I have recently begun 4th semester in a 2 yr school. Graduation is 4 months away. However, i was just diagnosed with IBS and have consistent extreme stomach pain daily. There is absolutely no way that i could make it through 26 clinical days without leaving early or missing less than 3 days. The pain can't be controlled other than leaving and trying to relax at home. I think that school is making everything much worse due to the stress. My only option is to drop out and wait a semester. I think that nursing is right for me but i need to avoid the stress at this time. I would like to attempt to get a CNA or LPN job during the summer once i get myself better. How do i go about getting a CNA or LPN license after 3 semesters of nursing completed? I've tried googling it, but I can't find anything. Help?

So sorry for this. Is there any way to work thru this with help from your GI MD?

As to getting a CNA/LPN job, you need to check with your state board of nursing to see what thequalifications are.

Good luck and take care.

Thanks for the reply. I've had every GI test known to man to try and decipher what's going on. I've taken pain meds that give no relief. My GI doctor is planning on starting me on Elavil, but it will take weeks to help if it does and I don't have the time to wait.

I'm so sorry about your condition. I hope you can get some relief and are able to return to school. Meanwhile, someone at the school should be able to answer your questions about CNA and LPN. Even if your state allows testing for LPN with partial RN school completion, you won't be able to do it if your school does not cooperate. Not all schools do this for their students. Download an LPN application from your state's website, research on the site, or find out from someone at the Board, whether this is allowed in your state, then fill out the application and see someone at the school to get them to do their part. Good luck and I hope you are able to beat the IBS.

Give the Elavil a chance. My doc put me on Celexa for IBS and I feel so much better. I started feeling better within 2 weeks and rarely have that excrutiating pain anymore. It is my miracle drug after more than 10 years of that pain and all the other symptoms. Good luck! I would try to do everything possible to stay in school.

I will pray for you this evening.

Can I ask, is your pain from cramping when you get stressed?

bless you

my neice has suffered with chrons all her adult life and it has definitely been a factor in the quality of life

take care of your health first

Can I ask, is your pain from cramping when you get stressed?

I dig your screenname.

Ask at various local hospitals about their policies on hiring nursing students as nursing assistants - or other ancillary roles such as unit secretary. I don't think that's regulated at the state level - at least not in my state.

If your IBS is exacerbated by stress, taking a term off might be just the thing you need. Your body gets a break and you won't risk your current standing due to this new health issue you're dealing with. In addition to figuring out how to control the IBS, you could learn some new stress management techniques, get some useful experience under your belt and come back with renewed vigor next term. Just thoughts!

Have you ever heard of celiac disease? Most doctors dismiss it because they are not up to date and don't know that there are hundreds of possible symptoms...including IBS. They also believe that you need to be extremely thin but studies have shown that the majority diagnosed are of normal weight or overweight. I would hate to see you drop out when you are so close.

Anyone with IBS should do some research, it is completely controlled by diet - no drugs needed.

http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/celiac/#8

I am sorry to hear that as well. I also suffer from IBS and was diagnosed my last year in nursing school. It was very difficult due to the stress.

I wish you luck...

Seriously, try changing your diet.

I developed "IBS" in my 3rd semester of LPN school and it was terrible. On top of the bowel probs I felt like it was getting harder and harder to focus and stay motivated. I felt depressed, irritable, emotionally volatile, groggy, and downright nutty.

Tried everything until someone suggested not eating wheat.

My life was completely turned around within a week of not consuming wheat-gluten. I've been tested over and over, and do not appear to have the disease, but apparently the US does not have great tests for Celiac Disease. AND, you can have an intolerance without the actual disease. I have avoided gluten since, now 5 years, and can really tell a difference if I eat something with wheat in it - a cookie isn't so bad, but a bowl of spaghetti will turn me into a crampy, crabby, monster. Amazing.

I also went to one doc, who deemed I had IBS with a wheat-gluten intolerance... even if the prob is vague enough to still call IBS, there might be things in your diet that exacerbates the s/s, especially during those stressful times.