Guide to Different Narcolepsy Treatment Options

What narcolepsy treatment options are available for those diagnosed with this sleep disorder? We’ve covered the basics of narcolepsy, as well as its cause and symptoms, so let’s move on to an overview of treatments for narcolepsy, including narcolepsy medication options.

Is there a cure for narcolepsy?

Those who suffer from narcolepsy would, of course, like nothing more than to be directed to a simple cure. Unfortunately, at this point, although there are a variety of narcolepsy treatment options, as the A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia flatly states, “there is no cure for narcolepsy.”¹

But that resource also emphasizes that several treatments for narcolepsy do exist to help ease the symptoms. These narcolepsy treatment options are placed into two general categories: lifestyle changes and narcolepsy medication.

Narcolepsy treatment options: Lifestyle changes

As with sleep apnea, insomnia and many other sleep disorders, many medical experts suggest that the first course of action in treating narcolepsy should be lifestyle changes.²

We’ve written about improving sleep health with lifestyle changes a number of times in the past – but it never hurts to re-emphasize good ideas. Even for people who aren’t currently experiencing narcolepsy or other sleep disorders, these lifestyle changes can still potentially improve the quality of sleep – and act as a precaution against acquiring sleep disorders later in life:

• Get regular exercise (but try to avoid it right before bedtime).
• Go to bed at the same time every night, and try to wake up at the same time every morning.
• Try to relax before bedtime. Take a warm bath, read a book, keep a diary — whatever you find soothing.
• Avoid excessive amounts of caffeine and alcohol, and avoid them altogether before bedtime.
• Avoid smoking tobacco.

In addition, the A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia offers advice in coping with narcolepsy specifically:¹

1. Tell your co-workers, teachers, friends and family about your condition. “You may want to print out material from the Web about narcolepsy for them to read.”
2. Plan naps during the day (if possible). “This helps control daytime sleepiness and reduces the number of unplanned sleep attacks.”
3. Consider counseling or support groups. Online resources such as NarcolepsyNetwork.org may also provide information to help you cope.

Narcolepsy medication options

When lifestyle changes don’t succeed in adequately treating narcolepsy, your doctor may prescribe narcolepsy medication. However, many medical experts recommend adopting the above lifestyle changes even when medication is prescribed.²

“Currently available medications do not enable all people with narcolepsy to consistently maintain a fully normal state of alertness,” as the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) puts it. “Drug therapy should accompany various behavioral strategies according to the needs of the affected individual.”²

Or, as the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) puts it, if you “take regular naps when you feel sleepy, you may need less medicine to stay awake.”³ However, that’s not always possible. With that in mind, let’s look at the most common narcolepsy medication options.

Amphetamine stimulants. Because narcolepsy is sometimes connected with cataplexy and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS), doctors sometimes prescribe amphetamine-like stimulants to reduce the amount of sleep attacks.

“Modafinil and sodium oxybate are two drugs that have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of narcolepsy,” the NINDS reports, while warning that the “use of these medications may be associated with several undesirable side effects and must be carefully monitored.”²

Antidepressant drugs. The NINDS identifies two categories of antidepressants that “have proved effective” as narcolepsy medication options for some individuals: tricyclics and selective serotonin and noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors.

While these narcolepsy medication options “produce fewer adverse effects” than amphetamines, the NINDS still cautions against side effects like high blood pressure and irregularities of heart rhythm.²

Sedatives. Drugs that help induce sleep are sometimes prescribed as narcolepsy medication options, including gamma hydroxybutyrate (also known as GHB or Xyrem®) and sodium oxybate. Again, there are warnings: “Due to safety concerns associated with the use of this drug, the distribution of sodium oxybate is tightly restricted.”²

The Mayo Clinic also points out that you may be told to stay away from certain medications as narcolepsy treatment options: “Certain over-the-counter drugs, such as allergy and cold medications, can cause drowsiness. If you have narcolepsy, your doctor will likely recommend that you avoid taking these medications.”⁴