Something a lot of people don’t know about me is that I’ve struggled for years with sleepiness, and I recently finished up some sleep tests at the Surrey Memorial Hospital, over a 4 month period. After a couple polysomnograms and a Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT), the official diagnosis was Idiopathic Hypersomnia. Directly translated that means “Unexplained Excessive Sleepiness”, I didn’t need 4 months of tests to tell you that! Rather unsatisfyingly this means that we don’t know why I’m tired all the time, even if I sleep regularily and sleep well, I am still in a daze during the day.
Over the years I’ve managed to figure out ways to pay attention and stay awake, so it’s not as bad as it sounds, but it is a challenge. Though I may be tired, I hope that I am one of the more attentive drivers out there, I take it very seriously. I always look ahead, I can probably tell you when the light is going to change, who is in the intersection, in bike lanes, etc. I drink lots of coffee, but not an excessive amount.
It is nice to get a bit of a diagnosis, now I know it is not Sleep Apnea, or (god forbid) Narcolepsy. The treatment is the same for idiopathic hypersomnia as it is for Narcolepsy, and I have been prescribed Modafinil to help me stay alert and more awake during the day. For those of you that know me, I’m not one that usually takes drugs stronger than a few Tylenol after a big night out, so this is a big step. I first heard about Modafinil way back in 2003 in a Wired magazine article (when I still read Wired) and wondered what it would be like. After I found out I’d be taking it, I did some research. At first glance, the stuff sounds amazing – but I’m sure everything comes at a price so I will only be taking it when needed. Reading this blog by Johann Hari you’ll see why it sounds so amazing. I didn’t have the same results Johann did, but I did find it easier to get work done. I just wish I’d feel awake.
I’ve now had a small dose a few times, and though I do feel it is a little easier to concentrate on tasks, I don’t think I feel a lot more awake. It’s certainly not an “ah-hah!” kind of drug, though I am interested to see what it’ll be like when I don’t have a cold. I’ll update this blog on my progress and anything else that makes a difference. I am planning on trying different diets and other routines to see if I can make a dent in this.
