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Sleep Disorders: Hypersomnia Treatments
Treatment for hypersomnia depends on the cause of hypersomnia. For example, if you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, your doctor may prescribe a treatment known as continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) to use when sleeping. With CPAP, you wear a mask over your nose that is hooked up to a machine that delivers a continuous flow of air into the nostrils. The pressure from air flowing into the nostrils helps keep the airways open.
If you are taking a medication that causes drowsiness, your doctor may suggest trying another medication. He or she may also suggest certain lifestyle modifications, such as going to bed earlier to try to get more sleep at night, and eliminating alcohol and caffeine consumption.
You doctor can also prescribe various drugs to treat hypersomnia. These may include:
- Stimulants, such as Ritalin or Provigil
- Antidepressants, such as Prozac
- Xyrem (used to treat excessive daytime sleepiness associated with narcolepsy)
Reviewed by The Sleep Medicine Center at The Cleveland Clinic.
WebMD Medical Reference provided in collaboration with the Cleveland Clinic
Sleep Disorders Guide
TOPAMAX is approved for migraine prevention in adults only.
TOPAMAX is not used to stop a migraine after it starts.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Serious risks associated with TOPAMAX include lowered bicarbonate levels in the blood resulting in an increase in the acidity of the blood (metabolic acidosis). Symptoms could include hyperventilation (rapid, deep breathing), tiredness, loss of appetite, irregular heartbeat or changes in the level of alertness. Call your doctor immediately if you get these symptoms. Your doctor may want to do simple blood tests. Chronic, untreated metabolic acidosis may increase the risk for kidney stones or bone disease.
Other serious risks include decreased sweating, increased body temperature, kidney stones, sleepiness, dizziness, confusion, difficulty concentrating, and increased eye pressure (glaucoma). Call your doctor immediately if you have any decrease in vision or eye pain. These problems can lead to blindness if not treated right away.
More common side effects are tingling in arms and legs, loss of appetite, tiredness, nausea, diarrhea, taste change and weight loss.
Tell your doctor about other medications you take. Please see full U.S. Prescribing Information.
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