DX with Fibromyalgia - concern about going forward with nursing.

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

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Hi,

I was DX with Fibromyalgia about a month ago. (Before y'all worry about it...I don't take narcotics and I deal with the pain by way of diet and exercise :). I know FM can be controversial. )

Anyway, I am continuing school this fall and now I'm wondering if nursing will be possible with the pain, exhaustion and cognitive "fog" that goes along with this. There are some nights when I have to prop my arms on pillows to keep them from hurting from the pressure of the bed. At times, it is difficult to raise an aerosol spray can. Right now, I'm working in housekeeping at the college I'm attending and the job is intensely physically demanding. I suppose my fear is that I'll get through nursing and find that I can't do it.

Does anyone else out there have Fibromyalgia? Are there any working nurses out there with it.

I'm really not that interested in anything else as a career. This decision is excruciating.

Thanks!

Shanna

and she manages quite well with a full time job and she's trying to get her Master's at the same time. I'm sure everyone is different and you will truly need to evaluate it for yourself but I'm sure you could do it by taking it slow when you need to. As far as once you graduate, I'm sure there are less-physically demanding nursing jobs you can pursue.

Looking forward to hearing what others have to say but I think you should go for it, even if you have to plug away at it and see how it goes!!

~ Karen

and she manages quite well with a full time job and she's trying to get her Master's at the same time. I'm sure everyone is different and you will truly need to evaluate it for yourself but I'm sure you could do it by taking it slow when you need to. As far as once you graduate, I'm sure there are less-physically demanding nursing jobs you can pursue.

Looking forward to hearing what others have to say but I think you should go for it, even if you have to plug away at it and see how it goes!!

~ Karen

Thank you, Karen. I hope there are others who can give me a little insight as well. It's true that it varies from person to person.

My mom has Fibromyalgia and she works full time with kids as an LCSW. Some days are harder than others, but I think that it's definitely possible. Go for it! There are so many area's of nursing that you can get into with varying degree's of physical activity. You can do it :)

Keely

i have fm and i can vary from really bad days to so so days...i take vit b and every otc pain reliever i can think of...you can really know the difference when you slack off

get something so that you can sleep w/o waking up feeling drugged..see if you can get into a sleep clinic..i havn't tried that but a friend said that she went throught it and they helped her to get enough quality sleep that she feels better

and sometimes when you really have to work the inner you kicks in and you can rouse yourself to finish the day

but at this point judge for yourself if you can manage nursing and fm at the same time

there are several tx ... had a people tell me that it improved with this or that tx or with age but i never met anyone who really told me that they improved up to 100%

I was diagnosed in 1985 with fibromylagia, since than I have had a child, worked as a waittress/bartender, worked for a farmer hauling grain, doing field work, climbing grain bins, shoveling grain, etc, also worked in a meat locker. I also live on a farm and have horses and have to regularly clean out stalls, by hand. I am 42 years old , going to nursing school. . As far as the cognitive fog, I am having no problems with that.Grade point of 3.89. I too am like you and no medications, etc. My family Dr. suggested therapy once and I never took it, figure I get enough. Have not seen a Dr. for it since I was diagnosed. I think you will be fine. You know your limitations. I figure I am gonna hurt no matter what I do. I learned do deal with the pain after sitting around for 5 months and hurting just as bad. Good luck to you and your endeavor and I say go for it. I plan on going on for my BSN when I am done as I figure if it gets to unbearable working as a nurse as I get older I can always resort to teaching.

Thank you all so much. I appreciate your input.

The pain doesn't bother me nearly as much as I worry about the fog, but I managed to get good grades before I was diagnosed, so I don't know that it will make much difference now. I do agree that sitting around makes it much worse! I prefer to be up and moving and doing something as opposed to doing nothing.

:)

I have never posted before. I am normally content with just reading everyone elses posts, but when I read yours I just had to reply.

This is what I think:

As many have said, the degree of pain is different for everyone. But if you have, even ONCE, said to yourself "I think I COULD manage my health, school, the pain etc. then you should atleast try. Then if you find that it's too much for you and you just can't continue - you won't kick yourself (for lack of a better word) for not atleast TRYING to pursue your dream. You'll never have to utter the words I WONDER...or WHAT IF...

Good Luck in whatever choice you make!! :rotfl:

i have never posted before. i am normally content with just reading everyone elses posts, but when i read yours i just had to reply.

this is what i think:

as many have said, the degree of pain is different for everyone. but if you have, even once, said to yourself "i think i could manage my health, school, the pain etc. then you should atleast try. then if you find that it's too much for you and you just can't continue - you won't kick yourself (for lack of a better word) for not atleast trying to pursue your dream. you'll never have to utter the words i wonder...or what if...

good luck in whatever choice you make!! :rotfl:

you ain't gonna sneak past me without a :

welcome to allnurses !

carry on :)

z

Thank you for your reply! I appreciate the input...and you have a very, very good point.

I'm glad you decided to post! Welcome! :)

Shanna

Hi,

I was DX with Fibromyalgia about a month ago. (Before y'all worry about it...I don't take narcotics and I deal with the pain by way of diet and exercise :). I know FM can be controversial. )

Anyway, I am continuing school this fall and now I'm wondering if nursing will be possible with the pain, exhaustion and cognitive "fog" that goes along with this. There are some nights when I have to prop my arms on pillows to keep them from hurting from the pressure of the bed. At times, it is difficult to raise an aerosol spray can. Right now, I'm working in housekeeping at the college I'm attending and the job is intensely physically demanding. I suppose my fear is that I'll get through nursing and find that I can't do it.

Does anyone else out there have Fibromyalgia? Are there any working nurses out there with it.

I'm really not that interested in anything else as a career. This decision is excruciating.

Thanks!

Shanna

I have FM and got sick at first w/ CFS during my first try at nursing school. I left school back then not for my health but because I wasn't ready, too young etc. I am a year into the two year program now, and NOTHING will stop me.

Anyway, FM is something that we have to live with. They key word is LIVE.

Brain fog sucks---but my experience is IT GETS BETTER and the more you work your brain, the better you do with it.

Pain is a real entity. My solution---8 hour tylenol. Also, walking, no naps (thats a hard one but it works) and a low-carb diet makes a big difference, and zoloft for the tummy issues. OK OK, TMI ;)

I was 'officially' dx'd w/ FM almost 4 years ago--I say officially because it took forever for Dr. to send me to rheumy to get dx. Symptoms since about 1991!!!!!!!! I took nortriptaline for about 6 weeks at bedtime, just started to feel better when hubby dx'd w/ cancer and all bets were off. I stopped the pamelor because it was to help me sleep and quite simply, I needed to be up at night for a while.

ANYWAY

YES you can do this. If this is your dream, if this is your interest and the only thing that you want to do, why would you consider not doing it?

BTW, I did NOT tell the school I have FM. I did NOT tell my new employer I have FM either. No reason except its not a reportable illness to my knowledge, and its not their business. I have FM but it doesn't have me.

Like the commercial says "Just Do It"

Welcome to Allnurses!!

I, too, was dx w/ FM about a month ago - tho I have long suspected that I have had it. I will be seeing a specialist in a few weeks to help me manage this syndrome, tho have already taken steps on my own - since I have been in school for the past few years. (diet, excercise, sleep, etc.)

I have had to learn to learn in new manners (from the first time I was in college) but grades are overall much better and I'm enjoying school in a way I never thought was possible.

Good luck.

SJ

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