The most common treatments for narcolepsy are long acting stimulants, but medications like SSRI antidepressants and drugs that can help control cataplexy are also used. Regardless of which treatment is utilized, most patients will have to work closely with their sleep doctor to find the treatment that works best. And that treatment can change over time! Non-pharmaceutical treatments are just as important as medication for managing symptoms. For Dr. Ortiz that can mean taking naps when needed, adding movement into his day, and making sure to have a consistent sleep schedule. THE FUTURE IS BRIGHT Dr. Ortiz was successful in realizing his dream of becoming a physician, though ultimately he decided that surgery wasn’t a good fit given the inevitable sleep deprivation. At first Dr. Luis Ortiz he hesitated to go into Sleep Medicine, but ultimately he has found it very rewarding to care for patients with similar disorders to himself. When asked for tips on managing a chronic illness in the academic and professional worlds, Dr. Ortiz encourages people to be upfront with their supervisors and colleagues. “Let them know what’s going on and what accommodations you will need to do your best.” Dr. Ortiz notes that our society still “has a long way to go in order to appreciate the importance of getting good rest,” and that he hopes that telling his story will help other people who may be suffering from sleep issues. “Everyone benefits from increased education, especially teachers and parents. My life was changed when I received the correct diagnosis.” For more information on Narcolepsy and its treatment, Dr. Ortiz recommends wakeupnarcolepsy.org and
project-sleep.com.
Dr. Luis Ortiza is a physician in the Sleep Center at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. He specializes in narcolepsy, hypersomnia, obstructive sleep apnea, and skeletal dysplasias. ................................................................................................... Rosei Skipper, MD completed her Psychiatry residency and Child fellowship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. She is currently pursuing further training in psychoanalytic therapy.
Bedtime Reads Looking to learn even more? Each issue, we highlight books about sleep.
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Waking Mathilda: A Memoir of Childhood Narcolepsy by Claire Crisp A native of England, Claire Crisp had it all—a strong marriage, three healthy children, and her own home in Bristol. Then Mathilda, the baby of the family, would receive a diagnosis that would change their lives forever. Diagnosed at age three as the world's then youngest child with narcolepsy, the joyful and energetic Mathilda rapidly dissolved into someone unrecognizable. In this compelling narrative, Claire Crisp chronicles the fight for Mathilda's treatment. Leaving their family and country in England, the Crisps begin a new journey—one of faith, of loss, and of love as immigrants to the western shores of the United States.
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