Living

Stimulants can potentially be helpful for those of us with narcolepsy. When I was first diagnosed with narcolepsy, though, sodium oxybate was the first drug introduced to me as a...

The journey to receiving a narcolepsy diagnosis often resembles a rollercoaster, fraught with misdiagnoses. It can take a long time to get diagnosed correctly. Since initiating my advocacy journey in...

As an avid traveler living with narcolepsy, I have had a wide variety of travel experiences. Often times I travel with friends or people who know me and have an...

Living with narcolepsy as a person of a larger size can bring some added complications. I’d been overweight all my life when my narcolepsy onset, so I was well used...

While I do not have a summer break from work like I did in school, a lot of activities still happen during the summer: friends inviting me to hang out...

I not long ago had a poignant conversation with a friend who, like me, suffers from narcolepsy. Our discussion centered around the common yet distressing issue of fatigue and, more...

I keep wondering, when will I feel better? I keep waiting for life to get easier with narcolepsy. So far it hasn’t. Something that helps me recover from the worst...

Cataplexy is a sudden, brief loss of muscle tone often triggered by strong emotions. If you have never witnessed a cataplexy attack, it can be difficult to describe. Despite suffering...

A typical day with a sleep disorder like narcolepsy can look like this… Wake up. Lay in bed. Bask in the morning sun. Wish you could have one morning feeling...

I went for lunch recently with a dear friend, someone I've known since I was 11. As we sat reminiscing, she posed an intriguing question: "What would you say to...

I love everything about books. Always have. From the crisp smell of their pages, to the buttery-soft feel of their words beneath my fingers, to the worlds they allow me...

Sharing a chronic diagnosis with others often feels scary. A narcolepsy diagnosis brings added challenges. Many people do not understand narcolepsy. Others have wrong ideas about the disease. Sometimes, it...

Have you ever had to prove to insurance that your narcolepsy medication is worth covering? This is unfortunately a common issue that many people in our community end up having...

In December 2023 I graduated with my Bachelor's degree in English. It wasn't easy being a college student with idiopathic hypersomnia. I struggled at maintaining a busy schedule since I...

Living with narcolepsy is like living with an extra, constant shadow by your feet, not just as a medical condition, but as a relentless companion in my life. It's more...

“I’m proud of you,” my friend said, smiling. And my stomach dropped. I’d taken extra stimulants, four caffeine pills, and two cups of coffee to get through this day of...

It is often hard to know what to ask – or even where to begin – when you have questions about a new diagnosis. Many community members on this site...

I don't even remember how long I've been without medication. I remember thinking about how important it was to me and how important medication is to my life and my...

As a person living with narcolepsy, I often feel the pressure of loneliness that comes along with living with a rare disease. Some days it feels like no one understands...

In my journey with narcolepsy, TED Talks have been a beacon of inspiration, not just as a source of information but as a vital tool in managing my mental health...