I have made a lot of research on the connection between the MDMA usage and narcolepsy - a sleep disorder. Narcolepsy is usually observed with a symptom called cataplexy. A sudden muscle weakness.
It was really hard to find information on this topic on the Internet. MDMA is an illegal substance and also known as Molly or Ecstacy.
Narcolepsy is a rare condition and many of the narcoleptics are unaware of their condition. Besides MDMA usage is not as common as pot or alcohol consumption. This makes it really hard to find people sharing their experiences on this combination.
A person posted on bluelight in 2007 about the enormous increase in her symptoms after she rolled. And nothing else! The web pages that contains both the MDMA and narcolepsy words, usually talk about Xyrem -the narcolepsy treatment drug- and how it is abused for recreational use and how it has similar feelings with MDMA! And even the doctors don't know much about it. You know medical studies need data nd observations.
Actually I am kind of an internet parasite. I consume a lot of information shared by others. And I don't usually create content. But in this case I thought I might help some people with my observations.
2 important things!
1. Please comment here and describe your conditions and experience for others to create more information on the subject. People will be thankful to you!
2. Different bodies have different reactions. So the things can be different for you. Do not assume that things will be the same for you!
Here it goes:
MDMA made my friend's narcolepsy symptoms extremely observable. My friend had been having occasional sleep paralysis attacks for the last 10 years since he was 20. He was always sleepy during his college years. Everyone including him thought that he is just a lazy type of person. Especially if there are less social stimulants around, it was hard for him to cope with that sleepiness (for example during a lecture) He was also experiencing cataplexy attacks time-to-time but he didn't put too much attention on that. They were less than 1 second and barely noticeable from outside so he wasn't too much concerned about it.
Last summer he did MDMA for the first time in his life. And it has all changed. His cataplexy attacks became very frequent and more severe. Now it was also dangerous because cataplexy attacks were long enough for him to fall down. He had to stop and hold on something to prevent falling. And then it was easily observable from outside world, too. People started to ask him if he is OK when he had cataplexy attack. He started to have day-time naps because he couldn't stand the day-time sleepiness anymore. And the sleep paralysis was there almost every night! He went to doctor and he was diagnosed with narcolepsy after all the tests. He wasn't even aware there was a condition called narcolepsy before. He started to take modafinil. He told the doctor about the MDMA experience but the doctor didn't relate it with the increasing symptoms.
After 2 clean months the he was improving. Less sleep paralysis, shorter and less severe cataplexy and less day-time sleepiness. It was definitely going better. Then he did MDMA once again one more time after months and all of a sudden all the symptoms were back there once again. Now he was really suspicious about the connection between MDMA usage and narcolepsy. He started to improve one more time after 2 clean months. But 2 nights ago he rolled once again. He liked rolling so he somehow wanted to believe that molly and narcolepsy don't have any connection. But unfortunately symptoms are here again. Last night he had a long and severe sleep paralysis.
Now he's positive that MDMA makes narcolepsy much worse! If you have narcolepsy, never do MDMA! He stopped it and he hopes that he will fully recover sometime. It is obvious that he will improve, as he will never do it again but he is not sure if it is ever gonna be as he never rolled.
