So close to end of nursing degree but... - Fibromyalgia Acti...

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So close to end of nursing degree but so exhausted and pain is terrible :(

beckyglen profile image
20 Replies

Hi everyone, sorry for not posting for ages. I am just so fed up and so angry at myself for feeling like my body is failing me. I am due to qualify as a registered nurse in September and have only two work placements left now. Just started placement last Monday in a medical assessment ward. Did 8 hour shift mon, tues and weds but then was in so much pain I had to call in sick thurs and fri.

Does anyone feel like their body is failing them? I just keep getting so angry and frustrated at myself! Am due back at placement tomorrow and desperately want to go but am in so much pain and am so exhausted. I just don't know what to do or how to make things better.

Thank you for listening everyone and I'm sorry for moaning so much!! Just feel like I'm a 29 year old trapped in an 89 year old body :(

Gentle hugs to allxxxx

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beckyglen profile image
beckyglen
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20 Replies
Fibrofoggiest profile image
Fibrofoggiest

Hi Becky, I'm so sorry you are having such a tough time of it at the moment. I totally understand what you are saying, I have had Fibro since my late teens and I'm in my 50's now. It wasn't acknowledged back then in the way it is now, but I fully sympathise with you saying you feel like a young person trapped in an old persons body, I have felt that for ages and it is just so so frustrating isn't it.

I think it might be wise for you to go and see your doctor, see what he has to say and perhaps he can adjust your medications, it may be a flare that will gradually ease, I hope so for your sake, but I would see someone, even if you are signed off work for a couple of weeks to recover, that is better than pushing yourself and making the situation even worse than it is for you now.

I'm sending you hugs ((((Becky)))) as it sounds like you need them, together with lots of positive healing vibes :-)

Foggy x

Why don't you poke your nose in on the virtual coach trip it's very funny and may lift your spirits, laughter can do you good :-) :-)

I think stress is one of the major factors and doing a nursing degree will be rally stressful on the body as well as in other ways, so I would suggest the main thing is to let out the feelings, cry and laugh freely whenever you can, write about how you feel, let it out as much as possible, eat healthily on things you like so that you feel comforted, have a hot water bottle, milky drink and good book at bedtime, etc. I find that in the long term that's better than meds and although I think the pain will not ease I usually suddenly find it has. Hope you feel better soon and well done you for doing the degree. Suexx

fenbadger profile image
fenbadger

Hi Becky, That's all too common a story, feeling 50 years older than you are. And I can't afford to do that. Would make me over 100!

You're perfectly entitled to let off some steam.

How's you pain control generally and do you have something to take you through flares, though that is a bit of a call. How's your coping strategy? I would hope the organization you work for would be the first to understand.

Yes, I get really frustrated too. A few years ago the sky was the limit and I had reasonable hope of fulfilling loads of ambitions, I have done some of them, but I have to change my "normal" and adapt to what I can do now. Other than that Foggy's advice is all you need. If you want more don't be afraid to come back for more info. Some of us can talk for England if left to it. There's info on the website and thinking about fatigue and pain has taught me to plan carefully and not exert in one area so I can do something in another area. I hope that helps. Gentle Hugs :)

Julie63 profile image
Julie63

Hi becky, gentle hugs and loving, positive thoughts coming your way. I worked as clerical officer in nhs for 25years & towards the end, I was feeling like you. But at least I was sitting down! You have done so well to get so far in your training, I would give yourself a pat on the back. Like foggy says, p'raps a bit of r&r will do you the world of good. I'm afraid you have to listen to your body when you have fibro. It doesn't mean you give up your dreams, just have to work harder to get there, or so it seems at times

Also, do you have a sympathetic superviser you could have a word with about your health probs? It could help them understand & support you. I hope you get the help and support you need to get your degree. Good Luck, Julie xxxx

fenbadger profile image
fenbadger

I just looked at your answer to funkyfairy 4 months ago. Do you have the same tutor? If so be open and up front and I'm sure understanding will come through and there will be a way to get you to the end of the course without burning you out There are ways of working through pain but sometimes you just have to yield and stop for a bit.. :)

Lots of hugs to Becky from sue xxxxx

jillylin profile image
jillylin

Hi Becky,

Yes, I know what you mean. It's so frustrating when we can't get our bodies to do what we know we think they ought to be able to do.

Do you think it might help if you had your medications checked? There might be something else available that would benefit you more. It might also be worth seeing if you can attend a pain management programme as that can also help enormously.

Gentle hugs

Jillyxx

beckyglen profile image
beckyglen

Thank you all for your kind helpful messages! I feel like I need to take a week or two off from my placement to try and get over this flare. The only problem is I would then be more behind and have all those hours to make up. Also it feels like I'm giving in or like I'm a failure.

My meds have been changed lots of times and I have been to the pain clinic. They want me to do a 12 week course where u go to a class for 2 1/2 hours every week. This would mean even more time off from placement.

I just don't know what to do for the best.

Thank you all again for your replies.

Becky xxxx

booohooo profile image
booohooo

Aw beky I really feel for u so young to av this inpossible illness I was 38 wen diagnosed and robbed of normality had grandson then he 3 and he didnt understand granma not well wen I cudnt do normal activities plus ad to leave my work all I can say is try and keep yr chin up aud loads love boohoo xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Billysmini profile image
Billysmini

Hi beckyglen :) I am so sorry your in so much pain . I myself and a 49 yrold aux nurse and have fibromyalgia :(. And suffer badly with pain and exhausted all the time, we work 12 hour shifts 7 to 7 . I am on nights at the moment yuk! . I have problems with my medication with working internal rotation sometimes I don't know where I am coming or going. I hope you manage to cope with your pain and tiredness very soon, and I wish you good luck in the future with your career you can speak anytime x billysmini

TheAuthor profile image
TheAuthor

Hi beckyglne

I sincerely hope that you are feeling as well as you possibly can be today? I am so sorry to read that you are suffering in this way and I genuinely hope that you can find some resolution and relief to your issue.

I can relate to what you are saying, I feel like an old man at times and it really is unpleasant with all the pain and the emotional toll that takes. Maybe you should discuss the matter with your GP and see if there is anything they can do to help you?

I also want to wish you good luck with your nursing degree and I sincerely hope that you get the pick of the hospitals.

All my hopes and dreams for you

Ken x

Wumples69 profile image
Wumples69

I felt like that at the end of nursing school and didn't have fibro. Teachers at nursing schools, seem, for the most part, overly sadistic. It like when the attending feels like it's his job to make interns lives as miserable as possible. God forbid you EVER make a mistake. It's very hard to live like that. I give you a ton of credit for doing it. All my jobs have been easier than nursing school was. Just do it one day at a time. Does your school make accommodations for the disabled?

mariamay profile image
mariamay

Hi all, i dont usually post on here. I am about to turn 48 in april and get so frustrated and angry that my body doesnt work. Got diagnosed with fubro in cambs last year, was told i had it for at least 10 years. I also have thrombophilia. It seems my health has deteriorated over the last 7 months. Constant cold sores (seeing a mouth surgeon), period problems, never ending back pain (spinal op this thursday), kidney infections, shingles, its just never ending. I am not proud thar i tried to take my life twice over christmas and the new year but couldnt deal with pain and fatigue etc etc. Really feel for anyone who has this awful disease.

rosewine profile image
rosewine

Hi

I think you have done wonderfully well to have got this far and you are on the last leg of this wonderful journey to do a really worthwhile job. From what I have heard from others who have been fit and have qualified as nurses that the going is very tough so don't beat yourself up about feeling you are not coping. It could be that you have been having to push your body just that little too hard and it might be the best course of action to just have a couple of weeks off and go back with renewed energy. Hope it agets better for you. Do let us know how you are progressing. Hugsx

beckyglen profile image
beckyglen in reply torosewine

Hi Rosewine, thank you for your kind words and reassurance. I have spoken to the uni today and they have been really helpful. Told me to take as long as I need and they will sort it for me to go back to my placement when I feel ready.

Thank you again and soft fluffy hugs to you all

Becky xxxx

rosewine profile image
rosewine in reply tobeckyglen

Hi Becky

That is wonderful news I am really pleased for you and you have made my dayx

Midori profile image
Midori

My gods, the more I hear of Nursing Training nowadays the more it worries me, especially with the horror stories of neglect doing the rounds. OK, I know that there are more than just training issues here, but I trained under the old system of 'on the job' apprenticeship which allowed us to mix practical and study and refer each to the other more closely. Pounding the wards every day kept us fit and able to do the heavier work such as lifting. Student and Pupil Nurses were monitored and helped in the practical tasks of the day by the State Enrolled Nurses, who were the 'bedface' nurses. They were phased out in the mid '80s by the powers that be, which is really one of the biggest problems, as well as one of the biggest causes of the 'Neglect' scenarios we hear today. Students were often too intimidated by the Sisters and Staff Nurses, but the Enrolled Nurse was their guide, as well as being the majority of nurses in the 'Cinderella' sections of the hospitals (Mainly Geriatrics and Out Patients).

I still believe that there is a place for a practically qualified Nurse in the current NHS.

Really, I fear that, unless the NMC wakes up and smells the coffee, there will be more students burning out, even before they qualify. The system is unfair to both nurses and patients.

I really hope things work out for you beckyglen, big fluffy hugs.

beckyglen profile image
beckyglen in reply toMidori

The training given today is not the problem - student nurses have to do 50% academic study and 50% practical training both in wards and out in the community or in nursing homes. The problem is staff numbers - there have been a lot of bad press focusing on neglect so people just assume all nurses neglect patients - this could not be further from the truth based on the 9 different areas I have worked in over the last 3 1/2 years. The problems are caused by government and managers who have no idea of what nursing entails who keep cutting staff numbers and expecting nurses to attempt to give quality care to far too many patients at once.

NWG23 profile image
NWG23 in reply toMidori

Bravo could not have put it better myself!!!! I was an Enrolled nurse in the 1980's. It's a disgrace that the NHS did away with us. We have been replaced by HCA & CSW which just goes to show that practical nursing skills are still needed and staff nurses are too busy to care properly for both students and patients. Bring back the Enrolled nurse pronto.

NWG23 profile image
NWG23

Hi Becky, Please go and speak to occupational health, it's their job to care for you and they are duty bound not to hold it against you that you are not coping. Fibro is a recognised condition and common amongst healthcare workers. I was a nurse and have recently got a job as a CSW (didn't renew my registration in 1998) I've had fibro for years and thought back then that it was the end of my nursing. However, I bravely told occ health in a medical questionaire about my fibro when I applied for my present 'bank' job. I said I classed myself as having a disability. Result is I got the job and now only have to do core shifts and no nights. Maybe with still being at uni there is a tutor or occ health person you could speak to. Its in your best interests and theirs to get you thru your training and qualified. If they don't know they can't help you by making suitable adjustments to your working day such as letting you only do core shifts. Good luck hope that helps.Nwg

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