Personal issues while a student?

Nurses Disabilities

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I need advice, I'm not sure if I am in the right area for this. I just started my second year in nursing for my RN

I made it to second year, and I'm proud of myself for it. But there's been a huge issue going on with me and it's starting to show. I'm bipolar, legitimately. Diagnosed, been in the psych unit more than once. Ironically I'm in mental health in school (our clinical rotation) . The depressive part is starting to come back and get out of control. It makes it hard to study and function... so I'm not doing as well as I'd like to in school. I've been on medication for a long time on antipsychotics that knock me the heck out - I'm on a dose of Seroquel at 600mg -I'm a small almost underweight girl on 600. Without this med I'll stay awake until I take it...

Well- I ran out of another medication I need to take, but couldn't get it re-filled because I need to see an MD, and ours left so I had to wait until the next available opening to see someone else and my other Dr. didn't leave me a back up prescription before she left so I had to wait until Monday (yesterday) to get it filled. Without that one, the withdrawal is terrible and I can't focus on anything. I had a clinical Friday and my instructor gave us an enormous mean ENORMOUS amount of homework to the point I feel like saying to her "I'm just a person not a super human". My family is out of town and so I had to take up my moms job and watch this old lady my mom helps take care of, I had an all day Microbiology class Saturday at another school, then had to work my other job. There was no way I was going to get all that stuff done, if you all could see how much it was you'd understand, believe me (I'm sure a lot of you understand) , plus the beginning of withdrawal on my other medication so I was working WAY slower than usual, felt like crap

HOW is this about to get me kicked out of school? Well, I need to get at least 7 hours of sleep on the antipsychotic medication. So, in order to get all my stuff done, I decided to try and not take it... and stay up for 24 hours...to do my work... It backfired. I felt horrible, and I had a seizure (also on lamictal for bipolar I). Again on Seroquel I need at least 7 hours of sleep to wake up in the morning, I've had conversations with people when they wake me up in the AM and talk to me and I have NO memory of our conversation. Earlier this year when they upped my dose to 600, I woke up and turned my alarm clock off among other things and slept through class and clinical with hardly any memory of what I did, and got in trouble, I was put on progress alert... This semester I've missed 2 clinical days (not class days), and that is the max you can miss before getting kicked out. The first time I was sick (which was true), the second time I was late because I got lost on the way to my new clinical site so they sent me home... Today, especially because I stayed up so long the night before (and missed class Monday) I woke up with my alarm clock in my bed with me... I know what happened, I turned it off... no memory of that at all, none. I missed a QUIZ today - a QUIZ! I don't know what to tell my instructor. I'm afraid they'll think badly of me. My question is- do I tell them straight up I'm bipolar and have been having a really hard time? That I was off one of my medications? Can they discriminate even though it's illegal? Some things are beyond my control, though not taking the Seroquel wasn't. I really truly feel like what they gave me during the weekend (and it varied student to student) was unrealistic.... but at the same time I was really messed up. How do they handle things like these?

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

They cannot assist you with your disability unless you disclose that you need help and accommodations. Your school should have a disabilities resource office that you can consult with for assistance

First of all, holy cow, do you have a lot on your plate. I would explain all of this to your professors and come clean. If they think less of you, they are terrible people, but you would think a nursing instructor would be able to summon a degree of compassion for someone with an illness. Keep in mind that most people have some form of mental illness at some point, so you are probably not the first student going through this. Keep your documentation once you get your meds straightened out, just in case this comes into question. Also, like you said, some of this is under your explicit control, and regardless of your diagnosis, you are still responsible for it. Speaking up about a hardship is your responsibility, so not saying anything and suffering the consequences isn't discrimination. Your family issues don't help, does your mom know what you are going through? You should be able to say 'no' to taking on her job and going to school and dealing with bipolar problems.

I wish you luck and hope you get this all figured out. Take care of yourself!

If your school has a counseling service, you need to go there ASAP. They will have the resources and tools to help guide you to receiving the proper attention you need to stay healthy.

Inform you professors ASAP. They will work with you if you are honest and up front with them from the beginning. Try keep a paper trail of counseling appointments, medical appointments, prescription refills, and email chains between you and the professors. Hopefully you'll never have to be in a position in which you need to prove you are sick, but you always have to CYA.

Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.
They cannot assist you with your disability unless you disclose that you need help and accommodations. Your school should have a disabilities resource office that you can consult with for assistance

I agree with this 100%. At our school, you cannot claim a disability or illness prevented you from succeeding in class unless you disclose it upfront to the resource office. They have a counselor who works hand-in-hand with the instructors, so necessary accommodations can be made, depending on your individual circumstances. Go to your school's resource or disability office ASAP and see what can be done. Usually, you have to provide documented proof of your condition (which you should easily be able to obtain).

I'm sorry you're feeling overwhelmed right now. ((((HUGS)))) to you! Hang in there :)

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.

You need to discuss this with your instructors/director and counseling services. You need assistance and they can get you what you need. If you don't tell them they can't help you.I

I am going to move this to the disability forum we have several members there who can help you.

Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

WOW do you have a lot on your plate. I honestly don't know how you're dealing with all of this without getting really sick, but if you don't start taking better care of yourself, you will.

As a fellow bipolar 1 sufferer, I normally don't recommend disclosing that information to anyone outside your circle of family and friends, but in your case, you MUST tell your school counselor and your instructors about your BP if you intend to finish nursing school. It would probably be better for you to drop out and re-enter at a later date when you are more stable; and speaking of stability, you also need to ensure that you have adequate amounts of medications as well.

That means being proactive and working with your doctors to make sure you have refills available. Withdrawals are terrible, and as you know, skipping meds is apt to de-stabilize you. Plus they're likely to lose their effectiveness if you stop taking them and then restart them. I'm on a couple of antipsychotics myself plus a few other BP meds, and if I forget to take them, I don't sleep.....and when I don't sleep, things get weird in a hurry.

With all you have going, you can't afford to miss even a single day of medication. But meds are only part of the picture; you also need to make time to see a therapist or counselor, if you have one. If you don't, perhaps your school has someone you can talk to. You are going through a program which is extremely stressful even for "earth people"; it's even more so for us!

Please talk to your advisor and faculty members about your bipolar and the difficulties you've been having. Yes, you are still responsible for your learning, and you still have to abide by the schedule and do the work you've been assigned. But your instructors can't help you if they don't know WHY you're struggling so badly.

Wishing you the very best. :yes:

Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
WOW do you have a lot on your plate. I honestly don't know how you're dealing with all of this without getting really sick, but if you don't start taking better care of yourself, you will.

As a fellow bipolar 1 sufferer, I normally don't recommend disclosing that information to anyone outside your circle of family and friends, but in your case, you MUST tell your school counselor and your instructors about your BP if you intend to finish nursing school. It would probably be better for you to drop out and re-enter at a later date when you are more stable; and speaking of stability, you also need to ensure that you have adequate amounts of medications as well.

That means being proactive and working with your doctors to make sure you have refills available. Withdrawals are terrible, and as you know, skipping meds is apt to de-stabilize you. Plus they're likely to lose their effectiveness if you stop taking them and then restart them. I'm on a couple of antipsychotics myself plus a few other BP meds, and if I forget to take them, I don't sleep.....and when I don't sleep, things get weird in a hurry.

With all you have going, you can't afford to miss even a single day of medication. But meds are only part of the picture; you also need to make time to see a therapist or counselor, if you have one. If you don't, perhaps your school has someone you can talk to. You are going through a program which is extremely stressful even for "earth people"; it's even more so for us!

Please talk to your advisor and faculty members about your bipolar and the difficulties you've been having. Yes, you are still responsible for your learning, and you still have to abide by the schedule and do the work you've been assigned. But your instructors can't help you if they don't know WHY you're struggling so badly.

Wishing you the very best. :yes:

I KNEW you'd help...xo

I don't have any advice to give. Just wanted to wish you the best in your situation and let you know that you're not alone. I too have a few medical issues that I pray won't get the best of me while I'm in school.

Hopefully your program counselor is a good person and is understanding. Again, wishing you the best!

Hope it all works out. Be sure to post an update!

Physical or mental...one way or another...future "wound" nurse.

Specializes in Psych, Corrections, Med-Surg, Ambulatory.

You have a lot on your plate for any student, never mind coping with a medical issue. I really think for you to succeed at nursing school (and being a nurse) managing your condition needs to be your top priority. If there's any way to dump your job, that would help. No impromptu favours for your mother, or anyone else. You just aren't in a position to take on any more.

You need to plan way into the future for maintaining your med supply; doctors do leave and can leave you in the lurch. Getting adequate rest is paramount. Most people can do anything; they just can't always do everything. You can succeed at being a nurse; one important thing we all have to learn is to take care of ourselves first.

Blessings.

Sorry this is happening. It sounds like you need your mess before you can address your schoolwork effectively. Could you visit an ER or walk in clinic?

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