HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Hoping Fibro doesn't ruin my future career

Support Forums
>
Fibromyalgia
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 9/17/2011 7:34 PM (GMT -5)
I am a full time time student who is to be graduating this year getting my Associate's in Histotechnology. I am also doing clinicals in a surgical pathology laboratory as part of my schooling. Though Histotechnology only requires me to sit while embedding tissue pieces in molds and slicing them on this cutter called a microtome, yet it tires me out. The fibromyalgia makes me so fatigued so easily, right after I finish my clinical for the day, I am lethargic and could barely move.
I am only at my clinical 2x a week for 6 hours, which includes a 30 min lunch and 15 break. The sad thing is that next semester, I have to go 4x a week for 6-8 hours. I had worked very hard for this and I do not want fibro to ruin it for me.
I am on disability for ASperger's syndrome for the past 13 years, yet since 2008 had severe fibromyalgia symptoms, in which doctor thought is was other things til I got my fibro diagnosis this year.
I do small walks, if I have energy to keep me moving. I am hoping that it does not ruin my schooling, as I went back to school to get off disability and find a wonderful career I could do that ASperger's does not interfere with. I have finally got that perfect career and now I feel fibro fatigue and pains may ruin it.
Posted 9/17/2011 9:37 PM (GMT -5)
Well, all you can do is all you can do. You're going ahead and trying, and hopefully the workload increase will be gradual enough so that your body can handle it. Don't assume you won't be able to! Easier said than done, though, I know.

Debbie
Posted 9/19/2011 4:43 AM (GMT -5)
Well done for persisting with study while having aspergers and now fibro. I hope that it goes well for you. When working try to take a 5 min break walk around the office. Get a coffee or go to the toilet. Or just stand and do some stretches. Make sure your workstation is well designed and suited for your work and body type.

I am an engineer and am finding working fulltime too demanding at the moment, so I am cutting back to 30 hrs.

Good luck! Keep persisting and hopefully you can find a job where u can work part time.
Posted 9/19/2011 5:59 AM (GMT -5)
Thanks everyone. My doctors and I have discussed, which the way I am feeling weak and lethargic after clinicals, I will be taking a year off after all of this for some much needed rest. Then I will probably work part-time, as it would be much easier on myself physically. It also turns out that most Histotechs (which is the laboratory career I am going to school for) do work only part time, as we only prepared slides for a pathologist. The good news is that not only so we work in hospitals, but most of the jobs out there are in small laboratories that surgeons and doctors have, which specialize in only one or two body organs.
Posted 9/19/2011 7:02 PM (GMT -5)
I'm glad that you're finding out that this will work for you! Taking some time off will help you to prepare well. I'm looking at going back to college to get either a diploma or degree for legal office assistant as a step-up to (hopefully) eventually becoming a paralegal. I'm very very nervous about my fibro affecting my ability to work in that field once I'm done but I want it so bad that I can deal with a lot to make it happen.
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply