One time I landed on the sofa on my nose and I couldn't move my head in order to breathe. Kelly said: 'I often panic when I'm going into an attack and I'm always hurting myself. Kelly found her attacks got worse after having Ronnie (left) and Charlie In addition, Kelly also suffers from poor short term memory and often forgets what she did the previous day. While cataplexy is extremely rare, 70 per cent of sufferers also suffer from narcolepsy. In 2007, she was officially diagnosed with cataplexy.
Over time, Kelly found her attacks were becoming more frequent and more severe, causing her to become completely paralysed and unable to speak whenever she had one. 'I was really worried because I was terrified of hurting him.' 'I would just be looking at him and thinking how much I loved him and then all of a sudden my arms would go floppy. She said: 'I would have to call to my mum to come quickly and grab Charlie off me in case I dropped him. Her head would become heavy and loll to one side and her arms would flop to her sides. Suddenly, Kelly would find herself going limp and heavy while she was holding her new baby. Then, at the age of 19, she fell pregnant with Charlie and everything changed. 'Eventually I saw a consultant who diagnosed me with narcolepsy and gave me some medication.' I just fell asleep standing up and I was lucky I didn't burn myself on it. 'I used to work on a dunking doughnuts kiosk as a teenager and once I fell asleep while I was frothing some milk for a cappuccino, which is impressive when you think of the noise those machines make. Kelly said: 'I would be in the middle of eating my dinner and I would just fall asleep or I would fall asleep in the bath. Her condition worsened over time until the point where she never knew where she might nod off. Kelly first noticed the narcolepsy when she was 16 and would fall asleep suddenly in front of the television or while sat on the sofa, even after a long night's sleep. That's why I don't like to be left alone with the boys in case anything happens to me or them.' I might be laid on the floor, completely paralysed and the boys will be pulling all the food out of the cupboards and there's nothing I can do. 'The worst times are when there is no one around. It can last a few seconds or it can last for an hour. 'When I have an attack, I can see and hear but I can't move or communicate at all. Every time I stood up, I collapsed again.
I must have had about 20 in a row and I think people must have thought I was drugged or drunk. 'Once I had an attack of cataplexy in the supermarket and then another and another. I can't even go to a restaurant with my boyfriend in case I nod off at the table.
Kelly, 25, from Ashford, Kent, said: 'I've lost count of the number of times I've fallen asleep face down in my dinner. More information can be found in our resources on symptoms of narcolepsy and narcolepsy diagnosis and assessment.Limits: Kelly can never have a bath alone as she could have an attack and drown Whilst there are a few neurodevelopmental conditions in which a form of cataplexy may be seen, those conditions are exceedingly rare, and so the occurrence of cataplexy generally makes diagnosis of narcolepsy much more certain. When cataplexy is present, it is extremely rare for it to be an isolated symptom – the vast majority of those with typical cataplexy will also have symptoms of narcolepsy. Cataplexy may be most severe when the person with narcolepsy is tired rather than fully alert, and can lead to considerable anxiety. Typically, cataplexy does not develop for months or even years after the first signs of excessive daytime sleepiness, but in rare cases it is the first observed symptom of narcolepsy. It is thought that about 75% of patients with narcolepsy experience cataplexy. Does everyone with narcolepsy have cataplexy? During both mild and severe attacks, the person stays fully conscious. How long does it last?Ĭataplexy attacks generally last less than two minutes, and they may only last a few seconds, though some people have repeated attacks of cataplexy which persist for up to 30 minutes. Speech may be slurred, and eyesight impaired (double vision, inability to focus) but hearing and awareness remain undisturbed. The loss of muscle tone that occurs may range from a just-perceptible weakening of the facial muscles through weakness at the knees, to total collapse on the floor. Cataplexy is the term given to sudden muscular weakness triggered by strong emotions such as laughter, anger and surprise.
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