Med School with Narcolepsy?

[closertofine]

Hi, hope you all don't mind my intruding on the med school forum...I'm a senior in college planning on applying this summer. I am not sure that I have narcolepsy, since I haven't yet had a sleep test...but that is what my doctor thinks it may be.

Whatever it is, for several years I have been very sleepy and need several naps a day, causing me to miss many classes and not get very involved in extracurriculars. Luckily, I've somehow managed to keep a high GPA (I'm good at cramming), so that doesn't rule out med school.

I'm now taking Adderall, which has helped some with the sleepiness but gives me some annoying side effects, like heart palpitations and major anxiety...also, I seem to be developing tolerance to it.

Anyway, sorry to give you guys my life story, but I was wondering if anyone had an opinion on whether med school will be possible for me. It really is my dream to become a doctor, and I have the pre-reqs and the grades for it...but I worry that I will not be able to keep up with the hours and workload in med school. Right now, I go to a state school, so it's manageable...but I can hardly imagine being in school from 9 to 5 and having to study after that...

Thanks so much for reading,

Karen

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[FZISHN]

A student graduated from my medical school 2 years ago with narcolepsy. She was in the top 20% of the class at graduation, and is going to become a neonatologist while training at CHOP.

I remember she was very regular with her habits. She exercised every morning before school, became fit, and took her meds.

You will need a regimented life, more than most students, but you can do it! Lots of people in med school have different health problems, but cope and do well.

Hope this helps.

 

[paean]

I've been surprised by the number of students in my class who have health problems or other issues (waking up with a baby all night) and still manage to do really well. It's like the first respondant said, finding a schedule that you can work with, and sticking with it.

Don't apply to any 9-5 schools. There's plenty that have a mostly mornings schedule, or you could also consider Ohio State, they have a independant study program for the first two years. And depending on how you learn, you might be okay just skipping lecture and studying during that time. Your problems will probably be in 3rd year, when clerkships are the most intense. Still, I think you should assume that you will be able to find a way to handle that when it happens. Schools are required to provide reasonable accomodations for disabilities, and between that and medications and your desire to be there, I suspect that you will be okay.

If you are developing a tolerance, can you ask about switching meds? There's one non-amphetamine on the market that I've heard of, it might have fewer heart side effects, and I don't remember anxiety being one of the common side effects. Called provigil.

 

[penn03]

how much adderall do you take? I take it for ADD sometimes, but I, too, have developed a tolerance... I've now gotten to where I can fall asleep an hour after taking 20mg.... I think the best thing you can do to avoid building up a tolerance is to not take it on the weekends or on days where you don't absolutely need it. Did your doctor already rule out other conditions that might be causing the excessive sleepiness, like depression?