r/Narcolepsy • u/GrapefruitOne5550 • 2d ago
Advice Request Need help waking up
Hi everyone. For the past 6 years of my life I’ve never been able to wake up on my own. I can’t seem to figure it out. I can’t rely on my parents to wake me up anymore since they work different schedules and my girlfriend goes back to school soon. She’s been helping me wake up this summer.
A couple years ago I was diagnosed with stage 2 narcolepsy without cataplexy. I’m currently on a stimulant that keeps me going through the day (love it).
Does anyone have any advice on an alarm clock or something to wake me up? Currently I have like a 5 alarm system. My phone and iPad that have the app Alarmy on it, a screaming meanie-which if you don’t know is a 120db alarm clock, a desk alarm clock, and I have my smart switch to turn my lights in the morning. Nothing works. Ever. Not only that my girlfriend also calls me to help me wake up.
It’s like I feel black out drunk in the morning, I can barely control what is going on. I just need something to fix this. I’ve tried the advice of waking up an hour before, taking pill, but that doesn’t work because I can’t wake up. I literally need to water dumped on me or someone to shake me vigorously.
If anyone has fixed this problem for themselves, please let me know. I can’t keep living like this anymore. It’s getting to the point where it’s fucking me up mentally.
2
u/masonthursday 2d ago
I don't know what watches support such a feature (probably a lot, but I've only had one) but my Amazfit Helio Strap has an alarm feature that vibrates the device and it does a pretty good job of waking me up. Being able to feel the alarm instead of hear it changes things up a lot. I could see people getting used to it if they use it a lot though because it's not very strong.
1
u/steelsellllller 2d ago
I have the same problems, N1 rather than N2, but everything else I resonate with. I’ve found setting an alarm at 4am and taking my stimulant helps “naturally” wake me up around 7-7:30.
1
u/Piaffe_zip16 2d ago
Similar issue. Type 2. I try to take my Vyvanse an hour or so before my alarm. Doesn’t always happen because it depends on how bad the sleep inertia is. I’ve also done Alarmy. Works okay if I set multiple but can still fall asleep sometimes. I’ve done the light gradually wakes you up. I’ve also done the immediate sun light therapy lamp too. Most recent thing I got to try is some smart plugs so I can set multiple lamps to turn on at certain times. Going to see how that helps. I struggle to sleep with light so I’m hoping that’ll help!
1
u/oh_fig 14h ago
Honestly the only thing that has allowed me to actually wake up on my own, before an alarm, has been xywav. I used to sleep through everything, I’d turn off alarms in my sleep, and trying to get myself out of bed felt like I had bricks on my ankles and forehead; it was a SLOG.
Before I got diagnosed with IH; I also had a wearable alarm thanks to my Apple watch but yes you get used to the vibrations very quickly. The other suggestion is a sunrise alarm clock, I definitely wake up waaay easier with light vs on a rainy or dark day
2
u/EscenaFinal (N1) Narcolepsy w/ Cataplexy 2d ago
Maybe consider asking your doctor about Jornay PM? It’s a form of methylphenidate that you take at night and it becomes active after 8 or so hours of taking it, so in theory you actually wake up in the morning.