Help. I'm feeling really depressed and down. Started hospital nursing last month (graduated last year), and now I feel like I'm not cut out for hospital nursing. I can tell from my preceptor that I am just not where I should be. Time management and multi-tasking I guess aren't my strong points afterall. I just can't seem to remember and juggle everything. I'm super vigilant and try so hard, but I really think that I'm just not cut out for this. I'd be much better at something more one-on-one, like counseling or social work. Its very upsetting because prior to nursing, I excelled in every job I had; they were all clerical in nature though.

I have anxiety and OCD pretty bad. I have taken Lamictal in the past, (before I was a nurse), and it seemed to help but I do remember some problems with memory fog. I have tried all other types of antidepressants in the past and I can't tolerate anything. They all make me sleepy, yawn all the time, or too anxious(wellbutrin). Lamictal was really the only thing that kept my mood in check. So my question is, are there any nurses out there who take Lamictal and function well on the job? I'm just really down that I'm going to get let go and "not make the cut", and then what? I totally support my kids and without hospital experience, who else will hire me as a nurse?? ...

I am in the process of getting my BSN and grades are good, but again, that doesn't amount to anything really.....

moving to our nurses with disabilities forum for support in dealing with depression, anxiety and ocd.---see posts by others who have similar issues

please seek appointment with your pcp or mental health professional pronto! these conditions need professional treatment, just like someone with hypertension or diabetes --just doesn't go away.

without proper treatment for your self, you are adding your own health issues ontop of typical stresses all new nurses have ---creating a double whammy!!

posters: please no medical treatment advice...support only.

Hi,

Have you ever thought about going into psych nursing? It is a lot less technical than most floor nursing although there are still meds and labs to review. There is usually a lot more time to spend with patients and you mentioned counseling or social work. I have found that in psych nursing you are helping with discharge planning more so that with other types of nursing which is a good segway to case management once you get your BSN. There are lots of jobs out there once you get your BSn finished. You may be really good a case management. Good luck!

i do take lamictal, and i am an a/b nursing student. i do not feel foggy, and lamictal has never made *me* feel as if i cannot remember certain subjects.

Lamictal keeps me on an even level. Also take 2 other meds. I have ADD also. I have obstructive/central sleep apnea that I know has fried some of my brain cells with hypoxia and it has affected my memory. It's very frustrating. So I can't blame the meds.

i do take lamictal, and i am an a/b nursing student. i do not feel foggy, and lamictal has never made *me* feel as if i cannot remember certain subjects.

are you still a student or working as a nurse? i also took lamictal while still a student and maintained a 4.0 gpa; received a full scholarship for my second year. i was able to retain subject information, but there was still a slight "foggy" feeling. i'm not on lamical or anything right now and having a hard time keeping up with the stress of learning everything as a new nurse/time management/multi-tasking, etc. having to hold a jillion things in your head without being able to write them down at that very moment is somewhat challenging. its very different from being a student and even clinicals.

Lamictal keeps me on an even level. Also take 2 other meds. I have ADD also. I have obstructive/central sleep apnea that I know has fried some of my brain cells with hypoxia and it has affected my memory. It's very frustrating. So I can't blame the meds.

What area of nursing are you in if you don't mind me asking? Has floor nursing ever been a challenge/problem for you?

First...welcome to nursing!! Second....take a deep breathe...you are ok....you are not alone!! The first year of nursing is VERY stressful. Nursing School just does not prepare you for the real world of nursing. It takes time....give yourself that time....time to learn time management, prioritization, and dealing with coworkers. Nurses have a tendancy to "eat our young". Instead of nurture them, mentor them and encourage them, we leave them feeling inadequate and unprepared. If you are becoming more depressed and stressed, it is difficult to do your job. Consider the Lamictal again. Your mental health is so important. How can you care for others, if you don't care for yourself. I have been on antidepressants for years. Depression lurkes in at times. I just started on Lamictal and will see how it goes. I know...I cannot do my job effectively if I am not well.

Take it easy on yourself. Be patient with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Nursing is an art. It takes time to perfect that art. You will get it...it just takes time.

Don't give up on hospital nursing until you have done it for at least a year. You need that year to gain skills and organization. If you need anything or just want to talk, email me at [email protected]

Best of luck to you!! You CAN do it, don't give up.

First...welcome to nursing!! Second....take a deep breathe...you are ok....you are not alone!! The first year of nursing is VERY stressful. Nursing School just does not prepare you for the real world of nursing. It takes time....give yourself that time....time to learn time management, prioritization, and dealing with coworkers. Nurses have a tendancy to "eat our young". Instead of nurture them, mentor them and encourage them, we leave them feeling inadequate and unprepared. If you are becoming more depressed and stressed, it is difficult to do your job. Consider the Lamictal again. Your mental health is so important. How can you care for others, if you don't care for yourself. I have been on antidepressants for years. Depression lurkes in at times. I just started on Lamictal and will see how it goes. I know...I cannot do my job effectively if I am not well.

Take it easy on yourself. Be patient with yourself. Be kind to yourself. Nursing is an art. It takes time to perfect that art. You will get it...it just takes time.

Don't give up on hospital nursing until you have done it for at least a year. You need that year to gain skills and organization. If you need anything or just want to talk, email me at [email protected]

Best of luck to you!! You CAN do it, don't give up.

Thanks for the kind, uplifting post. I will definitely email you!

I have never taken Lamictal, but did take Trileptal for a time for treatment resistant depression/possible bipolar (therapist and pdoc could not agree on this). Trileptal did give me some cognitive fog, but it really made me feel human, better than I had felt in a long long time. It took me a little longer to come up with certain words sometimes, but in all, having the cognitive fog from an anticonvulsant was nothing compared to the cognitive functioning problems I was having due to my illness. It might take you a little extra effort in school, and you might have to develop new strategies for learning, but I personally would go for it. I started back to school while on Trilpetal, and it DID take me a little longer to learn things, but I managed to make quite good grades.

ijuana,

I work in a Medical Intensive Care unit. I have always worked in this type of setting. ICU/ ER/charge nurse 30 bed telemetry unit (that place was enough to put anyone on meds) As OPs have mentioned, you need to take care of yourself. My medication does help me stay organized a little better and keeps me from having a temper problem. I have a great psych doc and we have worked together for a while before we found the right combo that works great for me.