Narcolepsy is a chronic sleep disorder for which there is no cure.

However, there are medications for narcolepsy that help to control the different symptoms of the disorder. Here are some medications that are commonly prescribed by doctors to effectively handle narcolepsy.

Medication for Narcolepsy:

• Modafinil is usually prescribed for excessive daytime sleepiness. This is a stimulant that has the ability to increase a narcoleptic's ability to stay awake by about 50 percent. If the person suffers from severe daytime sleepiness, then modafinil is prescribed along with other stimulants like amphetamines and pemoline. This drug, however, cannot treat cataplexy.
• Antidepressants are often prescribed to treat cataplexy. In addition, the antidepressants also help to control hallucinations that many narcoleptics suffer from. The drugs take a few weeks to start showing results, but are quite effective.
• Sodium oxybate is another drug that is being prescribed nowadays to treat narcolepsy. It can effectively treat cataplexy as well as daytime sleepiness. This drug hardly has any withdrawal symptoms when the patient is taken off the medication. However, if the drug is withdrawn without reducing the dosage gradually, the patient will immediately suffer from increased episodes of cataplexy.

The above mentioned medications for narcolepsy can also be used to treat children, but in smaller dosages. At times, the doctor may prescribe different medications altogether. Pregnant women suffering from narcolepsy have to talk to their doctors to find out the side effects of the medications for narcolepsy and what effect they could have on the baby and the woman's body.

People suffering from narcolepsy may have to try out different medications at different dosages to find one the effectively controls the symptoms of the disease. Therefore, they should be patient until the right treatment is found.

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