What’s the Deal With Stimulants?
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 solution for my symptoms. Unfortunately I had a variety of severe side effects from sodium oxybate, so I had to switch medications. On to the next, I thought.
This is where my story with stimulants begins.
Starting stimulants
Of course, I was very hesitant to start a new medication. Especially after the epic failure that was my experience with sodium oxybate. But I persisted, because I didn’t have much of a choice! I was an honors student in college, studying pre-med biological sciences. Falling asleep in classes and missing content was not an option for me (even though this symptom continued despite treatment, it did improve somewhat with the help of stimulants).
As with all medications, there were some major pros and cons that I noticed when taking stimulants. That being said, everyone has a different experience with medications due to the complex nature of the human body and narcolepsy. But here are some examples of the pros and cons that I found while being on stimulants.
Benefits of stimulants for me
Improved focus
Stimulants allowed me to improve my mental focus. This is because excessive daytime sleepiness really makes it difficult, and even impossible, to focus on tasks or ideas.
Increased energy levels
Stimulants increase my energy levels, which allows me to participate more fully in life. Instead of feeling like I am weighed down by sleep, I am better able to stay awake and (somewhat) alert for certain occasions.
Increased wakefulness
By increasing wakefulness, stimulants allow me to do certain tasks safely again, such as driving. Without medication, I am at danger of falling asleep behind the wheel, or being put in other such dangerous situations.
Cons of stimulants for me
The jitters
When I take stimulants, I can get really jittery. These side effects are most noticeable when I combine prescribed stimulants with caffeine. Other times, the jitters may affect me most when I am on high doses of stimulants. This can also lead to…
Increased anxiety
My anxiety can be significantly increased when using certain stimulants. I have to be careful with my stimulant use, because too much can affect my mental health. And too little can affect my mental health, too, because being tired all of the time really weighs on the soul! It is a balancing act, for sure.
Difficulty accessing medication
I find that stimulants are often distributed in such a way that it is difficult to get access to them. Since they are “protected” drugs, there can be shortages or difficulties in filling prescriptions for whatever reason. This can make it difficult to stick to a treatment plan, obviously, when we are unable to reliably get access to our medications.
This or That
Have you taken prescribed stimulants?
Inability to take scheduled/prescribed naps
Another con of stimulants for me is that they make it more difficult to take naps. My sleep doctor has prescribed me at least two scheduled naps throughout the day. In order to take a nap, I have to plan around the time of day that I take my stimulant. It is difficult, but I can make it work with a little thoughtful planning.
Increased blood pressure and pulse rate
Something that I noticed is that stimulants increase my blood pressure and pulse. I tend to get out of breath easier while on stimulants due to this.
POTS complications
I suffer from an additional condition called Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome. This means that my blood pressure and pulse vary wildly. My body cannot properly control my blood pressure and pulse. Taking stimulants unfortunately worsens these symptoms. However, I have found a solution for this with the help of my doctor. When I take my stimulant, I also take a beta blocker to decrease my blood pressure and pulse.
What about you?
Do you have experience with taking stimulants? Share in the comments below!
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