3 replies to this topic

[Wedge]

Hey everyone,

I noticed that driving is quite a challenge for most of the narcoleptic community. I am not sure if it is the constant noise or just boring "Sameness" that pulls us in to this mode of repetition and sleep. I rarely have problems with sleeping while driving and i think i may know why. I race a mazda mx-5 in the Sport Car Club of America and have never felt tired at high speeds and taking my car through hairpin turns! I guess constant adrenaline is the answer!

All jokes aside i actually think that i am focusing more than the average person when i drive, which is largely due to my amateur racing career. I pay attention to detailed things like tire noise and small changes in weight transfer. Since i am so focused i never really think about getting tired or never experience it. If anyone is interested i could post a write up on here on the various things you could stretch your awareness of that may help combat the constant and sleep inducing repetition of driving. The added plus is that it can make you a more aware and safe driver in the long run as well! Let me know and thanks for hearing me out. I am not sure if it will help but it works for me.


And if any of you are interested in racing and have always been worried about Narcolepsy (and get an ok from your doctor!)... feel free to PM me.

[schlepp]

Hey everyone,

I noticed that driving is quite a challenge for most of the narcoleptic community. I am not sure if it is the constant noise or just boring "Sameness" that pulls us in to this mode of repetition and sleep. I rarely have problems with sleeping while driving and i think i may know why. I race a mazda mx-5 in the Sport Car Club of America and have never felt tired at high speeds and taking my car through hairpin turns! I guess constant adrenaline is the answer!

All jokes aside i actually think that i am focusing more than the average person when i drive, which is largely due to my amateur racing career. I pay attention to detailed things like tire noise and small changes in weight transfer. Since i am so focused i never really think about getting tired or never experience it. If anyone is interested i could post a write up on here on the various things you could stretch your awareness of that may help combat the constant and sleep inducing repetition of driving. The added plus is that it can make you a more aware and safe driver in the long run as well! Let me know and thanks for hearing me out. I am not sure if it will help but it works for me.


And if any of you are interested in racing and have always been worried about Narcolepsy (and get an ok from your doctor!)... feel free to PM me.

I think that an intense short duration activity is a good example of an activity that a narcolepsy person might find challenging. When I race, I never really have a chance to fall asleep at the wheels. When the drive is monotonous or in darkness, that's when I find it the most difficult to drive. The best is at that point to pull over or have someone else drive the car if possible.

[Geohff]

One of the issues is with N, short term "excitement" may delay, lessen or offset your symptoms for a short time. That’s why when some go to have a test or see a disability evaluation they seem so "well." This works against them because it makes them seem insincere or faking when in fact they are simply hyped for that short period. It has frustrated me that when I go to see my Doctor I am almost always better than normal. So I think a vedio documentation at home of normal symptoms is a very useful tool.

[noddinoff]

Hey everyone,

I noticed that driving is quite a challenge for most of the narcoleptic community. I am not sure if it is the constant noise or just boring "Sameness" that pulls us in to this mode of repetition and sleep. I rarely have problems with sleeping while driving and i think i may know why. I race a mazda mx-5 in the Sport Car Club of America and have never felt tired at high speeds and taking my car through hairpin turns! I guess constant adrenaline is the answer!

All jokes aside i actually think that i am focusing more than the average person when i drive, which is largely due to my amateur racing career. I pay attention to detailed things like tire noise and small changes in weight transfer. Since i am so focused i never really think about getting tired or never experience it. If anyone is interested i could post a write up on here on the various things you could stretch your awareness of that may help combat the constant and sleep inducing repetition of driving. The added plus is that it can make you a more aware and safe driver in the long run as well! Let me know and thanks for hearing me out. I am not sure if it will help but it works for me.


And if any of you are interested in racing and have always been worried about Narcolepsy (and get an ok from your doctor!)... feel free to PM me.

Ha! I never would have thought I could find a post that would relate to my commuting/motosport situation. paying a great amount of attention to minute details on the road and possible sticky situations has become automatic. my daily driver is a Ducati Hypermotard or a 98' 916. i have never owned a vehocle with 4 wheels and now that i have been recently diagnosed with N, i intend to keep it that way. It may be the exhilaration and the constant release of adrenaline or the heightening of the senses that temporarily puts off the effects of N and cataplexy but I have never felt anything related to either while riding. Or it may be the fact that if i fall asleep on the Duc, i will probably end up in a box. I intend to keep the street as my track and now i have a nice excuse to take off my passenger pegs