So my job stress finally put me in the ER

OnlybyHisgraceRN, ASN, RN · Dec 7, 2012

I hope you feel better. The same thing has happened to me. I had a strong plueric chest pain on inspiration. I'm thinking I had pericarditis. I was also very panicky. After three days of this my husband dragged me into the ER ( I HATE going to the ER by the way). I got a work up done and it all was negative the only thing was that my B/P was high but most likely due to stress.

I got a note to take off for a week, and came back to work refreshed. However, my sx started again. At that point, I resigned. I'm much more happier now.Maybe you need a different area of nursing.

Take care of you first. Get better soon!

Guttercat, ASN, RN · Dec 7, 2012

197/102 is high even for stress related hypertension, at your age (assuming you do not have the regular risk factors such as diabetes, familial history of HTN, or obesity). And you're not slamming the energy drinks, I hope...?

While I do not know the course of your assessment and tx, at face value it "sounds" as if you may have been dismissed as yet another "stressed out female" and sent home with advisement to try yoga or a facial.

I do hope you invest in monitoring and tracking your BP's, regardless.

Good luck.

MomRN0913 · Dec 8, 2012

I am not obese and in rather good shape. I used to work out a lot. It not since this job, I try to kickbox once a week to relieve the stress, but I haven't had a chance to go in a few weeks. I was supposed to take off 2 days but only took the day off I went to the er because there is no one at work, as soon as I got back they slammed me. I was a manager and it wasn't for me because I was sick of everything being an issue and being called constantly when I left work. Well, I have the same thing now, only I make 25k less a year. Tonight my boss has been calling me trying to solve an issue way after hours when I already worked late and poor daughter is crying on the couch for a bellyache. I'm done.I'm supposed to follow up at my primary these past 2 days, but when??????I would have quit on the spot today if I didn't have a child to support. I Might still.I used to take Xanax on a PRN sleep basis, now I take it everyday. I fall asleep early on my couch and wake up in the middle of the night worried about work.This is the worst way to live

allnurses Guide · Dec 8, 2012

Hope you feel better soon, MomRN. Our bodies do have a way of whoopin' us upside the head when we ignore the promptings of our thoughts. It's totally inappropriate for your boss to be taking up your personal time with non-urgent work issues. My advice of the past may have been to try a lower stress environment but I do understand that isn't always possible in today's employment market. I did that during a time in my life when the combined stress from work and job issues caused continual disruptions in my sleep and eating habits. Now I'm kind of tuned in to the fact that my body manifests overload in unconscious tension in my jaws. Glad you shared though, because that means you are aware of the direction things are heading and can take steps to modify it.

Guttercat, ASN, RN · Dec 8, 2012

Going to bed (or your couch) constantly worrying about work, and doping yourself to sleep because of anxiety about work... is a sure sign it's time for a change.

DSkelton711 · Dec 9, 2012

I hope you can find another job or position with less stress, but allows you to make a decent living taking care of your child. I feel sometimes that my job is slowly killing me. You're right--this is no way to live.

Genista, BSN, RN · Dec 9, 2012

Take care of yourself. Maybe this is a good opportunity to reevaluate your job situation. I find nursing very stressful, too. No job is worth that kind of toll. I hope you can find your way to a less stressful place.

MomRN0913 · Dec 9, 2012

Thanks all, I am working very hard on getting another job. I'm in the running for a low stress work from home position. I've wanted it for 2 years. They are interviewing but have no current open positions, but in a few months they should.I doubt I am going to make it a few months. That being said, and please don't laugh. Can you get disability for stress leave? If its taking a true toll on your health?I'm desperate to not have another day as you can see. I also suffer panic attacks related the the job Not to mention the BP issues.I'm desperately going out on a limb here

sharonp30 · Dec 10, 2012

You probably could get disability, but it wouldn't be enough to support you and your child.

Sadala, ADN, RN · Dec 15, 2012

As a very thin 30 yr old who both ate well and exercised, I developed hypertension. Prior to that, my bp always ran between 95-105 over 60-65. Many times, people would retake it, thinking it couldn't possibly be that low, but I had both a low bp and low resting HR. For me, it's familial on one side of my family. I actually first had more issues with my diastolic than with my systolic, but now both are high without medication. That said, my bp has been very well controlled for some time with an ARB/thiazide.

After I had my son, I developed chronic macrocytic anemia. I became increasingly tachy. So now I take a beta blocker as well. Since I began nursing school, I have noticed that my bp is suddenly more volatile, so now I have to watch it much more closely.

Point is, chronic hypertension is not the sole provence of people who are overweight, or who have high cholesterol, etc. (my cholesterol is very good). Sometimes there are genetic factors and/or other factors as well. And it can be made worse via stress (not that it ever stops me from doing things that stress me out, hmmm...)

Sadala, ADN, RN · Dec 15, 2012

Thanks all, I am working very hard on getting another job. I'm in the running for a low stress work from home position. I've wanted it for 2 years. They are interviewing but have no current open positions, but in a few months they should.I doubt I am going to make it a few months. That being said, and please don't laugh. Can you get disability for stress leave? If its taking a true toll on your health?I'm desperate to not have another day as you can see. I also suffer panic attacks related the the job Not to mention the BP issues.I'm desperately going out on a limb here

If you have short term disability insurance and you are having health issues that necessitate a short-term leave, you may be able to use that insurance. But federal disability requires - or at least when I was in social work it did - quite a long process time and it's not really appropriate to shorter term situations. Should you lose your job though, you and your child might be eligible for some income assistance, but I'm not well versed on what's available anymore. Also, it varies by state.

Also, if you need unpaid leave for a short time but also need to preserve your current job position, you could look into FMLA in order to accomplish that. It's been so long since I was in social work that I can't remember the particulars of these things any longer, but you could google them.