Diet for Narcolepsy – With a secret ingredient
I've talked plenty about using diet for narcolepsy, and specifically the keto diet. But recently I realized I have been missing the whole point! (more…)
Being Vulnerable with Narcolepsy Works
It's hard not to look at being vulnerable as a bad thing, but today I'm here to tell you that being vulnerable with narcolepsy works wonders. I have gained so much by daring to be vulnerable, and today I am taking that to a new level. Today, I am committing to using this space for more raw, unedited, real writing about what I'm experiencing on a day-to-day basis. (more…)
How to Grow in a Pandemic
From the beginning people were talking about ways to grow in a pandemic. They suggested learning a language, picking up that hobby you never make time for, and lots of other ways to distract ourselves. While many of us were not in the mental space to grow our skills, personal growth was still taking place as we faced our challenges. (more…)
Is Keto the Best Narcolepsy Diet?
There is no perfect diet for narcolepsy, just like there is no perfect pill for it. But food is an important part of my narcolepsy symptom management. So how you can find out what is the best narcolepsy diet for you? (more…)
How to Accept a Chronic Diagnosis
I see it over and over again. We fight to get a diagnosis from a doctor and then we have no idea how to accept the diagnosis. We wanted validation that what we were experiencing was real. But we didn't know how much baggage was going to come with it. (more…)
How to Treat Migraine Naturally
Quick Tips for Migraine Management I'm going to assume if you are here right now, you might be in some stage of a migraine so I will try to keep this as short and sweet as possible! Please feel free to ask questions, comment, or challenge my ideas about how to treat migraine naturally. I am not a doctor and these all come from my own experience living with migraine and narcolepsy. (more…)
Wake Up Happy with Narcolepsy
I'm a morning person, so I wake up happy every day. And I have had narcolepsy most of my life, if not all of it. When I tell people my best hours are first thing in the morning and I'd be happy to meet them online at 7am my time, they seem baffled. How can a person with narcolepsy also be a morning person? And how does anyone wake up happy? (more…)
Have you tried L-CM for Narcolepsy?
Perhaps you have heard from another PWN about using L-CM for Narcolepsy. If you are not on Facebook, you may have had trouble finding the information you desire about this alternative treatment. L-CM stands for L-Citrulline Malate. (more…)
My Experience with Depression and Narcolepsy
Ten years ago I never would have said I was grateful for Depression and Narcolepsy. I felt like they were ruining my life. I was the victim and there was nothing I could do about it. But today I am living a completely different story. Depression and narcolepsy were catalysts that forced me to take a harder look at what I’m doing in life. Eventually they propelled me to create a life worth living. It didn’t happen overnight and it wasn’t magic. But it has lead me to live a magical life. Diagnosed with Narcolepsy But let's start at the beginning. I have had narcolepsy, a chronic neurological disorder that affects the sleep-wake cycle for as long as I can remember. When I started full-day school, it was hard for me…
What Causes Narcolepsy – A Natural Theory
I picked up Louise Hay's book, Heal Your Body: The Mental Causes for Physical Illness and the Metaphysical Way to Overcome Them. I wasn't thinking about what causes narcolepsy, just about healing in general. For the most part, I have a good handle on my health. I don't feel like narcolepsy has much impact on my day to day life anymore, and the migraines get better each time I face them and look at the underlying cause. But I figured looking at one more approach won't hurt me. This book lists a variety of ailments, suggests an emotional cause, and then gives an affirmation to help you heal the emotions that might be manifesting at the symptom. Screenshot of Author's Kindle Notes Louise Hay's Message "For us to become whole…
Taylor Schilling Claims to have Quarantine Narcolepsy
Less than two weeks after World Narcolepsy Day, I see the term "quarantine narcolepsy" on my newsfeed. When I learned that it was a reference to narcolepsy on Late Night with Seth Meyers, I was vaguely curious. Image by Christo Anestev from Pixabay Seth Meyers asked Taylor Schilling, known for her role as Piper in Orange is the New Black, if she has developed any new coping mechanisms during quarantine. She responded, "I think I've become a bit of a narcoleptic person like I hear like oh 'plague and pestilence' and then I go [ugly face] and I pass out again. [laughing] Like I just leap or I'll fall asleep in different areas and new places, it's uncomfortable." Seth responds, "That's interesting. So you just think you have like an…
Paula’s Story of Living with Narcolepsy
Keeping Illness Invisible "In 1979, fresh out of high school living in Atlanta, I was ready to start my life," says Paula. "Going to school full time, working part-time, and enjoying a full social life, I never felt there was anything wrong with sleeping every moment I could. It was even okay when my friends started teasing me for always falling asleep." As far back as college, Paula remembers sleeping a lot. "Back then I blew it off as being young, clubbing, and drinking too many Pink Champales." Paula worked part-time, did her school work, and didn't think anything of spending her Tuesday nights enjoying Ladies night at Cisco's on Campbellton Road, in Atlanta. As they piled into the car, her friend Veronica would say, "Paula is going to…
Update on the Keto for Narcolepsy Journey
Way back in 2018, I did a post about Breaking up with Keto. A recent comment led me to revisit the post and give an update of where my journey has gone since then. Spoiler alert - keto and I got back together, with conditions. (more…)
Learn How to Live with Narcolepsy
On Sunday, I was on a Facebook live chat with Project Sleep to share how I live with narcolepsy. First I read an article I wrote as part of the Rising Voices of Narcolepsy program. Then, Julie Flygare asked me some questions about how I manage narcolepsy and what my experience has been like. You can watch that here. Our conversation helped me realize that I have done a whole lot more than I ever realized to live with narcolepsy. Things that I just see as part of my habits and daily life now are actual strategies for treating Narcolepsy. I know there are plenty of things that I didn’t think of mentioning in the hour we had Live. So I’ve tried to list them out simply below. This has…
Can you really reduce migraine with hypnosis?
A journey of self-understanding I was at a point where I would do anything to reduce migraine symptoms. I had tried everything from continuous birth control to the ketogenic diet and they had come back yet again. That's why I turned to some alternative methods that I had never considered for physical symptoms. It turns out, even my physical symptoms often have emotional roots. Before you read further, I will clarify I am not a medical doctor. I'm not trying to claim that it is anyone's fault that they have a medical disorder. Usually, I talk about narcolepsy, but today I'm going to share a bit about migraine. I had been trying to answer the question, "Why me?" when it came to my physical pain and suffering. But after years…