Posted by utopizen on September 16, 2003, at 1:02:57
In reply to Idiopathic Hypersomnolence, posted by Questionmark on September 15, 2003, at 19:45:32
> Utozipen i have seen you mention that you have "Idiopathic Hypersomnolence." Just out of curiosity, how is this different from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Narcolepsy?
>Well, Idiopathic Hypersomnolence is simply excessive daytime sleepiness without a known cause, as opposed to narcolepsy, which has a known cause. And sometimes narcolepsy features cataplexy, but never with idiopathic hypersomnolence.
As for chronic fatigue syndrome, that's a different disorder entirely. Sleepiness is when you're tired. Fatigue is when you are physically weak, exausted... it's more than just sleepiness.
Soldiers get fatigue, for instance, not "sleepy," when they exaust themselves... sleepiness is not a product of physical exaustion, it's a mental exaustion of the brain. Lay persons may use the terms interchangably, but doctors distinguish the two as very different. When I have sleepiness, I am tired, even though I am not ill or feel weakness.
poster:utopizen
thread:260411
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030912/msgs/260529.html