| Additional Information | Narcolepsy is a rare neurological condition that affects the brain's ability to regulate the normal sleep-wake cycle. This can lead to symptoms such as disturbed night-time sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy. Consequently, narcolepsy is often thought of as a sleep disorder, but its underlying cause means that it is better classified as a disorder of the central nervous system.
Some affected individuals may fall asleep without warning (sleep attacks) or lose muscular control that can result in falling to the ground (cataplexy). In some cases cataplexy may have the appearance of a stroke, though recovery usually occurs within minutes.
Modafinil is a drug used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness in some patients with narcolepsy. It is associated with an increase in congenital abnormalities if taken during pregnancy. Individuals taking Modafinil are deferred to avoid the risk of components made from their donation being transfused to someone who is pregnant.
Some individuals only have minor narcolepsy symptoms that should not interfere with donation. Sleep attacks and cataplexy may obviously cause problems during and after the donation process. However, some individuals have good control of symptoms through lifestyle adaptations and/or taking medication. If these problems are well controlled (no attacks for 12 or more months) the donor may be accepted. This includes individuals on medication to prevent attacks, with the exception of anyone taking Modafinil. |