how many (nursing students) are sick?

mandaleigh · Feb 24, 2006

OHMYGOSH!! I thought I was the only one!!! Especially the eye twitching..that is DEFINITELY stress!! I haven't had anything else except nearly passing out at clinicals last week because I was doing homework until 11 the night before, (forgot supper, I NEVER do that), went to the hospital at 6:30 without anything but coffee........DUHHHHH. Can you say low blood sugar??? My instructor and the nurses on duty were VERY nice about it, one got me a banana and some orange juice. 10 minutes later, I was fine. My biggest problem is hypchondria!!!!!

StudentC · Feb 24, 2006

I knew I wasn't alone, but.... Suddenly I feel somewhat better about the tolls nursing school has been taking on my health since they don't seem nearly as bad as others mentioned.

My biggest problem (other than severe sleep deprivation and all the impaired immune system issues that go with that - hence more colds, etc.) is nausea. I am not an easily nauseous person by nature. In fact, I think the last time I felt nauseous before I started nursing school was when I had my wisdom teeth pulled some years back. Ever since they started us on 8 hour shifts, double the paperwork, and more acute care enviroments this semester, I suffer these bouts of nausea. The first time I felt nauseous for an entire weekend, I figured it had to be the flu, something I ate, or something else. When the symptoms returned the following few weeks around clinicals - I made the connection. I still haven't figured out how to ease the problem, since sleep, good eating, and less stress aren't going to be options until I graduate. If anyone has ideas that don't include stealing from the hospitals antinausea/emetic supply...

Nursing school has also taught me that sleeping more than two hours a night isn't really necessary - if you don't mind microsleeping while you drive! It's sad that we're expected to complete all the things necessary for our patients care and promote the idea of healthy habits - sometimes at the expense of our own!

MIA-RN1, RN · Feb 24, 2006

Nausea--Ginger is a great help. Sip some gingerale (not sugar free cause the sugar helps too) Buy some ginger tea, ginger snaps...I also like peppermint but that makes it worse for some people.

You can go the old fashioned route and buy some coke syrup from the pharmacist. I would have a teaspoon over crushed ice when my IBS was at its worst and it really helped.

I have stress too. I get neck spasms, B/P is getting a bit weird....Somatic complaints. I get weird aches and pains that I know are r/t school.

I feel better than most tho. I attribute it to ZOLOFT.

had an interesting conversation w/ an NP who did my pre-employment physical yesterday. We were talking about stress and she said that long-term, chronic stress (like school. I also have a husband w/ cancer to worry about), the exposure to that type of stress leads to a decrease in serotonin and basically once you're out, you;re out. And thats when you see the anxiety/depression symptoms set in. Not just mental but physical too such as stomach upset, headache, dizzyness, etc etc etc. I don't mean to write a commercial but SSRI's can be and are helpful. I can't imagine life without zoloft. And she said in most cases, like school, once the stress is gone (school and NCLEX over with) many people can taper off the zoloft. Me, I'll stay on it cause I have other stuff to deal with.

But its worth looking into.

BoonersmomRN · Feb 24, 2006

I wouldn't say I've gotten sick per say but I can say that I feel exhausted all the time now. My eating + sleeping habits haven't changed ( yet lol) but when I get home most days I NEED a nap and I never needed one before....had bloodwork done and it all came back norm. Wed's lecture was 4 hours and by the 3rd hour I literally had to keep kicking myself to stay awake.

Multicollinearity, BSN, RN · Feb 24, 2006

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Kim O'Therapy, BSN, RN · Feb 24, 2006

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

I haven't started clinicals yet, but have had a reoccurring twitchy eye for years now. I can feel my eyelid move and actually watch it in the mirror. It scared me at first, then I did some research on the internet. It seems this can be a normal condition that will resolve itself; however, don't hesitate to go to the doctor to make sure.

Kim O'Therapy, BSN, RN · Feb 24, 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!

Don't feel bad. I had to have a total abdominal hysterectomy and oopherectomy a little over a year ago. I went through some depression and anxiety afterwards, resulting in a RX for depression. I went to my doctor a few weeks ago and told her that I was feeling alot better now that I've healed and my hormones are regulated with HRT, so I wanted to discontinue my antidepressent medication. She replied, "Didn't you tell me you'll be starting nursing school clinicals soon?" I said, "Yes." She replied, "Why don't you go ahead and stay on the antidepressent then? I really think you'll need it." :eek: I guess I'll follow that advice!

DecafMom · Feb 24, 2006

I lost weight my first clinical year. While it was weight I could afford to lose, it just came off all on its own due to stress. This year I have not had that problem and my weight is up about 9 pounds from this time last year! LOL

JenNJFLCA · Feb 24, 2006

I gained all the weight I had lost before nsg school back, this semester have developed cold sores and GI problems, and I always have a HA. Right now I am just plain exhausted. I'll graduate in May and it can't some soon enough..... :uhoh3:

mariedoreen · Feb 25, 2006

Oh my gosh what are we doing to ourselves? Here's my list...

1. Gained 20 pounds

2. Increased blood pressure

3. Developed palpitations

4. Far more frequent migraines

5. Began grinding my teeth in my sleep and had to get a mouth guard

6. Episodes of Depression

7. Lots of GI problems

8. The weird eye tick everyone's talking about

I'm only 3 months away from graduation I keep telling myself... and yet it feels like I'm dragging myself over hot coals to get from one day to the next anymore!

I should've been a CPA :rolleyes:

carolinapooh, BSN, RN · Feb 25, 2006

New experience for me today - SEVERE vertigo from what turned out to be an inner ear infection....never in my life have I had an INNER ear infection, all kinds of middle ear infections. I noticed my ear felt weird last night, and I was nauseated....then this morning I turned around to go into my bathroom and just felt my legs go out from under me, and I didn't feel "right".

I made it to a CVS Minute Clinic (quicker than the doctor!) and ta-da! Inner ear infection. Here's your decongestant, here's your antibiotic.

I'm still feeling a bit dizzy now. I've never had vertigo before; it was really scary for me - I was home by myself and didn't really know what to do because I was a little afraid of driving.

Bonus was she gave me the tetorifice shot I'll need for school (mine expires in May), so I killed two birds with one stone!

Sorry -just had to share my unnerving experience. If anyone else had said, "Oh, my ear feels weird," and then complained of being dizzy, I would have figured out "ear infection" - never thought of it for me!

AgentR · Feb 25, 2006

Hmm...gained 10 lbs the first year. Flu. Viruses all the time. Chronic sinusitis. Upper respiratory tract infections. Eczema.

Yup. Stress will get you every time. I'm hoping my health improves after graduation.