Narcolepsy: A Funny Disorder That's No Laughing Matter

by Marguerite J. Utley

This book provides accurate facts about all aspects of narcolepsy, a little-known neurological sleep disorder. It is estimated that 150,000-250,000 people in the U.S. have narcolepsy, but most of those have not yet been diagnosed. In the past, patients have seen an average of five or more physicians over a decade or longer before receiving a correct diagnosis of narcolepsy. As the public becomes better informed and more doctors are entering the field of sleep medicine, people are being diagnosed quicker and at an easlier age. A wealth of information about narcolepsy is available on the internet, but this 166-page book is the most comprehensive, single source of information to be found. In addition to facts, the author relates her personal experiences with all the symptoms and describes how the disorder has impacted her life. It is an excellent reference source and a self-help book rolled into one. People with narcolepsy usually have great difficulty reading a book without falling asleep. If anything can keep them awake, this book will. It is written in layman's terms, with a positive approach and amusing stories that encourage you to read on.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Disability, Medical

166 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 1995

Reviews

[Kelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book, which seems to be the most complete and comprehensive text on narcolepsy, was difficult to pin down. I had to order it from an online seller, and after the first one canceled on me, I had to order from a second online seller! This book turned out to be a lot smaller and shorter than I was expecting it to be, but overall I was pretty satisfied with its contents. It is indeed the most thorough and comprehensive text on narcolepsy that I have been able to find anywhere. It not only describes the symptoms, but explains them, and gives personal accounts of experience with each of them. I found it to be easy to read and very helpful in my quest for understanding this disorder. After reading it, do I still feel as though I could have narcolepsy? Yes, I do. Although, not to the extent that Utley has it (which I am happy about).

[Convenience Store Person · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being the only book on narcolepsy the library had to offer, this was a pretty thorough coverage of the disorder. Although I was looking for something written by a sleep scientist, this book was still interesting in its accounts of the author’s personal experiences. It was also published in ‘95, and a lot has changed since then. Modafinil as a stimulant treatment for narcolepsy is now publicly available with a prescription, for one, whereas it was just beginning clinical trials during the time of this book’s publication. Interestingly enough, Modafinil’s mechanism of action was not known during that time despite research efforts, contributing to narcolepsy’s somewhat mysterious presence in the science world.

Depressingly, this book is still pretty relevant, as there are still a lot of unknowns in the world of sleep disorders. While we’ve made some strides in the past 25 years, there’s still a long way to go in understanding the manifestation and mechanism of sleep disorders. So much of treatment is still centered around psychosocial support—which, by extension, can be hard to achieve, given how much we don’t understand (and therefore can’t easily explain to others) about the disorder, as well as the fatigue in attempting to do so.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I stayed awake reading this book straight through! That's pretty high praise coming from someone with narcoleptic tendencies. :-) This book is a pretty good overview, talking about different facets of the disorder (cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations, medication & side effects, coping strategies, etc). I liked the author's personal experiences, too.

[Cheyenne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got diagnosed with narcolepsy in 2007, but it took me a while to get used to the idea. I think I read this book in about 2009, but read it again today and I have a better opinion of it now than I did before. I like how the author emphasizes the important social aspects of the disease and the self-esteem issues that develop because of it.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gives the facts - and then the author gives her experience as a person with narcolepsy/cataplexy.

What set this book apart for me was what the author included in her appendices; she gives her testimony and includes a personal poem she wrote about her faith in God.

I found that to be so encouraging and something I could relate to, being a woman of faith in God myself.

[Fate's Lady · Rating 4 out of 5]

While a lot of the medication and treatment information is a bit out of date, this is a great, comprehensive look at the narcoleptic experience and symptoms, and it's a nice, compact tool to offer to friends, family, etc. to help them understand the disorder on a deeper level. Great primer for the freshly diagnosed and their loved ones.

[Angela]

I have been meaning to read this book for some time, but for some reason I can't help avoiding it.