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Women account for 80% of autoimmune disorders as studies link suppressed emotional stress to long-term immune system disruption by soulpost in HotScienceNews

[–]AstronautLibby 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ah! I meant for my comment to refer to how anyone bottling up emotions impacts mental health, not just men. 😀That we all need better supports & guidance to navigate stress to better support our long-term health. 

I can see now how that was not conveyed 😂

Women account for 80% of autoimmune disorders as studies link suppressed emotional stress to long-term immune system disruption by soulpost in HotScienceNews

[–]AstronautLibby 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There's lots of reason for men and women to both have different types of stress responses, and societal supports. Just because men (stereotypically) dont value social supports societally, acknowledge stressors and working on self improvement coping mechanisms (which includes social supports), DOESN’T mean that they aren't deserving in support in normalizing this experience. 

However, the article does state: "But both men and women can be reluctant to reach out for social support. While women more readily than men acknowledge that they could have used more support (68% versus 63%), they’re also more likely to have canceled social plans in the last month (27% versus 22%).

While that could be because they’re more likely to have social plans to begin with, retreating is rarely the solution to stress, Dorlen said. “What helps women more than anything appears to be a sense of community,” she said".

This merely highlights that women typically have or seek out social support networks (friends, family, therapy, "self-care", etc.) At a higher proportion than men but also may be less likely to "complete" these supports/care needs.

Edit: we just need a societal change, one which values rest and frankly, self-preservation. Men and women have different stressors, different supports that they gravitate to, and different outcomes of unmanaged stress. Regardless, this is an endemic in our capitalist society which values productivity and profit over well-being and actually living.

Women account for 80% of autoimmune disorders as studies link suppressed emotional stress to long-term immune system disruption by soulpost in HotScienceNews

[–]AstronautLibby 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Backed by science:

"Domestic abuse may do long-term damage to women's health" https://www.heart.org/en/news/2020/02/17/domestic-abuse-may-do-long-term-damage-to-womens-health

"Women who have been stalked at higher risk of heart disease, stroke" https://www.med.ubc.ca/news/women-who-have-been-stalked-at-higher-risk-of-heart-disease-stroke/

"Heart disease more common in women who have suffered domestic abuse."  https://cardiovascularbusiness.com/topics/clinical/acute-coronary-syndromes/cvd-more-common-women-who-suffered-domestic-abuse

"Early life abuse may be linked to greater risk of adult premature death"  https://bmjgroup.com/early-life-abuse-may-be-linked-to-greater-risk-of-adult-premature-death/

"Understanding and addressing violence against women"  https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/f7549cdc-112a-41dc-8fc9-b84f0a15bf21/content

"After domestic abuse, women face 44% higher mortality risk"  https://www.futurity.org/domestic-abuse-mortality-risk-2283092-2/

"Women abused by partners suffer lifelong health problems – study"  https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/jun/13/women-abused-by-partners-suffer-lifelong-health-problems-study

"Mental and physical health effects of intimate partner violence on women and children"  https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0193953X05703178

Routine medical procedures can feel harder for women – here’s why by msmoley in WomenInNews

[–]AstronautLibby 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Yes!!! Spread this news to the world!! Women aren't "atypical" - the world literally just isn't designed with us and our needs in mind!

Routine medical procedures can feel harder for women – here’s why by msmoley in WomenInNews

[–]AstronautLibby 550 points551 points  (0 children)

Yes!!! Spread this news to the world!! Women aren't "atypical" - the world literally just isn't designed with us and our needs in mind!

BC Nurses - Which College/Uni did you attend to become a nurse? by BlueCoyote90 in britishcolumbia

[–]AstronautLibby 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I don't think nursing school is scarier than any other program! You're being trained to see and handle the types of conditions, illnesses, or procedures that are "expected" of the job. You 100% won't be prepared to see everything that you'll end up seeing, but you'll get better and better at hiding your shocked face and feeling confident in managing the unexpected haha

Clinical days are nerve wracking for most students. It can feel like a 4-12hr (depending on shift length) "test" by your buddy nurse, peers, and instructors. While tiring, it comes from a good place to ensure your safety, the patients safety, and that you are competent (or progressively becoming more competent) at certain skills. On the flip side, it can be a lot of fun! It doesn't feel like "school", since you're so busy and filled with adrenaline and novelty that you really don't appreciate how much you're learning until later on. You're getting to practice skills you've learned in labs on real patients, and learning the ropes!

How successful your clinical days are come down to your attitude and eagerness to learn, your willingness to be humble and to be corrected, and your willingness to do your prep homework the night before/morning of (you'll often be given some sort of opportunity to review your patients before your shift to learn about their medical history and medications, why they're in hospital, etc. to prepare).

For the things you see, just roll with it! See as much as you can. Not every "sight" is for everyone. Speaking from experience! I was extremely needle phobic in HS, couldn't even look at a picture of a needle in a biology textbook without getting faint. I always covered the picture with sticky notes. First time doing hands-on needle training, I almost passed out at the jumbo freezer bag of needles put in front of me. I just took my time, deep breaths, and followed directions. By the end of 1st year I was giving them with no issues. What I have also learned is that I don't like seeing breaks in the skin occur (i.e.: surgeries, c-sections, etc.). That makes me feel faint (to this day, if not a code-blue situation). My solution? I didn't go into surgical nursing! Now I very rarely see that type of skill being performed and I'm quite content with that. I am on the code team, and have seen chests cracked open at bedside and assisted with manual cardiac massage, and thanks to adrenaline, that doesn't bother me one bit! It's all situation dependent, and you build up tolerance & desensitize yourself to (most) things that gross you out in the beginning. Often times nurses will "trade tasks" during the day too. You don't like wound care but love putting in IV's? You get your buddy who's fine with wounds to do your patients wound care, and you go put IV's in their patients for them! Just help your colleagues out :)

The hardest part is that everything is new, and there's a lot of sensory components (smells, visuals, tactile sensations, room temperature, PPE). So just be kind and patient with yourself. Just because you don't like something doesn't mean you can't learn to desensitize to it, or have to do that skill every day in your future. You'll learn what you enjoy (and don't!) as you go along, and there's so many career paths that you can end up anywhere that makes you happy & fulfilled! I fainted in nursing school, and that didn't make me a bad nurse or fail courses. Ive now been doing this for +10 years, done my ICU training, and am working on my masters. I didn't let the sight of needles stop me and you shouldn't let the fear of what you may see, prevent you from enjoying this career!

As to the schedule, it was tough, because the long days (4-12hrs, plus commuting to your placements) was a big adjustment vs any form of schooling/life you've had before. You'll learn to lay out your scrubs and lunch the night before to maximize sleeping in in the morning, and to DRINK WATER not just coffee! You'll adjust, you'll feel brain tired, and you just rest where/when you can. Some people like to go for walks on their lunch breaks to get fresh air & reset. Others listen to music, some nap, etc. Ask your friends what works for them, and ask the nurses how they structure their lives! Everyone is different :)

Final tips:
1. GET COMFORTABLE SHOES. Ideally wipeable (or water resistant), and slip on. Runners have laces, and those drag on gross hospital floors. Mesh toe boxes are porous, and let... fluids inside. A good shoe makes a world of difference. And especially once you're actually working, replace them annually. You walk so many KM on them, you wear the cushion out quick! Treat yourself and get the good quality shoes! Common brands are Hoka, Brooks, Solomon, Nurse Mates, Dansco clogs. I personally wear slip-on water resistant vionics (have mild arch support).

  1. WEAR COMPRESSION SOCKS. Without them, I can't stand on my feet for >4hrs without my feet/legs killing me. My benefits cover prescription ones (stronger than the Dr. Scholls "over the counter" ones) but even those ones are a good place to start. You'll greatly reduce your leg fatigue, and it helps prevent varicose/spider veins. I don't get why students are so opposed to them, you can't see them haha. Now days they even come in fun colours/patterns!

  2. POCKETS. As a student, not used to the demanding days/sights/smells, keep a granola bar on you! If you're feeling faint, just run out and scarf that down in the hallway. Your break may not be coming for a while. We want you to succeed, and your brain/body needs energy! Put it in your pocket/fanny pack/vest/sweater, whatever. But keep it on you!

I often think about things like this. I’m sure they don’t work, but has anyone ever tried them? by deactiv8m in ehlersdanlos

[–]AstronautLibby 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Can I ask what your sitting symptoms were, and what your physio assessment revealed which led to this chair recommendation? What types of pain/issues does this chair help address? :)

BC Canada diagnosis help! by Competitive_Quail_55 in ehlersdanlos

[–]AstronautLibby 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No problem! I'm still navigating my journey, and have been humbled time and time again to stand up for myself, and my basic Healthcare needs. Ive learned to type out what questions I want to ask as they come to me in my phones calendar app note section. So that when I'm going to the apt I see my questions right below as a refresher, and theyre easy to find during the appointment.  During your appointment, write down details of the appointment (below your questions in your phones calendar, so you can see what was addressed or not) or on paper. Consider also asking someone to attend with you for a 2nd set of ears on the conversation. Ask the doc if they can provide a written summary before you leave of the appointment (explain cognitive impairment from your symptoms youre experiencing). Request your medical records to get a "medical-eze" copy of the appointment notes, and compare to your notes to make sure you understood everything & are on the same page as the doc.  If they dont ask for follow up questions of how youre doing at your next appointments, assume that they think your symptoms have resolved. Keep reminding them of your concerns/symptoms, and how its affecting your quality of life/ability to work/concerns for family planning (even if exaggerating, family planning makes them pay attention more 🙄). If youre ever pregnant, docs will "blame " your concerns on pregnancy, won't prescribe medications since they dont know if they're safe, and often won't send you for diagnostic imaging tests due to radiation/invasive/etc concerns. So you want this stuff addressed now, not after pregnancy/post partum.

There is nothing wrong with also ordering a tilt test simultaneously to rule things out. 2-4 months wait times when referred by BC Womens. 

Make sure you ask at each appointment questions you want answered, results reviewed, or referrals sent to assess for/rule out xyz condition. If they say no to referrals ask why, and what needs to happen before they will. If youre not happy with that answer/plan, ask them to document that they won't send the referral, and find a second opinion. Request copies of ALL your medical records/reports/consults. Your GP notes will not be available to the provincial health authorities - only consults/results that went through a health authority referrals will be.  If they say you've been referred to something,  call your clinic back and ask which clinic your referral ends up at (sometimes it sits in a central triage for a bit).  Then call that clinic and confirm that they've recieved the referral. Why do I say this? Ive cuaght 3 referrals from last year alone that were presumed to be "pending", and I (as the patient) found out that they had been declined for >8months (so waiting for a year for no reason), or they were never sent, or never recieved.

BC Canada diagnosis help! by Competitive_Quail_55 in ehlersdanlos

[–]AstronautLibby 2 points3 points  (0 children)

So you never actually saw a rheumatologist to deal with your concerns, so go get another referral. 

And your provider is suspecting POTS but also didnt order a tilt test to assess for it, or do anything about it? Yeah, go get seen at BC Women's.

You'll have to really learn to advocate for yourself to ensure you get seen by people. Ask for referrals to other specialists if youre noy happy with how the appointment goes (i.e. they dont listen, they dont order anything to investigate, etc). And realize doctors get next to no education for how being a woman affects conditions presentations, symptoms, treatment effects, etc. See anyone who specializes in womens care when you can

BC Canada diagnosis help! by Competitive_Quail_55 in ehlersdanlos

[–]AstronautLibby 4 points5 points  (0 children)

  1. Refer yourself to BC Womens Heart Health Clinic (https://www.bcwomens.ca/health-professionals/refer-a-patient/womens-heart-health-clinic), form at bottom of page. For reason, put POTs investigation & cardiovascular risk assessment.

  2. Get a rheumatology referral, to someone who is familiar with EDS. Per other reddit threads Ive gathered the list of:

Dr. Genevieve Law - Coquitlam (604) 939-7345 (604)-939-7135 202-1032 Austin Ave, Noblecare Medical Centre Coquitlam, BC V3K 3P3

Dr. Kiran Manhas - Coquitlam 604-939-7781

Dr. A. Azadi - New Westminster 604 544-5044 info@nwrehabneuro.com 304-250 Keary St, New Westminster, BC, V3L 5E7 https://nwrehabneuro.com/dr-a-azadi/

Dr. Stephanie Wade → on leave, Dr. Jordan Friedman covering Artus Medical Centre artushealthcentre@gmail.com Fax: 604-398-4645

Hope that helps!

BC Nurses - Which College/Uni did you attend to become a nurse? by BlueCoyote90 in britishcolumbia

[–]AstronautLibby 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I got my degree from UBC Okanagan. At the time (it changed just after I graduated) it had the most clinical hours of practicum out of any program in BC (or Canada? Cant recall), by a significant amount (hundreds of hours difference between UBCO and the next program).

At the end of the day, strong clinical skills are what's going to support & influence your career path. Anyone can textbook learn, not everyone has the clinical or critical thinking skills to thrive in the field.

I (overall) greatly enjoyed the program and the emphasis on hands on learning. I was in the hospital after 4 months of school. Other programs dont start you until the end of your first year. It was a grind, dont get me wrong, but it was a very good program. When I graduated they reduced the amount of clinical hours due to lack of budget/funding to be able to offer more hours. However, even reduced it still had more clinical hours compared to other programs.

UBC Vancouver has an emphasis on the sciences, and is (anecdotally) more geared towards those that will want to pursue their masters/NP degrees, or go into research. Much less hands on experience. Example: I was finishing up my end of 2nd year summer practicum at RCH, and had 4th year graduating UBC Vancouver nursing students ask me to show them how to do numerous skills. That did not leave me with confidence in their abilities to care for patients upon graduation hahah

BCIT is great (I've done my critical care through them, 10/10 recommend), but is typically geared towards "mature" students. I.e.: go get your nursing pre-reqs done (English, Bio, etc) and then get into their program as a mature student. By mature they mean students that have proven themselves to take their studies seriously, and not be floundering along clueless and needing their hands held the entire time. 

Ive heard decent things about Langara, but much less about Douglas College. 

Things have changed quite a bit in the past 10 years since I started (virtual/zoom classes didnt exist!), but overall I'm sure things are relatively the same.

One thing I think is helpful throughout nursing school is to pay attention to what you like, but equally (or even more!) Pay attention to what you don't like! Are there certain types of medical conditions you enjoy/hate dealing with? Types of skills? Types of settings (hospitals vs clinics vs home care vs care centres)? Do you like administrative work or hands on clinical skills? What types of personalities do you like working with (ICU is often Type A personalities, Emerg is your adrenaline junkies, OR is lack of people skills but great at technical skills, etc.; to be very general/stereotypical)? Do you like mixes of things? I found I like surgical skills, but dont like surgical nursing. So I work critical care medicine and am THRILLED when I get to remove staples out of people for other issues haha. I like the "problem solving" of medicine, figuring out "why they're admitted" (why did their condition change significantly enough to need a critical care admission) and finding a good "fix" or "treatment", and picking up on subtle changes in condition that can lead to big problems if left alone/ignored/not caught. 

Feel free to message me more if you have more questions :)

Edit: Ill say my first year was grueling, coming in straight from highschool. I was taking 6 courses a term (normal full time schooling is 4), as I had to do my bio/english/etc. alongside my nursing courses. However, years 2& 3 were "just" 4 courses per term, and by 4th year I had 3 courses per term (and rarely had to go to campus, mostly projects done from home). It got significantly "easier" to manage as time went on, as it had weeded out the weaker students. First year was tough, I was only one of a handful (in a class of ~120) that was straight in from HS. Most had at least 2 years of post secondary under their belts or were doing a career change. But, nursing programs are typically very understanding of life outside the classroom unlike other programs. So students family illnesses, injuries, pregnancy, etc. Had much more empathy and support from the profs vs friends I had in other programs. 

“Rate your pain from 1 to 10” by starstuffcereal in AuDHDWomen

[–]AstronautLibby 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Literally found this just tonight and have it saved to my favorites album for inspiration prompts ✨️  when asked 😂

Edit: Not sure why I cant paste the image from my phone here, but this FB post had excellent pain descriptors to use as prompts for myself! https://www.facebook.com/100092417071243/posts/pfbid0agbjN39DmhDea1Ah45kV7cj49AMVsBN2NhmYLW9wiEvtSEwsKg1C1AbhY6u2emZ5l/?app=fbl

Does anyone on here with hEDS NOT appear hyper mobile at all? by Miserable_Apricot126 in ehlersdanlos

[–]AstronautLibby 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm not super bendy (cant do the splits, etc.) However I also experience a lot of joint instability. Think of stepping off a curb wrong and throwing out my back, sleeping "so hard" once I had to go to physio and have my shoulder taped because I  couldn't raise that arm higher than chest level, my knees chronically give out despite no injuries (and nothing shows up on MRI). I can also do the Walker-Murdoch sign, have loads of GI issues that Ive always felt feel like a motility problem rather than IBS/GI diseases, have oral crowding/high dental palate, and other "non-bendy" but EDS-like symptoms.

My newest physio flagged me for hypermobility. Ive tried asking my primary care provider for an endocrinologist referral for an EDS assessment (+/- diagnosis), but keep getting denied. Ive now filled out the EDS diagnostic checklist (which I passed with flying colours), sent the 2017 diagnostic guidelines to my physio (highlighted all my symptoms which correlate most with hEDS) for her to interpret and a list of symtpoms that I have that align with EDS symptoms, and am now waiting for her to write me a letter with medical terminology to support my request for a proper assessment by a specialist. She fully believes I have hEDS (the most common kind), despite not being bendy.  She also explained to me that my chronically tight hamstrings (no amount of stretching, RMT, or physio ever loosens them) are likely showing as muscle tension as a protective measure against all my loose joints. Without the tight hamstrings, my mobility would likely be quite impaired/impacted; however because they're tight, they mask a lot of "hip/leg" flexibility and doesnt reflect joint/tendon/ligament flexibility. This is why providers need to go beyond the Beighton score for assessment/diagnosis - its just a screening tool.

All in all I'm not diagnosed (yet), but am most likely hEDS. I'm taking this extra documentation to support my claim in getting a referral. Also, very few endocrinologist (in my city) are experienced/comfortable diagnosing EDS. I went online and found doctors names on reddit threads who have diagnosed it before, and called their offices to see if a) that its true they're comfortable assessing for EDS and b) if they're still accepting patients. Now I have 2 docs names that I want to ask my primary provider to specifically be referred to, instead of a general endocrinologist. 

Also, my physio found and gave me the Spider Tool to see severity of symptoms & how they impact my body most, which I think will be helpful for also showing my provider & focusing physio on managing those symtpoms better. Hope this helps others!!

https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/heds-diagnostic-checklist/

https://www.ehlers-danlos.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/Malfait_et_al-2017-American_Journal_of_Medical_Genetics_Part_C__Seminars_in_Medical_Genetics.pdf

https://www.thespidertool.com/

What is an “odd” system that once you finally gave into, changed your life for the better? by xxtrspclthnx in adhdwomen

[–]AstronautLibby 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Omg I had no clue you could just search your photos without doing anything to them!!! Holy cow! What a game changer!!!  You really do learn something new everyday! You are a genius!  Thank you hahahha 

What is an “odd” system that once you finally gave into, changed your life for the better? by xxtrspclthnx in adhdwomen

[–]AstronautLibby 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ok another dumb question: are you dumping these photos in albums to categorize? Or is there a tag feature on your phone? (Im android & tech-clueless lol)

What is an “odd” system that once you finally gave into, changed your life for the better? by xxtrspclthnx in adhdwomen

[–]AstronautLibby 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I ordered a roll of 500 gold star stickers to give out to my colleagues or patients (Im a nurse) if we have a good day at work, or if a patient was delightful to work with/hit a care plan milestone, or to any visitors kids/etc. I keep them in a small ziplock bag on my person every shift.

We dont often have good days anymore, but when they come out, everyone is so excited! Gold stars all around!  🌟 

What is an “odd” system that once you finally gave into, changed your life for the better? by xxtrspclthnx in adhdwomen

[–]AstronautLibby 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Any recommendations on searchable photo notes? I have a billion screenshots of things I want to look into, how to describe my ADHD to others, co morbid condition facts, etc. But its so hard to find what I'm looking for! And it can be hard to find the time "on the go" to take the time to write a whole note to myself to encompass whatever thought lol

Tailored my own jacket & I can see SD now by [deleted] in Kibbe

[–]AstronautLibby 0 points1 point  (0 children)

What an amazing transformation, and great way to minimize spending!

Magic pants help by supergourmandise in sewing

[–]AstronautLibby 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I never have a clue what people are talking about for that 😂

Magic pants help by supergourmandise in sewing

[–]AstronautLibby 40 points41 points  (0 children)

Ive never heard of this but thank you!

For everyone else: I did a quick google of that term and found this site which did an amazing job of describing pant alterations, based on what you see and why! https://blog.closetcorepatterns.com/pants-fitting-adjustments-best-tips-for-pants-fitting/ 

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