Diagnosing Narcolepsy

In this video, Dr. Kiran Maski, Instructor of Neurology at Harvard Medical School and a Pediatric Sleep Medicine specialist, and a young patient with narcolepsy and her mother discuss how the diagnosis of narcolepsy was made. It includes how sleep and nap studies are used to confirm the diagnosis.

[tiffanyoverby]

I started bawling when Liza got teary eyed.... I sooo understand her plight.

[bluefox]

That is terrifying to have to deal with. I have actually witnessed a girl at an old job have an "attack" while she was working. Just fell over and appeared to have passed out/sleeping. She woke up a little while later and explained that she has narcolepsy. I never heard of it before then. Alot of my coworkers thought she was just making it up though. Never assume things about people.

[sesshylove]

I was diagnosed with narcolepsy when I was 17 I'm now 23 and even though I went to a sleep doctor and did a sleep study everyone including my parents says it's all in my head and it's just an excuse to be lazy, when I say something about being tired my parents are always quick to snap at me saying "you have no reason to be tired" or "you've done nothing to make yourself tired" and it really just breaks my heart that no one understands that I have a serious problem, I have been medically diagnosed with narcolepsy, I had a certified doctor sign a piece of paper for me to take to school that I have narcolepsy but no one believes I really do, I wish I wasn't tired all the time, I want it to go away but no one understands

[FluxyMiniscus]

Sleep paralysis is terrifying- I get it about 2-3 times a month. I also wake up screaming as if someone was about to murder me... just horrible. My husband isn't amused..but thankfully we have figured out that my dogs are able to calm me when I wake with paralysis or the terrors...I've trained myself to recognize that if the dogs are there and calm, then everything is ok. This method has helped immensely

[ramonalisa]

What a pretty and sweet girl. Now that 4 years have passed, I wonder how she is getting on with her narcolepsy presently.

[samr]

The worst thing about this is that too often you can have narcolepsy and insomnia at the same time... just imagine that...

[Lj-itww]

This happened to me this year - everyone told me I was just lazy and depressed and I even went on antidepressants until I finally did a sleep study and they diagnosed me with narcolepsy and now Modafinil has changed my life

[JoleenAndrea]

The tears started flowing by the end especially when she said she was so relived because she thought there was just something wrong with her. :-(. I was about 17 when I first noticed issues. I wasn’t diagnosed until I was 40. Spent the majority of my life not only beating myself up, but allowing others to as well. Hearing so called loved ones diagnosis of “lazy”, “depressed”, and even “bipolar” created a life long internal struggle. I didn’t believe I was any of those, but what if I was and just didn’t want to accept it? the actual diagnosis has been very emotional, and hard. From just processing so many years of self doubt to now the health issues from the abuse I put my body through just to try to function “normally” is catching up to me.

[nelthegal]

My daughter went through the exact same symptoms as you did...it began when she was 14...she would fall asleep in class, in the car...she was always tired & sleepy 😩 when she started having hallucinations and paralysis, we knew something was wrong 🤦🏻‍♂️ that’s when we went for diagnosis and yeah, she’s now 20 (today) 😊 and unfortunately has to live with narcolepsy with cataplexy...so sorry for anyone who has to go through this in life...I wish you lots of strength and all the best !!! You never lost your high spirits as I can tell...my daughter too has learnt to live with it...unfortunately without strong medication, you can’t survive this 😩 lots of hugs to you brave girl 🤗🤗🤗

[GiuseppeSimonetti]

I have narcolepsy and cataplexy. It sucks and ruined my life. It made Highschool very, very hard and thankfully I'm graduating.

[jessirose]

I have idiopathic hypersomnia, so it is excessive and constant sleepiness. I can fight to stay awake, sort of, but it's hard because the sleep doctor thinks its depression, and won't help me. I have told him I am sad because I am tired, not tired because I am sad.
I don't know how falling asleep in 6 minutes, not getting homework done, losing the bond with my sister, watching as my friends grow distant, and finding a corner to sleep in at family gatherings while my family knows not to talk to me, and instead talks to my sister, to the point where I hear "oh you have two daughters?" said to my mom, is not enough to help me.
I feel that living with this and not living isn't any different because of how much I sleep, and how much I miss out on.
I hope everyone with any sleep problem gets the help they need. ♡

[docholliday]

so too those without this disorder. ..to say their just not trying..I have had narcolepsy since I was 18...I am now 50....and I'm not even going too amuse you by lowering myself to returning insults...however. ..stay awake for two to three days....get someone that is as tall as you and weighs the same as you...attach them to your back...then try too get through your day...to survive with narcolepsy...one must "TRY " harder on an hourly basis then anyone that is privileged to be normall...so please. ..do not attempt to insult this young lady...when you have no clue....

[runlarryrun]

Lots of videos on narcolepsy have the comments disabled. Looking at some of the ignorant & in some cases downright nasty comments that are being made here I can understand why.

"I wish I had this" no you don't. "These people are just lazy" no they're not.

[WanderingElla]

I feel the need to add, as a narcoleptic, there’s really good medication out there for narcolepsy. If you think you have it, say something to a doctor. Medication changed my life. Also the symptoms go beyond just sleep attacks. It’s also the brain fog, chronic fatigue, and difficulties processing.

[applesoranges]

I've had this since age 3 from a tonsillitis infection. My 1st grade teacher tried to let Mom know that I seemed tired all the time, but she never took me to a doctor. It completely destroyed my life. I'm 59 now, and I just found out what has been wrong with me all my life. There's no cure for it but at least I know that there's a name for it.

[phoebegrace]

I was diagnosed with narcolepsy at the end of last year. It gets worse every week and school is hell because of it. Medication is really helpful though and I'm working hard to stay positive!!

[EightyFourThousandss]

Wow. I was very teary-eyed by the end of this video. Hopefully everything goes well with this girl

[meshachshadrack]

Sleep is so very necessary for human existence. My heart goes out to those who suffer.

[mohitzambare]

What i liked the most is she was relived in the end and not stressed such a optimism. Sweet girl.

[avivalucas]

I was just recently diagnosed with narcolepsy (without cataplexy) and it is such a relief to know that there is a legitimate reason for my constant sleepiness. It's really wonderful to see Liza's case because mine is almost identical (other than when I get really sleepy during activities I can still stay awake, though I'm really foggy and more concentrated on when I can sleep next). I'm a bubbly, energetic female teen who also feels left out of social activities because I'm too busy sleeping. So many people say it's just me being a teenager, and it's really frustrating that most people don't understand this disease (though I don't like calling it a disease). However, I'm so glad I know now what is "wrong" with me so I can conquer- or at least accept- this. It would be great if I could contact Liza somehow; I think it would be really nice to meet someone else with narcolepsy, let alone another energetic teen who knows how debilitating it is.