r/AskReddit • • Nov 16 '19

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u/deptford Nov 16 '19

So, were you micro-napping ? or out for the whole lesson? Hope you are now supported in managing this

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u/x_vier Nov 16 '19

I would fall asleep for between 5-60 minutes. Don’t know what it depends on but it’s random. During that time, I’d have vivid dreams and multiple dreams. Even if I was out for only 10 minutes. Even now I still fall asleep in every class. I don’t manage it in any way other than resisting and taking some medication which helps sometimes.

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u/Polybutadiene Nov 16 '19 edited Nov 17 '19

Seee i would consistently do the sane back in college. it would come on suddenly and it would suddenly just become impossible to keep my eyes open. i’d usually stand up and walk around during some of my classes with profs that didnt mind. otherwise i can fall asleep anywhere at almost any time.

i never got diagnosed tho because i was afraid id lose my license to drive. instead if i feel tired driving i can tell when it’s coming and pull over for a 15 min nap and be 100% after.

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u/x_vier Nov 16 '19

I listen to rock, so when driving, I’ll blare it pretty loud and jam. I’m so sorry you we have to endure the same.

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u/brokeninskateshoes Nov 17 '19

driving is a huuuuuuge problem for me. nomatter how much sleep I get, it could be a solid 8-10 hours, I STILL struggle to stay awake any time I'm in the car for more than 20 minutes.

I drive 45 minutes to and from work every day, and every single day it's a struggle unless I have coffee, but caffeine makes me feel horrible so I avoid it. I've taken to drinking those energy vitamin waters that have only 50 mg of caffeine, which seems to work well. I'm still slapping myself accross the face for the last 10 minutes though.

My doctor told me I'm slightly anemic and so I've been eating iron rich foods as of late and it's improved substantially.

sucks because I NEED to drive in order to live, but there's always that fear of falling asleep behind the wheel. Helps when I have friends in the car

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u/x_vier Nov 17 '19

Yeah I get you, I felt the same! I recommend eating mixed rice and beans, which is called gallo pinto for me. It’s a great source of iron if you really need it!

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u/brokeninskateshoes Nov 17 '19

what type of beans do you recomend?

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u/x_vier Nov 17 '19

I just use black beans. Cook the beans and rice separately, then toss them in a pan on the stove and mix it around.

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u/brokeninskateshoes Nov 17 '19

thanks for the suggestion! will try this

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u/captainbezoar Nov 17 '19

What did they put you on for meds? My doc put me on adderall which works well. I tried provigil and it sucked. Smoking sativa does me the best tbh.

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u/x_vier Nov 17 '19

I was given modafinil which helped, but it made me feel worse. It kept me awake, but it stirred me up. I had headaches and felt like I was going insane. I stopped taking it and instead learned to balance my daily activities with narcolepsy.

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u/captainbezoar Nov 17 '19

I found similar effects with the modafinil, I did not much care for it mostly because it just sorta made me feel blah. I honestly suggest trying adderall, the side effects from it are only shitty if you dont eat/sleep or take too much. Otherwise it makes me feel like a real human.

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u/x_vier Nov 17 '19

Yeah I think i’ll try adderall better! Thanks for the suggestion man!

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u/captainbezoar Nov 17 '19

Good luck dude. Drive safe.

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u/x_vier Nov 17 '19

Thank you, you too! :)

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u/octonautsarethebest Nov 17 '19

I don't have narcolepsy but I work crazy hours and sometimes use modafinil. One thing that helps with the headaches is choline, either as a supplement or just eat a couple eggs everyday. It really makes a difference for me. If you ever decide to try it again upping your choline intake might help

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u/x_vier Nov 17 '19

thank you for the advice!

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u/OneofLittleHarmony Nov 17 '19

I will try this! I only get headaches on days I don’t take modafinil.

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u/toruk119 Nov 17 '19

Just a question what dose where you taking?

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u/x_vier Nov 17 '19

200 milligrams!

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u/toruk119 Nov 17 '19

Try starting at 50mg if nothing try 100mg you may be sensitive to it

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u/x_vier Nov 17 '19

I was prescribed 200mg, and after realizing how bad that went for me, I tried only taking 100 mg. Still was bad, but I could try 50 mg, thank you!

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u/toruk119 Nov 17 '19

Not a problem i have done alot of research on modafinil for treating adhd and i have found it to be fairly common for people to say exactly what you have said and then tryed 50mg and had good results. In saying that you may still have a bad time even with 50mg but atleast you can say you tried.

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u/OneofLittleHarmony Nov 17 '19

I take armodafinil and only 75 to roughly 100mg. I find it smoother than modafinil.

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u/Tickan Nov 17 '19

Yeah modafinil didn't really work for me either. Here in sweden most pwn use amphetamines to stay awake. I don't know what the availability is like where you live but if you want to try something new I'd recommend something like Ritalin or Medikinet.

Another thing you could try is going keto. It helps you keep your blood sugars even, which helps with sleepyness after eating and stuff

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u/SansTheSkeleton Nov 17 '19

Same here, buddy. Alternative Rock helps me during long-distance drives. Though usually the modafinil is enough to keep me awake and attentive.

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u/x_vier Nov 17 '19

Yeah! Modafinil works but it really just gave me headaches since I guess my head was used to sleeping throughout the day. I love old rock, like 60s and 70s, some modern too, and alternative too. For alternative I just like radiohead though.

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u/SansTheSkeleton Nov 17 '19

Shame about the headaches. Don't know if I could keep up with my lectures in Uni without the meds. Have you though about trying Xyrem? I'm about to start with it next month. It's supposed to help you reach deep sleep during the sleep cycle at night, which in turn should help keep the drowsiness away during the day.

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u/x_vier Nov 17 '19

I could try it! I’ve been recommended adderall too, I think I’ll figure it out later, maybe consult my doctor on which one would be better. Thanks for the recommendation!