Hypochondriac Nurses

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Anyone work with any of these? In both hospitals I have worked I have seen nurses of all ages hooking themselves up to monitors-telemetry, EKGs, pulse-ox, BPs, worried over the smallest things. How common of a practice is this?

One nurse I work with now always has a "problem of the month." One month she'll think she's diabetic, the next is CHF. It's absolutely crazy. Wondering if anyone else had these same experiences with nurses?

Specializes in UR/PA, Hematology/Oncology, Med Surg, Psych.

I've done the whole hypochondriac thing myself. But when I really think about it, if I am honestly worried about something, I'm usually right with my diagnosis. I had honest-to-goodness dianosed Pertussis a couple of years ago. I knew it way before the Dr. did, even when everyone else thought I was nuts for saying that was what I thought I had. My daughter was having some trouble in school, I researched things and BINGO, diagnosed NVLD. Teacher had never even heard of it. Finally the school did some learning disorder testing, and I was right. I've learned to totally trust my instincts.

Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
In both hospitals I have worked I have seen nurses of all ages hooking themselves up to monitors-telemetry, EKGs, pulse-ox, BPs, worried over the smallest things. How common of a practice is this?
I wouldn't refer to myself as a hypochondriac, yet I check my blood pressure and pulse ox at work every once in a while. I do these things out of curiosity rather than out of worry.

I am constantly self diagnosing myself ( incorrectly). I am definately a hypochondriac. I thought I had colon cancer, breast cancer and gall stones just to name a few. Im trying to relax these days. I am all for regular screening though. Today I had skin cancer screening, I do that every 12 months. Came back clear.

I think my main problem is that because my job is stressful and hours are crappy, i get overtired and run down, and then I begin to imagine I must be sick.

Specializes in Medical.

I like to think of myself as proactive rather than hypocondriacal!

I check my BP every once in a while (low side of normotensive), use the pulseoximeter to see if I can manage biofeedback (slowing my pulse down by willing it down - never lasts long), check my BSL once a month to make sure I'm not sliding toward diabetes, and do a urinalysis once a month because working in renal makes me fret about my kidneys.

Whenever I'm sick for a prolonged time I head to the doctor and say "I know I'm a hypocondriac but..." - so far it's always been an actual thing :)

Specializes in CT-ICU.

I've never been like that, but it's a well-known phenonenom with nursing students, I remember the instructors telling us it will happen to a number of us in our group.

What I have noticed, though, is that I've become a very good (ie, frequent)consumer of health care. I guess I feel that if I have a problem, then there's probably a pill for it. And rather than just living with the problem, I seek treatment.

As my doctor once told me, "better living through chemistry."

And this thread explains why health insurance is more expensive for health care professionals like us. I have hooked myself up to the ol' EKG, pulse ox, BP, whatever machine is free for me to get at. I refuse to go to the Dr. unless I'm half dead though. In my defense----I'm a guy, we NEVER go to the Doc--grunt, grunt...beat my chest like an ape....:pumpiron: . There are several I work with that seem to have every ailment in the book. Ya never know.

Tom

Specializes in pure and simple psych.
I'm the antihypochondriac. If I have a symptom I pretend I don't. And if I finally admit that I have a symptom I certainly won't admit anything negative it could be associated with. I just think of it as a random annoyance.

This attitude could certainly backfire one day. I've been healthy so far (or so I tell myself...heh).

That's me, too. I'm as healthy as a horse, and refuse to admit to otherwise. Could be related to my mother, who spent years of my childhood dying of weird diseases (a cough was Rocky Mountain Spotted fever, without the spots or the mountains), She's still with us, still "so ill", and near 90.:uhoh3: :uhoh3:

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geri, Ortho, Telemetry, Psych.

Not only am I a hypochondriac, but I think I turned my 15 year old son into one also. Let me explain. I had him when I was 17 and lived at home with my parents. Nursing school at 18. After school all day and work all evening, I didn't have much time to spend with him. So reading him bedtime stories was actually me studying, reading my books out loud to him til he fell asleep. It wasn't exactly "Goodnight Moon", but it sufficed and we had time together. Fast forward 15 years. How often do you hear a healthy teenage boy talking about constipation, blood sugar, irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, brain tumors, high blood pressure, and heart attacks? So I messed up. If any of you students out there are reading Potter and Perry to your children as a bedtime story, please heed my warning. :smackingf

Specializes in ED, ICU, PSYCH, PP, CEN.

When I was in nursing school I experienced signs of every disease we studied, except for diabetes. Nothing on earth could ever separate me from my donuts. I really had trouble with the reproductive portions. Was sure I had cervical/ovarian cancer. Lived through nursing school and have been a nurse for 3.5 years and am healthy as a horse.

In regards to your son I would say you did a damn fine job because at 15 he at least is talking to you. Even if it is about health care. When my kid was 15 he wouldn't talk to me. In fact I was locking my bedroom door at night because I was afraid of him. At 25 he has turned out great and those troubled days are gone. Thank God. So pat yourself on the back for accomplishing two things. A kid that talks to his mom, and a boy/man who will talk about his health instead of mowing the lawn while having a heart attack and refusing to discuss his health. Fortunately that story did have a good outcome.

Specializes in ER.
Not only am I a hypochondriac, but I think I turned my 15 year old son into one also. Let me explain. I had him when I was 17 and lived at home with my parents. Nursing school at 18. After school all day and work all evening, I didn't have much time to spend with him. So reading him bedtime stories was actually me studying, reading my books out loud to him til he fell asleep. It wasn't exactly "Goodnight Moon", but it sufficed and we had time together. Fast forward 15 years. How often do you hear a healthy teenage boy talking about constipation, blood sugar, irritable bowel syndrome, migraines, brain tumors, high blood pressure, and heart attacks? So I messed up. If any of you students out there are reading Potter and Perry to your children as a bedtime story, please heed my warning. :smackingf

That cracks me up because my daughter is 6 and is really interested in everything science. I teach A & P at a local junior college, so she's pretty amazing with her A & P for 6 years old. She's had an intestinal virus for a few days, and was sitting on the toilet with cramping/diarrhea - when she informed me that her spleen hurt...LOL...I nearly fell over - she said she didn't where it was exactly, but she was pretty sure that its what was hurting. Kids just soak up whatever they're exposed to....proceed with caution! lol

Kathy

+ Add a Comment