Question: I am totally perplexed by my symptoms. I'll try to do the most accurate job I can describing. I have always had a tendency to oversleep, since childhood, but in the last three years it has become increasingly excessive. Lately, I have had to quit my job because I've been too tired to get up in the morning. I can sleep up to twenty hours a day. When I sleep a whole lot like this, I do feel refreshed for a while when I wake up. When I am up, although I do feel refreshed, I almost always feel like staying in bed. Small activities, like taking a shower, exhaust me.

I do have pre-existing conditions: major depressive disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, and acid reflux. (I also have irritable bowel, but I do not require medication for that.) I take prilosec over-the-counter for the acid reflux. For the major depressive disorder and ocd, I take generic forms of luvox, wellbutrin, and abilify prescribed to me by a licensed psychologist. Regarding this excessive sleeping, I do not feel "depressed." I easily recognize depression symptoms in myself from having combated it for years. I actually feel like my self-esteem is very high right now, I am enjoying life (when I'm awake), and I have a positive outlook.

My father had sleep apnea, but he didn't require a cpap machine. (He died at age 52 of XXXXXXX Gehrig's Disease.)

I have been tested for Multiple Schlerosis and I have had numerous bloodwork panels, as well as checking for signs of stroke. I have no idea if this is related or not, but about four months ago out of the blue I completely lost control of my body while at work for an undisclosed amount of time (I don't remember and no one was with me at the time). I banged my head on the back of the chair and the room was whirling. No seizure activity was detected at the hospital, and a diagnosis was never arrived upon.

I really feel like I am an intelligent person who has a lot to offer in the world. I don't think I am simply being "lazy." I know the fact I have mental illness issues does cause some people to believe I am somehow an inferior person, but I do not believe that at all. I am really proud of myself and my accomplishments and I really want to get to the bottom of this.