Posted by Jeremy Hollander (216.112.237.173) on June 22, 2001 at 08:01:23:
I have been chronic CH sufferer for 5 yrs. and now diagnosed as narcoleptic.
Research suggests narcolepsy, like CH, is due to circadian rythm disruptions.
The overwhelming daytime drowsiness started over a year ago and I thought it was because I quit smoking. Later, I thought it was from the Lithium, however the drowsiness continued long after stopping this medication.
After a year off cigarettes, the clusters are worse than ever.
Up until last year I suffered from insomnia, now I have no trouble sleeping but wake up frequently.
Even w/ a good night's sleep I experience daytime drowsiness so badly, I sometimes feel I'm in a hypnotic trance at work.
I live in NYC and do not drive, but when I rented a car on a trip last week, I had to keep slapping myself and pull over to nap.
I now experience a new type of CH: mild, less focused, and spread over a larger area, as though the intense CH broke into small pieces. This is accompanied by drowsiness.
If left untreated it sometimes grows to a full blown CH behind my left eye and I resort to Imitrex injection.
My neurologist said it (CH and narcolepsy) is all due to related electro-chemical disruptions in brain. However, he comes across as unknowledgable and offering only guesses.
Anyone else experience similar illness linked to CH?
Any information is most valued.
Thank you,
Jeremy