Could this be cataplexy?
My teeth chatter (like when it's cold outside) when I am sobbing or when I laugh really, really hard for a long time. Could this be cataplexy? I told the sleep doctor about it, and he didn't interpret it as cataplexy. Whenever I'm crying, I always want to sit or lie down and curl up in a ball or in the fetal position...I feel like this is a pretty normal thing and not cataplexy.
I have not been diagnosed yet but isn't the way to know if you have Type 1 or Type 2 by seeing if you have cataplexy or not? That's why I'm asking...If the teeth chattering could be cataplexy then I might have Type 1. If it's just a weird quirk, then I might have Type 2. I'm just trying to figure out if teeth chattering while crying is a weird quirk or if it could be cataplexy. (I've done it my whole life.)
Hey Isabel, cataplexy can present differently in everyone really so it's very hard to say unfortunately. That's why a diagnosis can probably give a concrete answer. I've never experienced teeth chattering but I do lose my voice and my jaw slackens when I laugh too much so it's kind of similar I think. Hope this helps somewhat! Take care, Iris
Hey Isabel! Have you been diagnosed with narcolepsy? Because there are 2 different types of narcolepsy:
Type 1 - With cataplexy
Type 2 - Without cataplexy
If you haven't been diagnosed then it's really really difficult to say whether it's cataplexy or not but I've seen quite a few cases of people who were diagnosed with narcolepsy type 2 and over time did develop cataplexy symptoms.
I always recommend talking to your doctor about this because if you suspect something isn't right then it's always good to check!
Hope this helped somewhat! Let us know how it goes!
Take care, Iris (team member) xxx
