What sleep disorder causes you to stay awake for months?

This question was asked in Montgomery, Massachusetts on 12/13/2012.
What kind of rare disorder do I have if I have not slept in 6 months? I have been up 24 hour a day. I have had an MRI for Prion Disease and have had a sleep study with no help. What should I do?

Doctors Answers (3)

Richard J. Schumann Jr., MD
Answered on: 12/20/2012

You are likely sleeping to some extend without realizing it and you should follow up with your sleep specialist and also your primary care MD to see if any other physical ailment may be present.

Jana P. Kaimal, MD, FCCP
Answered on: 12/20/2012

A consultation with our board certified sleep specialist is a great place to start. By reviewing your medical history and speaking one-on-one with you, we can determine if an overnight sleep study is needed or what other course of treatment will benefit you.

J. Douglas Hudson, MD, DABSM
Answered on: 12/18/2012

Not sleeping for 6 months seems difficult to believe. Your "sleep" study was really an "awake" study, I presume. There is a disorder called "Familial Fatal Insomnia" which most physicians have never seen. There is also prolonged wakefulness associated with Bipolar states during the manic phase.