What Is Narcolepsy and Its Medical Treatment?

What is Narcolepsy?

1 in every 2000 people is supposed to have a chronic neurological disorder known as Narcolepsy. This disorder produces sudden episodes of sleepiness often accompanied by sleep paralysis, hallucinations, and cataplexy. The symptoms of Narcolepsy start occurring in early childhood and adolescence. However, it is a tough condition to diagnose. More often than not, it is wrongly diagnosed as a seizure disorder. There is a social stigma that comes with ignorance regarding Narcolepsy. The people going through its symptoms are often considered lazy.

Narcolepsy throws the sleep-wake cycle of our body out of whack. It causes extreme daytime sleepiness. Other effects include the phases of sleep occurring in wakefulness. We enter REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep 60 to 90 minutes after falling asleep. This is where we see dreams. A Narcolepsy patient enters REM sleep within 15 minutes. He may even go into cataplexy while doing his daily chores. Cataplexy is the natural condition where muscle control is taken away by the brain during REM sleep so that we won’t react to our dreams by moving accordingly.

Symptoms of Narcolepsy:

There are two types of Narcolepsy:

• Narcolepsy with Cataplexy (Type 1 Narcolepsy): As the title suggests, the patient also suffers through cataplexy during Narcolepsy attacks. This type is characterized by a low level of Hypocretin in the brain.
• Narcolepsy without Cataplexy: (Type 2 Narcolepsy): This type features normal levels of Hypocretin in the brain. Other symptoms are prevalent in this type.

The symptoms of Narcolepsy do not get worse with time. They can become less severe up to a certain degree. Narcolepsy stays with you for life as there is no cure for it. Someone may get these symptoms only 2-3 times in his life while others may have multiple episodes in a single day. With proper medication and behavioral practices, it can be controlled excellently. Some of the symptoms of Narcolepsy include:

• Excessive Daytime Sleepiness: Narcolepsy patients feel an uncontrollable urge to sleep during the daytime. They may fall asleep wherever they are. After waking up within minutes, they report a rise in freshness and alertness.
• Sleep Paralysis: Total loss of control over muscle movements. This occurs a few minutes after going to sleep or just before waking. It lasts from a few seconds to a couple of minutes.
• Hallucinations: One might get realistic visions or other sensory hallucinations as soon as he falls asleep or just before waking up. These hallucinations can be scary.
• Going into REM sleep quickly: Can make individuals experience the REM sleep within 15 minutes of falling asleep. This means they can enter it during their daytime episodes.
• Cataplexy: Cataplexy is the involuntary loss of muscle control during Narcolepsy episodes. It happens partially or completely. That means, it can make only a few muscles numb or make you completely lose your control and fall over. It is not a serious effect except for the fall as the conditions of fall can be harmful. People regain complete control over the muscle movement as soon as the episode passes.

Causes of Narcolepsy:

The Type 1 Narcolepsy is caused due to lack of Hypocretin in the brain. Hypocretin is produced by the glands present in the Hypothalamus region of the brain. In Narcoleptic people, these glands have ceased the production of Hypocretin. Currently, the exact causes of Narcolepsy are not known. There are a few indications but more research is needed.

• Heredity: Not all of the candidates showed any history of Narcolepsy in their ancestry. However, a considerable number of people did point out the existence of Narcolepsy in their close relatives.
• Circumstances impacting the brain: Direct injuries to the head, or brain diseases that may affect the surrounding regions of the Hypothalamus or the hypothalamus itself may produce the conditions that give rise to Narcolepsy.
• Autoimmune Disorders: Autoimmune diseases make our immune system unable to distinguish between healthy cells and infected cells. Therefore, it goes awry and starts killing the good soldiers. Certain autoimmune diseases may target the cells that produce Hypocretin.

Treatment of Narcolepsy with Armodafinil:

Armodafinil is the first line of defense against Narcolepsy. It is a blessing for people who suffer from Narcolepsy. It helps you curb the daytime sleepiness and other symptoms of Narcolepsy. Armodafinil is a central nervous system stimulant and helps you stay awake. The method of working of Armodafinil is currently unknown. Although, it has similar effects as that of sympathomimetic agents like amphetamines and methylphenidate. Both these types of drugs stimulate the central nervous system and boost wakefulness. However, Armodafinil is completely different from sympathomimetic amines. Studies have shown that Armodafinil binds with DAT (Dopamine Transporter).

Armodafinil is less addictive compared to other central nervous system stimulants. This makes it the ideal choice for Narcoleptic individuals. Moreover, its side effects are mild and only occur 10% to 20% of the time. They include anxiety, headaches, dizziness, nausea, depression, and insomnia. It is taken orally as it has high bioavailability when taken orally and it gets readily absorbed. Typical doses vary from 150mg to 250mg taken in the morning with or without food.

Armodafinil is widely accepted as a smart drug that is extremely effective for Narcolepsy. You can buy Armodafinil online nowadays. You are guaranteed to get a great deal on high-quality and cheap Armodafinil online. The dosages are prescribed for duration of 12 months. Considering these extended courses, it is sensible to buy Armodafinil online and make substantial savings on the costs.