Ellen Wermter's guest appearances

Ellen Wermter

Finding Genius Podcast

FutureTech Podcast

Richard Andrews

Naveed Akbar

Marc Guell

Laura Potterat

Jan Vijg

Paul Turner

Eleftherios Mylonakis

Cory Kidd

Charles C.J

Helius Medical Technologies

Patrick McKeown

Michael G. Surette

Katelyn Parsons

John Tucker

Jake Kushner

OwlTail

An estimated 2,000 Americans and three million people worldwide have narcolepsy, but according to Ellen Wermter, a board-certified family nurse practitioner working in a sleep medicine clinic, it’s quite possible that it simply hasn’t been identified in 50 percent of the people who have it. Diagnosis is a big challenge, which is evidenced by the fact that on average, patients make six visits to a doctor or sleep specialist and experience a five to ten-year delay before receiving the correct diagnosis of narcolepsy. Aside from it being difficult to diagnose and therefore underrecognized, Wermter explains how it’s also misunderstood by many people; rather than presenting as the sudden inability to stay awake and a dramatic collapse into a deep slumber, the primary complaint of those suffering from narcolepsy is “excessive daytime sleepiness,” which is identified in her sleep clinic using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. She also discusses a variety of other sleep disorders, many of which are commonly encountered in her clinic, such as sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, sleep paralysis, and cataplexy. Tune in for the full conversation, and find resources by visiting the Narcolepsy Network, Project Sleep, the National Sleep Foundation, and local support groups. 

An estimated 2,000 Americans and three million people worldwide have narcolepsy, but according to Ellen Wermter, a board-certified family nurse practitioner working in a sleep medicine clinic, it’s quite possible that it simply hasn’t been identified in 50 percent of the people who have it. Diagnosis is a big challenge, which is evidenced by the fact that on average, patients make six visits to a doctor or sleep specialist and experience a five to ten-year delay before receiving the correct diagnosis of narcolepsy. Aside from it being difficult to diagnose and therefore underrecognized, Wermter explains how it’s also misunderstood by many people; rather than presenting as the sudden inability to stay awake and a dramatic collapse into a deep slumber, the primary complaint of those suffering from narcolepsy is “excessive daytime sleepiness,” which is identified in her sleep clinic using the Epworth Sleepiness Scale. She also discusses a variety of other sleep disorders, many of which are commonly encountered in her clinic, such as sleep apnea, insomnia, restless leg syndrome, sleep paralysis, and cataplexy. Tune in for the full conversation, and find resources by visiting the Narcolepsy Network, Project Sleep, the National Sleep Foundation, and local support groups.

Narcolepsy: An Underrecognized and Misunderstood Sleep Disorder—Ellen Wermter—A Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner in Sleep Medicine

As a board-certified family nurse practitioner working in a sleep medicine clinic, Ellen Wermter has seen a wide variety of sleep disorders, including severe cases of sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, and restless leg syndrome. She joins the podcast to discuss what she sees from this unique perspective—one that isn’t often portrayed at all or portrayed correctly in the media. For example, she explains that narcolepsy is not only underrecognized but also misunderstood by many people; contrary to popular belief, the main presentation of narcolepsy is excessive daytime sleepiness—not unexpected episodes of falling to the ground and entering a deep sleep. Wermter discusses how “excessive daytime sleepiness” is defined and identified clinically, the causes of narcolepsy—which are likely both genetic and environmental in nature—and one of the newest types of treatment for narcolepsy, which is not yet FDA-approved, but can be used in the US through a program called PEACE since it's been shown to be successful in Europe. She also discusses sleep paralysis and cataplexy, which happen when the REM stage of sleep intrudes on the waking hours, one of the lesser common symptoms of sleep apnea, and how sleep studies work—despite the challenges. Tune in for the full conversation, and find resources by visiting the Narcolepsy Network, Project Sleep, the National Sleep Foundation, and local support groups.

As a board-certified family nurse practitioner working in a sleep medicine clinic, Ellen Wermter has seen a wide variety of sleep disorders, including severe cases of sleep apnea, insomnia, narcolepsy, and restless leg syndrome. She joins the podcast to discuss what she sees from this unique perspective—one that isn’t often portrayed at all or portrayed correctly in the media. For example, she explains that narcolepsy is not only underrecognized but also misunderstood by many people; contrary to popular belief, the main presentation of narcolepsy is excessive daytime sleepiness—not unexpected episodes of falling to the ground and entering a deep sleep. Wermter discusses how “excessive daytime sleepiness” is defined and identified clinically, the causes of narcolepsy—which are likely both genetic and environmental in nature—and one of the newest types of treatment for narcolepsy, which is not yet FDA-approved, but can be used in the US through a program called PEACE since it's been shown to be successful in Europe. She also discusses sleep paralysis and cataplexy, which happen when the REM stage of sleep intrudes on the waking hours, one of the lesser common symptoms of sleep apnea, and how sleep studies work—despite the challenges. Tune in for the full conversation, and find resources by visiting the Narcolepsy Network, Project Sleep, the National Sleep Foundation, and local support groups.

Understanding Narcolepsy and Common Sleep Disorders—Ellen Wermter—Board-Certified Family Nurse Practitioner in Sleep Medicine