Living With Idiopathic Hypersomnia

sleep problem

Having trouble keeping your eyes open during the day? Your daytime sleepiness could be the result of a prolonged period of inadequate nocturnal sleep. Idiopathic hypersomnia refers to either excessive sleepiness during the day or overly long periods of nighttime sleep. This condition can have an intense or even dangerous impact on your life. In this article, we’ll discuss the symptoms of this sleep disorder and how it can be treated.

Patients suffering from hypersomnia often lose the ability to function in family, social and occupational settings. The condition most commonly impacts teenagers, young adults and people who are overweight. This can exacerbate their weight problems, as their excessive sleep patterns means that they will use less energy. In addition to excessive sleepiness and long nighttime sleeping, symptoms include irritability, mild depression and difficulty concentrating. For this reason, people with hypersomnia should be cautious when driving or operating machinery. Kleine-Levin syndrome is a form of hypersomnia that features slightly different symptoms. Sufferers may sleep for eighteen or more hours a day and are irritable, uninhibited, and make indiscriminate sexual advances. People with Kleine-Levin syndrome often eat uncontrollably and rapidly gain weight. However, this form of recurrent hypersomnia is very rare.

Recurring hypersomnia involves periods of excessive daytime sleepiness that can last from one to many days, and recur over the course of a year or more. With recurring hypersomnia, a person will have prolonged periods where they do not exhibit any signs of the malady. However, persons experiencing idiopathic hypersomnia are affected by it nearly all the time.

There is no known cure for idiopathic hypersomnia, but a combination of lifestyle modifications and medication can help. A regular sleep schedule, even on weekends, will make a world of difference. It’s not unusual for patients to think they may have narcolepsy or hypersomnia, when the real problem is insufficient sleep time each night. It’s also important to avoid caffeine, alcohol, activities or medications that may affect sleep. Some drugs used to treat hypersomnia are also used to treat narcolepsy. These include medications that stimulate the central nervous system such as Provigi, Ritalin and various amphetamines. Provigi is a newer stimulant that isn’t as addictive as other medications and doesn’t produce the highs and lows often associated with other drugs. Amphetamines, while effective, can cause nervousness and heart palpitations in some patients.

Sleep deprivation or excessive sleeping can impact both your health and quality of life, so it’s important to see a doctor if you suspect that you are suffering from a sleep disorder. Because idiopathic hypersomnia can have dangerous consequences, it must be treated as soon as possible. A sleep disorder center can give you great medical care and support so that the condition doesn’t prevent you from participating in all of the activities that you normally enjoy.

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Sleep Disorder

The thrid article on sleep disorder in the series of articles by why cant I sleep from the archives of http://www.melatrol.com/.

Sleep Disorder

During normal breathing, air passes through the throat on its way to the  lungs. The air travels past the soft palate, uvula, tonsils, and tongue. When a  person is awake, the muscles in the back of the throat tighten to hold these  structures in place preventing them from collapsing and/or vibrating in the  airway. During sleep, the uvula and soft palate frequently vibrate causing the  distinctive sounds of snoring.

The LAUP procedure is a laser surgical procedure designed to sequentially  trim and shorten these structures, thus preventing or reducing snoring.

Risks and ComplicationsYou have the right to be informed that the surgery may involve risks of  unsuccessful results, complications, or injury from both known and unforeseen  causes. Because individuals vary in their tissue circulation and healing  processes, as well as anesthetic reactions, ultimately there can be no guarantee  made as to the results or potential complications. The following complications  have been reported in the medical literature. This list is not meant to be  inclusive of every possible complication. They are listed here for your  information only, not to frighten you, but to make you aware and more  knowledgeable concerning this surgical procedure.

1. Failure to resolve the snoring. Most  surgeons feel that about 85% of patients who undergo a LAUP will have a  significant or complete resolution in their snoring; and an additional  percentage of patients will notice reduced levels of snoring such that their  sleep partners will report that it’s level is no longer offensive.

2. Failure to cure sleep apnea or other  pathological sleep disorders. Pathological sleep disorders, like sleep apnea,  are medical problems which may have associated serious complications. At this  time, the LAUP procedure has not been proven to cure these disorders.

3. Bleeding. In very rare situations, a need  for blood products or a blood transfusion. You have the right, should you  choose, to have autologous or designated donor directed blood pre-arranged. You  are encouraged to consult with your doctor if you are interested.

4. Nasal regurgitation, a change in voice, or  velopharyngeal insufficiency when liquids may flow into the nasal cavity during  swallowing (rare).

5. Failure to resolve coexisting sinus, tonsil,  or nasal problems.

6. Need for revision, or further and more  aggressive surgery.

7. Prolonged pain, impaired healing, and the  need for hospitalization

For more information visit: Why Cant I Sleep

 

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This post was written by admin on April 7, 2009

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