Annmor1867
New member
- Joined
- Sep 20, 2014
- Messages
- 2
- Reason
- Other
- Diagnosis
- 00/0000
- Country
- US
- State
- PA
I am a 24 year old mother of one. My health has recently gone from fair to poor in the past few years. Two years ago I joined an accelerated (and very expensive) RN program. I enjoyed it and couldn't wait to graduate but about 7 months prior to graduation I started having severe digestion problems. I found myself not being able to make the drive to class without having to stop at a store to go to the bathroom (diarrhea-tmi sorry). I was randomly nauseous and dizzy at clinicals and would have to sit down for fear of passing out, even though we were not permitted to sit during clinical. It got to the point that I could no longer make it through an exam without needing the bathroom which was not permitted. This caused me extreme anxiety. I was also having migraines with aura(floaters in the eyes, numb/tingling on one side of the body, severe confusion and unable to form correct words or read) at least every other day, in assuming due to the stress.i went to the GI doctor and he diagnosed me with IBS but didn't want to listen to my non GI symptoms. He gave me medications that gave me more symptoms without really getting rid of the old ones. So, after struggling for three more months and barely passing my classes I quit the RN program with only four months to go. I regret it everyday but I know I wouldn't have been able to keep up or work as a nurse feeling the way I do. It's been exactly a year since then and I feel even worse, I am now $32,000 in debt for a program I couldn't finish and since what I have isn't a disability (according to them) it won't be forgiven. Lately I've had a few new symptoms: confusion/spaciness even when I'm not having a migraine, deep aching all over my body everyday that does not go away with aleve or Tylenol, and I have a headache everyday without fail and about twice a week a migraine with aura. I am also always exhausted no matter how much I sleep. I frequent IBS forums and keep seeing that many people were saying they also had fibromyalgia so finally I looked it up. When I read the symptoms I almost cried out of relief that I finally found a name for ALL my symptoms and not just GI. I've never felt so sick and I don't know what to do. My IBS is so severe that I have to carefully plan just going to the grocery store. I'm 24 years old and I feel 80. I have no degree and am always sick yet must work to pay off the debt. Does anyone have any advice for me or a similar experience? I'm sorry for the length of this post. EDIT- I forgot to add that I also occasionally get the most horrible muscle cramps in my legs and also beneath my shoulder blade. With the legs it's typically when I get out of a vehicle and the shoulder is if I'm leaning over something or reaching for something. It feels like the muscle will immediately bunch up and then continues to move without my control, I can actually feel it with my hand, my fiancé says he can feel/see it too. It lasts about 5 minutes and is the worst pain I have ever experienced. If it's in my leg I actually fall to the ground. The only way I've found to cope with it so far is to remain perfectly still as moving even an inch makes it so much worse I cry out. Has ANYONE ever experienced this? People look at me like I'm crazy when I describe it. Thank you for listening. It means a lot.
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