Hey Paige, I am a nurse also. I have been nursing for 10 years, and about 5 years ago, when I was 26, I became very ill with Mono. I called my doctor and told him over the phone what I suspected, and he told me that I was too old to have mono, and I probably had some kind of fungal infection in my throat, I then questioned him on why I would have a fungal infection in my throat if I didn't have some other illness that compromised my immune system. He then passed me off to the secretary and she gave me an appointment the following week. About 2 days before my appointment, I had abdominal pain, and I became jaundiced. I called him again and told him what was happening, and again, he told me that I was imagining things. I then promptly got in my car, drove to his office, and demanded to see him. I even had to demand blood testing for Mono, which was positive. He then told me that I had to be out of work for at least 6 weeks. I laughed at him and said that 2 weeks is all I could have. I truly struggled with working for about 2 years after that. I ran fevers all the time, I was chronically fatigued, my spleen and liver remained enlarged and I lost about 100 lbs. I also came down with Thyroiditis. The doctors aren't sure if I contracted another virus, or the mono attacked my thyroid. It was all just one big mess. However, I was doing great until this past June, when I woke up one day, shaking. I didn't know what was wrong. I felt like I was going to black out. My body felt numb, and things were looking fuzzy and grey. I don't know what prompted me to take my pulse, but when I did, I lost count at 180. When I got to the hospital, it was 200. They finally broke me with Lopressor. I was in the hospital for a week, and all they could tell me was that I didn't have a PE. It was the EP cardiologist that told me about POTS syndrome. But he still can't figure out why my blood pressure on a good day is 90/50, my resting heart rate without meds is 130, and I was still pushing my 5'11" body to function through daily life. I have since then been hospitalized a couple of times for similar episodes. Since now things seem to be under control with medications, I am back to work. I no longer work in the ER on a regular basis, but I work with the critical care transport team. There is a bit of down time, and it is flexible. If I am feeling bad, then I can take call from home. It has worked out great, and my boss is very understanding. I think that I also feel safer at work, because I am in the best place if I have another episode. But, knock on wood, the medications are keeping me functioning and under control. I think that the biggest hurdle to overcome was being sick, and chronically not feeling well. I have adapted my life to it, and I try not to dwell on it. I find that if I keep thinking about it and focus too much of my daily aspects around the possibility of having an episode, then I do much worse. I do what I can, and I accept what I can't do.
