how many (nursing students) are sick?

LoriAlabamaRN · Feb 22, 2006

I had a rough time in nursing school as well. My third semester I had pneumonia, my final semester I became septic apparently from an untreated UTI and nearly died. Not to mention frequent colds, stomach ulcer with episodic bleeding/vomiting, high BP requiring medication, and severe back pain with sciatica. I think a lot of the problem was that I worked night shift from 11-7, had class 8-2:30, and clinicals 3-11 most weekdays near the end. Stress and sleep deprivation are not a good combination for your immune system OR your bones! Hang in there, take care of yourself as mucch as you can. You'll make it, and it does get better after graduation.

Stdy2BaNurse · Feb 22, 2006

I just responded to another fellow student that has developed a twitchy eye! It's scary what this is doing to us!!! As I told her, I have developed an arrythmia that the doc relates to generalized anxiety...not to mention I have this cold that comes and goes every 2-3 weeks. Then the cold sores don't help either. Nothing compared to the above poster - but still. I see your point. Hopefully all will work out for the best.

Good luck!

cn2007rn · Feb 22, 2006

Yeah, stress/nursing school is definitely affecting my health. My BP is higher then it used to be. I had a panic attack a few months back when school first started, sometimes I feel like I am going to have one, but then force myself to calm down. My weight always seems to be going up also, no time to exercise and eat right. And please no one reply that it's just an excuse:angryfire, it's not an excuse when you are not used to preparing healthly meals and going to the gym. The 2nd semester of nursing school is definitely not the time start a new exercise regimen or weight watchers.

RN and Mommy · Feb 22, 2006

What is the twitchy eye? I have it too:clown:

MMARN, BSN, RN · Feb 22, 2006

I mostly feel dizzy. I guess that's just the "reward" of studying medicine: you pretty much become your own guinea pig. :chuckle :nurse:

tollern · Feb 23, 2006

During school my class was plagued with stomach ulcers, depression, colds that would not go away, and during the last semester strep took over the class room with two of us having scarlet fever with strep rash and rash/blistering palms. Two classmates 20 & 22 y/o were diagnosed with stomach ulcers. It was ridiculous! :eek:

AuntieRN · Feb 23, 2006

I have had the twitching eye since second semester too. I also have had 2-3 colds each semester and bronchitis twice. I used to have nerves of steel. This semester (4th/5) I almost had a nervous breakdown the first week of school and every clinical day I go to in ICU I literally shake and tear up. I am having an awful time with it. ICU makes me a nervous wreck. My blood pressure is also higher than it has ever been and I have a headache almost daily. I have gained about 20 lbs (which really sux since I had lost 40 just before I started) and stressed OMG I can not stand myself half the time much less anyone else. In my class there are a people who have been connected at the hip since we started our prereqs. Most of them no longer speak now that we have started this semester. Gotta love nursing school...:roll .....

NJNursing, ASN, RN · Feb 23, 2006

I've been plagued by a lot of colds but I attribute that to the germs that are probably floating around the college campus and of course the germs in the hospital which make us more susceptible. I'm SOOOO leery now of "shared fomites" like door knobs, elevator buttons, counters, walls, stair railings, etc. Microbiology made me a germaphobe, lol.

This this semester started 6 weeks ago I've already had 2 colds. This time last year I was hospitalized with pneumonia, atalectasis, severe bronchitis and asthma which I will now have every winter from now on. I've had migraine headaches, frequent diarrhea (i know TMI, but it's true), heart palpitations (which turned out to be relatively harmless and stress related PVC's), anxiety, enormous amounts of stress which is affecting my family life, increased sensitivity to allergens and bouts of depression. I just keep telling myself that it'll get better when I graduate and it's really been a LOOOONG greuling road to get there, but I'm 9 weeks away from the end of the semester and the weeks are really flying by this semester. THEN I'll be able to take the time to take care of myself and get on my regular maintenance meds, etc.

crmson_lady · Feb 23, 2006

Add me to this group. I'll give a brief list of problems.

- 30+ lbs since I started nursing school.

- loss of stress thus panic/anxiety attacks in the early semesters

- frequent headaches, even my first few migraines

- lots of GI issues (avoiding the TMI issue)

- hypoglycemic episodes due to inadequately scheduled breaks from classes or no time for proper eating while in clinical or all day experiences

- severe episodes of chest pain that are usually dismissed as only chest wall inflammation or stress-related PVCs on the EKG **these are the most frequent thing now and occurring 1-2 times a week lasting 15-30 mins at a time**

I'm so happy to be graduating in May and hopefully losing some of these problems.

Cowboys_RN, BSN · Feb 23, 2006

I lost weight and lost hair in handfuls my first quarter. My second quarter I gained the weight back and my hair stopped falling out as much but I started getting chest pain almost daily. My doctor did an EKG and said it was just from the stress, I haven't had the pain once since then. I get a headache every day after clinical, it's probably from dehydration and lack of sleep. Every night before clinical I wake up about 10 times thinking I'm late and have to check my alarm. I've never been late but it still happens every single night.

Maisie · Feb 24, 2006

Wow. It is amazing. I guess I'm not alone. I think this may be my last semester. I may take a break and really rethink my career choice. Walmart is starting to look better and I have met so many ex-nurses that I'm starting to think that this career offers many benefits, but some of us pay with our health.