So my job stress finally put me in the ER

[MomRN0913]

Well, mostly job stress. Work has been so busy with so much pressure, I've been working 24/7, have lots of crap going on at home.Well, yesterday I woke up extra early as usual to chart before work, was fine, then all of a sudden I felt dizzy, sweaty, started having palpitations and my hands went numb. I had a root canal the night before so I didn't eat much so I had some OJ figuring it was my BP. In my 10 min drive to work, my hands could barely hold the wheel, everything was woozy and my heart was pounding out of my chest. I kept trying to will it away...Walked into work and they insisted I take my BP which is usually a perfect 115/70. Well, they hooked up a telemo itor and it was 197/102! They I sits I go to the ER, the chaplain drove with me and stayed wi me for a while. At the er it came down to 158/99. Tachy at 115. After blood work, ekg's and a CT of the head everything came back clean. I left with a BP of 138/88 which is still hi for me.Did I mention I am a fairly healthy 32 year old!?I was basically told I need to do something about my stress. I'm praying for another job before I stroke out:)

[MrChicagoRN, RN]

MomRN, I hope you are feeling better. We all have our personal "canary in the mine" that warns us to do something for ourselves. Looking for a new job, exercise, limiting your work hours, are all reasonable steps. You may have STD disability coverage through work, but it's likely is 50-70% of your base pay, and your MD has to make a diagnosis & determine you are not fit for duty. Even without disability, your doctor is able to order you can work only 40 hours per week, or 8.5 hours per day, or whatever.

[Blue Roses]

I'm going through the same thing. I've been having heart palpitations and extreme depression for the past 3 or 4 months or so because of my nursing job. Its gotten to the point of me fainting pretty often. I have a doctors appointment on friday so hopefully I can stay out of the ER until then but I don't know

[MomRN0913]

Thanks for checking in. I'm surviving right now although still with panic attacks, waking up in the middle of the nit worrying about something I might have missed or the insanity I have planned for the next day.Work still follows me home, getting calls from frantic patient families as I'm stepping out of the shower on the weekend, working before and after work. The ant-!depressants haven't done much. I cry a little less I guess.I did go to my boss after working 8 days straight that I needed to take a week ASAP. So, next week I have off. The sad thing is I will have paperwork to carry over in to my "staycation

[MomRN0913]

....... Ooops, hit send too soon.I have a follow up doctors appt next week. A month too late. Luckily, I've had no more episodes like the one that sent me to the hospital.All that keeps me going right now is that I am in the running for my dream job that will alleviate a vast amount of stress for me. I made it through a bunch of stages, just one more to go, but they aren't hiring quite yet and when they are, I will have the onside interview and hopefully get the job. It's a stay at home position. All computers. Don't even have to talk to anyone. I have 2 friends who have been doing it for 2 years an they love it. As much as I love caring for people, I really need to be taking care of me and my daughter first and forememost

[DSkelton711]

I have normal to normal-low BP, but will spike to as high as 220/117 with a headache and visual disturbances once in awhile. I go lay down in a quiet place for about 20 minutes and it normalizes. I doubt you can get disability for your symptoms. Nursing is inherently stressful.