Woman,35, With Rare Condition Collapses From Laughing

Published November 20, 2014

A 35-year-old U.K. woman suffers from a rare neurological condition, which causes her to collapse and lose control of her body, The Daily Mail reported.

Claire Allen, 35, has cataplexy, a symptom of narcolepsy. Cataplexy causes sudden attacks of muscle weakness, which can cause the sufferer to fall down during times of strong emotions, such as laughter or sadness.

Allen said she often remains conscious during these attacks, which last anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes and can happen up to 100 times in one day.

A surprise or giggle can render her helpless, she said, although she has found some relief with a drug called Xyrem, which was developed for narcoleptics.

Before an attack, Claire loses the ability to speak and see, and her body will fall to the ground.

"Laughter is definitely the strongest trigger," she said. "I find that they happen more often during social contact with other people, perhaps because I'm more self-conscious."

Click here to read more on this story from the Daily Mail.

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