excessively tired??

Nurses General Nursing

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Alright....all you ER and med/surg nurses, lend me your eyes....

I've been excessively tired lately...and I mean to the point now that even as I'm typing this, I feel all fuzzy and not-really-with-it. Tired to the point that I could fall asleep anywhere, anytime. Only new med is claritin, within the last 2 weeks.

NO I AM NOT PREGNANT....at least I don't think so. Mrs. Susie strawberry is due any day now. Yeah, tmi, but I need a dx here people. Plus I'm an OB nurse, so trust me, pregnancy wasn't far from my mind.

I've only been feeling like this for about a week or so. WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON? It's starting to scare me and make me worry about going back to work.

What do you guys know about (other than strange uterine 'growths' that last 9 mos.) that cause such sudden and profound fatigue? Is it the claritin or something else?

Any thoughts?

glandular fever/ebv perhaps? have you been checked your lft's?

and other blood counts?

i had glandular fever last year, mid year and i tell you i have never felt so exhausted and drunk with fatigue......too make matters worse i was misdiagnosed and virtualy dismissed and in no way effectively treated by my gp....she really made me feel like a prized hyperchondriac...the ***** i never been back to her......the fact that i was spiking an average 39.8-40 degree celcius temps (not sure what it is in farren)..... that eluded her....and i was experiencing rigors, she made me feel very small.....i should have been alot more assertive and kicked butt!! she seemed more concerned with treating an 80+ y.o woman rather than this young not even 30 y.o nurse that went to see her on several occasions.....and became fed up!

and on top of all that, due to the fact that i did not know what was my ailment, i was forced to continue working through it all, yes sireeeeeee no rest for this little nurse....who is going to nurse the nurse? :nurse: how could i have had the appropriate time off without a 'valid' medical reason at that time when i needed it most..... i would reach stages where i was near collapse every shift, i became jaundiced for a few days and thats when a good doctor friend fo mine pulled me aside and asked me what was happening with me....i nearly collapsed on the bloke. i had no emotional support from other staff, bar a few, it really was a trying time for me and once i learnt the results i was shocked to see how i had managed just by a thread to keep myself going.....i was at tears end from fatigue and returned to the gp and showed her my results......and then had to ask her if she could write me a certificate for a few scummy days off.....i still feel the effects of it at times, but am getting on top of it all now and taking good care of myself....i just got real run down, the steam stopped........ the after effects will be with me for the next few months, possibly years and you really do feel them...

this has taught me that as nurses we should never undermine our own health due to chronic staff shortages thus unable to take the appropriate time off when we need it for our health.... and never ever let a doctor condenscend you....

are other nurses guilty of this?? we spend all our careers healing others that we can over run and rule ourselves and our own health? i am refering to the burnout, injuries, stress, mental drainage and harsh demands of the job...work ourselves to the ground....not for this nurse ever again........ my health is too important to me.....and plus i didnt expect to contract gf in my adult years, always associated it with snogging teenagers!......... :blushkiss........... :kiss....... :nono:

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Specializes in medical/telemetry/IR.

i know! i know! i know!

mild case of dehydration

push some fluids and see if you feel better :nurse:

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Well, thanks y'all...skipping the claritin and seeing what happens. And I plan to push fluids frann.....

Got my recheck w/my doc in one week. :)

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why not just give in an go to bed and sleep. it may be just a bug. Sleep and relax, maybe your body just needs rest.

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It could also be the allergies themselves, in addition to the claritin. You might want to look into Zycam allergy. It's a homeopathic remedy available OTC. Finally helped me break a bad seige of the allergy miseries.

But really, when you're body is insisting on sleep, wisdom says sleep. And try to stay hydrated.

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Specializes in Gerontological, cardiac, med-surg, peds.

Perhaps the antibiotic rx is making you tired. Another thing to consider... if you are on oral contraceptives AND taking antibiotics (erythromycin, I think), you can get pregnant. The antibiotics nullify the effects of the contraceptives.

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Wow - I can tell you guys are all younger than I am. You're thinking pregnancy, mononucleosis, and I'm thinking medication, CHF, MI, dehydration, etc., etc.

I'll put my bet on the med.

Love

Dennie

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Claritin had the same effect on my hubby...also Sudafed ...which wires me.....isn't it funny how this stuff hypes some folks and puts others to sleep?

Hope it resolves off the med a few days...:)

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