Narcolepsy

[rmitchell8]

So far, I have had 4 car accidents from being tired behind the wheel, 3 of them I actually fell asleep, but the last one a week ago, I was so tired I was on auto pilot and failed to read my surroundings correctly. This ended by plowing into the back of a VDOT truck that was blocking my lane since I failed to notice the big arrows directing me out of my lane for road work. There isn't a day that goes by I do not fall asleep in a vehicle. If I am not driving, I get so tired I just can't stay awake and if I am driving, I try so hard to stay awake by blarring the music, rolling down the window, hitting myself, eating, but I just can't keep my eyes open. How can someone like me get to work and home safely without injury? Today, after spending a week with my car injury catching up on sleep, I almost fell asleep in my own heighborhood after only 20 minutes of driving. I had to nap in my driveway before getting out of the car. I have pulled over to nap up to 4 times in a 1 hour commute. Please help, I am so afraid that the next time I drive I will kill someone else or myself.

[050681354]

STOP DRIVING! I was doing exactly the same thing- wrote off my car, had 3 accidents and couldn't stay awake. I live alone and it's an inconvenience NOT to drive, but think of the consequences: Someone WILL die. Until you get on to a regime of proper treatment (which will evetually happen), please have someone else drive for you.
Crossfit Junkie

[Petrea]

I hope you have stopped driving by now and have found a dr. that can help you with your sleep problems. I can say I do know how you feel as this was happening to me until I was diagnosed with Narcolepsy and the DMV automatically pulled my license. I know it is inconvenient but I have probably saved lives including my own! I can't ride in a car either any longer than about 20 minutes before I fall asleep or have sleep attacks. I hope you have found a dr. than can help you with your sleep problems and best of luck to you.

[kaypea12001]

rmitchell8... I understand your struggle all too well. As the others have said, you really need to get on medication to treat whatever sleep disorder is at the root of your sleepiness. Until then, please do stop driving before someone dies! If you have not seen a sleep Dr. or been diagnosed with a sleep disorder you should start there. Once you are medicated properly, you should be able to drive with far more alertness than you have now. Ideally you will be able to drive to and from work on your own once you are being treated with meds. I would get help asap as I would hate for you to hurt yourself or anyone else more than you already have. Besides, what you are going through is miserable... you should not have to suffer this way anymore. Please get help!

One last thought (as mentioned before) as hard as it may be to find an alternative to driving yourself (until you are on meds).... it would really suck to be in a worse accident or have your license taken away! I hope you get help and do something differently so things can get better for you!