What does it mean for your life in terms of doing things that require durable concentration? For example, driving a car? Can you do that without risking falling asleep?
It seems like such a cruel disease. I hope there will be better remedies ahead.
It seems like such a cruel disease. I hope there will be better remedies ahead.
So it can definitely be a barrier for certain career choices. Luckily working in software remotely has afforded me a lot of accomodations. I truly don't know what other field I could be in that would simultaneously be flexible enough to accomodate my disability and also lucrative. Im glad I live now! I would have probably ended up Homeless if I was born 60 years ago.
I'm medicated now so a lot of my symptoms are not as bad as they used to be. I am able to drive and no longer suffer from "sleep attacks" but there was a point before my diagnosis when I was so tired I could fall asleep while driving and not even notice. Very dangerous and a very scary experience. Most days I had to take naps every 90 minutes or so and self medicated with approximately 1g of caffeine a day.
Unironically for a lot of narcoleptics we can suffer from delayed circadian rhythm disorders as well so interestingly my brain is more awake at say 11pm than 11am.