Question 8

8.) How important is it for you to be connected to other people who have narcolepsy? If they provide support for you, what kind is it? Is there a certain kind of support that they might not be able to provide or that you feel a family member or other loved one might do a better job at providing?

I am just now connecting with the narcoleptic community on facebook and have found them to be very helpful in finding information about new therapies or clinics. I am currently looking for a new sleep doctor and have received several suggestions from other people who have had a reasonable time being diagnosed and have had the proper medications prescribed to them without a lack of concerned medical supervision by a specialist of sleep medicine.

The other kind of support I receive is from friendship. I find we narcoleptics can become a rather isolated community individually and finding one another can be rather hard. For instance there aren't any PWN groups in Vancouver BC, at least none the sleep clinic of UBC could recommend and none I can find otherwise so contact over the Internet has been instrumental in finding others who share similar symptoms like mine and sharing our stories and sometimes grief's.

The only support I can not find or have yet to be able to locate is a dating service for narcoleptics. Sometimes, ofttimes really, with my severe symptoms I realize that I may not be the best choice for a mate of a healthy adult but, I could easily be a good companion for another narcoleptic looking for same. It would be a lot easier than having to explain my symptoms. I would rather date someone who has more medically in common with me.