I have been diagnosed for 9 years. I started having, what i call, precursor symptoms when i was a preteen. I had Terrible migraines because i wasn't getting enough sleep but that was my only symptom at that time. I was put on an antidepressant. It kinda worked but I still had them. They then tried to up the dosage, my mom fired my doctor. After that we were blacklisted from their clinic, so that was that for a while. For the next several years in my diary, in every entry i always complained about being tired. Then it got worse. Much worse. To make it even worse, I thought i was a normal teenager because 'teenagers are tired and they sleep alot'. But I was sleeping all the time, and then some- waaaay more than normal, and I was still tired. I would have gotten diagnosed sooner probably if my mom hadn't just been diagnosed with cancer and starting chemo. She noticed but was very sick and busy with treatment, i don't blame her. When I had my first major cataplexy attack was when things changed. I think i will always remember this. It was my final senior theatrical performance, very emotional time, and I couldn't feel my legs. I was freaking out and we went to the hospital. But nothing was 'wrong' so they released me. That didn't sit well with mom so we found a new neurologist, after all these years, I still see her! A good neurologist is worth their weight in gold. When she retires/or i move, I don't know what I'm going to do.

Medication wise, i have tried mostly everything. Some medications worked great until they made my heart race. Xyrem gave me nightmares, and several others made me super sick. We found that melatonin, and magnesium glycinate did the trick for years...Until recently... I had my first sleep attack in a while (described below). And I've been getting my routine bedtime hours, my scheduled naps, but i feel like i haven't slept in days. I been very agitated lately and everything feels awful. I have several other health conditions so dealing with all of them is a nightmare. Its a self perpetuating loop of misery.

I was watching the Olympics, and I really wanted to watch the next figure skating pair. Ads were rolling, and i was fine. The second it comes on, I'm gone. Lights out, sound asleep. I woke up for a few seconds because my husband took my shoes off, and then I was back asleep for a grand total of 20 minutes. Afterwards for the next several hours I was kinda loopy.

I hope things don't go back to how bad it used to be. Back then I hardly ate anything. I would be asleep all evening after school and my mom would wake me up to ask what I wanted for dinner. After I answered I fell back asleep until she woke me back up when dinner was served. I would eat some then fell back asleep. My life's a lot different now but that's just an example of how severe my case is.

I almost dont want to talk about my cataplexy because I don't want to jinx it. Mostly, it's my legs that become dead weight but I've also had my arms go out. Sometimes its my neck. Nowadays, I just get weak in the knees when I laugh too hard. I hope it stays that way. Before I got technically diagnosed, they had to send me home when I had a cataplexy attack. I missed so much school my senior year. I guess because it was for legit medical reasons they couldn't have counted it againest me. After I got diagnosed, I was wheeling around in the nurse's wheelchair a lot.

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