Around two years after my symptoms became so bad it effected my ability to work.
I was lucky because my father paid privately for my sleep study or it would’ve taken a lot longer.
After my e.e.g my neurologist tried to convince me to take epilepsy medication…saying he knew I didn’t have it but it might help! Seriously!!! His first react when I told him my symptoms was to roll his eyes and say “ has someone been on google looking up how to get controlled medicine prescribed “!!!!! I’m not kidding!! I hadn’t even heard of narcolepsy then. Sadly he is still my neurologist 20 years later! Better the devil I know lol
Looking back now knowing my diagnosis I can see that I had symptoms a long long time before they got bad enough for people to tell me!

Almost 20 years. COVID triggered it into super powers which got the Drs attention more.

It took a little over 5 years. Everyone was convinced it was depression. I was finally taken seriously enough to be referred and the first sleep specialist took one look at me and said I must have sleep apnea. Took several at home tests and didn't have it. Did an inlab sleep test and showed mild. I was completely compliant with CPAP and had NO improvement. Finally switched providers and had another inlab, this time with the MSLT and boom, narcolepsy.