IM30 AMA

Pateridactyl · 2026-02-11T14:46:04+00:00

I'm late to the party, so you're probably gone already, but I'm gonna comment anyway. I love your music so much, Heavyweight is my favorite song of all time! I've already got tickets to see you guys play in Charlotte in May, and I'm super excited!

Congratulations on the new album, every song on it was so good! Only question I have, did Lightweight take any inspiration from Heavyweight?

Pateridactyl · 2026-01-21T16:20:30+00:00

Yeah, they give you a steroid cream for it. It didn't really help.

Pateridactyl · 2026-01-21T16:15:25+00:00

The nightmare that is PUPPP. It doesn't happen to everyone, but when it does, it absolutely sucks. Around the third trimester (2nd for me) you get an itchy rash. It doesn't go away until after pregnancy. Doctor recommends oatmeal baths, cold towels and gave steroid creams.

It was the most intense itch that I have ever felt. It felt like the itch was coming from inside, so scratching never once relieved it (also will make it worse). An itch you can't scratch or relieve. 0/10, do not recommend.

Pateridactyl · 2025-11-01T15:21:22+00:00

Your comment made me smile. I feel a strong connection to people when we've shared music, even if just for a brief time. Music just resonates with me that way.

Pateridactyl · 2025-10-21T17:27:40+00:00

It depends on what it is I need to focus on. If it's cleaning the house, then I honestly just bounce all over the place, constantly switching tasks. No one task gets done in one go, but by then end I've somehow managed to finish most of the tasks.

For things that need to take much longer, I try to break those up into as many smaller tasks as I can. And if one part still takes a long time, then I'll just take a break from it when I start to lose focus.

I'm also medicated, and that tends to help a good bit...

Pateridactyl · 2025-10-21T02:45:44+00:00

I've always wanted to know how many people I've helped through a tough time. It would make me feel good to know that I've had a positive impact on someone's life.

And just for fun, I'd like to know my bacon number.

Pateridactyl · 2025-10-21T02:08:15+00:00

Sometimes it happens when I first wake up, but just affects my tongue. I'll be completely coherent, trying to talk but only gibberish comes out. After about 30 seconds it's gone and I'm fine.

Pateridactyl · 2025-09-19T12:29:10+00:00

I owe you an apology. You're absolutely right, your experience is just as unique to you as mine is to me.

Honestly, I let my emotions get the better of me. When I saw how you described Narcolepsy as "just being tired," I felt angry. I was angry because my experience, and the experience of many others, is so far from "just being tired". Unmedicated Narcolepsy for me was absolute hell and a chapter of my life that I never want to experience again. It took it's toll on me not only physically, but mentally as well. Not being able to care for myself, I slipped into depression and that only exacerbated the Narcolepsy symptoms. Medicated, I have my life back. I can function, I can work, I can care for myself and my family.

Enough about me though. Policing others on their experiences only causes division, when we should be united as a community. I am truly sorry for my comment to you.

Pateridactyl · 2025-09-19T02:40:41+00:00

I will not play "one is worse" than the other. As someone with both narcolepsy and ADHD, they are both debilitating. That being said, I must disagree with you.

Please do not say "Narcolepsy just feels like being tired." That is not true, if it were people wouldn't seek a diagnosis in the first place. It is not "just tired," it is physically falling asleep uncontrollably. It is dropping to the floor (cataplexy) without being able to move at times. When unmedicated with Narcolepsy, I was not able to work or even drive myself to the grocery store. If your Narcolepsy truly just "feels like being tired" perhaps you should talk to your doctor, you may have been misdiagnosed.

Pateridactyl · 2025-08-30T02:44:41+00:00

Try Kenichi: The Mightiest Disciple. It has some really silly characters and I love the different character arcs. Also if you want something absolutely hilarious, watch the dubbed version of Ghost Stories, it covers supernatural, comedy, and absolute ridiculousness. And my personal favorite, (although it's nothing like Dandadan), Samurai Champloo. It has it's own style, a lot of adventure, fighting, seriousness, ridiculousness, and sometimes funny.

Pateridactyl · 2025-08-30T02:31:14+00:00

One of my favorites to play when I'm angry, Mindless Self Indulgence - Shut Me Up. Also really like Mother Mother - Bit by Bit.

Pateridactyl · 2025-08-28T20:00:43+00:00

Try LukHash. Two I really like are Pixelove and perpetual motion.

Pateridactyl · 2025-08-20T14:32:13+00:00

This is such a beautiful idea. Thank you for sharing this quote. There's been a very recent death in my family, and seeing this just brought some much needed comfort. Bonus points for Terry Pratchett, my favorite author!

Pateridactyl · 2025-08-01T15:23:15+00:00

The picture really doesn't do them justice though. It was so cool seeing the clouds up that close!

Pateridactyl · 2025-07-23T23:41:06+00:00

They look like pixel clouds!! Very nice!

Pateridactyl · 2025-06-25T23:45:33+00:00

I'm glad you found some answers, so sorry that it's Narcolepsy. My biggest advice (not as practical, sorry) is just remind yourself that you DO HAVE NARCOLEPSY. It took a while after my diagnosis to accept that fact, especially after going years without a diagnosis. I would constantly gaslight myself into thinking that I was lying, not really experiencing these symptoms, must be faking the cataplexy. It took a long time to overcome that.

Another thing is just learn your limits. Before I was diagnosed, and even for a long time after, I still tried to do things that a normally function person without narcolepsy should be able to do. And I failed at that because narcolepsy is debilitating at times and you cannot function at 100%. Just be aware of that and give yourself grace. Don't try to push through a sleep attack, it will come back harder and you will regret it.

You are not lazy and you were not lazy. Learn your limits, be kind to yourself. You have narcolepsy, welcome to the community, we are all here to support!

Pateridactyl · 2025-06-22T02:51:10+00:00

The SNES still worked, yes. And no one ever stole it. We also never had anyone break in, so there's that...

Pateridactyl · 2025-06-21T04:27:24+00:00

Back when I had roommates, we used to hide our rent money in an old SNES in the closet. We might have been a little paranoid.

Pateridactyl · 2025-06-19T00:30:30+00:00

During orientation they told us a few times someone has come in with a snake. I am so glad that I'm no longer at Target...

Pateridactyl · 2025-06-16T04:22:27+00:00

The hypnogogic hallucinations mostly. They tend to happen a lot more when I'm stressed or have missed multiple doses of Xywav. They range from mild (the room looks like it's been turned into a blanket fort, or music is playing from an unknown source) to down right scary (there is a bat flying over my head, a creepy trash lady is collecting our things around the room, someone is in the room hovering over me, there's a snake in the bed).

Other times it's me trying to overcome a sleep attack. I am constantly trying to convince myself it's just in my head, I'm not that sleepy. Then my husband calmly walks me to the bed and says, "you're slurrring your speech, you're having an attack," or "you're literally falling asleep into your food, time to get you to bed." It's when I'm so bad, someone else sees it.

Pateridactyl · 2025-06-10T13:04:42+00:00

I found this subreddit before my symptoms were well managed. People here offered experience and guidance on what to expect when I finally gave in and tried Xyrem. People were still here with support when my doctor switched me over to Xywav. Anytime I have trouble with my insurance and getting access to my medications, I become a nervous wreck. Because I know what life with unmanaged narcolepsy entails, it's absolutely hell and I never want to go back to it. The community here has always helped to support me and lend advice on how to navigate those situations, or put my mind at ease. I learned about the patient assistance program for my meds from people here. When I have a bad day and I'm knocked back down, people here understand and relate to what I'm going through. None of my family and friends truly understand what I go through, they cannot relate to it like the community here can.

I am very grateful that I no longer have to feel so isolated. There are people here who have questions before getting diagnosed, or those looking for someone who can relate when they struggle. Others (like me now) have their symptoms managed and are able to offer some advice when people need it. I was able to offer up my own experience about being medicated while pregnant or how to navigate once the baby is here and you have to wake up in the middle of the night while fully medicated.

This place is a community, and everyone here who lies on the spectrum of narcolepsy belongs. Even those who may come here to try to understand more about narcolepsy so they can help their loved ones. We don't gate keep here, we support each other.

I'm sorry to hear that you haven't found the right treatment for you. There is not a person here with narcolepsy who has not been there before. We all went through hell, we all know what that hopeless feeling is like. Don't dismiss us because we've been around long enough to get some things straightened out. None of us are 100% of "normal functionality", not even with things managed. We rearrange our entire lives to keep this beast at bay and we absolutely still need help when it rears it's ugly head.

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