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Article: Understanding narcolepsy.(SLEEP MEDICINE)
- Article from:
- FOCUS: Journal for Respiratory Care & Sleep Medicine
- Article date:
- March 22, 2004
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 Focus Publications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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My first narcoleptic patient ignited the passion I still feel for sleep medicine today. I was new to sleep and had not yet absorbed the quality of life issues patients experienced with their untreated sleep disorders. My 50 year old female patient presented with long term complaints of excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) and muscle weakness.
Her history described decades of alcohol and drug abuse. She was unemployed, divorced, lost custody of her children as well as having been recently evicted from her apartment. I recall thinking "and she thinks a night in the sleep lab is going to help all that, she is a wreck!" After my personal interview with the patient, I ...