How long did it take to get diagnosed with narcolepsy?

I've had narcolepsy for as long as I can remember, but who ever heard of narcolepsy. At 8 yrs old I used to fall asleep in the bowling alley during "League Bowling". The sound just mesmorized me. I slept in every class right through collage. In grade school and highschool, I always had very good grades, Not One teacher addressed it. I believe I learned and absorbed information in that semi state between sleep and awake , without distractions. I fell asleep everywhere. Driving, business meetings ( with 5 people, that was hard to hide) Out to dinner at nice restaurants, concerts, funerals, on my way to a job interview, everywhere. I don't know who finally brought up the word Narcolepsy, ( which I related to.... nevermind), I had my first 24 hr sleep study and was diagnosed with Narcolepsy at age 30. I'm 67 now. Thankfully, medication allows me to live pretty normal, but WOW, when that feeling comes over you, and I can recognize it, there is Nothing to stop it. Pull your car over, lock your doors, and pass out, you WILL NOT make it another block.

So I was 18 years old (198😎 and falling asleep at the wheel and hearing horns blowing. I had 3 MSLTs and the doctors were unable to diagnose me. They said it could be Insomnia, Narcolepsy, or something else and I have forgotten the third thing. They gave me signs and symptoms of each one and I knew it was Narcolepsy. It was not until 2014, when my son started having issues in school staying awake. I took him and he was diagnosed with Narcolepsy and I asked for a referral to a adult Pulmonologist. I was also diagnosed with Narcolepsy with Cataplexy. So I have been on medication since age 18, and my son refuses to take medication. He is now suffering with psychosis from sleep deprivation and I am not having any luck getting him help. I was able to get him diagnosed with NOS psychosis March 9-13 when I had him involuntarily committed. Now I am unable to get him put into a facility so that he can receive an injectable and calm the psychosis and possibly get some sleep. I am in the medical field and it is breaking my heart that my child is going through this. I have tried to teach him how to advocate for himself and and help him with options but he refuses.

I was in my late 30s. I fell asleep mid sentence while talking to my Dr. Along with other symptoms, my Dr. Had me go threw sleep studies. He diagnosed me with narcolepsy. I have been trying to cope for 20 past yrs. It is more manageable now with medication and napping however it is still a very long journey as there is no cure as of yet. I hold on to the hope that one day there will be........

1 year