Treatment for narcolepsy typically involves medications to increase daytime alertness and reduce cataplexy and other symptoms. Stimulants are usually prescribed to improve alertness. Antidepressants as well as a new drug called gammahydroxybutyrate, or Xyrem, may be used to control cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations and sleep paralysis.
Common stimulants include the following:
There are a few common side effects of stimulants that you may experience when taking these medications. They include headache, irritability, nervousness, insomnia, irregular heartbeat and mood changes.
Tricyclic antidepressants and serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which go by the brand names Vivactil and Tofranil, are typically used to control cataplexy, sleep paralysis and hypnagogic hallucinations.
Side effects of antidepressants vary, but you may experience drowsiness, sexual dysfunction and lowered blood pressure. Although uncommon, serotin reuptake inhibitors may cause overexcitement, anxiety, insomnia, nausea and sexual dysfunction.
Medication is just one aspect of treatment for narcolepsy. There are other simple things you can do to improve your sleep habits, including:
Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Medical Center.