I'm bypolar 1 and I'm trying to go back to school in order to find a job and be able to support myself. I don't have any family to count on and my minimum wage job is barely paying my rent. Could anybody suggest what kind of profession should I get involved with that is not stressful considering my struggling mental health condition?. I was suggested to go into nursing, try to get my LVN and after that my RN. Is anybody out there that can by experience tell me if getting into this field study will be possible for me to do? I'm very confused and scared about what to do with my life because I don't know if I will be able to handle the stress associated with it. I know it would immensely help me to hear from somebody involved into health care or a nursing career that is bipolar and is succesfull in life.
unless you have this constant drive to take care of people, like cleaning up after them, bed pans and ect.. then dont do the nursing thing, lots of people turn to nursing due to the sign on bonus and the demand for nurses, its good pay, but thats for all the wrong reasons and thats why their is so many crappy nurses out their. cause they hate their job.
thats very stressful job. but heck anythings better than frign minimum wage you should be able to find somehting paying better than that, even telemarketers pay better than minimum wage.
Thank you so very much for your answer. I sure will be keeping this on mind.
I have been a Nurse for 15 years and was diagnosed with Bipolar 3 years ago. I had to leave the hospital setting because of adjustments to meds, exceptance of diagnosis and stress. My stress was because the meds made me slow down. I was not able to be supper Nurse ( manic states).Now I do Home Health and I love it. There are many ares of Nursing you can get into. Just do it for the right reasons.
I Im in a very tough spot right now. i've been a nurse for 17 years and i'm on administrative leave. I think that the result will be that i will loose my job. I, too, am very slowed down by medications. I've been feeling exhausted and unable to keep with the quick pace of the unit that i work on.
It feels like the end of my usefulness and my ability to support myself. I am so frightened. Can you please tell me about your transition from clinical areas to home care?
Thank you, Sandy
Sandy, I am so sorry it took me so long to reply.. I understand your fears, but dont allow that to keep you out of the medical field. There are so many areas you can get into. I love Home care. I take care of one client for the entire shift. You can also do several clients a day. With home health you can set your own pace and not have to multi task so much. Slowing down is the difficult part for me because I'm so use to being on this high and doing so many things at one time. I had to except that I can no longer function like that,but it doesnt make me less than capable of doing something else. I hoped I helped you. Please email me again. I do understand the transition your going through.
Dear Responder,
Thank you very much for your kind response. I would very much like to correspond with you more. Sometimes I feel very alone in my experience and it was so good to have your words unexpectedly. i would like to know more about the course of your illlness and what you do to keep well.
Just last week i found out that my employer is letting me go. I work for Sutter Health and they have been very generous with me. I just have bad days when I am unable to handle a heavy load in the stepdown unit that I work in.
Thank you so much for your generosity. Sandy, RN
I am sorry to hear that you lost your job,just know that there is plenty for you to do with your RN that wont stress you out. Explore your oppsitions and do your research. In my personal experiance I went from hospital, to nusing home, to home health. I just had a difficult time multi tasking and dealing with alot of people. I have been hospitalized several times for depression, and diagnosed with Bipolar for 3 years. It was difficult for me to except so I spent alot of time on and off meds. This past year 2008 I began to research Bipolar and journaled my moods, behavior and sleep pattern daily. This helped me realize the importance of takinf my meds. I also made the mistake of allowing my family doctor adjust my meds. BIG BIG MISTAKE. This is not there area of expertise, I made sure I got a psychologist. I needed to talk to someone who new the language I was talking, and not take my condition lightly. I have a great Doctor and he really cares about his patients. The problem I have is that the meds only work for a few months then we have to change. That is the most frustrating part, because I have to deal with new side effects. Even when my days are difficult I try to keep a positive attitude. You take care, keep the faith, put your health first and know you are not alone. By the way I have a new lap top so I will be able to contact you more often.
Thank you so much for your response, I'm just starting a new treatment right after another psychotic crisis and I really appreciate knowing about what you're going through. The treatment started working for me but I feel extremely tired and dizzy, do you think this side effect will get better with time? I don't think I can work in this condition at all. I went to an employment agency yesterday and I couldn't handle it.
I'm on Lithium and also on antipsycotic medication. Lithium by itself wont work for me. What a mess my life feels.
I will take your advise, this disease is really horrible and it is terrifying not knowing what will happen next.
I wish you all my best and thanks very much again.
Hang in there, Those side effects can feel worst than the disease at times. But it will get better just make sure you continue to take them as ordered unless your MD tells you other wise. Dont be like me and stop taking your meds because you feel better. Always remember that you feel better or getting better because of the meds. Currently I am taking Trilipteal, Prozac and Restoril. Not sure how long this combination will work, but I savor every moment until its time to change. I did sleep alot and was dizzy so for awhile thats all I did. Then, I put myself on a schedule. I knew I needed to sleep but I did some activites in between. I tried to do something that I enjoyed so I wouldnt feel like I was sleeping my life away. Even though I could not do much too long I tried to do something. I know it is frustrating and discouraging at times, but you will get through this. You and the MD have to find the right combination of meds.and everything doesnt work for everyone. So it will be trial and error. Try to keep a jornal of your moods this maybe helpful when its time to see the MD. It will also prevent you from having to remember everything. I found that to be frustrating trying to remember stuff and stay as stable as I could emotionally. SO i jounal everyday about my feelings, and if I can do anything to make things better. I also saw a counselor for a short period of time. Dont try to go through this alone. Hang tough,dont give up and keep fighting it will get better........ I am praying for you
Hang in there and dont give up.
Did you receive my response? I think I sent it to the wrong person
Sandy I was anomymous, now Im Moore I forgot my sign in info when I was responding to your email. Im the Nurse who made the transition from hospital to home health. Sorry for the confusion.