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What Causes Excessive Daytime Sleepiness?

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Posted on Mon, 10 Feb 2014
Question: I am a female 54 yr.old woman. lately out of nowhere at any given time I cant keep my eyes open.Its not tired it unbelievable sleepiness. It even occurred while I was driving and I had to pull over because I could not control it. Why is this happening and what can I do?XXXX
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Answered by Dr. Preeti Parakh (1 hour later)
Brief Answer: Explained below. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX Welcome to Healthcare Magic! You are suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness. The most likely possibilities are narcolepsy and sleep apnea. The diagnosis would require investigations like polysomnography and the multiple sleep latency test, as well as a detailed history taking and neurological examination. You can do some screening yourself by applying the Epworth sleepiness scale which is used to measure the excessive daytime sleepiness. You can get it at WWW.WWWW.WW You should see a sleep disorders specialist for evaluation. If that is not possible, try looking for either a neurologist or a psychiatrist with interest in sleep medicine. You will also need to start medication. Modafinil (Provigil) would be a good choice. I hope this clears up things for you. Please feel free to ask if you need any clarifications. Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Dr. Preeti Parakh

Addiction Medicine Specialist

Practicing since :2002

Answered : 1486 Questions

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What Causes Excessive Daytime Sleepiness?

Brief Answer: Explained below. Detailed Answer: Hi XXXXXXX Welcome to Healthcare Magic! You are suffering from excessive daytime sleepiness. The most likely possibilities are narcolepsy and sleep apnea. The diagnosis would require investigations like polysomnography and the multiple sleep latency test, as well as a detailed history taking and neurological examination. You can do some screening yourself by applying the Epworth sleepiness scale which is used to measure the excessive daytime sleepiness. You can get it at WWW.WWWW.WW You should see a sleep disorders specialist for evaluation. If that is not possible, try looking for either a neurologist or a psychiatrist with interest in sleep medicine. You will also need to start medication. Modafinil (Provigil) would be a good choice. I hope this clears up things for you. Please feel free to ask if you need any clarifications. Best wishes. Dr Preeti Parakh MD Psychiatry