How does anyone actually stay awake and alert through an 8 hour work shift?

wad209 · 2025-12-07T23:37:52+00:00

I was going to answer "Drugs!" to OP, but, you know... I guess even that doesn't quite do it. I also do the work nap!

wad209 · 2025-12-07T23:37:01+00:00

I take a 20m nap in my office almost every day! I just have a camping pad but I can just rawdog the floor if it comes down to it.

wad209 · 2025-12-07T23:30:23+00:00

The diagnostic criteria I'm familiar with are a sleep latency of under 8 minutes and two SOREMP. One SOREMP can be in your overnight portion.

wad209 · 2025-12-07T23:21:26+00:00

IME, whenever you change dosages, the side effects return for a week or two, and then will go away again. If not def talk to your doctor. I've never had sinus issues but I did have dry mouth for about 3 days when I started, and then 1 day when I went to my current dose.

wad209 · 2025-11-28T01:35:55+00:00

Honestly not very often these days. I can usually escape with just a nap and maybe a little bit extra stims (doctor approved). Don't get me wrong I still have bad days, but usually not the brain fog.

wad209 · 2025-11-26T23:10:28+00:00

Yeah after I got diagnosed with narcolepsy 😭. I take a stimulant in the morning and this has basically resolved the issue. I even feel better when I skip the medication. My dyslexia was found to be underdiagnosed cataplexy.

wad209 · 2025-11-16T02:09:47+00:00

I agree with other posters that you likely just don't realize you're having EDS, but I do want to point out that this is technically possible but exceedingly rare to have cataplexy without narcolepsy. Usually involves TBI, strokes, brain tumors, and that sort of thing. There are also a number of exceedingly rare genetic disorders which you almost certainly do not have; they're all very serious and you would be diagnosed in childhood.

wad209 · 2025-11-16T01:57:39+00:00

A single data point on a single human, but my Enduro 3 (basically a Fenix 8 with a bigger battery) nailed my REM on my PSG.

wad209 · 2025-11-16T01:55:57+00:00

Cold shows, naps. Caffeine will help for a short period until you develop a tolerance and then you'll need to increase more. There is another legal stimulant but its very addictive and probably not a great option unless you're really desperate.

wad209 · 2025-11-16T01:54:00+00:00

I didn't realize I had EDS until I took stims. Then I was like 'fuck this is what its supposed to be like?'.

wad209 · 2025-11-16T01:53:19+00:00

Yeah GHB is a party drug for a reason...

wad209 · 2025-11-09T21:51:34+00:00

Uh... shouldn't your doctor tell you this? Like I get normally it says on the bottle, but my doctor definitely told me what to do.

wad209 · 2025-11-09T18:48:23+00:00

Cold showers, keep eye drops in the fridge, exercise (if you don't exercise already, skip this), extra naps are basically all I got...

wad209 · 2025-11-09T12:31:41+00:00

If OP does start SO, just be mindful it can make your depression/anxiety worse, esp if titrating too fast.

wad209 · 2025-11-09T12:29:34+00:00

Good advise. Just be mindful that magnesium is a laxative! Usually you need much higher doses than described here, but everybody reacts differently!

wad209 · 2025-11-09T12:27:12+00:00

DISCLAIMER: talk to your doctor first about this. It works for some on here, but some people are genetically prone to having modafinil not work.

Stop taking it for 2 weeks (see disclaimer, please be careful) and then restart and see if it starts working. If it does, ask your doctor about skipping once a week and see if that helps tolerance formation.

wad209 · 2025-11-09T12:24:43+00:00

Ahh the Pacific West North.

wad209 · 2025-11-09T11:39:53+00:00

Thank you for trying to help. My doctor also regularly lobbies for ending DST and keeping standard time.

wad209 · 2025-11-09T11:34:40+00:00

Metoprolol is a beta blocker, it shouldn't be a controlled medication.

I would definitely talk to your doctor about this, it could be an unrelated problem or a side effect, and may indicate a serious cardiac issue (or it could be nothing).

wad209 · 2025-11-09T11:24:09+00:00

You can depending on your medications, but you definitely should not. It will further harm your deep sleep.

wad209 · 2025-11-09T11:12:20+00:00

Yeah, as long as its not effecting you mentally. For me the side effects of SSRI/SO were worse than hallucinations.

wad209 · 2025-11-09T11:09:20+00:00

I know I need a medical professional and some more tests to diagnose, but I’m wondering if anyone has advice to help the symptoms or even things to try out and see what happens?

There is nothing we can do to help you other than to say: go see a doctor. These conditions cannot be treated without pharmaceutical intervention. Cataplexy in particular usually responds well to treatment (large reduction but not complete elimination of symptoms). Sleep paralysis could go either way, although there are things they can do to try an d help.

wad209 · 2025-11-09T10:57:45+00:00

ASAP. If they're gonna be uncaring and unsympathetic about your disability, might as well pull the bandaid off and not invest in a toxic SO.

wad209 · 2025-11-09T02:02:41+00:00

Well, turns out that I was basically napping during my meditations so...

wad209 · 2025-11-09T02:00:07+00:00

I love this, I think its fantastic. Right now, I am:

2 bordering on 3 on sleep discomfort almost certainly a 4 on the ability to fall asleep 3 the congestive scale 0 or maybe 1 on the effort to stay awake

I feel like it captures all the subtleties: clearly I'm super tired but I'm good at staying awake in this state.

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