Is nursing killing me :/?

[pheonixRN]

Graduated 2 years ago, I am an "older nurse" lol at age 32. I have been working on a busy M/S unit since I graduated. I try to stay active when not at work, although my work should count as 10 days worth of cardio. Started getting strange palpitations about 6 months ago. I drink a lot of coffee, so I figure caffeine and go on about my busy life and they got worse, so I made an appt. with the cardiologist who put me on an event monitor for 2 weeks, and I still haven't heard about that, but he had me do a stress echo and during the exam the girl had the monitor where I couldn't see it and she kept saying "are you okay? Are you having chest pains? lol... I say "Should I be???" lol. She says, you sure are throwing off a LOT of PVCs.... Errrrr. Figures. Then she says (and forgive me but I am pretty sure this is the last thing a health care professional should ever do) well usually we don't see PVCs during the stress test unless there is a blockage somewhere but he will let you know when he sees you in two weeks. WTH girl?? I was annoyed but went on my way....

Shift nurses, how is your health? What do you do to stay healthy? Do you lay off the caffeine? I am stressed as we all are but at my age, and my wnl bp, the last thing I was expecting at my age is issues with the ticker.

[NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN]

I get pretty bad left knee pain sometimes, and lower back pain. I really love my job, but I know I won't be able to do it forever. Which makes me sad, because I don't know what else would make me this happy.

[martymoose, BSN, RN]

Yes the stress is probably not helping. I worked with someone in a similar situation;she had to go find other work and suffered a loss in pay.

I know , I was on vaca for 9 days. About day 3 I started to realize what "normal" feels like. I became calm,easygoing, actually happy. Well, now that I am back, I notice that's all gone out the window.

As someone else said,is not having a job any better? Its a tough thing, to decide if your well-being is worth a crappy job. I figure if I croak from it, at least I won't care anymore:sarcastic:

Maybe they'll be able to put you on meds to control the palps. I wish I could be put on meds to tolerate the job:roflmao:

[Savvy20RN, BSN, RN]

I girl I used to work with had palpitations while working on our med surg floor. She went to the ED and had an EKG done that night and her results were abnormal. A few weeks later she quit and started working in PACU. She loves her job and the palpitations went away.

I also left my job on the floor due to increasing medical conditions (as well as other factors. i.e management). I would wake up feeling sick to my stomach. I popped antacids like candy. I gained almost 20 pounds while working nights because my eating schedule was off. I had lower back pain before I started the job and walking the floor, pulling patients up in the bed, etc only made it worse. I was anxious all of the time. My heart rate would stay in the 90s-100s during my entire shift. My bladder is still recovering from only taking one bathroom break a shift. I even had high blood pressure. I thought about getting on anxiety and depression meds at one point. I knew then that I had to leave.

Since leaving that job I feel better. I have more energy. I couldn't be happier. :)

[generalRN2008]

We all get health issues. Nursing does take a toll on your health. But eat healthy and work out on your days off. Try meditation

[Emergent, RN]

If 32 is an "older nurse", I must be considered an 'ancient dinosaur nurse'.

As far as your PVCs, I hope you are getting a full work up, thyroid panel, the works. I've been reading up on adrenal fatigue lately. Stress is a huge factor in that. Look into dietary factors. Do research, you have the internet at your fingers! Look up bromates and how they wreck havoc on our health. The food industry, the chemical manufacturers, they just want your money, they don't care about your health.

[mclennan, BSN, RN]

It's not just floor nursing that takes it's toll.

For a year I worked in an INSANELY busy, understaffed primary care clinic connected to a big Magnet hospital. While I was there they were also getting surveyed by the Joint Commission. Volume was high, politics were thick, the work was hard and management was atrocious. I was in my mid 30s and during that year I developed chronic UTIs (always holding pee, not allowed water at the stations, thanks JC!) which then turned into kidney stones I for which I had to have surgery. Out for a month. Then I threw out my back lifting a patient out of a wheelchair. Out for a month with that. Then I developed high BP and went on meds. I also gained 30 lbs. because I was so exhausted at the end of my days I would eat, then drink 2 or 3 glasses of wine, then collapse into bed when I got home, every night. My knees got arthritic and I often had chest pains. I had NEVER been so unhealthy. Or so rich......the money was amazing.

I was assaulted by a patient and my manager did nothing about it. That was the day I quit. Since then I work a (mostly) desk job now the last few years, I'm a lot better. I don't drink like I once did, I got a dog I walk twice a day, take supplements, I sleep better and went vegetarian. I still have a left kidney full of kitty litter, still overweight, and on BP meds, but feel less depressed and stressed. I make less money but I don't care. No job is worth your health. I'm not even 40 yet and feel like I've been through the meat grinder.

[Blue Roses]

Oh my gosh I had PVCs like crazy at my last job. I'm not even sure if they were PVCs really or what they were because they were never able to catch them in the act on EKG. My heart would just be pumping along and suddenly I'd feel a weird fluttering and I'd get lightheaded and then HUGE THUMP and it'd start beating normally again. It was related to extreme stress and fatigue. After I left that job they stopped and I've barely had any since. Is your job a weird shift? I worked 12 hour night shifts at the time and I never slept. And I was very young, only early twenties.

[nynursey_]

I feel the exact same way. I just found out this week that I have shingles. SHINGLES. I'm 29.

Nursing has also slowly eaten away at my ability to have quality sleep and recover from illness. Unreal.

[BluegrassRN]

I left the floor for a while for an administrative position. Went from walking 12k plus steps a day to barely clearing 3K. My stress level was through the roof.

Went back to to the floor. Lost 5 pounds, have more energy, and am happier than I've been in a while.

anything can cause stress. Any job. You don't always have a lot of control over your job, but you control what you do about it. Regular exercise, meditation, healthy eating habits, a schedule that breaks up your work days (or if you prefer more time off, chunks them together), changing jobs, medication, therapy, changing your lifestyle outside of work (developing healthy habits and hobbies that bring you joy and lower your stress levels), all these positive activities are within your power.