Q I need to drive, but is it okay for someone with narcolepsy to drive? It's terrifying when sleepiness hits suddenly.
A Driving while narcolepsy is uncontrolled is very dangerous. You should decide only after confirming with your neurologist that your symptoms are fully controlled, and while still being managed it is safer to use public transportation or have a passenger with you.
Detailed Answer
The risk of traffic accidents for people with narcolepsy is several times higher than for the general population. Because sudden sleep attacks or cataplexy can occur without warning, driving while symptoms are not sufficiently controlled is dangerous to both yourself and others. Many countries require a doctor's fitness opinion to obtain or renew a driver's license for people with narcolepsy.
Oriental Medicine Clinic Perspective
Even when daytime sleepiness improves with Oriental medicine treatment, we advise not to rush back to driving before safety is confirmed. A realistic approach is to keep a symptom diary during treatment to identify the times of day free of sleep attacks and the safe windows. We make the judgment in stages together with the neurologist's opinion.
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