Antidepressants
Antidepressants' effectiveness as a treatment for narcolepsy is questionable. However, physicians can prescribe antidepressants in order to treat REM intrusion symptoms including cataplexy, hallucination, and sleep paralysis. The most commonly prescribed type of antidepressant is the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). SNRIs affect chemical messengers (neurotransmitters) in the brain by blocking the reuptake of serotonin in the brain. The resulting imbalance of serotonin causes an increase in brain cell activity, which is necessary in order to treat REM intrusion symptoms.
Adverse effects of antidepressants include dry mouth, sweating, constipation, tachycardia, weight gain, hypotension, and impotence. People that have bipolar disease, are aged 65 and older, or are pregnant have a higher chance of experiencing complications with antidepressants. You should not stop taking antidepressants suddenly, since you may experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
Adverse effects of antidepressants include dry mouth, sweating, constipation, tachycardia, weight gain, hypotension, and impotence. People that have bipolar disease, are aged 65 and older, or are pregnant have a higher chance of experiencing complications with antidepressants. You should not stop taking antidepressants suddenly, since you may experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.
Xyrem
Patients with severe cases of cataplexy may be prescribed the drug Xyrem (Sodium oxybate), which is an antidepressant that specifically treats narcolepsy and daytime sleepiness by improving the quality of a patient's sleep at night. Xyrem is one the most prescribed medications for people with narcolepsy. Sodium oxybate is also known as GHB, or "the date rape drug," but it is a recognized treatment for narcolepsy and cataplexy when it is used responsibly to cause sound, undisturbed sleep at night. The mechanism for how sodium oxybate works to treat narcolepsy is not known. The drug comes in liquid form and is taken twice nightly since its effect wears off after a short time.
Common Medications
The Narcolepsy Network, “Narcolepsy Medications.” 09/09.
M. Billiard, “Narcolepsy: current treatment options and future approaches,” Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 557–566, Jun. 2008.
M. Billiard, “Narcolepsy: current treatment options and future approaches,” Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat, vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 557–566, Jun. 2008.