Constantly tired

[vburton92]

Hi, my name is Valerie and I am 16 years old and I am always very tired everyday. I always get enough sleep, usually about 8 or 9 hours of sleep, yet I always have to take a naps. These are not short naps either, these naps can last from 4 to even 6 hours long. Usually on weekdays because I have school, I go to bed at about 8 or 9 and wake up at either 5 or 6 because of school. Then, during school, I usually fall asleep during study hall or I have to go to the nurse to lay down because I am so tired and it is almost impossible to stay awake. When I get home, I usually stay awake until about 5 and thats when I take a nap until maybe 9 and stay up for a little longer and then go back to sleep again. Sometimes though, I won't even wake up until the next morning! On weekends, I usually go to bed at the same time I usually do on weekdays, but this time sleep in until either 7 or 8, then take a really long nap in the afternoon.

My life is seriously being consumed by sleep, it is affecting my grades at school since I can never complete homework and just living in general. This seemed to happen after I had mono about a couple years ago, and it usually gets A LOT worse around my period. I have been to a sleep doctor and had a sleep test done overnight and during the day when I take naps. They noticed that after about 10 minutes into my nap I was already in REM sleep, and they immediately diagnosed me with narcolepsy, which makes no sense at all since I don't just randomly fall asleep wherever I am. So we went to other doctors to see what they had to say, and basically would just hand over some pills to me that never helped me at all. I also had blood tests done and they can't seem to find anything. I don't know what to do anymore and I really need some help!

Thank you for taking your time to read this!
Valerie

[vburton92]

I have been to a sleep disorders center and they could not find anything except narcolepsy but that doesn't make any sense because I don't randomly fall asleep wherever I am at. I have even tried pills that are supposed to help narcoleptics and they have not helped me at all. I guess I should have written that in the message above.

[vburton92]

I have been to a sleep disorders center and they could not find anything except narcolepsy but that doesn't make any sense because I don't randomly fall asleep wherever I am at. I have even tried pills that are supposed to help narcoleptics and they have not helped me at all. I guess I should have written that in the message above.

[Gregg D Jacobs, Ph.D.]

You may have an underlying sleep disorder such as narcolepsy or sleep apnea and should be evaluated at a sleep disorders center.

Dr. Jacobs