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Daytime Symptoms of Narcolepsy
Most people have a regular pattern of falling asleep and getting up at close to the same time every day. This cycle is controlled by the brain, which maintains a sort of internal clock. Feeling the occasional need to nap during the day is perfectly normal but if the urge to sleep at inappropriate times comes regularly, you may be one of the one in approximately 2,000 people with narcolepsy.[1]
Narcolepsy symptoms can occur during the day or at night, disrupting both normal daytime activities and nighttime sleep. Not every person with narcolepsy experiences the same symptoms and the frequency can vary from person to person. XYREM® is approved to treat the most common daytime symptoms of narcolepsy, which are:
- Excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is the defining symptom, and is present in everyone who is diagnosed. Overwhelming urges to sleep come throughout the day and cause sleep attacks and inadvertent naps.
- Falling asleep for a few minutes or longer in the daytime.
- A sudden loss of muscle tone; approximately 64–80 percent of narcoleptics experience this symptom. Cataplexy may manifest itself as a momentary weakness of some muscle groups, such as a wobbly neck or buckling knees. It may be bad enough to cause you to fall down and, in its most severe form, you might be completely paralyzed for as long as ten minutes. This temporary paralysis can be triggered by laughter, a surprise or joyful experience, and also by anger or fear.
This neurological disorder can significantly disrupt almost every aspect of a person's life, including common daytime activities, work schedule, and necessary nighttime sleep. It can be dangerous to drive if the individual actually falls asleep or experiences cataplexy. It's also embarrassing; people tend to think you're lazy or rude if you fall asleep over dinner or at other inappropriate times during the day.
If you have experienced any of these symptoms it's important to talk to your doctor. You can also review and print the checklist of symptoms and complete and print the Epworth Sleepiness Scale to review together with your doctor during your first appointment.[4] [5]
References:
- ^ National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Narcolepsy Fact Sheet. Available at: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/narcolepsy/detail_narcolepsy.htm. Accessed February 6, 2007.
- ^ Bassetti C, Aldrich MS. Narcolepsy. Neurol Clin. 1996;14:545–571.
- ^ American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The International Classification of Sleep Disorders, Revised: Diagnostic and Coding Manual. Westchester, Ill: American Academy of Sleep Medicine; 2001.
- ^ Johns MW. A new method for measuring daytime sleepiness: The Epworth Sleepiness Scale. Sleep. 1991;14(6):540-545.
- ^ Johns MW. Sensitivity and specificity of the Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), the Maintenance of Wakefulness Test and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale: Failure of the MSLT as a gold standard. J Sleep Res. 2000;9(1):5-11.
Important Safety Information
1. XYREM® is a controlled substance. Controlled substances are medicines that, if abused, may lead to varying degrees of physical or psychological dependence. XYREM is a Schedule III drug — which means that it has a moderate dependence liability. If you sell, distribute, or give your XYREM to anyone else or use it for purposes other than what it was prescribed for, you may be punished under federal and state law by jail and fines.
2. It is very important to keep XYREM out of reach of children and pets.
3. XYREM can cause serious side effects including trouble breathing while asleep, confusion, abnormal thinking, depression and loss of consciousness. Tell your doctor if you have any of these problems while taking XYREM.
BOXED WARNING:
!Warning
Central Nervous System Depressant with Abuse Potential. Should not be used with alcohol or other CNS depressants. Sodium oxybate is a form of GHB, a known drug of abuse. Abuse has been associated with some important central nervous system (CNS) adverse events (including death). Even at recommended doses, use has been associated with confusion, depression, and other neuropsychiatric events. Reports of respiratory depression occurred in clinical trials. Almost all of the patients who received sodium oxybate during clinical trials were receiving CNS stimulants.
Important CNS adverse events associated with abuse of GHB include seizure, respiratory depression and profound decreases in level of consciousness, with instances of coma and death. For events that occurred outside of clinical trials, in people taking GHB for recreational purposes, the circumstances surrounding the events are often unclear (e.g., dose of GHB taken, the nature and amount of alcohol or any concomitant drugs).
XYREM is available through the XYREM Success Program®, using a centralized pharmacy 1-866-XYREM88® (1-866-997-3688). The Success Program provides educational materials to the prescriber and the patient explaining the risks and proper use of sodium oxybate, and the required prescription form. Once it is documented that the patient has read and/or understood the materials, the drug will be shipped to the patient. The XYREM Success Program also recommends patient follow-up every 3 months. Physicians are expected to report all serious adverse events to the manufacturer.
