Medication
The sole purpose of medication in narcolepsy is to help reduce daytime sleepiness and make the person more alert. Different medications help in the mechanisms of action in the brain and can help treat excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). The several classes of medication prescribed by the doctor to treat narcolepsy include:
- Stimulants
Medications that help stimulate the autonomic nervous system are the first and foremost treatment given to people with narcolepsy to help them stay awake during the day. Different stimulants include modafinil (Provigil) [2], methylphenidate (Ritalin) [3] and armodafinil (Nuvigil) [4]. Although it is not common, possible side effects may include headaches, nausea, or anxiety.
- Tricyclic antidepressants
This medication helps to manage the symptom of cataplexy, hallucination, and sleep paralysis. An example of such drugs is amitriptyline [5] and nortriptyline [6]. These medications may have some unpleasant side effects, such as urinary retention and constipation.
- Sodium oxybate (Xyrem)
Xyrem is the only treatment to prevent cataplexy and treat excessive daytime sleepiness approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Just like other drugs, they should not be taken without the doctor’s prescription.