studentnurseGinger

I would like any opinions, experiences, etc. regarding the pros and cons of working in a rural, smaller community setting as opposed to a larger "corporate"-type hospital. I am currently in central IL but hope to eventually move to southern IL which is primarily rural, which I think is more appealing. But, since I have no experience at all (still a student) I was hoping some of the veterans with real-life experience could guide me. Also, I have heard snippits of info regarding programs that reimburse student loans if you take employment in rural areas - anyone have any insight on this? Thanks in advance for any information you can provide.

reg06, I was diagnosed with PCOS 5 1/2 years ago, after trying to figure out what in the heck was wrong with me for almost 10 years. What you are experiencing sounds EXACTLY like me. PCOS is a very common (approx. 1/10 women), but often times misunderstood syndrome. It is rooted in the endocrine system, and is not exclusively a gynecological problem. There has been a recent (3-5 years) surge in research and interest in PCOS on behalf of the medical community, and so far it seems that it may be genetic and is based on a problem with insulin production and efficiency. When you say "Although every so often I feel I am back to normal again, then 2 hours later I am back to feeling down and lousy again", you may be describing what I experience. Basically, I eat (carbohydrates are the culprit) and feel better (glucose rises) but there is too much insulin and the receptors do not work properly, therefore the glucose crashes lower than where it was before I started (approx. 2 hrs. later!). If you think this sounds like Type II diabetes, it is many times a precursor, that's why it's important to learn about and treat it ASAP. Please, please do a web search on PCOS, you will be surprised how much your story mirrors a lot of others. pcosupport.org is a great place to start. Often times symptoms of PCOS include weight problems, hirsuitism, male-pattern hair loss, acne, and menstrual irregularities/infertility, so unfortunately it is dismissed as a "cosmetic problem." It sounds like you have a good doc, since s/he knew to check for it. It took me years and several docs before it was figured out. Your working nights does not help your fatigue, but is most likely not the exclusive cause. You are certainly not a hypochondriac and this is not a mental disorder. Please contact me if I can give you any more information and/or support. I hope I don't sound like a commercial spokesperson or something, LOL, it's just that I went so long knowing something was wrong and no one would listen, so I want to be there for others going through it. By the way, I am a only a student now, but I am an older one (26). I got married and had my kids before I decided what I wanted to be when I grew up. LOL Hope this helps. Good luck!!! Ginger

reg06, Wow - you MUST really have a good doctor! I have been in contact with a lot of other women with PCOS and it seems to be difficult (for whatever reason) for us to get doctors to order insulin levels checked. That's great. All of my GTT's have come back within the normal range also. But, even though they are normal #s, the pattern of the "spike" is not. My glucose level never went as high as they anticipated it, and the final draw was always lower than where I started after fasting. This explained the "crashes" I experience, even though everything appeared normal number-wise. I am not on glucophage, because I tend to shy away from meds if I can keep from them. The GI side effects sound like a little more than I care to deal with. I am attempting to control my symptoms with diet and exercise. If you do a web search, you will see that low-carb diets are really encouraged for PCOSers. It seems that if we keep glucose and insulin levels somewhat constant, it really helps with the hypoglycemic and "moodiness" issues. I am not sure if you have any other symptoms, but the Pill is also encouraged to regulate your period and may help with acne, hairloss, and facial hair, if those are problems. Spironolactone (not sure if I spelled that right) is sometimes prescribed for hair also. Other then that, there isn't really any treatment. There are studies being conducted all the time to try to formulate a more effective treatment. My doctor referred me to a dietician who worked with me to set up a diet plan. I have a lot of weight to lose, but at this point my primary concern is keeping the hypoglycemia in check. It doesn't work out too well with 2 small children and school full-time, when you feel like you're on the verge of passing out or needing to sleep for 15 hours a day! Basically, I try to keep carbs to less than 50 grams for each of 3 meals, and fill in with high protein snacks. It is also important for me to have a protein to balance my carbs in meals. If you'd like more info, just let me know. Since this syndrome effects everyone differently, I try not to make blanket statements about what would help, but am happy to offer my experiences. Take care! Ginger