3 replies to this topic

[Lucestrife]

A friend of mine who is narcoleptic experienced a very sudden wasting last year that gave us quite a fright. He is already a lean, athletic guy, but for a couple of weeks he lost weight precipitously and seemingly without cause. He stopped running or exercising in any way, he was eating 2-3 times as much as he previously would (we would go to restaurants and he'd order 2 cheeseburgers, 2 cokes, a salad and fries, when he'd normally just get a salad), but we started to be able to see his bones. We were on a cross-country road trip and out in a very rural area for much of it, and by the time we got back to civilization (the burgers were on our way out) he was starting to gain weight back again so his doctors dismissed it. But for 2-2.5 weeks it was pretty scary. I started to be able to see the bones in his arms and legs, and ribs of course. He didn't have any eating disorders and he wasn't exercising, as mentioned. No other obvious symptoms. Has anyone heard of this? It hasn't happened since but it was pretty scary. I know that cachexia is thought to involve the hypothalamus. Could this be related to the narcolepsy?

[TeeZZZ]

I am no expert, but I have never heard that listed as a symptom or complication of narcolepsy in all of my reading and research about the disease.

[utmost]

I would also say this is very unusual and merits a very thorough physical exam.

[angeline]

I wonder if something is going on with his thyroid?