Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Oh so tired

Tomorrow night I will begin phase two of dealing with Narcolepsy.

I have been on Provigil for a year or two.

Yeah, a year or two. I honestly can't remember which. Did I mention I have no memory? No? Yes? I can't remember!

Last week I started the new, longer lasting form called Nuvigil.

Is it just me or is the new name really funny?

Both medications are for people like me who are constantly tired due to some kind of sleep disorder. It's not a stimulant but works to keep me in an alert stage longer. Don't ask me any more about how it works because that's all I know.

In any case, tomorrow night I will take my first sleep aid. I'm really nervous about this. Any time I have ever taken medication that also makes you sleepy (like Benedryl) I feel drugged and in a fog for the whole next day. My doctor has assured me that this is very, very short acting. In fact, it is so short acting that I take TWO doses during the night. I know, setting an alarm to wake up in the middle of the night so I can take another dose of sleep medicine seems counter-intuitive to me, too, but that's what the doctor told me to do. This medication is not designed to help me fall asleep - trust me, I have NO problem falling asleep - but rather to help me get into a deeper, more restorative sleep. Apparently it's a heavy duty medication: it will be Fed Exxed to me, I had to answer all these questions over the phone from the special pharmacy, talk to the special pharmacist for about fifteen minutes to get all the specific directions on how to take this, PLUS I received a special DVD and information packet from my doctor - which reminds me, I better watch it before tomorrow night.

Oh yeah, nothing nerve racking about any of this!

1 comment:

Oonie said...

And stay awake during the dvd! :)
I feel your pain, sorta, as I sort out my apnea stuff. Just an added layer of excitement to the season, right?