please help, sleeping too much!

[Sleepywife]

Alright, i'm not sure where to start, but my wife is having problems and I really need help. Since we met, 13 years ago, she's always been a heavy sleeper. She was sleping 11-13 hours a night since we met but in the last few years, its gotten much worse. Currently, she's sleeping 10-12 hours a night, and napping as much as 4-5 hours. Last night, she slept 11 hours, got up at 10:00 am and fell back asleep at 2:00pm and is still sleeping (6:00pm) and its difficult to wake her up.  If I let her sleep, she won't get up until 11:00 pm, and she'll be up just long enough to go to bed. this is very common and its getting hard to deal with. We've been to several Doctors and they all say she is just a person that needs more sleep. but 18 hours on some days? even with that much sleep, she's still exausted. She's very healthy at 5'7" and 140 lbs and 28 years old. Any advice on what we can do would be a world of help.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

You should not worry about the cataplexy.
Let her get the sleep study done, discuss the report with the sleep specialist and also clear any doubts that you might have.

You should be there with her to support her through this.
Ask the specialist what would be the plan of management in her case.

Do let us know when the reports come in.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.

[Sleepywife]

She is going to a specialist this week and from what all her signs and symptoms, and the doctor say, its Narcolepsy. Only the sleep study will tell, and the only question really, is what type it is.

I can't seem to find an answer to this no matter whwre I look. Will cataplexy, or can it rather, develop later? Luckily, we don't have any cataplexy, just extreme fatigue. We're worried it may develop later. She's 28, so I'm wondering if this is going to get progressively worse, or if it'll level of. any know?

[scarlet37]

  It is NOT normal too sleep that much. She should be evaluated by a sleep specialist and have a sleep study done.  You can google  " hypersolomnence"  or "narcolepsy" and see if any of the symptoms fit.  I would also add that depression can make people excessively sleepy. Only she and a doctor can be the judge of that.


Best of luck-   please keep come back and post any updates on your progress.

  

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,
You are right about thalassemia prevalence in italians. But thalassemia usually presents as anemia, fatigue, weakness, jaundice, enlarged liver and spleen, dark urine and poor growth.
Increased sleep is not seen per se but could be an indirect manifestation of the fatigue, weakness, etc.
Hope this helps.
Regards.

[tim777]

is she greek or italian? mabey she hase acute thelasemia or somthing like that my ex gf hade it and she needid to sleep alote

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,
Consult a sleep specialist or a neurologist for your wife.
It would be advisable to get a clinical examination done, and discuss whether Modafinil - would help in her case. It is to be taken under prescription and helps to control the symptoms of excessive sleepiness.
Do let us know what the specialist tells you.
Hope this helps.
Good luck.