Sleep Paralysis being misdiagnosed

**Amoeba** · 06-16-2010 10:28 AM

Before you knew what sleep paralysis was, did you ever have it misdiagnosed?

I used to get it so much in my early teens, and not having any clue as to what it was my mum took me to the doctor.

Many scans were taken. My brain was physically fine but I was told I had abnormal brain-wave activities. The doctor said I'd naturally have trouble with memory, emotions and sleep (which I do from time to time, but not in a serious or debilitating way).

The doctor said to me that my sleep experiences of feeling paralysed and feeling vibrations was due to a "unique form of epilepsy" that I must have apparently, because they couldn't pin it down to anything else.

The said my best bet was to take a prescription that would hopefully stop it. I declined, which made my mum angry (she felt the whole ordeal was for nothing if I didn't take the meds). But I'm glad I refused to take anything, because a couple of years later I learned all about sleep paralysis and how normal and common it is. I never had epilepsy at all! I wish I could have known sooner. My mum stopped me from doing so many activities because she was scared of my "epilepsy" happening while I was awake. I became a recluse during my teenage years against my will.

I just can't understand though how none of the doctors (and I even went to see a bloody SLEEP SPECIALIST!) knew it was sleep paralysis! It's so well known about and so simple.

Is it really such an unknown thing that even specialist doctors don't know what it is?

Have you ever had any experiences with misdiagnoses?

**nina** · 06-16-2010 02:24 PM

That's pretty messed up, but not surprising. How long ago did you receive this diagnosis? The fact that you were misdiagnosed by a sleep specialist really makes you wonder what sort of credentials that idiot must have.

This is why I just use google for everything. Now it seems the only reason I go to my doctor anymore is so that I can tell him what to prescribe me. Funnily enough he has me on two prescriptions which are not safe to take together. Luckily enough I know this and do not take them together. I wonder if he is really that ignorant or just doesn't care?

anyways, I'm glad you were able to find out what it is that you are experiencing...how did you figure it out btw? On your own?

**Amoeba** · 06-16-2010 10:33 PM

The great internet! Hahaha... well, sorta great. Had to sift through a lot of junk. I always had a sneaking suspicion it was not epilepsy at all, so I guess I just kept trying to find out until I found someone describing the same symptoms as sleep paralysis. As soon as I had the words "sleep paralysis" I had all I needed to find out more about it. It was a good feeling.

But you're very right, it pays to find out more on your own and not take the doctor's word as truth. Fair enough if you know you can trust your doctor but if you're uncertain or unfamiliar... oh man that could have been bad if you hadn't known that yourself. How unsafe are we talking here? Could be fired for incompetence kind of unsafe? Oh well glad you didn't go off taking them together. Sadly it's way too common these days for doctors to be incompetent or unenthusiastic or just plain clueless. I feel sorry for the competent doctors, they must get lumped a lot with the incompetent ones these days because there are so many.

Um... how long ago was I diagnosed? I'd say about 8 or 9 years ago. I'm not sure how long sleep paralysis has been mainstream knowledge for, but even 8 or 9 years ago I'd imagine even if it wasn't mainstream, at least specialists would have known! lol...

**Phion** · 06-17-2010 12:51 AM

I was once diagnosed as bipolar, but I never though I had the condition. The medication I was prescribed did not have a negative synergy however. I do know that there is some very invaluable information to be found over the internet about interactions and contraindications. I would always check before taking risky combinations like Adderall and Ambien or something like that. Not good.