The medicines below are used to treat narcolepsy. Only the most basic problems are listed. Ask your doctor if there are any other steps you need to take. Use each of them as your doctor tells you. If you have any questions or can’t follow the package instructions, call your doctor.

Prescription Medicines

Stimulants

Mazindol
Modafinil
Armodafinil
Methylphenidate
Dextroamphetamine

Medicine for Cataplexy

Sodium oxybate

Tricyclic antidepressants

Imipramine
Desipramine
Clomipramine
Protriptyline

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)

Fluoxetine
Paroxetine
Sertraline

Stimulants

Common names:

Modafinil
Armodafinil
Mazindol
Methylphenidate
Dextroamphetamine

Stimulants can help you be more alert and awake. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take. These can interact with many other kinds, even those found over-the-counter. What you take may depend on if you've had seizures.

You may have problems with:

Less hunger and weight loss
Insomnia
High blood pressure
Anxiety or jumpiness
Nausea or vomiting
Faster heart rate and arrhythmia
Lightheadedness, drowsiness, or blurred vision
Serious rash

Medicine for Cataplexy

Sodium oxybate

This will lower the number of cataplexy attacks. But, it must be taken as told. It can lead to misuse. As a result, it's a controlled substance. You can only get it at certain places.

You may have problems with:

Nausea
Lightheadedness
Headache
Sleep problems
Confusion
Vomiting
Bedwetting

Tricyclic Antidepressants

Common names:

Imipramine
Desipramine
Clomipramine
Protriptyline

These are used to lessen attacks of:

Weakness
Hallucinations
Sleep paralysis

You may have problems with:

Dry mouth
Lightheadedness, drowsiness, or blurred vision
Constipation
Sensitivity to sun
Blood sugar changes in people with diabetes
Feeling hotter than normal
Risk of mood and behavior changes—may involve thoughts of suicide in some people, young adults may be at a higher risk for this

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)

Common names:

Fluoxetine
Paroxetine
Sertraline

These are used to lessen attacks of:

Weakness
Hallucinations
Sleep paralysis

Don't take monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors:

While taking SSRIs
For 2 weeks prior to starting SSRIs
For 5 weeks after stopping SSRIs

You may have problems with:

Anxiety
Mania
Weight loss
Weight gain
Seizures
Low blood sugar in people with diabetes
Lightheadedness, drowsiness, or blurred vision
Arrhythmia
Risk of mood and behavior changes—may involve thoughts of suicide in some people, young adults may be at a higher risk for this

Special Considerations

If you are taking medicines, follow these general guidelines:

Take the medicine as directed. Do not change the amount or the schedule.
Ask what side effects could occur. Report them to your doctor.
Talk to your doctor before you stop taking any prescription medicine.
Do not share your prescription medicine.
Medicines can be dangerous when mixed. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking more than one medicine, including over-the-counter products and supplements.
Plan ahead for refills as needed.

References:

Narcolepsy. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T116132/Narcolepsy . Updated November 14, 2017. Accessed September 5, 2018.

Narcolepsy. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. National Institutes of Health website. Available at: https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/narcolepsy. Accessed September 5, 2018.

Narcolepsy fact sheet. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke website. Available at: https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Narcolepsy-Fact-Sheet. Updated July 6, 2018. Accessed September 5, 2018.

Sodium oxabate. EBSCO DynaMed Plus website. Available at: http://www.dynamed.com/topics/dmp~AN~T232884/Sodium-Oxybate . Updated July 9, 2018. Accessed September 5, 2018.

Suicidality in children and adolescents being treated with antidepressant medications. US Food & Drug Administration website. Available at: https://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/PostmarketDrugSafetyInformationforPatientsandProviders/ucm161679.htm. Updated February 5, 2018. Accessed September 5, 2018.

2/18/2011 DynaMed Plus Systematic Literature Surveillance http://www.dynamed... : Serretti A, Mandelli L. Antidepressants and body weight: a comprehensive review and meta-analysis. J Clin Psychiatry. 2010;71(10):1259-1272.

Last reviewed May 2018 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Adrian Preda, MD
Last Updated: 9/5/2018

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