the main thing i can suggest is to make sure you have good sleep hygiene and to take your meds as directed. it takes many medications several weeks (months even) before the serum levels are leveled off in your system...once that happens, things may go a little more smoothly. in the meantime, keep taking it. if after a few months you still don't feel better, talk to your doctor about switching to another one...there are many used for narcolepsy (although provigil is the only one made for it) and one of them may work better. sometimes it's a trail and error to find the best one for you. good sleep hygiene is getting yourself on a set schedule and sticking with it. that means going to bed at the same general time every night, getting up at the same time every day, taking regular naps each day to recharge your mental batteries.

i have a sleep disorder and so i know how you feel about the depression part. yes, a sleep disorder brings on depression.

www.sleepnet.com/narco5/
messages/336.html

www.mayoclinic.com/health/
narcolepsy/DS00345

These two sites should answer your questions.

http://search.about.com/fullsearch.htm?t...
You can go here and get a lot of valuable information.
Do get other medical opinions to be sure, if you have not already.
Doodad

I suspect I may have it too. I can fall asleep over my keyboard, or in almost any situation. If I go to bed earl(9:30) I wake up at 1:30AM. If I go to bed at 1:00 AM I wake up at 6:00. I may have sleep apnoea...want to get it checked out. I will be following the answers here.
But I don't suffer from depression at all.

Try these websites for medical information.

http://www.medicinenet.com
http://www.revolutionhealth.com/symptom-... . Mayo
http://www.webmd.com
http://www.merck.com/mmhe/index.html
About the depression. You can read on these websites about depression although there is really no need to be depressed. Nothing has changed from the way it was before, except that now you have a name for your malady.

My best,
Hope

There are many sleep disorders, I have sleep apenea, I have to sleep on a CPAP machine each night. At first it did depress me because I was sleepy all the time, I could set down and go to sleep anywhere anytime. Since I have been on the machine, I get a refreshing night of sleep, I am also on cymbalta, it works pretty well. Do not feel worthless, you are just one of many that have it. It did effect my job, but once you can get on a sleep machine, or get medication to line out, you will fill like a new person....hang in there!
One thing to do is make your bedroom very cozy, quiet, good sheets and pillows, keep it a little cool, that will help you sleep better, do not watch tv while going to sleep, that interupts your sleep patterns....do not eat after 6 pm, watch the amount of caffine you take in. That will have an effect on your sleep also.

Yes there is depression my mom has that and my dad has sleep apnea and I think that I have Narcolepsy I go in the morning for a ct scan to rule out tumors or anything like that!!! My mom had to do a sleep study that is how they diagnosed her if you dont mind me asking how did they diagnose you? My mom is diabetic has copd and many other ilnesses and she had been waiting for disability for years and after she was diagnosed with it she got it within 2 years!!! Good luck!!!

My husband was diagnosed with Narcolepsy ten years ago and has led a full and productive life. He takes provigil and prosac. This seems to work great for him and has had no trouble at work. He was very depressed when he heard the news as he was a Surgeon about to finish his residency when he found out. He thinks the Narcolepsy was brought on when he had to work 24 hour days at the hospital. Anyway, as long as he takes his medication every day, he does not show any symptoms of Narcolepsy whatsoever. This condition has not stopped him from being a Surgeon and working many hours. My husband's sister also has Narcolepsy and she was able to still get a PHd in Pharmaceutical Chemistry! Don't let this get you down. Narcolepsy symptoms are fully treatable!! Once you are on the right medication no one will ever realize you have a sleeping disorder unless you tell them. Also, I'm sure your doctor told you this, but make sure to get a little exercise each day. This will help with your energy level and boost your mood.

I had a boyfriend with narcolepsy... please try not to feel "worthless" and too depressed now. You have a correctable medical condition and it has nothing to do with your value as a human being.

Be honest with whomever you get involved with though. He didn't at first and it caused a lot of hard feelings and strain. He would get "moody" and irritable and it would scare me when he suddenly "fell out".

Once he told me, it was so much easier to work around. I better understood his depression and fear and was less alarmed and confused by his secretive napping behavior.

Take your medicine and give it time to work. If it doesn't then have your doctor try another one. Sometimes they have to change it after a while. Roll with it as best you can, you can adjust once you understand.

Please do not resort to recreational drugs to compensate... it only causes more problems. A search will get you into an on line group, and your doctor can refer you to local assistance.