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What Causes Sudden Sleep Attacks?
My son (now 50) has had episodes where he just falls asleep - this happens sometimes while he is driving. One afternoon he had to pull over when he realized he was falling asleep and he slept about 30 minutes then wa ale to continue driving home. Lately he has had 2 serious accidents He seems to have a weakness in his left arm also. Where should we start
Mon, 14 May 2018
Hello and Welcome to ‘Ask A Doctor’ service.
I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.
Your are right as such things should be taken very seriously. I would advise him not to drive anymore until things have settled. The reason for day time sleepiness can be many but the most significant cause is the disturbed sleep during the night.
Common reasons for disturbed sleep in night may be a condition called obstructive sleep apnea (generally in obese people, but not always).
I wonder if he snores a lot in the night? Other causes for excessive sleep may be drugs, sometimes brain diseases can also lead to this problem.
So, you must talk to your doctor now. After detail history and examination, he may do some tests for the possible reasons.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Mahboob Ur Rahman
I have reviewed your query and here is my advice.
Your are right as such things should be taken very seriously. I would advise him not to drive anymore until things have settled. The reason for day time sleepiness can be many but the most significant cause is the disturbed sleep during the night.
Common reasons for disturbed sleep in night may be a condition called obstructive sleep apnea (generally in obese people, but not always).
I wonder if he snores a lot in the night? Other causes for excessive sleep may be drugs, sometimes brain diseases can also lead to this problem.
So, you must talk to your doctor now. After detail history and examination, he may do some tests for the possible reasons.
Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.
Regards,
Dr. Mahboob Ur Rahman
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