marie39

I feel your pain. I have suffered from panic disorder for years. It has gotten worse over the past few months for me. I've tried different SSRIs and they all caused more anxiety. I guess I just have to keep trying other meds. I find it extremely difficult to work as a nurse when I am feeling this way. I am scared that my patients or colleagues will notice. I'm also scared that anything stressful at work will set off a panic attack. My advice would be to talk to your GP or therapist about a treatment plan. I am going to do that myself. Hugs

Thanks, it does help to know I'm not alone! I still have to decide what to do about my job...going to talk with my manager and employee health. I'm not sure if I should transfer to a different unit or not? Not sure what type of unit would be less exhausting?? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Will keep you up to date!

Well I just did my first six months of nursing on a surgical floor, 12 hour shifts...but on the third day in a row of 12's I fainted from exhaustion and bashed my head on the floor!!! Now I am reconsidering... I can't handle the 12 hours, obviously! Especially 3 in a row, it's just torture. It literally destroyed me! I have not gone back to nursing duties yet but I am seriously considering going somewhere where I can do 8 hour shifts.

RPN=Registered Practical Nurse in most parts of Canada.

Our hospital does this too...I hate having to ask every single patient to do the peri-rectal swab. It doesn't seem to help because we have a c-diff outbreak anyway?!

Oh yes, I take anxiolytics. Afraid I'm becoming addicted to them right now but they're the only thing that helps!

Yes, i was thinking 8 hours would be better...are there many units with 8 hours out there? At my hospital, I think it's only psych that does 8 hour shifts...

Yeah, the surgical floor works us like dogs to be honest. And the 12 hour shifts just aren't working for me.

Thanks for the replies. I love this site! Nurses helping nurses is wonderful. So I've had many tests...ECG CBC CT scan MRI, dizzy tests. The only thing that was found was a small lesion in my brain that is directly related to migraines. I was told by my neurologist that because I have low blood pressure and vascular migraines that I am predisposed to syncope. All the other docs said it was simply vasovagal. I don't know, maybe I should have a more thorough cardiac workup. However I have never fainted before in my life, so I figured it was probably the job?!

Hi all, need some advice. I graduated last year and started my first job in July on a general surgery inpatient unit. I had worked there for 6 months when I had an accident. It was the end of the shift (the end of 3 days of 12 hour shifts). I had not slept well and was menstruating. I have a hx of migraines. Anyway, I was inserting a foley catheter while another nurse supervised (in a screaming post TURP patient) and it wasn't going in, resistance. She went to get a coude while I stood there waiting. I tried again with the coude and the next thing i knew I was on the floor with my coworker yelling my name! I had passed out cold and hit the back of my head on the floor. So they took me to emerg, got all the tests, blah blah. Nothing was wrong with any of the tests. My head was very sore and I had vertigo immediately after the accident. Sooo, the vertigo lasted for 4 months. I had not been working with the vertigo and was told to do desk duties until I felt better. So after this long depressing recovery, I am feeling better. BUT I am sooooo anxious about fainting again. I am having panic attacks about fainting and I don't know what to do. I am considering going to a different unit because I think I may have fainted because of the huge workload, 12 hour shifts. Or because of a vasovagal response. Not sure. Any suggestions for what area to work in? I was thinking of working in the psych ward since they will let me do 8 hour shifts and there isn't as much strenuous work and craziness. Is it normal to have this paralyzing fear of going back to nursing duties after such an accident??