To see a pattern? Seriously, is it just me or are there a WHOLE LOTTA nurses with PsA? Maybe we don’t notice other patterns because we are more likely to mention our profession, but sort of think there is more to it than that.
So, my fellow nursey peeps (and lawyers, architects, retirees, moms, dads, etc), what do you think? Do you think we are better at getting a diagnosis because of our training, while lay people might have a harder time defending that there is something really wrong? Do you think our environment triggers PsA to rear its ugly head at an earlier age?
I just think its really interesting because it sure seems like there are a lot of RNs on this board and would like to hear what everyone else thinks.
Affectionately,
The Grumpiest of Kitties
GrumpyCat
I just weighed in on this on another thread on here but let me repeat myself- I have read something somewhere (how's that for a reliable source!?) about an untreated strep infection prior to developing PSA which is a genetic predisposition but not everyone with the genetic predisposition develops PsA. Something seems to trigger it. Stress is known to trigger it but there may be another unknown factor. I have not knowingly had strep throat since I had my tonsils taken out at age 5. But i did work the burn and trauma unit for a long time. I also administered chemo as a young nurse. I use to routinely volunteer for hazardous duty as some young nurses I worked with were pregnant or trying. I was not. I had an IUD and was not in a relationship so I handled the pts with cytomegalovirus and other stuff. This was way before the AIDS outbreak. We learned a lot about protecting ourselves and others after that. Prior to that it was really pretty awful looking back, knowing what we know now. I use to routinely pocket used needles when giving heparin flushes. I had weekly needle sticks. Those were the bad old days! Anyway yes I think something helps to trigger it, I just don't know what. Hope this helps.
Weird, eh? I know a lot of Nurses with autoimmune disorders. Other than this board I do not know any Nurses with PsA. I often wondered if the exposure to multiple toxins, drugs, diseases might be the trigger for autoimmune in Nurses. But, maybe it is just that we are more aggressive with medical diagnosis and tests. I have non nurse friends who are very surprised to know how much I researched and kept going back to the doctor until I could get investigations done. It maybe a mix of both of those. It would be interesting to see. Maybe if I do my masters I’ll see if I can research it. I know of 10-15 nurses out of our hospital of ~100 who have autoimmune disorders. Not sure if that’s a relevant stat or not.
I'm going to throw another thought out there. How many nurses went into nursing due to a family history of illness? In other words, does early exposure to chronic illness compel women to go into nursing, and that familial history is the significant factor, and environmental exposure is simply the push over the edge?
I wonder if the toxin exposure has a link? It would be interesting to investigate which professions have the most incidences of PsA. Another question to ask is, does the increased prevalence have to do with better diagnosis? Are we simply seeing more in our profession because it affects us as a group, and we are more vocal? Are other professions seeing the same pattern, and just not discussing it as much?
Stoney,
I went into nursing because I always saw myself in a helping profession. I have had some chronic illness in my family, but for me, I always admired people in healthcare. Also, it was a huge challenge because when I went, it was incredibly competitive. I was always a goof off in high school and I as a result, I never did very well. The nursing program was a big challenge for me to prove to myself that I could do it, that I was smart, and that I could succeed in sciences and math. I ended up graduating first in my class and received the leadership award. But I know lots of others in my class who wanted to become nurses because of their dealings with chronic health problems in their families.
Kirsten,
Good research article on this would be wonderful. In my tiny surgery center with 25 employees, we have two nurses with autoimmune.
I love this discussion, guys! Thanks for contributing!
I always wonder about "clusters" of people who share the same diseases. At my job there is only 5 of us in my department. 3 out of 5 of us have PsA. Another oddity is that all 3 of us have been in very long term remission. One co-worker was in the Air Force stationed in Korea when his PsA hit. He was flown to a San Fran hospital and spent the next 6 moths bed ridden. Unable to walk, basically crippled. Today, over 20 years later he buys land, builds log cobins and sells them. He is medicated however. He takes MTX and Prednisone as needed.
The other co-worker has had severe Psoraisis all his life and finally ended up w/ PsA at the age of 60. He was in bad shape for a long time and refused treatment. He's one of those old timers who believe the Pharmaceutical companies are all evil and out to kill all man kind lol. Today, nearly 5 years later his PsA resolved on it's own also without any midical intervention.
I so totally agree this all this! In my OR dept we had PsA, RA, hasimotos, idiopathic hives, and one other one I can’t remember. We also had a higher rate of misscarages and infertility than normal. When we brought this up to administration we were told we worry too much, LOL! My other friend with PsA I met while working out, and than I found out she is an ORT. Really? No one wants to research these things as then they would have to do something about protecting us. Oh, and also premature deliveries… That too!
Perhaps a more mundane explanation: many people have some relatively mild inflammatory arthritis which they just attribute to getting old, sleeping funny, etc. I think physical stress can bring out symptoms of PsA and I think nurses tend to stress their bodies more than people in other professions. So maybe a mild case shows up more often in nurses than in most other professions?
I was just talking with my hubby about this. I too am an RN and was wondering how many of us were on this site. My rheumy did say that teachers and nurses often times have the highest incidence of auto immune. One does have to wonder why. Could it be environmental, stress?
Stoney and Grumpy, I did go into nursing because it was something I always wanted and the fact that my mom died at a very early age. I do wonder if untreated illnesses when younger or pesticides that were used could have started the auto immune process. I am also an oncology nurse and do wonder about exposure to all of the chemo we give on a daily basis
GrumpyCat said:
I wonder if the toxin exposure has a link? It would be interesting to investigate which professions have the most incidences of PsA. Another question to ask is, does the increased prevalence have to do with better diagnosis? Are we simply seeing more in our profession because it affects us as a group, and we are more vocal? Are other professions seeing the same pattern, and just not discussing it as much?
Stoney,
I went into nursing because I always saw myself in a helping profession. I have had some chronic illness in my family, but for me, I always admired people in healthcare. Also, it was a huge challenge because when I went, it was incredibly competitive. I was always a goof off in high school and I as a result, I never did very well. The nursing program was a big challenge for me to prove to myself that I could do it, that I was smart, and that I could succeed in sciences and math. I ended up graduating first in my class and received the leadership award. But I know lots of others in my class who wanted to become nurses because of their dealings with chronic health problems in their families.
Kirsten,
Good research article on this would be wonderful. In my tiny surgery center with 25 employees, we have two nurses with autoimmune.
I love this discussion, guys! Thanks for contributing!
In our hospital many nurses in the ER, OR, and ICU have had multiple miscarriages ( including myself). I did not go into nursing because of a family he of illness although it is there. My reasons were very different. It could be that most of us do have mild autoimmune and our job stress and toxins just trigger it. Definitely worth looking into.
It could be... 30% - 70% of PsA flairs are stress related. (thats a worthy discussion of its own) What I find intreresting is how few participants (here) are men. Men have a slightly (very slight) higher incidence and statistically more severe symptoms. Its always been assumed that its the result of mechanical stress/damage. Nursing and teaching are very physical activities and certainly ARE stressful.....
Nsanmom said:
I was just talking with my hubby about this. I too am an RN and was wondering how many of us were on this site. My rheumy did say that teachers and nurses often times have the highest incidence of auto immune. One does have to wonder why. Could it be environmental, stress?
Another nurse, checking in. My doctor told me that having been subjected to all kinds of virus and bacteria for 33 years, theres a no wonder that a nurses immune system would go haywire. I'm still working two 12 hour night shifts per week in a stressful open heart unit. I really need the insurance to pay for all of these labs and medications. Good topic Grumpy Cat.
Do you think there are less men on this board because they do not
search out support groups as much? Or do you think there is another reason?
I would bet a huge chunk of change that there are a lot of men out there
suffering from this disease that we do not know about. According to what I can remember
I believe there is no difference between the genders regarding prevalence of
disease.
I think symptoms can be exacerbated by walking/being on one's feet all day. Perhaps nurses would also be more likely to participate on a message board like this.
