Fibromyalgia Support Group

You're not alone in your pain. Fibromyalgia is a condition that can be difficult to diagnose and manage. If you're trying to cope with pain throughout your body, sleep problems, general fatigue, or other common fibromyalgia symptoms, you're in the right place. The community is here for you to talk about therapies and share your challenges.

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milily 12/06/2013

I remember reading an article a few years ago re a higher rate of people with fibro that were nurses for an occupation. I should have saved the article - I don't even remember the source or the conclusions. It interested me because I was a nurse for almost 20 years.

I wonder if it is the stress / viral exposure / care taking at work and then at home - or combo. Any thoughts? While nursing use to be mostly a female occupation there are more male nurses now than ever. Every time I have to go to the ER most of the nurses there are men.

Those of you that are nurses but unable to work - do you still renew your license every 2 years? Even though I have not been able to work for 10 years I still renew my license. I just cant let it go - hey maybe there will be a real cure someday and then I will be all set to work with my license in hand or maybe it is a pride thing. I worked my bottom off in college to get that degree and then worked my bottom off for almost 20 years. I miss being able to care for people. Now my brain is mush and my body is broken.

I also noticed that a lot of our members since I have been here are or were teachers.

LeoX3 12/06/2013

Huh. Mom was a nurse, but was only dx'd this year (4 years afte rher retirement). That said, it's both physically and emotionally demanding, and the exposure to that stress plus heaven knows what? I can't imagine it's much good for the body long-term.

Interesting post.

AnnNY 12/06/2013

I was a nurse's aide for five years during college and for a year after, and was considering going to med school for awhile. I got sick while I was working in the hospital a few weeks after having an achy flu.

deleted_user 12/06/2013

I was a nurse. Hadn't worked as one in years so at the time of my diagnosis I had been working as a personal care aide in a home that took care of critically ill kids. Kids on vents and such. It was very stressful. Both my husband and I wonder if not for that job maybe I wouldn't have fibro. I worked there about 8 months before it became to much for me to physically handle it. Not long after leaving I found out I had fibro.

Shakota6 12/07/2013

Was a nurse for 20 years mainly dialysis. I always found the work extremely stressful because of its life or death aspect. I developed fibro when things were going pretty smoothly in my life (except for the work load at work).

beclinkay 12/07/2013

I am not a nurse, but I did work as an ER receptionist/unit clerk for over 7 years. I was very high stress at times as I worked nights doing 12 hour shifts.

Interesting post.

deleted_user 12/07/2013

I'm not a nurse but currently work full time in the laboratory. I have for going on 29 years most of which as a clinical chemistry supervisor. The laboratory environment is high stress too. In 2012 my department produced about 1,500,000 test results. We are also a teaching facility. Few people realize the educational requirements of clinical laboratory scientists. After earning a Bachelor's degree requiring about 50 hours of biology/chemistry then a clinical internship of one year actually working in a laboratory is required. Our facility does pay our students a small stipend but many programs require the student to pay them. Sorry I digressed. It's just that we don't get acknowledged for what we do since we are not visible. Kind of like fibro. I do have a great deal of admiration for nurses and remind my staff that they not only have to care for patients but deal with families, doctors, and every other department in the hospital. Yes, health care is not for sissys and I know the demands of my job have and do take their toll on my health.

deleted_user 12/07/2013

I've been a nurse for nearly 10 years. The past year has been so hard I feel like I should probably be on disability and not be working. But I'm young and I love my career and am I'm not ready to give it up yet.

deleted_user 12/08/2013

I am a nurse as well, with 20 years restaurant duty before that, both positions had high stress levels and tore me up. Working was no longer an option for me. Couldn't keep my license up, broke my heart,, I mourn my loss. I am no longer a practicing nurse and feel as if I am no longer anything but a burden on others.

gr8ful2b 12/08/2013

I was an RN. I had to hang up my stethoscope in '07. I renewed my license every 2 yrs too but here in TX, if you haven't practiced in more than 4 yrs, you have to go back to school for a semester to refresh. I put my license on "inactive" status in 2011.

Mommyx6 12/08/2013

I am a nurse...rather was a nurse. I've been diagnosed for a little over a year. I just stopped working last month. I went sooo long at that stressful pace that I honestly feel like the occupation exacerbated my disease because I deteriorated so quickly. I do think that mine is hereditary because everyone on my mom's side of the family suffers from chronic pain. We would tell doctors that women in our family develop arthritis in their twenties. I had symptoms of arthritis since 25 so when my xrays came back clean I knew my cousins have it too. But I am the only one with a dx and meds.

deleted_user 12/09/2013

I have done hands on patient care for over twenty years and now work behind the scenes in surgery, Still a stressful job.

tonsie 12/09/2013

Mreedy welcome!

I too am a Mo nurse. Have not worked for two years now. Keep my license up thinking maybe some day the perfect job for a fibro nurse will present itself to me.

Will PM you to talk turkey. Tonsie

deleted_user 12/10/2013

i am a palliative care nurse , but at this time i am not working i have been off work since over 1 year. I do put stress as one of the triggers that started the fibro. Beiing a palliative care nurse meant that i had to be the strongest person in the house , even on days i did not feel very strong , so i feel that i did not respect my soul nor my body.

deleted_user 12/10/2013

I was in healthcare for 20 years as an Ultrasound tech and I still renew my registry. I often wonder if us being exposed to so much illness just doesn't physically end up taking a toll on the body. It was a flu virus that pushed my fibro into chronic fibro.

abby80 12/10/2013

i am currently taking my pre-requisite courses for nursing school. the pain and fatigue of fibromyalgia makes me seriously question my decision to become a nurse. i'm a fighter though and i've felt that god wants me to be a nurse. that may sound strange, but i feel it is my calling. lately though my pain has been so debilitating i find it hard just to maintain my job as receptionist in a doctor's office. i never considered nursing previously because of the physical demands of the job. there are a lot of other less strenuous jobs for nurses though and i was hoping maybe i could get one of those... though i guess the cushy private practice office jobs are hard to come by.

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