jenn902

Hi tiredgirl! I was in medical menopause at 30 and that was a living heck in itself. I have avoided the permanent menopause for now. I have several fatigue causing disorders (fibromyalgia, endometriosis, hypothyroidism) and I feel for you. I find it very hard to do anything above part-time when I am at my worst. Casual time or agency work can be helpful as you can turn down shifts when you have had a rough night (had lots of those)and pick up when you feel alright. If you work part-time but still want some extra hours let the other nurses know (and management) you are willing to do 4 hour shifts so they can leave early, attend appointments etc. I racked up lotsa 4 hour shifts this way when I was flaring and could not last 8 or 12 hours. I'd recommend a slower paced atmosphere to conserve energy. Foot care is good, blood services, clinics...I work on a lighter floor in a LTC facility but am looking to try working elsewhere. Napping on your lunch hour is vital...so is taking all your breaks. I had to force myself to take time to break to help my energy level. As for the hormonal symptoms maybe your HRT needs a tweak? I know my add-back therapy had to be re-adjusted several times and now post endo surgery clean-out #2 my meds were adjusted several times to find the right progesterone dose. My ovaries aren't failing 100% yet but they are pretty damaged so I get some menopause-like symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats mostly). Lady hormones can cause problems in all aspects of your life...sleeping too. I changed up my diets and supplements but still struggle though I consider myself stable. Do you have the book 'Before Your Time: The Early Menopause Survival Guide'? I bought it when I was facing the possibility of a TAHBSO. It's a good read and suggested some good vitamins, minerals and alternative medicines to check out along with your standard medications. *edit* Oh yes! Check out the HysterSisters. Great support group online! http://www.hystersisters.com/

Hamilton and its surrounding areas are saturated as well. I've been trying for a part-time or another casual RN job for almost a year (currently casual at my work due to positions being cut. WAS part-time with full-time hours). One casual position I applied for apparently had over 100 applications. CASUAL!!! They prefer RNAO membership and they want certifications (oncology, critical care, etc). I am a good candidate but keep losing to more experienced nurses (as per the interviewers). Since there is such a high pool of applicants they are very particular in their job posts. They can afford to be choosy and they know it. To make matters worse most RN positions have been cut and the positions filled by RPNs in efforts to balance the budgets. It is a terrible time to be an RN in southern Ontario. A lot of grads I've spoken to can't even get jobs with their 'Nursing Grad Guarantee' and are either leaving the province or doing other work while trying to 'break into' nursing. I think you are going to have it worse as an RN. The RPNs/LPNs seem to be fairing better ATM as there are more positions for them in all sectors. I know of RPN friends who have gotten part-time jobs faster and easier than my RN friends.