What is narcolepsy?

Narcolepsy is a condition characterized by recurrent, uncontrollable brief episodes of sleep and lapses in consciousness, often associated with hypnagogic hallucinations (seeing and hearing things as one is falling asleep), cataplexy (sudden loss of muscle tone) and sleep paralysis.

How do members experience narcolepsy?

Top 5 symptoms reported by people with narcolepsy*

*Reports may be affected by other conditions and/or medication side effects. We ask about general symptoms (anxious mood, depressed mood, fatigue, pain, and stress) regardless of condition.

Top treatments taken by people for narcolepsy*

*Data from patients with narcolepsy, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Compare treatments taken by people with narcolepsy*

Treatment
Perceived effectiveness
Side effects
Total evaluations
Tried for
Treatment

(Ritalin)
Perceived effectiveness
No evaluations
Side effects
No evaluations
Total evaluations
0
Tried for
narcolepsy (2)
Treatment

(Provigil)
Perceived effectiveness
for narcolepsy (1 evaluation)
Side effects
achiness
Total evaluations
1
Tried for
narcolepsy (2)

*Data from patients with narcolepsy, who have ever reported treatments, ordered by their reporting frequency during the last 5 years.

Who has narcolepsy on PatientsLikeMe?

Age

Age Proportion # of patients
<20 6
20s 117
30s 326
40s 374
50s 332
60s 196
70+ 74

Distribution of sex

Sex

Sex Proportion # of patients
Male 246
Female 1,177